By Dave Rose
A business meeting near Aberdeen gave me the opportunity to have a look at the current spotting opportunities at this busy airport. Ideally I wanted to do a day return from DTV, but EZE dont do an early flight on a Friday (usually!!) and the fares from NCL were over £300!! so opted for the train. Hopefully, this will change soon, when there is competition on the route. The journey passes the runway threshold at EDI and DND so a good start was made with 319CJ D-ALEX and 738MAX EI-FYB parked at EDI, and ATR42 LY-ARI at DND.
I opted for the new Premier Inn at ABZ, its on the airport area and my rear top floor room ahd some limited runway views. I would suggest the Crowne Plaza next door would be ideal, as it has full view of the runway and parking stands. I decided to have a wander, starting at the parking areas to the left of the terminal. A raised mound area here gives very good views of the parked Eastern stuff and helicopter movements. HERE HERE Clearly helicopter movements to the rigs are the major role at ABZ, and there is a constant stream of them. HERE HERE HERE HERE HERE HERE The Sikorsky S92A seems the current flavour of the month, with Bond, Bristow and CHC all having a presence here. Some operate from the eastern apron HERE and some cargo day stoppers park here. HERE
Walking past the terminal building, I found the perimeter road can be accessed via the hire car terminal. The signs say its closed but I had no problems.Views and shots of the parking stands can be taken here, HERE then landing shots on runway 34 can be had by walking to the threshold area. A very high mound provides great photo opportunities here, created by the construction work going on in the area. The mound is grassed, so its been here a while. HERE HERE HERE HERE HERE HERE HERE HERE HERE HERE HERE
Traffic other than choppers consists of Eastern (all types), Loganair (Saab 340 and 2000), British Airways (319/320/321), Lufthansa (E190), Wideroe (DH8D), Wizz (320), SAS (736/CRJ9), HOP (E170), FlyBe (DH8D), KLM (E190), and ASL with 737s flying for Thomson.
Normal day stopping freighters are a West Air ATP and 737. Biz park at the apron opposite the main terminal, so a car is needed to get over there.
To summarise, ABZ is busy during the week, with a decent variety of movements. I would suggest a day is probably enough to log all of the based helicopters. Remember to take your woolies.........
Aberdeen 14/9 (Eastern J41's omitted as they are in and out all day)
Helicopters
| G-MCSA | Sikorsky S-92A | Bond / Babcock |
| G-MCSB | Sikorsky S-92A | Bond / Babcock |
| G-MCSD | Agusta Westland AW139 | Bond / Babcock |
| G-MCSE | Eurocopter EC175 | Bond / Babcock |
| G-MCSG | Eurocopter EC175 | Bond / Babcock |
| G-VIND | Sikorsky S-92A | Bond / Babcock |
| G-VINF | Sikorsky S-92A | Bond / Babcock |
| G-VINI | Sikorsky S-92A | Bond / Babcock |
| G-VINK | Sikorsky S-92A | Bond / Babcock |
| G-VINL | Sikorsky S-92A | Bond / Babcock |
| G-VINP | Sikorsky S-92A | Bond / Babcock |
| G-EMEA | Eurocopter EC175 | CHC Scotia |
| G-WNSF | Sikorsky S-92A | CHC Scotia |
| G-WNSG | Sikorsky S-92A | CHC Scotia |
| G-WNSM | Sikorsky S-92A | CHC Scotia |
| G-WNSR | Sikorsky S-92A | CHC Scotia |
| G-WNSV | Sikorsky S-92A | CHC Scotia |
| G-WNSW | Sikorsky S-92A | CHC Scotia |
| G-CGYW | Sikorsky S-92A | Bristow Helicopters |
| G-CHHF | Sikorsky S-92A | Bristow Helicopters |
| G-CICH | Sikorsky S-92A | Bristow Helicopters |
| G-CIGZ | Sikorsky S-92A | Bristow Helicopters |
| G-CJNV | Agusta Westland AW189 | Bristow Helicopters |
| G-GALC | Sikorsky S-92A | Bristow Helicopters |
| G-IACA | Sikorsky S-92A | Bristow Helicopters |
| G-IACB | Sikorsky S-92A | Bristow Helicopters |
| G-IACC | Sikorsky S-92A | Bristow Helicopters |
| G-XCII | Sikorsky S-92A | Bristow Helicopters |
| OO-NSE | Eurocopter EC175 | Noordzee Helikopter |
| OO-NSF | Eurocopter EC175 | Noordzee Helikopter |
| OO-NSI | Eurocopter EC175 | Noordzee Helikopter |
|
CS-PHF |
Embraer
EMB-505 |
50500260 |
NetJets
Europe |
|
D-AECE |
Embraer
Emb-190100LR |
19000341 |
Lufthansa
Regional |
|
EI-FPD |
Canadair
Regional-Jet900NG |
15401 |
SAS
Scandinavian Airlines |
|
F-GZTP |
Boeing
73771B |
29370 |
ASL
Airlines France |
|
F-HBXJ |
Embraer
Emb-170100LR |
17000312 |
HOP! |
|
G-CDEA |
SAAB 2000 |
009 |
Eastern
Airways |
|
G-CDKB |
SAAB 2000 |
032 |
Eastern
Airways |
|
G-CERZ |
SAAB 2000 |
042 |
Eastern
Airways |
|
G-CFLU |
SAAB 2000 |
055 |
Eastern
Airways |
|
G-CIEC |
SAAB 2000 |
037 |
Eastern
Airways |
|
G-CIXV |
Embraer
Emb-170100LR |
17000111 |
Eastern
Airways |
|
G-LGNF |
SAAB 340B |
192 |
Loganair |
|
G-LGNG |
SAAB 340B |
327 |
Loganair |
|
G-LGNH |
SAAB 340B |
333 |
Loganair |
|
G-LGNI |
SAAB 340B |
160 |
Loganair |
|
G-LGNM |
SAAB 340B |
187 |
Loganair |
|
G-LGNO |
SAAB 2000 |
013 |
Loganair |
|
G-LGNP |
SAAB 2000 |
018 |
Loganair |
|
G-LGNR |
SAAB 2000 |
004 |
Loganair |
|
G-LGNS |
SAAB 2000 |
041 |
Loganair |
|
G-LGNT |
SAAB 2000 |
039 |
Loganair |
|
G-PRPE |
de
Havilland Canada DHC-8Q-402 |
4209 |
Flybe |
|
G-PRPL |
de
Havilland Canada DHC-8Q-402NG |
4380 |
Flybe |
|
HA-LYH |
Airbus
A320232(SL) |
6235 |
Wizz Air |
|
HB-IZJ |
SAAB 2000 |
015 |
Etihad
Regional |
|
LN-RDY |
de
Havilland Canada DHC-8Q-402 |
4062 |
Wideroe
Airline |
|
LN-RPE |
Boeing
737683 |
28306 |
SAS
Scandinavian Airlines |
|
LN-WDK |
de
Havilland Canada DHC-8Q-402NG |
4337 |
Wideroe
Airline |
|
LZ-CGT |
Boeing
7374Y0 |
24691 |
Cargo Air |
|
M-JCBB |
Gulfstream
G650 |
6049 |
Corporate |
|
N363AP |
Cessna 680 |
680-0095 |
Corporate |
|
OY-KFF |
Canadair
Regional-Jet900 |
15231 |
SAS
Scandinavian Airlines |
|
OY-NPF |
Swearingen
SA.227DCMetro 23 |
DC-880B |
North
Flying A/S |
|
PH-EZB |
Embraer
Emb-190100LR |
19000235 |
KLM
cityhopper |
|
SE-MHE |
British
Aerospace ATPF |
2012 |
West
Atlantic |