London City Airport
By Chris Smith
Time for my usual November trip to London to join family on their annual break, this time around though I decided to do the touristy stuff rather than aviation, so I left the car at home and went by train, although I stayed at the London City Airport Travelodge, and in doing so, ticked off my final London Airport.
This could be my last report from London, I go three or four times per year and I can no longer really bring anything new to the table, so to avoid near identical reports every few months, I'll make this my last one.
I got into London around 11am and it was going to be a good few hours before I got to City Airport but the amount of Helicopters that fly over London was enough to keep me interested until then. Later in the day I went up to the top of the Shard, which on a clear day is a fantastic spotting spot, with Heathrow 27 arrivals and City 09 arrivals / 27 departures easily visible, if you have the time you can probably work all London airports simultaneously from here! It costs a fortune to go up so might as well spend the day up there!!!
London
Overhead
| REG: | A/C TYPE: | OPERATOR: | NOTES: |
| 9A-CTI | Airbus A319-112 | Croatia Airlines | Star Alliance c/s |
| A6-EDR * | Airbus A380-861 | Emirates | |
| B-2039 * | Boeing 777-39LER | Air China | |
| D-AIRP * | Airbus A321-131 | Lufthansa | |
| G-BOYF | Sikorsky S-76B | Air Harrods | |
| G-CIJW * | AgustaWestland AW139 | Bristow Helicopters | HM Coastguard |
| G-CIVC | Boeing 747-436 | British Airways | |
| G-EHMS * | MD Helicopters MD 902 Explorer | London's Air Ambulance | |
| G-EUUS | Airbus A320-232 | British Airways | |
| G-EUUX | Airbus A320-232 | British Airways | |
| G-LCYH | Embraer ERJ-170-100STD | BA CityFlyer | |
| G-LCYM | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | ex-LCY |
| G-LCYP * | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | ex-LCY |
| G-MPSC | Eurocopter BK 117C2 (EC145) | NPAS London | |
| G-SHRD * | Eurocopter AS350B2 Squirrel | Jet Helicopters | |
| G-STBL * | Boeing 777-336ER | British Airways | |
| G-TAKE * | Aerospatiale AS355F1 Twin Squirrel | Arena Aviation | BBC News titles |
| G-TVHD | Aerospatiale AS355F2 Twin Squirrel | Arena Aviation | |
| G-YMMH * | Boeing 777-236ER | British Airways | |
| HL8209 * | Boeing 777-3B5ER | Korean Air | Special c/s |
| LX-LGF * | Bombardier DHC-8-402Q (Dash 8-Q400) | Luxair | |
| LZ-FBE * | Airbus A320-214 | Bulgaria Air | |
| N797UA * | Boeing 777-222ER | United Airlines | |
| PH-BGK * | Boeing 737-7K2/W | KLM Royal Dutch Airlines | |
| PH-EZF | Embraer ERJ-190-100STD | KLM Cityhopper |
Had a bit of a mare at City Airport, the Travelodge had no airport facing rooms (which must offer superb views of the airport) so I had to settle for the opposite side where I had a decent view of the Heathrow 27 approach so the night was not a total loss.
London City Airport
Wednesday 25th November
| CS-DXP * | Cessna 560XL Citation XLS | NetJets Europe | |
| LX-LGE * | Bombardier DHC-8-402Q (Dash 8-Q400) | Luxair | |
| VQ-BSF * | Dassault Falcon 7X | Shell Aviation |
Heathrow inbounds
| D-AEAN * | Airbus A300F4-622R | EAT Leipzig | |
| D-AEAP | Airbus A300F4-622R | EAT Leipzig | |
| EI-DER | Airbus A320-214 | Aer Lingus | |
| F-GRHN * | Airbus A319-111 | Air France | |
| LN-RPN | Boeing 737-883 | SAS Scandinavian Airlines | |
| N18112 * | Boeing 757-224/W | United Airlines | |
| OO-SSU | Airbus A319-111 | Brussels Airlines | |
| SU-GDX * | Boeing 737-866/W | EgyptAir | |
| TC-JRB * | Airbus A321-231 | THY Turkish Airlines | Star Alliance c/s |
Got up early the next day and had a wander to see what I could find, although no good for photos you can get very close to the biz ramp and read everything off. I then made my way across the Thames to the north side where there's a weird little runway marked out.
London City Airport
Thursday 26th November
| CS-DXL | Cessna 560XL Citation XLS | NetJets Europe | |
| D-AECB * | Embraer ERJ-190-100LR | Lufthansa Regional (Lufthansa Cityline) | |
| D-CIRP * | Dornier 328-110 | British Airways (MHS Aviation / Sun Air of Scandinavia) | |
| EI-RJC | British Aerospace Avro RJ85 | CityJet | |
| EI-RJD | British Aerospace Avro RJ85 | CityJet | |
| EI-RJO * | British Aerospace Avro RJ85 | CityJet | |
| EI-RJY | British Aerospace Avro RJ85 | CityJet | |
| EI-WXA | British Aerospace Avro RJ85 | CityJet | |
| G-EUNA * | Airbus A318-112 | British Airways | |
| G-JECF | Bombardier DHC-8-402Q (Dash 8-Q400) | Flybe | |
| G-LCYD | Embraer ERJ-170-100STD | British Airways | |
| G-LCYJ * | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | British Airways | |
| G-LCYR * | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | British Airways | |
| G-LCYU * | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | British Airways | |
| G-PRPB * | Bombardier DHC-8-402Q (Dash 8-Q400) | Flybe | |
| G-VZON | ATR-72-500 (ATR-72-212A) | Aurigny Air Services | |
| HB-IYZ * | British Aerospace Avro RJ100 | Swiss European Airlines | |
| HB-IZZ * | Saab 2000 | Etihad Regional (Darwin Airline) | |
| HB-JVQ * | Embraer ERJ-190-100LR | Helvetic Airways | |
| LX-LQA * | Bombardier DHC-8-402Q (Dash 8-Q400) | Luxair | |
| OO-VLL * | Fokker 50 | CityJet (VLM Airlines) | |
| VQ-BSN * | Dassault Falcon 7X | Shell Aviation |
During the day I only noted a single SAS going into Heathrow:
| OY-KBE * | Airbus A321-231 | SAS Scandinavian Airlines | |
Most of the day was spent at the Imperial War Museum which houses Harrier GR9A ZD461 and a Spit amongst other bits and bobs.
Imperial War Museum
| 3685 * | Mitsubishi A6M3 Zero | Imperial Japanese Air Force | Wreck |
| 3869 * | Messerschmitt Bf 110 E-1 | Luftwaffe | Parts only |
| R6915 * | Supermarine Spitfire IA | Royal Air Force | Preserved |
| DV372/POF * | Avro 683 Lancaster B1 | Royal Australian Air Force | Forward fuselage only |
| ZD461/51A | British Aerospace Harrier GR9A | Royal Air Force | Preserved |
Click here for some photos. As always thanks for reading!