Essex
by Chris Smith
I passed up the opportunity to go to New York with family as it's a long way to go and a lot of money just to repeat everything I already accomplished as recently as 2019, with little new to add. I considered going for the aviation activity, but this would have been selfish on a family holiday. So, if I wasn't on the trip then it was up to me to look after my sisters dog which meant a week in Essex.
I was due to travel down on the same day I completed a night-shift at MME, so by the time I got some sleep, it would have been a 4pm departure at minimum, arriving in Essex around 8-9pm, and aside from the fact I'd have still been tired during the drive, the dog would have been alone for longer than would be kind. So around 2am during said night-shift, I thought I'd at least have a look at the train prices, expecting something like £200+ one-way at just eight hours notice, but much to my surprise an off-peak return ticket was £110 - probably still expensive but given it was so far ahead of my expectations, I booked and was in Essex by early afternoon.
The trade-off was no car, meaning my spotting opportunities were somewhat limited, I was going to hire one, but there was nowhere local. Regular viewers might remember my last visit here back in December when I went to every local airport and grass strip, even going as far afield as Lydd, this time I was figuring on sticking to nearby airports only. My sisters local is Southend, Stansted is not too far away either and she lives on the extended centreline of runway 27 at London City. Biggin Hill is also doable, which I very much enjoyed back in December having never been to the rich south-eastern part of the site.
In the end, the train and tube dictated where I went, out of the local options it was just London City. Hatton Cross at Heathrow and therefore Myrtle Avenue might have been doable but it would be a 4hr round trip on the train/tube for just a few hours spotting, and once again it would have been unkind to leave the dog alone that long. Thanks to Dave Rose for warning me London City shuts on a Saturday afternoon / Sunday morning - I would have forgot and it's very possible I would have picked the weekend! Wouldn't be the first time either, I made this mistake when in Majorca once - visiting Son Bonet on a Sunday - oops!
London City Airport
LCY / EGLC - Monday 15th
May
Being almost exclusively a business airport, I got there just ahead of rush hour, arriving just before 7.30am to maximise the number of expected movements due in. On my one and only previous visit here, I don't recall the special procedures required to operate into London City being so evident - you could see arrivals sinking like a stone, only arresting the decline at the last moment. CityFlyer departures were full power and steep, although other outbounds appeared conventional. It is a stand-constrained airport and at one point there was a three-strong queue for a parking space, and had there been another arrival it would not have been able to vacate the runway, in theory leading to holding or even diverting inbounds. I was and still am surprised Eastern were able to get such prime slots here for us back in 2020. I spent the entire time on the north bank of the Thames looking over the airport. The two Falcons were the highlights.
| D-AECD | Embraer ERJ-190-100LR | Lufthansa CityLine | |
| D-AECH | Embraer ERJ-190-100AR | Lufthansa CityLine | |
| D-AKJC | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | German Airways | Op for ITA Airways |
| G-LCAB | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | |
| G-LCAC | Embraer ERJ-190-100LR | BA CityFlyer | |
| G-LCAE | Embraer ERJ-190-100LR | BA CityFlyer | |
| G-LCAF | Embraer ERJ-190-100LR | BA CityFlyer | |
| G-LCYK | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | |
| G-LCYL | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | |
| G-LCYM | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | |
| G-LCYO | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | |
| G-LCYP | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | |
| G-LCYR | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | |
| G-LCYT | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | |
| G-LCYU | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | |
| G-LMTE | ATR 72-600 | Loganair | |
| HB-AZE | Embraer ERJ-190-300STD E2 | Helvetic Airways | |
| HB-AZG | Embraer ERJ-190-300STD E2 | Helvetic Airways | |
| HB-JBB | Bombardier BD-500-1A10 CS100 | Swiss International Airlines | |
| LX-LGE | Bombardier DHC-8-Q402 | Luxair | |
| LX-LGN | Bombardier DHC-8-Q402 | Luxair | |
| OE-IAL | Dassault Falcon 8X | International Jet Management | |
| OY-NCO | Dornier 328-300JET | British Airways (Sun-Air of Scandinavia) | |
| PH-EZZ | Embraer ERJ-190-100STD | KLM Cityhopper | |
| VQ-BXH | Dassault Falcon 8X | Shell Aviation | |
 _CS.JPG) _CS.JPG)        _CS.JPG) _CS.JPG)  _CS.JPG) _CS.JPG) _CS.JPG) _CS.JPG)     |
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Overflights
| Thursday 11th May | |||
| EI-DVN | Airbus A320-214 | Aer Lingus | DUB-LHR |
| G-LCYO | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | LCY-DUB |
| G-LCYV | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | AMS-LCY |
| YR-ASB | Airbus A318-111 | TAROM | OTP-LHR |
| Sunday 14th May | |||
| A7-ANC | Airbus A350-1041 | Qatar Airways | DOH-JFK |
| D-AALO | Boeing 777-200LRF | Aerologic | ATL-FRA |
| D-AIXL | Airbus A350-941 | Lufthansa | MUC-CLT |
| D-AIYC | Airbus A330-243 | Condor | FRA-JFK |
| F-GZND | Boeing 777-328ER | Air France | CDG-LAX |
| F-HRBG | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | Air France | CDG-ORD |
| G-GDFJ | Boeing 737-804 | Jet2 Holidays | FCO-MAN |
| G-ISLK | ATR 72-500 | Blue Islands | RTM-GCI |
| G-LCAD | Embraer ERJ-190-100LR | BA CityFlyer | DUB-LCY |
| G-LCYJ | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | JER-LCY |
| G-LCYL | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | IBZ-LCY |
| G-POLD | Eurocopter EC135 T2+ | NPAS South West | |
| G-UXLA | Bombardier Learjet 40 | SaxonAir Charter | IOM-BQH |
| LN-NIH | Boeing 737-8JP | Norwegian Air Shuttle | AGP-OSL |
| OO-JDL | Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner | TUI fly Belgium | BRU-VRA |
| TF-ICN | Boeing 737-8MAX | Icelandair | BRU-KEF |
| TC-TJV | Boeing 737-86J | Corendon Airlines | AYT-BHX |
| Monday 15th May | |||
| 06-6160 | Boeing C-17A Globemaster III | US Air Force - 21st AS / 60th AMW | ROZ-RMS |
| 5Y-KZB | Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner | Kenya Airways | NBO-LHR |
| 9V-SWY | Boeing 777-312ER | Singapore Airlines | SIN-LHR |
| A6-EOW | Airbus A380-861 | Emirates | DXB-LHR |
| A6-XWB | Airbus A350-1041 | Etihad Airways | AUH-LHR |
| A7-BFC | Boeing 777-FDZLRF | Qatar Airways Cargo | DOH-LGG (DIV LHR) |
| C-FVND | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | Air Canada | YYZ-LHR |
| C-GHPX | Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner | Air Canada | YUL-LHR |
| D-AGWX | Airbus A319-132 | Eurowings | CGN-LHR |
| D-AGWZ | Airbus A319-132 | Eurowings | STR-LHR |
| D-AINK | Airbus A320-271N | Lufthansa | FRA-LHR |
| D-AINT | Airbus A320-271N | Lufthansa | MUC-LHR |
| D-AINZ | Airbus A320-271N | Lufthansa | MUC-LHR |
| EC-LUX | Airbus A330-302 | Iberia | MAD-LHR |
| EC-NTI | Airbus A320-251N | Iberia | MAD-LHR |
| EI-KGI | Airbus A321-271N(LR) | Air Astana | SCO-LHR |
| EI-LRA | Airbus A321-253N(LR) | Aer Lingus | DUB-LHR |
| EI-LRB | Airbus A321-253N(LR) | Aer Lingus | SNN-LHR |
| EI-SIR | Airbus A320-251N | Aer Lingus | CPH-LHR |
| G-LCAG | Embraer ERJ-190-100LR | BA CityFlyer | EDI-LCY |
| G-LMRA | ATR 72-600 | Loganair | DND-LHR |
| G-STBK | Boeing 777-336ER | British Airways | JFK-LHR |
| G-STBM | Boeing 777-300ER | British Airways | JFK-LHR |
| G-TTNC | Airbus A320-251N | British Airways | BER-LHR |
| G-TTNE | Airbus A320-251N | British Airways | BCN-LHR |
| G-TTNS | Airbus A320-251N | British Airways | INV-LHR |
| G-VFAN | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | Virgin Atlantic Airways | JFK-LHR |
| G-VGBR | Airbus A330-343X | Virgin Atlantic Airways | LHR-BGI |
| G-VLDY | Airbus A330-941 | Virgin Atlantic Airways | ATL-LHR |
| G-VLIB | Airbus A350-1041 | Virgin Atlantic Airways | MCO-LHR |
| G-VTEA | Airbus A350-1041 | Virgin Atlantic Airways | JFK-LHR |
| G-VWOO | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | Virgin Atlantic Airways | AUS-LHR |
| G-VYUM | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | Virgin Atlantic Airways | LAX-LHR |
| G-XLEC | Airbus A380-841 | British Airways | MIA-LHR |
| G-XLEL | Airbus A380-841 | British Airways | JNB-LHR |
| G-XWBL | Airbus A350-1041 | British Airways | LAX-LHR |
| G-ZBKJ | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | British Airways | YUL-LHR |
| G-ZBKN | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | British Airways | YYZ-LHR |
| HB-JCP | Airbus A220-300 | Swiss International Airlines | GVA-LHR |
| HS-TTA | Boeing 777-300ER | Thai Airways International | BKK-LHR |
| LX-LGE | Bombardier DHC-8-Q402 | Luxair | ANR-LCY |
| LY-FLT | Boeing 737-522 | KlasJet | BRU-CWL |
| N2639U | Boeing 777-300ER | United Airlines | BRU-EWR |
| N663UA | Boeing 767-322ER | United Airlines | EWR-LHR |
| N674UA | Boeing 767-322ER | United Airlines | EWR-LHR |
| N685UA | Boeing 767-3CBER | United Airlines | ORD-LHR |
| N720AN | Boeing 777-323ER | American Airlines | MIA-LHR |
| N736AT | Boeing 777-323ER | American Airlines | JFK-LHR |
| N77014 | Boeing 777-224ER | United Airlines | SFO-LHR |
| N780AN | Boeing 777-223ER | American Airlines | MIA-LHR |
| N782AN | Boeing 777-223ER | American Airlines | CLT-LHR |
| N825AA | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | American Airlines | ORD-LHR |
| N832AA | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | American Airlines | ORD-LHR |
| N837AN | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | American Airlines | PHL-LHR |
| OH-LWP | Airbus A350-941 | Finnair | HEL-LHR |
| PH-BVG | Boeing 777-306ER | KLM Royal Dutch Airlines | AMS-PTY |
| TC-LJJ | Boeing 777-3F2ER | Turkish Airlines | IST-LHR |
| VH-OQG | Airbus A380-842 | Qantas Airways | SIN-LHR |
| VT-ANJ | Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner | Air India | BOM-LHR |
| Tuesday 16th May | |||
| A7-BAE | Boeing 777-3DZER | Qatar Airways | DOH-LHR |
| F-GSQM | Boeing 777-328ER | Air France | CDG-LAX |
| F-GZNC | Boeing 777-328ER | Air France | CDG-LAX |
| G-ANAF | Douglas DC-3C | Aero Legends Leasing | ex LYX |
| G-LCYZ | Embraer ERJ-190-100SR | BA CityFlyer | DUS-LCY |
| G-SELC | Diamond DA 42 NG Twin Star | Stapleford Flying Club | ex EGSG |
| G-YYES | Cirrus SR20 G6 | A9 Leasing LLP | EGSR-SEN-BQH |
| M-EXPL | Eurocopter AS355N Twin Star | Select Plant Hire Company | ex SEN |
| N1200K | Boeing 767-332ER | Delta Air Lines | ZRH-JFK |
| N13014 | Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner | United Airlines | BRU-ORD |
| N172DZ | Boeing 767-332ER | Delta Air Lines | BRU-JFK |
| N404DX | Airbus A330-941 | Delta Air Lines | CDG-LAX |
| TC-JJN | Boeing 777-3F2ER | Turkish Airlines | IST-JFK |
| Thursday 18th May | |||
| 9H-WAK | Airbus A321-271N | Wizz Air Malta | BUD-LTN |
| A7-MAE | Boeing C-17A Globemaster III | Qatar Emiri Air Force | STN-XJD |
| F-GZNN | Boeing 777-328ER | Air France | CDG-YUL |
| G-EZBE | Airbus A319-111 | easyJet | LGW-HAM |
| HB-AZD | Embraer ERJ-190-300STD E2 | Helvetic Airways | ZRH-LCY |
| N30913 | Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner | United Airlines | ORD-MXP |
| N816NW | Airbus A330-323E | Delta Air Lines | CDG-DTW |
| OO-SFX | Airbus A330-343E | Brussels Airlines | BRU-IAD |
| VP-CSN | Airbus A319-115(CJ) | Alpha Star | LTN-RAK |