Heathrow
by Dave Rose
Interesting traffic has picked up at Heathrow over the last year, this is mainly due to the introduction of the Boeing 787 and Airbus A380 into service and a marked increase in traffic from the Middle East. As part of a "Non-spotting" break I negotiated a morning when the sun was out to catch up on the facilities at our busiest airport. We were staying at the Radisson Blu Edwardian which is on the A4 about mid point on runway 27R, but has no views of the actual movements, but is an excellent hotel. As is customary, they use one runway for landings (mainly) till 3pm then switch over for the rest of the day. Today 27R was in use so once I parked er-indoors in the hotel spa I set off to the roundabout near the business park at the threshold. Access to the business park is via a security barrier but I was lucky as it was up when I arrived, so I parked in the office complex and walked to the roundabout. I think it was open because of the re-development here with builders etc going in and out so the status may change when the work is done.
I settled in with another 6 spotters in perfect light for a few hours of clicking, the only issue here being the lamposts so you need to choose your shot quickly!! Visitors of interest were Virgin B789 G-VAHH, United B788 N27908,British Airways B788 G-ZBJG, Turkish B77W TC-JJS, Air New Zealand B77W ZK-OKP, Air Malta A319 9H-AEG, Iberia A321 EC-IJN, Qatar One World B77W A7-BAA, Air India B788 VT-ANJ and Air Canada B788 C-GHPQ.
More Heathrow shots are HERE
I fancied some rotation shots so drove around to the southside fuel station, this has views across to T5 and is a great spot for long haul departures. It was quite difficult to find a parking space and there must have been at least 40 spotters here shooting. I settled here for 45 minutes and bagged the following departures of interest. British Airways A388 G-XLEG, Virgin B789 G-VAHH, American B772 N770AN,Etihad A388 A6-APA and Thai B744 HS-TGY.
Aircraft seen over the 3 days are below, a good improvement on recent years, afternoons being interesting with the far eastern visitors and early evening sees the departures of the Brunei 788 and Kenya 788 which are difficult to shoot unless you are up at 4am!! For the reggie spotters the BAA spotting gallery is next to the Renaissance Hotel on the north side, not much will be missed here as you can see both runways from the elevated part.
Heathrow 26/2/15
| 5Y-KZF | Boeing 7878 | 36043 | Kenya Airways |
| 9V-SKS | Airbus A380841 | 85 | Singapore Airlines |
| 9V-SWG | Boeing 777312ER | 34572 | Singapore Airlines |
| A6-EEI | Airbus A380861 | 123 | Emirates Airlines |
| A6-EER | Airbus A380861 | 139 | Emirates Airlines |
| A7-APD | Airbus A380861 | 160 | Qatar Airways |
| A9C-AP | Airbus A320232 | 5271 | Gulf Air |
| B-2736 | Boeing 7878 | 34929 | China Southern Airlines |
| B-KQQ | Boeing 777367ER | 41762 | Cathay Pacific Airways |
| B-KQQ | Boeing 777367ER | 41762 | Cathay Pacific Airways |
| CN-ROT | Boeing 7378B6 | 33068 | Royal Air Maroc |
| CS-TNT | Airbus A320214 | 4095 | TAP Portugal |
| D-AGWQ | Airbus A319132 | 4256 | Germanwings |
| D-AIZX | Airbus A320214(SL) | 5741 | Lufthansa |
| EI-RUG | Boeing 73786N | 28610 | Transaero Airlines |
| ET-ANR | Boeing 777260LR | 40774 | Ethiopian Airlines |
| G-EUYT | Airbus A320232 | 5985 | British Airways |
| G-EUYW | Airbus A320232 | 6129 | British Airways |
| G-EUYX | Airbus A320232 | 6155 | British Airways |
| G-STBI | Boeing 777336ER | 43702 | British Airways |
| G-STBJ | Boeing 777336ER | 43703 | British Airways |
| G-STBL | Boeing 777336ER | 42124 | British Airways |
| G-VINE | Airbus A330343 | 1231 | Virgin Atlantic |
| G-XLEI | Airbus A380 841 | 173 | British Airways |
| G-ZBJH | Boeing 7878 | 38615 | British Airways |
| JA742J | Boeing 777346ER | 36129 | Japan Airlines |
| JA787A | Boeing 777346ER | 37949 | All Nippon Airlines |
| LN-RGE | Boeing 737883 | 38037 | SAS Scandinavian Airlines |
| N293AY | Airbus A330243 | 1526 | US Airways |
| N30913 | Boeing 7878 | 35879 | United Airlines |
| N717AN | Boeing 777323ER | 31543 | American Airlines |
| N731AN | Boeing 777323ER | 33523 | American Airlines |
| N731AN | Boeing 777323ER | 33523 | American Airlines |
| N7375A | Boeing 767323ER | 25202 | American Airlines |
| PT-MUF | Boeing 77732WER | 38887 | TAM Airlines |
| RP-C3435 | Airbus A340313X | 302 | Philippine Airlines |
| SU-GDU | Airbus A330343X | 1238 | EgyptAir |
| TC-JIS | Airbus A330223 | 961 | THY Turkish Airlines |
| V8-DLC | Boeing 7878 | 34789 | Royal Brunei Airlines |
| VP-BRW | Airbus A321211 | 3191 | Aeroflot Russian Airlines |
| YU-APH | Airbus A320232 | 2645 | Air Serbia |
| ZK-OKS | Boeing 777319ER | 44547 | Air New Zealand |
Heathrow 27/2/15
| 4X-ECF | Boeing 777258ER | 36084 | El Al Israel Airlines |
| 5Y-KZC | Boeing 7878 | 36040 | Kenya Airways |
| 7T-VKE | Boeing 7378D6 | 40859 | Air Algerie |
| 9H-AEG | Airbus A319111 | 2113 | Air Malta |
| 9M-MNC | Airbus A380841 | 84 | Malaysia Airlines |
| 9V-SWR | Boeing 777312ER | 34583 | Singapore Airlines |
| A6-APA | Airbus A380861 | 166 | Etihad Airways |
| A6-EEC | Airbus A380861 | 110 | Emirates Airlines |
| A6-EED | Airbus A380861 | 111 | Emirates Airlines |
| A6-ETN | Boeing 7773FXER | 39689 | Etihad Airways |
| A7-AAM | Global ExpressBD-700-1A10 | 9126 | Qatar Airways Amiri Flight |
| A7-APD | Airbus A380861 | 160 | Qatar Airways |
| A7-BAA | Boeing 7773DZER | 36009 | Qatar Airways |
| B-KPR | Boeing 777367ER | 36163 | Cathay Pacific Airways |
| B-KQV | Boeing 777367ER | 41765 | Cathay Pacific Airways |
| C-GHPQ | Boeing 7878 | 35257 | Air Canada |
| D-AGWV | Airbus A319132 | 5467 | Germanwings |
| D-AIBI | Airbus A319112 | 5284 | Lufthansa |
| D-AIZF | Airbus A320214 | 4289 | Lufthansa |
| EC-IJN | Airbus A321211 | 1836 | Iberia |
| EI-UNJ | Boeing 73786J | 36883 | Transaero Airlines |
| ET-AOT | Boeing 7878 | 34748 | Ethiopian Airlines |
| G-EUYR | Airbus A320232 | 5856 | British Airways |
| G-STBC | Boeing 77736NER | 38287 | British Airways |
| G-STBH | Boeing 777336ER | 38431 | British Airways |
| G-STBI | Boeing 777336ER | 43702 | British Airways |
| G-STBK | Boeing 777336ER | 42121 | British Airways |
| G-VAHH | Boeing 7879 | 37967 | Virgin Atlantic |
| G-VNEW | Boeing 7879 | 40956 | Virgin Atlantic |
| G-VOOH | Boeing 787 9 | 37968 | Virgin Atlantic |
| G-XLEG | Airbus A380841 | 161 | British Airways |
| G-ZBJE | Boeing 7878 | 38612 | British Airways |
| G-ZBJF | Boeing 7878 | 38613 | British Airways |
| G-ZBJG | Boeing 7878 | 38614 | British Airways |
| HB-IJB | Airbus A320214 | 545 | Swiss International Air Lines |
| HZ-A5 | Airbus A318112CJ | 2910 | Alpha Star Aviation |
| HZ-AK21 | Boeing 777368ER | 41057 | Saudia |
| HZ-AK22 | Boeing 777368ER | 41059 | Saudia |
| LN-RRK | Boeing 737883 | 32278 | SAS Scandinavian Airlines |
| LN-RRU | Boeing 737883 | 28327 | SAS Scandinavian Airlines |
| N1200K | Boeing 767332ER | 28457 | Delta Air Lines |
| N179DN | Boeing 767332ER | 25144 | Delta Air Lines |
| N206UA | Boeing 777222ER | 30212 | United Airlines |
| N26906 | Boeing 7878 | 34829 | United Airlines |
| N27908 | Boeing 7878 | 36400 | United Airlines |
| N293AY | Airbus A330243 | 1526 | US Airways |
| N648UA | Boeing 767322ER | 25285 | United Airlines |
| N725AN | Boeing 777323ER | 41666 | American Airlines |
| N727AN | Boeing 777323ER | 33541 | American Airlines |
| N729AN | Boeing 777323ER | 33127 | American Airlines |
| N733AR | Boeing 777323ER | 33524 | American Airlines |
| N831MH | Boeing 767432ER | 29702 | Delta Air Lines |
| N834MH | Boeing 767432ER | 29707 | Delta Air Lines |
| OD-MRL | Airbus A320232 | 5000 | Middle East Airlines |
| OO-SSP | Airbus A319113 | 644 | Brussels Airlines |
| OY-KAU | Airbus A320232 | 3227 | SAS Scandinavian Airlines |
| PT-MUH | Boeing 77732WER | 38889 | TAM Airlines |
| SE-REX | Boeing 73776N | 33418 | SAS Scandinavian Airlines |
| TC-JJS | Boeing 7773F2ER | 44117 | THY Turkish Airlines |
| TF-LLX | Boeing 757236 | 22366 | Icelandair |
| V8-DLA | Boeing 7878 | 34785 | Royal Brunei Airlines |
| VQ-BHL | Airbus A320214 | 4453 | Aeroflot Russian Airlines |
| VP-BZS | Airbus A320214 | 3543 | Aeroflot Russian Airlines |
| VT-ALQ | Boeing 777337ER | 36315 | Air India |
| VT-ANJ | Boeing 7878 | 36281 | Air India |
| VT-JEQ | Boeing 77735RER | 35161 | Jet Airways |
OTT Heathrow 27/2/15
| G-EZWN | Airbus A320214(SL) | 5757 | EasyJet |
| LN-RRG | Boeing 73785P | 35708 | SAS Scandinavian Airlines |
| N182DN | Boeing 767332ER | 25987 | Delta Air Lines |
| N497MC | Boeing 74747UF | 29258 | Atlas Air |
| OO-SFW | Airbus A330322 | 82 | Brussels Airlines |
| OY-JTS | Boeing 7377K2 | 33465 | Jettime |
| VT-JWU | Airbus A330302 | 1391 | Jet Airways |
Heathrow 28/2/14
| 5Y-KZA | Boeing 7878 | 35510 | Kenya Airways |
| 9M-MNB | Airbus A380841 | 81 | Malaysia Airlines |
| A6-APA | Airbus A380861 | 166 | Etihad Airways |
| A6-EEY | Airbus A380861 | 157 | Emirates Airlines |
| B-KPB | Boeing 777367ER | 35299 | Cathay Pacific Airways |
| ET-ANQ | Boeing 777260LR | 40773 | Ethiopian Airlines |
| G-XLEI | Airbus A380 841 | 173 | British Airways |
| N732AN | Boeing 777323ER | 31549 | American Airlines |
| N845MH | Boeing 767432ER | 29719 | Delta Air Lines |
| V8-DLB | Boeing 7878 | 34786 | Royal Brunei Airlines |
As is customary, a quick call and drive round at Luton was approved. One word of warning here is the link road from the M1 is closed for a few months while an upgrade is being constructed, diversions are via junction 11 of the M1 and the city centre.
Luton 28/2/15
| 4270 | Gulfstream G450 | 4270 | Pakistan Air Force |
| 9H-IRA | Global ExpressBD-700-1A10 | 9319 | Corporate |
| 9H-OPE | Global ExpressBD-700-1A10 | 9440 | VistaJet Malta |
| 9H-VJH | Global 6000BD-700-1A10 | 9585 | VistaJet Malta |
| 9K-GFA | Gulfstream G550 | 5248 | Government of Kuwait |
| 9M-TAN | Global 5000BD-700-1A11 | 9350 | Corporate |
| A6-KAH | Embraer Emb-190100BJ | 19000236 | Royal Jet |
| A6-NKL | Embraer ERJ-135BJ | 14500944 | Nakheel Aviation |
| C-FLMK | Bombardier 605 | 5786 | Chartright Air |
| C-FVMW | Dassault Falcon2000LX | 258 | Corporate |
| CS-DKG | Gulfstream G550 | 5127 | NetJets Europe |
| D-AFLY | Gulfstream G450 | 4027 | Windrose Air |
| G-EZWP | Airbus A320214(SL) | 5927 | EasyJet |
| G-EZWW | Airbus A320214(SL) | 6188 | EasyJet |
| G-WIRG | Embraer ERJ-135EJ | 14501184 | Air Charter Scotland |
| G-WWFC | Dassault Falcon2000LX | 257 | London Executive Aviation |
| G-YEDC | Cessna 525B | 525B-0162 | Air Charter Scotland |
| HB-JLK | Dassault Falcon 7X | 44 | TAG Aviation SA |
| M-KELY | Embraer EMB-500 | 50000040 | Corporate |
| M-USBA | Gulfstream G5 | 680 | Corporate |
| N13JS | Global ExpressBD-700-1A10 | 9185 | Corporate |
| N2237X | Dassault Falcon 7X | 241 | Corporate |
| N842PA | Gulfstream G4 | 1057 | Corporate |
| N9253V | Global ExpressBD-700-1A10 | 9024 | Corporate |
| N993AM | Dassault Falcon900LX | 265 | Corporate |
| OE-IBC | Global 5000BD-700-1A11 | 9269 | International Jet Management |
| OE-ILX | Boeing 7378DR | 32777 | Global Jet Concept |
| OE-LAI | Gulfstream G450 | 4237 | Global Jet Concept |
| TC-DMR | Hawker-Siddeley 125900XP | HA-0170 | Corporate |
| VP-BSA | Gulfstream G450 | 4115 | Corporate |
| VP-BVM | Global 6000BD-700-1A10 | 9512 | Corporate |
| VP-CJT | Global ExpressBD-700-1A10 | 9374 | Corporate |
| VQ-BCE | Gulfstream G450 | 4148 | Royal Flight of Jordan |
| VT-RGX | Dassault Falcon 7X | 49 | Corporate |
| XA-CHR | Gulfstream G550 | 5182 | Corporate |
| YU-SMK | Cessna 560 | 560-5641 | Prince Aviation |