By Dave Anderson, Dave Rose and report by Chris Smith
Back in October last year I was honoured and priviledged to receive an invite on a Toulouse trip that the two Daves were planning. Having been back in 2016 with the two light aircraft, I jumped at the chance at going back to the European centre of aviation. This time around we were going via the more conventional means of a Flybe Embraer, my debut on both the type and the airline.
Day One
Wednesday 16th May
Toulouse isn't exactly a common destination across UK airports and Manchester was the nearest available departure point. Dave Rose was the duty driver and I was the last pick up at about 6pm on the 16th and we had a pretty clear run through to Manchester Airport. Rosey has an incredible energy for spotting and we were immediately "on duty", picking off every contrail within a 100 mile radius and by the time he dropped me back off on the Saturday he still had not slowed down!
The Oman Air was about the only target from Manchester on the evening and a drive up to the top of the T1 MSCP quickly ticked it off; after that we went chasing some different wings - chicken ones - along with lamb koftas and lagers at the Premier Inn!
Manchester Airport
MAN / EGCC
| REG | A/C TYPE | OPERATOR | NOTES |
| 9H-ALL | Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2 | Luxwing | |
| A4O-DC | Airbus A330-243 | Oman Air | |
| A6-EOR | Airbus A380-861 | Emirates | |
| AP-BGK | Boeing 777-240ER | Pakistan International Airlines | |
| D-AEWV | Airbus A320-214 | Eurowings | |
| D-AKNF | Airbus A319-112 | Eurowings | |
| D-IEKU | Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2 | Starwings | |
| EC-KHP | Cessna 550 Citation Bravo | Gestair Executive Jet | |
| EI-DHC | Boeing 737-8AS | Ryanair | |
| EI-FRM | Boeing 737-8AS | Ryanair | |
| EI-FRN | Boeing 737-8AS | Ryanair | |
| EI-FSL | ATR-72-600 | Aer Lingus Regional (Stobart Air) | |
| EI-GJF | Boeing 737-800 | Ryanair | |
| F-GZTO | Boeing 737-73S | ASL Airlines France | |
| G-BYAW | Boeing 757-204 | TUI Airways | |
| G-CPEV | Boeing 757-236 | TUI Airways | |
| G-ECOA | Bombardier DHC-8-Q402 | Flybe | |
| G-ECOF | Bombardier DHC-8-Q402 | Flybe | |
| G-EZRG | Airbus A320-214 | easyJet | |
| G-FDZF | Boeing 737-8K5 | TUI Airways | |
| G-GDFF | Boeing 737-85P | Jet2 Holidays | |
| G-GDFP | Boeing 737-8Z9 | Jet2.com | |
| G-GDFZ | Boeing 737-86Q | Jet2 Holidays | |
| G-JZBL | Boeing 737-800 | Jet2.com | |
| G-JZHD | Boeing 737-808 | Jet2 Holidays | |
| G-JZHN | Boeing 737-800 | Jet2 Holidays | |
| G-LSAK | Boeing 757-23N | Jet2 Holidays | |
| G-OBYF | Boeing 767-304ER | TUI Airways | |
| G-TCDY | Airbus A321-211 | Thomas Cook Airlines | |
| G-TCXC | Airbus A330-243 | Thomas Cook Airlines | |
| G-TUIF | Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner | TUI Airways | |
| G-TUII | Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner | TUI Airways | |
| G-UZHF | Airbus A320-251N | easyJet | |
| G-ZBAR | Airbus A320-214 | Thomas Cook Airlines Balearics | To become EC-MVH |
| N919FD | Boeing 757-23ASF | FedEx Express | |
| OO-SSX | Airbus A319-111 | Brussels Airlines | |
| OY-NCM | Dornier 328JET-310 | Sun-Air of Scandinavia |
Day Two
Thursday 17th May
We were up bright and early and headed straight for the car drop off point, check-in and rather hasslesome security screening. We enjoyed a hearty breakfast in the departure lounge with the only spotting being what we could see from the gates and then out of the aircraft window. Ando called our aircraft the night before as G-FBJB and sure enough it was at our gate when we got there. The view from the aircraft was not the best as the seats are all out of kilter with the windows, presumably because of the high density 88 seat configuration Flybe use, which is the same as KLM Cityhopper on their 175s.
Manchester Airport
| REG | A/C TYPE | OPERATOR | NOTES |
| A6-ECX | Boeing 777-31HER | Emirates | |
| A6-ETJ | Boeing 777-3FXER | Etihad Airways | |
| B-6529 | Airbus A330-343E | Hainan Airlines | |
| B-LRD | Airbus A350-941 | Cathay Pacific Airways | |
| D-AIZJ | Airbus A320-214 | Lufthansa | |
| EI-DYB | Boeing 737-8AS | Ryanair | |
| EI-EKA | Boeing 737-8AS | Ryanair | |
| EI-REM | ATR-72-500 | Flybe (Stobart Air) | |
| G-ECOI | Bombardier DHC-8-Q402 | Flybe | Hybrid Brussels Airlines c/s |
| G-EUYO | Airbus A320-232 | British Airways | |
| G-ESNA | Embraer EMB-550 Legacy 500 | Air Charter Scotland | |
| G-EZWI | Airbus A320-214 | easyJet | |
| G-FBJB | Embraer ERJ-175-200STD | Flybe | Our flight BE3253/5TD |
| G-FBJD | Embraer ERJ-175-200STD | Flybe | |
| G-JECK | Bombardier DHC-8-Q402 | Flybe | |
| G-JECO | Bombardier DHC-8-Q402 | Flybe | |
| G-JZBG | Boeing 737-800 | Jet2 Holidays | |
| G-JZHC | Boeing 737-8K5 | Jet2.com | |
| G-TAWL | Boeing 737-8K5 | TUI Airways | |
| G-TCDH | Airbus A321-211 | Thomas Cook Airlines | |
| G-TUIK | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | TUI Airways | |
| G-UZHA | Airbus A350-251N | easyJet | |
| G-UZHE | Airbus A350-251N | easyJet | |
| G-VMIK | Airbus A330-223 | Virgin Atlantic Airways | |
| LY-VEC | Airbus A321-211 | Thomas Cook Airlines | |
| N18119 | Boeing 757-223 | United Airlines | |
| N972FD | Boeing 757-28A | FedEx Express | |
| OE-LKE | Airbus A319-111 | easyJet Europe | |
| OY-VKF | Airbus A330-243 | Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia | |
| PH-BXO | Boeing 737-9K2 | KLM Royal Dutch Airlines | Skyteam c/s |
The Airbus Flight Test Line
© Dave Rose
525/31-CN performing an overshoot -
note the deployed drogue which Ando believes may have been
forgotten about?!
© Dave Rose
In a bit of a topsy turvy twist, we departed in glorious Lancashire sunshine and arrived into the mist and light rain of southern France! We collected our hire car and did a lap of the airport, taking care to ensure we covered all the various nooks and crannies of which there are many. Following this we made the short drive over to Francazal as detailed below, before returning to Toulouse and settling in a car park which allows decent shots of arrivals on 32L, and by this point the weather had improved to a level you would expect from Toulouse. From this car park a satellite dish is visible on the top of one of Airbus' hangars, no different to a typical houshold Sky TV dish, and it is constantly pointing in the direction of test flying aircraft wherever they may be in the world, and if there are none it faces upover, so it's a very handy way of knowing if anything is being put through its paces anywhere. On the evening we went and checked into our Holiday Inn Express, then headed over the road to the Holiday Inn we stayed at during the previous visit for beer and steak - and I have to say the mashed potato of all things is the best I've ever had! The highlight of the day had to be the FAF KC-135, which caught us by surprise as they don't plot on FR24 and it's only thanks to Rosey's eagle eye that we were able to grab shots of it - Ando was particularly pleased, smiling from ear to ear as I do believe the KC-135 is his favourite type, he then returned to default mode:
Toulouse Blagnac Airport
TLS / LFBO
| REG | A/C TYPE | OPERATOR | NOTES |
| 525/31-CN | Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker | Armée de l'Air - GRV 02.091 | Overshoot |
| 7T-VJR | Boeing 737-6D6 | Air Algerie | |
| CS-TTX | Embraer ERJ-195-200AR | TAP Express (Portugália Airlines) | |
| D-AIDT | Airbus A321-231 | Lufthansa | |
| D-ALEP | Boeing 757-2Q8SF | DHL Worldwide Express (EAT Leipzig) | |
| EC-KAI | ATR-42-300F | FedEx Feeder (Swiftair) | |
| EC-MLN | Bombardier CL-600-2E25 CRJ-1000ER | Iberia Regional (Air Nostrum) | |
| EC-MTE | Airbus A319-112 | Volotea Airlines | |
| EC-MUU | Airbus A319-111 | Volotea Airlines | |
| EI-DVH | Airbus A320-214 | Aer Lingus | |
| EI-EGD | Boeing 737-8AS | Ryanair | |
| EI-ESP | Boeing 737-8AS | Ryanair | |
| EI-EXA | Boeing 717-2BL | Volotea Airlines | |
| EI-IMV | Airbus A319-111 | Alitalia | |
| F-GBTM | Dassault Falcon 20F | Corporate | |
| F-GIXB | Boeing 737-33ASF | ASL Airlines France | |
| F-GKXG | Airbus A320-214 | Air France | |
| F-GKXO | Airbus A320-214 | Air France | On maintenance |
| F-GLNH | Beech 1900D | Twin Jet France | |
| F-GLRZ | Beech C90A King Air | Corporate | |
| F-GMZB | Airbus A321-111 | Air France | |
| F-GMZC | Airbus A321-111 | Air France | |
| F-GMZD | Airbus A321-111 | Air France | |
| F-GNSC | Beech 58 Baron | DGAC | |
| F-GPME | Airbus A319-113 | Air France | |
| F-GPYC | ATR-42-500 | Airlinair | Operating for Airbus |
| F-GRHG | Airbus A319-111 | Air France | |
| F-GRHI | Airbus A319-111 | Air France | |
| F-GRHJ | Airbus A319-111 | Air France | |
| F-HAPL | ATR-72-500 | HOP! (Airlinair) | |
| F-HBNB | Airbus A320-214 | Air France | |
| F-HBND | Airbus A320-214 | Air France | |
| F-HBNG | Airbus A320-214 | Air France | |
| F-HBNI | Airbus A320-214 | Air France | Also seen air-to-air during outbound flight |
| F-HBNJ | Airbus A320-214 | Air France | |
| F-HFGP | Beech 350 Super King Air | APG Airlines | |
| F-HLCE | Eurocopter EC135 T2+ | SAF Helicopteres | |
| F-HLCF | Airbus H135 T3 | SAF Helicopteres | |
| F-HMLF | Bombardier CL-600-2E25 CRJ-1000EL | HOP! (Brit Air) | |
| F-HMLH | Bombardier CL-600-2E25 CRJ-1000EL | HOP! (Brit Air) | |
| F-HMLJ | Bombardier CL-600-2E25 CRJ-1000EL | HOP! (Brit Air) | |
| F-HNAK | Hawker Beechcraft C90GTi King Air | ENAC | |
| F-HTLS | Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100 | Corporate | |
| F-ZBFJ | Beech 200 Super King Air | French Government-Securite Civile | |
| G-CGWV | Embraer ERJ-145MP | Flybe (Eastern Airways) | |
| G-CISK | Embraer ERJ-145LR | Flybe (Eastern Airways) | |
| G-EUOF | Airbus A319-131 | British Airways | |
| G-EUPX | Airbus A319-131 | British Airways | |
| G-EZDA | Airbus A319-111 | easyJet | |
| G-EZRS | Airbus A320-214 | easyJet | |
| HB-IJP | Airbus A320-214 | Swiss International Airlines | |
| I-ADJL | Embraer ERJ-195-200LR | Air Dolomiti | |
| LZ-CGO | Boeing 737-301SF | Cargo Air | |
| M-AMRM | ATR-72-500 | Lease Co | Stored, ex Fly540 as D2-FLY |
| M-LEFB | Cessna 550 Citation II | Aviijet | |
| N155AG | Beech 95-B55 Baron | Corporate | |
| N248RF | Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2 | Staff Air Group Inc | |
| OE-LQB | Airbus A319-111 | easyJet | |
| OE-LQH | Airbus A319-111 | easyJet | |
| OE-LQP | Airbus A319-111 | easyJet | |
| OO-SRO | Boeing 737-86N | TUI Airlines Belgium | |
| OO-SSJ | Airbus A319-111 | Brussels Airlines | |
| OO-TUP | Boeing 737-85P | TUI Airlines Belgium | |
| OY-SRV | Boeing 767-346ERF | Star Air | |
| PH-BGN | Boeing 737-7K2 | KLM Royal Dutch Airlines | |
| SX-DGC | Airbus A320-232 | Aegean Airlines | |
| SX-DGD | Airbus A320-232 | Aegean Airlines | |
| TR-AEM | Beech 350 Super King Air | Corporate | |
| TS-IMN | Airbus A320-211 | Tunisair | |
| VP-CMY | Gulfstream G-IV-X (G450) | Hemberg Trading Ltd | Op by Jet Aviation Business Jets |
| VP-CSM | Lockheed L-1329-731 JetStar | Al-Fathiha Ltd | Stored |
ATR bring their production aircraft to Francazal for finishing work. Some of their older airframes seem to visit for maintenance and storage too. The former C-160 military base offers several sizeable hangars ideally suited to such work. Whilst we bagged most stuff here during our last visit two years ago, we found it to be a frustrating airport for spotting, this time we had done our homework a little better and found a spot previously overlooked. That said, other reports seem to show airside access can be relatively easily achieved somehow.
We turned onto a tram line whilst
trying to avoid traffic returning from Francazal!!
© Dave Anderson
Toulouse Francazal Airport
LFBF
| REG | C/N | A/C TYPE | OPERATOR | NOTES |
| 2-LFEA | 0621 | ATR-42-512 | Lease Co | Stored, ex Satena Colombia |
| A6-RRA | 145398 | Embraer ERJ-145MP | Rotana Jet Aviation | Stored |
| F-OIJH | 0682 | ATR-72-500 | Lease Co | Stored, ex Air Caraïbes |
| F-OIQU | 0751 | ATR-72-500 | Lease Co | Stored, ex Air Tahiti |
| F-ONCL | 0759 | ATR-72-500 | Air Calédonie | Stored |
| F-WNUA | 1047 | ATR-72-600 | Lease Co | Stored, ex Azul Brazilian Airlines - for Fastjet Tanzania |
| F-WNUC | 1060 | ATR-72-600 | Lease Co | Stored, ex Azul Brazilian Airlines - for Fastjet Tanzania |
| F-WNUD | 1072 | ATR-72-600 | Lease Co | Stored, ex Azul Brazilian Airlines - for Fastjet Tanzania |
| F-WNUG | 0565 | ATR-72-500 | Lease Co | ex-Passaredo Linhas Aéreas - wears PR-PDE |
| F-WNUJ | 0471 | ATR-42-512 | Lease Co | ex-Aeromar XA-TAH |
| I-SKYB | 120087 | Embraer EMB-120RT Brasilia | Unknown | ex-Skybridge AirOps |
| M-IBAJ | 0776 | ATR-72-500 | Lease Co | ex-VT-KAP Kingfisher Airlines |
| OE-LCN | 6454 | Airbus A321-211 | Lease Co | Stored, ex-Niki - for Vueling Airlines |
| OE-LCP | 6629 | Airbus A321-211 | Lease Co | Stored, ex-Niki - for Vueling Airlines |
| OE-LCR | 6719 | Airbus A321-211 | Lease Co | Stored, ex-Niki - for Vueling Airlines |
| TN-TAC | 30674/1511 | Boeing 737-7Q8 | Trans Air Congo | Stored |
| YV2308 | 0061 | ATR-42-320F | Vansecar International | Stored, DHL c/s |
ATR
| REG | C/N | A/C TYPE | CUSTOMER | TO BE | NOTES |
| F-WTBX | 1466 | ATR-72-600 | Avianca Argentina | LV-GUY | |
| F-WTBY | 1474 | ATR-72-600 | Avianca Argentina | LV-HUT | |
| F-WWEE | 1456 | ATR-72-600 | Air India Regional/Alliance Air | VT-RKL | |
| F-WWEG | 1481 | ATR-72-600 | Wings Air | PK-WJF | |
| F-WWEI | 1437 | ATR-72-600 | Air Botswana | A2-ABL | |
| F-WWEJ | 1438 | ATR-72-600 | Garuda Indonesia Explore | PK-GJS | |
| F-WWEK | 1439 | ATR-72-600 | Air India Regional/Alliance Air | VT-RKJ | |
| F-WWEK | 1485 | ATR-72-600 | US-Bangla Airlines | S2-AKH | All white |
| F-WWEL | 1463 | ATR-72-600 | Air India Regional/Alliance Air | VT-RKM | |
| F-WWER | 1422 | ATR-72-600 | Garuda Indonesia Explore | PK-GJR | |
| F-WWER | 1445 | ATR-72-600 | Air India Regional/Alliance Air | VT-RKK | |
| F-WWEY | 0098 | ATR-72-600 | ATR | Company demonstrator, started life in 1988 as a -201! | |
| N401SV | 1216 | ATR-42-600 | Silver Airways | ||
| N403SV | 1219 | ATR-42-600 | Silver Airways |
F-WWEI
at Francazal ©
Dave Rose
Day Three
Friday 18th May
Day three brought the same gloomy weather as the prior day before once again burning off by lunchtime. We did another quick lap of the airport which demonstrated just how frequently Airbus move their production aircraft around, before heading to Aeroscopia Museum where you check-in for the various Airbus tours on offer. Our tour was the A350 line, and a coach drives you around various airside areas, which was high yielding, before going into the final assembly hall, which was not so high yielding with only one of about five airframes ID'd. We tried to blag our way onto another tour but they were all full up with school visits, so we went into the Aeroscopia hangar instead and logged all of the inmates here. Incidentally a number of the Airbus test fleet have been donated to here, including the first A320, A340 and A380, however the latter is also reportedly being fitted out for a VIP customer and I suspect this is the more likely fate as it is difficult to see where they might put the A320 let alone the two widebodies! Next up we briefly returned to the car park spot from the day before whilst we waited for the second on-site museum - Ailes Anciennes - to open at 2pm. More of a storage and restoration yard, this place seems to be a subsidiary of Aeroscopia. The two museums felt like unfinished business as we had not had the time to visit them two years ago.
This photo doesn't quite do justice
- the aircraft touched down just one or two seconds after this
shot despite still being in a turn that is steeper than it
appears! Also note the white dye under the rear fuselage for
vortex measuring, F-WTTE also had this as well as red dye under
the wings and engines.
© Dave Rose
Finally, it was back to the car park for the remainder of the day, whilst here Rosey condemned my camera:- I have never pretended to be a good photographer and Ando has always said my shots tend to have a brown tint. Rosey changed several settings to try and stop it from over-exposing, eventually concluding there must be a serious fault. To know that it might be dodgy hardware and not my own doing is quite reassuring and I've now got my eye on an EOS 40D which will hopefully see me taking shots as good as the rest of you lot! At about 6pm we returned to the hotel for more beer and banter followed by a Franco-American restaurant, where the friendly locals kindly bought us a bottle of wine!
Toulouse Blagnac Airport
| REG | A/C TYPE | OPERATOR | NOTES |
| 240 | Airbus A330-223 | Armée de l'Air - ETD 03.060 | French Presidential transport, also registered F-RARF - overshoot |
| 9A-BTD | Fokker 100 | Trade Air | |
| CN-NMF | Airbus A320-214 | Air Arabia Maroc | |
| CN-RGF | Boeing 737-86N | Royal Air Maroc | |
| CN-RGJ | Boeing 737-8B6 | Royal Air Maroc | |
| CS-TPP | Embraer ERJ-190-100LR | TAP Express (Portugália Airlines) | |
| CS-TPU | Embraer ERJ-190-100LR | TAP Express (Portugália Airlines) | |
| D-ACKK | Bombardier CL-600-2D24 CRJ-900LR | Lufthansa Regional (Lufthansa CityLine) | |
| D-AILA | Airbus A319-114 | Lufthansa | |
| D-AIPP | Airbus A320-211 | Lufthansa | |
| D-AIUL | Airbus A320-214 | Lufthansa | |
| D-ALEO | Boeing 757-2Q8PF | DHL Worldwide Express (EAT Leipzig) | |
| EC-LJX | Bombardier CL-600-2E25 CRJ-1000ER | Iberia Regional (Air Nostrum) | |
| EC-MEH | Airbus A320-214 | Iberia Express | |
| EC-MSB | Bombardier CL-600-2E25 CRJ-1000EL | Iberia Regional (Air Nostrum) | |
| EC-MTE | Airbus A319-112 | Volotea Airlines | |
| EC-MUC | Airbus A319-112 | Volotea Airlines | |
| EI-DLC | Boeing 737-8AS | Ryanair | |
| EI-DTD | Airbus A320-216 | Alitalia | |
| EI-DVG | Airbus A320-214 | Aer Lingus | |
| EI-FCU | Boeing 717-2BL | Volotea Airlines | |
| EI-FZN | Boeing 737-800 | Ryanair | |
| F-GCAG | Robin R.1180T Aiglon | Private | |
| F-GKXG | Airbus A320-214 | Air France | |
| F-GPLK | Beech C90B King Air | Corporate | |
| F-GRHE | Airbus A319-111 | Air France | |
| F-GRZL | Bombardier CL-600-2C10 CRJ-702 | HOP! (Brit Air) | |
| F-GTAP | Airbus A321-212 | Air France | |
| F-GTYH | Socata TB20 Trinidad | Private | |
| F-GUGE | Airbus A318-111 | Air France | |
| F-HBAO | Airbus A320-214 | Aigle Azur | |
| F-HBNA | Airbus A320-214 | Air France | |
| F-HBNC | Airbus A320-214 | Air France | |
| F-HBNH | Airbus A320-214 | Air France | |
| F-HCEV | Hawker Beechcraft 200GT Super King Air | DGAC | |
| F-HCTA | Diamond DA42 Twin Star | DGAC | |
| F-HLCC | Eurocopter EC135 T2 | SAF Helicopteres | |
| F-HMLK | Bombardier CL-600-2E25 CRJ-1000EL | HOP! (Brit Air) | |
| F-HNAV | Beechcraft 250 Super King Air | DGAC | |
| F-HZDP | Airbus A320-216 | Air Corsica | |
| G-EZAU | Airbus A319-111 | easyJet | |
| G-EZBK | Airbus A319-111 | easyJet | |
| G-EZUK | Airbus A320-214 | easyJet | |
| G-EZWS | Airbus A320-214 | easyJet | |
| HB-JXE | Airbus A320-214 | easyJet Switzerland | |
| HB-ZPV | Robinson R66 | Private | |
| OE-LQD | Airbus A319-111 | easyJet Europe | |
| OO-JAL | Boeing 737-7K2 | TUI Airlines Belgium | |
| OO-SSN | Airbus A319-112 | Brussels Airlines | |
| OO-SSR | Airbus A319-112 | Brussels Airlines | |
| PH-BGP | Boeing 737-7K2 | KLM Royal Dutch Airlines | |
| TC-JZH | Boeing 737-800 | Turkish Airlines | |
| Embraer EMB-121 Xingu | French Navy |
Aeroscopia Museum
| REG | CODE | A/C TYPE | NOTES |
| Outdoors | |||
| F-BTOE | Sud Aviation SE210 Caravelle 12 | ||
| F-BVFC | Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde 101 | ||
| F-WWAI | Airbus A320-111 | Not yet moved to museum | |
| F-WWCA | Airbus A340-642 | Not yet moved to museum | |
| F-WWMT | Airbus A400M Grizzly | Prototype (hence "Grizzly") | |
| F-WXXL | Airbus A380-841 | Not yet moved to museum, also reported as for a VIP customer | |
| F-WZGG | Airbus A350-941 | Not yet moved to museum | |
| Indoors | |||
| 02 | F-ZACB | Dassault Falcon 10 | |
| 05 | Aérospatiale SE.3130 Alouette II | ||
| 19 | Vought F-8P Crusader | ||
| 21+91 | Lockheed F-104G Starfighter | ||
| 24 | 330-DB | Morane-Saulnier MS760 Paris | |
| 86 | Dassault Mirage IIIC | ||
| 103 | Fouga CM.170-2 Magister | ||
| 262? | Heli | ||
| 3001 | 1170 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MIG-15bisSB | |
| A4 | SEPECAT Jaguar A | ||
| F-AZUN | Mudry CAP 20LS-200 | ||
| F-BBCM | 88 | Nord 1101 Noralpha | |
| F-BPPA | 2 | Aero Spacelines 337SGT-201 Super Guppy | |
| F-BRPQ | 80995 | Cessna 337D Super Skymaster | |
| F-GKGA | 11 | Aerospatiale SN601 Corvette | |
| F-GMTO | Swearingen SA-226AT Merlin IV | ||
| F-PMSG | Morane Type G | Replica | |
| F-PYFP | Rutan Vari-Viggen SP | ||
| F-PYVJ | Verges VJ-01 Gringo | ||
| F-WATT | EADS E-Fan | ||
| F-WTSB | Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde 100 | ||
| F-WUAB | PK-JID | Airbus A300B4-203 | |
| F-ZWRA | Aérospatiale SA.340 | ||
| BF109G2 | |||
Ailes Anciennes Museum
| REG | CODE | A/C TYPE | NOTES |
| Outdoors | |||
| 1 | Dassault Mystère IVA | ||
| 3 | 305 | Breguet Br.941S | |
| 06 | Dassault Étendard IV M | ||
| 22+86 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21M | ||
| 44 | Dassault Mystère IVA | ||
| 48 | 12-UA | Dassault Super Mystère B2 | |
| 90 | Dassault Mirage IIIC | ||
| 139 | F-BJLR | Max Holste MH.1521C Broussard | |
| 191 | Nord 2501F Noratlas | ||
| 208 | Fouga CM170-2 Magister | ||
| 227 | 319 | Dassault MD312 Flamant | |
| 457 | Fouga CM.170 Magister | ||
| 491 | 50-ANS | Dassault Mirage IIIE | |
| 504 | Breguet BR.765 Deux Ponts Sahara | ||
| 513 | BE | Cessna 310Q | |
| 525 | PF | Robin HR.100/250TR President | |
| 640 | Sud Aviation SO.4050 Vautour IIIB | ||
| 693 | BI | Cessna 310Q | |
| 770 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21SPS | ||
| 1655 | Aérospatiale SA.316B Alouette III | ||
| 7615 | AVV | Sikorsky H-19D Chickasaw | |
| 14230 | 80468 | Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star | |
| 19572 | FS-437 | Republic F-84G Thunderjet | Marked 110437 |
| 26789 | Republic F-84F Thunderstreak | ||
| 42239 | North American F-100D Super Sabre | ||
| 92975 | OJ | North American T-6G Texan | |
| F-BHPM | Piper PA-23-150 Apache | ||
| F-BMNE | Morane Saulnier MS.881 Rallye 105 | ||
| F-GBOI | G-ALWC | Douglas C-47B Dakota IV (DC-3) | |
| F-GFLJ | 62-KM | Nord 2501 Noratlas | Marked 201 |
| F-GHMU | Sud Aviation SE210 Caravelle 10-B3 | ||
| F-GSHD | FTF-VB | Fouga CM.170 Magister | Marked 529 |
| F-WOFN | Socata ST10 Diplomate | ||
| F-WZJL | Aérospatiale AS355F1 Twin Squirrel | ||
| FR106 | Vertol CH-21C Shawnee | ||
| J-4065 | Hawker Hunter F58 | ||
| NF.11-8 | BG | Gloster Meteor NF11 | |
| SA116 | Sud/Sikorsky H-34A | ||
| XE950 | de Havilland DH115 Vampire T11 | ||
| Hangared | |||
| 02 | Saab J35OE Draken | ||
| 58-0282 | McDonnell Douglas F-101B Voodoo | ||
Day Four
Saturday 19th May
Day four was just a case of drop the hire car off, and head straight for the departure gate logging only what was visible from there. Security was even more of a nightmare here, after having passed through screening with relative ease, there was an odd passport check point afterwards with a 40 minute wait time!! Half way through Ando had a scare when we realised he was missing one of his bags - he'd left it by a window where we had briefly stopped to double check the airframes parked at the main flight test apron. Such heavy security yet an unattended bag can be left unchecked in a populated area for over half an hour!
Toulouse Blagnac Airport
| REG | A/C TYPE | OPERATOR | NOTES |
| CN-NMH | Airbus A320-214 | Air Arabia Maroc | |
| D-AILY | Airbus A319-114 | Lufthansa | |
| D-AIQH | Airbus A320-211 | Lufthansa | |
| EC-MEZ | Boeing 717-2CM | Volotea Airlines | |
| EI-DHH | Boeing 737-8AS | Ryanair | |
| EI-DWR | Boeing 737-8AS | Ryanair | |
| F-GIXC | Boeing 737-38BSF | ASL Airlines France | |
| F-GKXL | Airbus A320-214 | Air France | |
| F-GPME | Airbus A319-113 | Air France | |
| F-GPMF | Airbus A319-113 | Air France | |
| F-GPYB | ATR-42-500 | HOP! (Airlinair) | |
| F-GRZF | Bombardier CL-600-2C10 CRJ-702 | HOP! (Brit Air) | |
| F-GTAQ | Airbus A321-212 | Air France | |
| G-EZAW | Airbus A319-111 | easyJet | |
| G-EZDV | Airbus A319-111 | easyJet | |
| G-EZWZ | Airbus A320-214 | easyJet | |
| G-FBJC | Embraer ERJ-175-200STD | Flybe | Our ride home BE3254/579V |
| OE-IVV | Airbus A320-214 | easyJet Europe | |
| PH-BGN | Boeing 737-7K2 | KLM Royal Dutch Airlines | |
| VP-CZW | Boeing 737-7JW BBJ1 | Wuleen Investment Corp | |
| ZS-SLF | Airbus A340-212 | ex South African Airways | Forward fuselage on top of Air Formation building |
By the time we landed back at Manchester we were all 'spottered out', except Rosey who was insisting we were still on shift and noting everything in sight with as much enthusiasm as when we set off! The main targets on return were the Hainan A330, Cathay A350 and TUI Dreamliner which had just been delivered the evening before.
G-FBJC bringing us back
© Chris Smith
Manchester Airport
| REG | A/C TYPE | OPERATOR | NOTES |
| 9V-SMQ | Airbus A350-941 | Singapore Airlines | |
| B-5972 | Airbus A330-343E | Hainan Airlines | |
| B-LRX | Airbus A350-941 | Cathay Pacific Airways | |
| CS-TTW | Embraer ERJ-195-200AR | TAP Express (Portugália Airlines) | |
| EI-EKZ | Boeing 737-8AS | Ryanair | |
| EI-FAU | ATR-72-600 | Aer Lingus Regional (Stobart Air) | |
| G-EZRG | Airbus A320-214 | easyJet | |
| G-TUIM | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner | TUI Airways | |
| N231CE | Gulfstream G-V-SP (G550) | Intercontinental Express LLC | |
| TC-JSV | Airbus A321-231 | Turkish Airlines |
Airbus / ATR
| REG | C/N | A/C TYPE | CUSTOMER | TO BE | NOTES |
| A300 | |||||
| F-GSTA/01 | 0655 | Airbus A300B4-608ST Beluga | Airbus Transport International | ||
| F-GSTB/02 | 0751 | Airbus A300B4-608ST Beluga | Airbus Transport International | ||
| F-GSTC/03 | 0765 | Airbus A300B4-608ST Beluga | Airbus Transport International | ||
| F-GSTD/04 | 0776 | Airbus A300B4-608ST Beluga | Airbus Transport International | ||
| F-GSTE/05 | 0796 | Airbus A300B4-608ST Beluga | Airbus Transport International | ||
| A320 | |||||
| B-1039 | 8053 | Airbus A320-214 | Air Guilin | ||
| D-AVWA | 6464 | Airbus A319-171N | Airbus | ||
| D-AVXA | 6673 | Airbus A321-271N | Airbus | ||
| D-AVZO | 7877 | Airbus A321-251N | Airbus | ||
| F-WWBB | 8077 | Airbus A320-271N | IndiGo | VT-IVJ | |
| F-WWBC | 7757 | Airbus A320-271N | Tianjin Airlines | B-8661 | Stored since 12/17, including at Francazal |
| F-WWBD | 8158 | Airbus A320-271N | IndiGo | VT-IVH | |
| F-WWBE | 8280 | Airbus A320-251N | Avianca | N776AV | |
| F-WWBF | 8238 | Airbus A320-232 | Vueling Airlines | EC-MYC | |
| F-WWDX | 8275 | Airbus A320-271N | Spirit Airlines | N907NK | |
| F-WWBG | 8282 | Airbus A320-251N | China Southern Airlines | B-301J | |
| F-WWBH | 8231 | Airbus A320-251N | Royal Brunei Airlines | V8-RBA | |
| F-WWBI | 7851 | Airbus A320-271N | Tianjin Airlines | B-8660 | |
| F-WWBJ | 8313 | Airbus A320-214 | Spring Airlines | B-300Y | |
| F-WWBK | 7952 | Airbus A320-251N | Capital Airlines | B-1249 | |
| F-WWBN | 8276 | Airbus A320-214 | Aeroflot Russian Airlines | VP-BIP | |
| F-WWBP | 8286 | Airbus A320-251N | China Southern Airlines | B-301A | |
| F-WWBT | 7181 | Airbus A320-251N | Frontier Airlines | N302FR | Stored, registered 10/16 - showing as NTU |
| F-WWBX | 8225 | Airbus A320-251N | Air India | VT-CIP | |
| F-WWBY | 8173 | Airbus A320-251N | British Airways | G-TTNC | |
| F-WWDC | 8261 | Airbus A320-251N | Royal Brunei Airlines | V8-RBB | |
| F-WWDE | 8256 | Airbus A320-251N | Iberia | EC-MXY | |
| F-WWDJ | 8267 | Airbus A320-251N | Air India | VT-CIQ | |
| F-WWDK | 8303 | Airbus A320-251N | Citilink | PK-GTI | |
| F-WWDL | 7811 | Airbus A320-271N | Tianjin Airlines | B-302A | |
| F-WWDN | 8214 | Airbus A320-251N | Pegasus Airlines | TC-NBT | |
| F-WWDP | 8317 | Airbus A320-216 | Air Asia | 9M-AGY | |
| F-WWDQ | 7871 | Airbus A320-271N | GoAir | VT-WGO | |
| F-WWDR | 8167 | Airbus A320-251N | Air India | VT-CIM | |
| F-WWDS | 8177 | Airbus A320-214 | Saudia | HZ-AS73 | |
| F-WWDT | 7992 | Airbus A320-251N | Lucky Air | B-1361 | |
| F-WWDU | 8294 | Airbus A320-251N | Vistara | VT-ATI | |
| F-WWDY | 8152 | Airbus A320-271N | GoAir | VT-WGQ | |
| F-WWDZ | 7875 | Airbus A320-251N | Air Malta | 9H-NEO | Capital Airlines c/s |
| F-WWIA | 8196 | Airbus A320-271N | All Nippon Airways | JA214A | |
| F-WWIC | 8292 | Airbus A320-251N | Pegasus Airlines | TC-NBY | |
| F-WWID | 7849 | Airbus A320-214 | Tianjin Airlines | B-302C | |
| F-WWIF | 8228 | Airbus A320-271N | Volaris Mexico | XA-VRE | |
| F-WWIG | 8221 | Airbus A320-251N | Iberia | EC-MXU | |
| F-WWIH | 8265 | Airbus A320-251N | Citilink | PK-GTG | |
| F-WWII | 8122 | Airbus A320-251N | Capital Airlines | B-1246 | |
| F-WWIJ | 8074 | Airbus A320-251N | China Eastern Airlines | B-1211 | |
| F-WWIN | 8285 | Airbus A320-214 | Flyadeal | HZ-FAH | |
| F-WWIO | 8184 | Airbus A320-251N | Zhejiang Loong Airlines | B-1232 | |
| F-WWIQ | 7936 | Airbus A320-251N | Jazeera Airways | 9K-CAQ | Capital Airlines c/s |
| F-WWIU | 8252 | Airbus A320-216 | Air Asia Japan | JA03DJ | |
| F-WWIX | 8272 | Airbus A320-251N | Pegasus Airlines | TC-NBV | |
| F-WWIY | 8259 | Airbus A320-271N | IndiGo | VT-IVN | |
| F-WWIZ | 8240 | Airbus A320-251N | Avianca | N775AV | |
| F-WWTS | 8094 | Airbus A320-251N | Capital Airlines | B-1247 | |
| F-WXAJ | 7995 | Airbus A320-251N | Avianca Brasil | PR-OBO | Stored |
| F-WXAK | 7918 | Airbus A320-251N | Avianca Brasil | PR-OBQ | |
| F-WXAL | 8086 | Airbus A320-251N | Avianca Brasil | PR-OBR | Showing as F-WWDH |
| F-WXAO | 8084 | Airbus A320-251N | Avianca Brasil | PR-OBP | Showing as F-WWIM |
| VQ-BDQ | 8142 | Airbus A320-271N | S7 Airlines | ||
| Airbus A319-100X(CJ) | Delivered on arrival | ||||
| A330 | |||||
| F-WTTE | 1813 | Airbus A330-941 | Airbus | ||
| F-WTTN | 1795 | Airbus A330-941 | Airbus | ||
| F-WWCB | 0871 | Airbus A330-203 MRTT | Airbus | MRTT Prototype, manufactured 09/07, stored since 03/08 | |
| F-WWCH | 1875 | Airbus A330-343E | Hainan Airlines | B-1098 | |
| F-WWCJ | 1844 | Airbus A330-941 | Rwandair | 9XR-WS | |
| F-WWCK | 1855 | Airbus A330-343E | Hainan Airlines | B-1048 | |
| F-WWCP | 1836 | Airbus A330-941 | TAP Portugal | CS-TUB | |
| F-WWCS | 1869 | Airbus A330-343E | China Eastern Airlines | B-1073 | |
| F-WWCT | 1872 | Airbus A330-243 | Nepal Airlines | 9N-ALY | |
| F-WWCY | 1865 | Airbus A330-343E | Hong Kong Airlines | B-LHG | |
| F-WWKF | 1873 | Airbus A330-343E | China Eastern Airlines | B-300P | |
| F-WWKH | 1864 | Airbus A330-202 | Level | F-HLVL | |
| F-WWKI | 1863 | Airbus A330-343E | Hong Kong Airlines | B-LHF | |
| F-WWKM | 1819 | Airbus A330-941 | TAP Portugal | CS-TUA | |
| F-WWKQ | 1861 | Airbus A330-941 | Rwandair | 9XR-WT | |
| F-WWKV | 1871 | Airbus A330-343E | China Eastern Airlines | B-1096 | |
| F-WWKY | 1862 | Airbus A330-243 | Capital Airlines | B-1042 | |
| F-WWYA | 1881 | Airbus A330-343E | China Eastern Airlines | B-303D | |
| F-WWYM | 1866 | Airbus A330-343E | Lucky Air | B-305W | |
| F-WWYR | 1857 | Airbus A330-243 MRTT | Republic of Singapore Air Force | EC-335 | |
| F-WWYS | 1889 | Airbus A330-343E | Shenzhen Airlines | B-303N | Fuselage only |
| F-WWYU | 1867 | Airbus A330-343E | Shenzhen Airlines | B-1072 | |
| A350 | |||||
| ET-AVD | 0205 | Airbus A350-941 | Ethiopian Airlines | ||
| F-WLXV | 0065 | Airbus A350-1041 | Airbus | 2nd prototype A350-1000 | |
| F-WMIL | 0059 | Airbus A350-1041 | Airbus | 1st prototype A350-1000 | |
| F-WWBW | 0161 | Airbus A350-1041 | Qatar Airways | A7-ANF | |
| F-WXWB | 0001 | Airbus A350-941 | Airbus | ||
| F-WZFG | 0226 | Airbus A350-941 | Hainan Airlines | B-304Z | |
| F-WZFI | 0055 | Airbus A350-941 | Sichuan Airlines | B-304V | All white |
| F-WZFK | 0060 | Airbus A350-941 | Sichuan Airlines | B-301D | Panda c/s, Bulgaria Air LZ-LHG / SriLankan Airlines 4R-XWC NTU |
| F-WZFR | 0098 | Airbus A350-941 | Capital Airlines | B-1069 | |
| F-WZFT | 0106 | Airbus A350-941 | Qatar Airlines | A7-ALV | |
| F-WZFX | 0250 | Airbus A350-941 | LATAM Brasil | PR-XTI | |
| F-WZFY | 0102 | Airbus A350-1041 | Qatar Airlines | A7-ANB | |
| F-WZGN | 0114 | Airbus A350-941 | Qatar Airlines | A7-ALW | |
| F-WZGQ | 0112 | Airbus A350-941 | Capital Airlines | B-1070 | |
| F-WZGV | 0118 | Airbus A350-1041 | Cathay Pacific Airways | B-LXA | |
| F-WZHC | 0227 | Airbus A350-941 | Iberia | EC-MYX | |
| F-WZHD | 0237 | Airbus A350-941 | Qatar Airways | A7-AMJ | |
| F-WZHE | 0223 | Airbus A350-941ULR | Singapore Airlines | 9V-SGB | |
| F-WZHG | 0167 | Airbus A350-941 | Air China | B-1086 | |
| F-WZHH | 0236 | Airbus A350-941 | Philippine Airlines | RP-C3504 | |
| F-WZNA | 0221 | Airbus A350-941 | Philippine Airlines | RP-C3501 | |
| F-WZND | 0209 | Airbus A350-941 | Lufthansa | D-AIXJ | |
| F-WZNE | 0210 | Airbus A350-941 | Delta Airlines | N511DN | |
| F-WZNF | 0208 | Airbus A350-941 | China Airlines | B-18917 | |
| F-WZNG | 0229 | Airbus A350-1041 | Qatar Airways | A7-ANH | |
| F-WZNJ | 0207 | Airbus A350-941 | Qatar Airways | A7-AMG | |
| F-WZNL | 0225 | Airbus A350-1041 | Cathay Pacific Airways | B-LXE | |
| F-WZNM | 0211 | Airbus A350-941 | Qatar Airways | A7-AMH | |
| F-WZNP | 0219 | Airbus A350-941 | Iberia | EC-MXV | |
| F-WZNQ | 0214 | Airbus A350-941 | Qatar Airways | A7-AMI | |
| F-WZNS | 0204 | Airbus A350-941 | Delta Airlines | N510DN | |
| F-WZNU | 0217 | Airbus A350-941 | Air China | B-1083 | |
| F-WZNV | 0215 | Airbus A350-1041 | Qatar Airways | A7-ANG | |
| F-WZNZ | 0228 | Airbus A350-941 | Philippine Airlines | RP-C3503 | |
| F-WZGC | 0241 | Airbus A350-1041 | Qatar Airways | A7-ANI | |
| Capital Airlines | At Delivery Centre | ||||
| LATAM | In final assembly hall | ||||
| A380 | |||||
| F-WWAD | 0256 | Airbus A380-842 | Emirates | A6-EVG | |
| ATR-42 | |||||
| F-WWLD | 1404 | ATR-42-600 | Japan Air Commuter | JA05JC | |
| ATR-72 | |||||
| F-WWED | 1501 | ATR-72-600 | Binter Canarias | EC-MYT | |
| F-WWEE | 1433 | ATR-72-600 | Air Botswana | A2-ABK | |
| F-WWEG | 1504 | ATR-72-600 | Iran Air | ET-IT | |
| F-WWEN | 1488 | ATR-72-600 | Wings Air | PK-WJG | |
| F-WWEP | 1489 | ATR-72-600 | Iran Air | EP-ITI | Stored? |
| F-WWET | 1493 | ATR-72-600 | Wings Air | PK-WJL | |
| F-WWEU | 1425 | ATR-72-600 | Avianca Argentina | LV-GUI | LV-GUI NTU - was stored Francazal |
| F-WWEU | 1494 | ATR-72-600 | Iran Air | EP-ITJ | Stored? |
| F-WWEW | 1496 | ATR-72-600 | IndiGo | VT-IYJ | |
| F-WWEX | 1497 | ATR-72-600 | Air Antilles Express | F-OMYN | |
| 1517 | ATR-72-600 | Indigo | VT-IYO | Fuselage only | |
| 1520 | ATR-72-600 | Easyfly | HK-5292 | Fuselage only | |
Our previous visit to Toulouse along with last years visit to Airbus at Hamburg were both on weekends with no test flying taking place and therefore to witness this in action was truly special and something to behold, whether it be watching them throw an A330neo into the circuit whilst never breaking out of a continuous 45 degree turn or watching an A350 plumet from FL410 to FL360 in just two or three seconds on FR24 as it performed decompression testing, stall testing or something along those lines. We also witnessed emergency braking tests and engines being run up for the first time which produces lot's of smoke as excess oil gets burned off for the first time, in fact such was the smoke I was half expecting someone to walk out of it with a microphone bellowing "Tonight Matthew I'm going to be..."!! It was tentatively talked about making this an annual trip alternating between Toulouse and Hamburg, so hopefully that will happen! We logged tons of OTTs too, but we haven't included them in this report, if anyone is that keen to see them we'll send the spreadsheet. Thanks for reading!
Dave R Toulouse / Francazal photos