Antonov 124s in Shannon

With all the recent media hype around the recent visit of the Antonov 225 to Shannon its easy to forget that its not that long ago that Antonovs were a very common sight at Shannon.  

In 1990 Volga Dnepr Airlines was established in Ulyanovsk as the first private airfreight company in Russia, primarily to operate the fleet of Anotonov 124 Ruslans built by the Antonov Design Bureau.  In 1997 a line maintenance base was established in Shannon.

All maintenance was carried out on the disused taxiway on the eastern side of the airfield near the Westair hangar.

The early versions of the engines fitted had a very short time between overhauls and this resulted in a lot of engine changes taking place.

It was common to have two or three aircraft on the ground at once with each missing at least one engine.

A line of three or four 124s is an impressive sight.

With 24 wheels per aircraft, wheel changes were another popular job!

With an outboard engine on one side removed, the 124 developed a serious lean to the other side.

In September 2006 the maintenance operation was transferred to Leipzig/Halle in Germany but 124s are still regular visitors, stopping for fuel on long transatlantic flights.

Piper Cubs at the Birr Breakfast Fly In 2015

On Sunday last, April 19th, the Ormand Flying Club held its annual Breakfast Fly In at their home airfield in Birr, County Offaly. The day started off misty with low cloud but it soon burned off to leave a  warm and sunny day, perfect for Cub flying.

Some low cloud lingered on the trip down but it was easily avoided.

I was the first to arrive in India Oscar but was soon joined by around seventy other aircraft including six other Cub types.

Piper Pa18 Super Cub EI-BID

Piper Pa12 Super Cruiser EI-CFH

Piper J4 Cub Coupe EI-GDJ

Piper Pa18 Super Cub G-PIPR

 Piper Pa18 Super Cub EI-ELM

Piper Pa18 Super Cub EI-DTS

The flight home was into a strong easterly wind but the earlier mist and cloud had gone to leave perfect conditions for some low 'n' slow flying.

70 mph @ 500 feet

Back at base, ready for the next mission.

Ireland's Falcos

Over the years many examples of Stelio Frati's designs have been seen in the skies over Ireland. The Irish Aer Corps operated the SIAI Marchetti SF.260 as its primary trainer for many years and they were a regular sight around the country.  However only three of his civilian designs, all factory built Falco F8Ls, have been registered.  Of the three, EI-BBT, EI-BCJ and EI-BMF, only BCJ remains.


EI-BBT

Originally imported from the UK as G-APXD, it was registered EI-BBT on 10.6.1976.  It was based at Dublin Airport until it was exported to the U.S. as N304SF on 7.7.1981.  It continues to fly there and features on the following website Falco N304SF

EI-BCJ

Formerly G-ATAK, BCJ arrived in Ireland in early 1977 and was registered on 19.1.1977. She spent most of the 90s unflown, stored in the hangar in Abbeyshrule until bought by Mike Mc Loughlin and restored to flying condition.  She is currently based in Kilrush and is Ireland's only Falco.

EI-BCJ, Abbeyshrule, August 1994

EI-BCJ at Limetree Airfield 14.9.2014

EI-BMF

BMF was Ireland's most active Falco until her demise on April 10th 2010.  First registered on 28.1.1982, she was a regular sight in Irish skies over the next 28 years operating from her base at Powerscourt, County Wicklow.

EI-BMF at Weston Aerodrome 8.1.1995

Fouga Magister EI-BXO

                                   

Fouga CM-170 Magister, FM-28, was one of 80 built by Valmet for the Finnish Air Force in the early 1960s.  Sold to Exotic Aircraft Inc in 1986, she was registered in the US as N18FM.  Her stay in the US was short as she was air-freighted to Shannon on board an L100 Hercules on November 16th 1988.  Registered to Gerry Connolly on November 21st 1988 as EI-BXO, she became the first, and so far only, ex-military jet trainer to grace the Irish register.  Making her first public appearance as BXO two days later, she flew until 1991 when she was placed in open storage on the East Ramp at Shannon.

On April 15th 1996 BXO was registered to Christy Keane of Saggart, County Dublin.  She spent many years stored in the car park of Toughers Oil in Newbridge, County Kildare before moving to Northern Ireland.  During 2014 she was moved to the Irish Aer Corps museum hangar at Baldonnel.

 

ON THIS DAY - April 10th 2010

On Saturday April 10th 2010 Falco F8L EI-BMF crashed at Powerscourt Airfield, County Wicklow with two fatalities.  The accident investigation report can be found at the following link..

EI-BMF AAIU Report

ON THIS DAY - April 6th 1997

On Sunday April 6th 1997 Cessna FR172J Reims Rocket over-ran runway 29 at Kilrush, EIKH while attempting to land. It passed through the boundary fence and blocked the Kilcullen to Athy road for a number of hours.  Luckily nobody was injured.

AAIU Accident Report

Dublin's First Flightfest

On September 15th 2013 the Dublin Flightfest took place where a large number of aircraft flew up the River Liffey from Poolbeg to O'Connell Bridge. Large crowds watched as modern and historic aircraft, including a British Airways A380, flew over Dublin city centre. However this wasn't the first large flying display to take place in the city.

On Sunday May 10th 1936 C.W.A Scott's Flying Display Ltd held an air display using a makeshift runway cut in the Phoenix Park.  A short newsreel film can be seen at the following link

Irish Air Day 1936

C.W.A Scott's Flying Display Ltd was formed in 1935 when Charles W.A.Scott bought National Air Displays Ltd from Sir Alan Cobham.  Scott formed the new company with Tom Campbell Black, with whom he had won the 1934 Mac Robertson Air Race in DH88 Comet G-ACSS, and Jean Batten.

Some of the aircraft used in the flying display included Avro 671 Autogyro G-ACUT, Avro 504 G-ACRE and HM14 Pou Du Ciel G-AEFK.  The display also included three Avro Cadets G-ACLU, G-ACOZ and G-ACPB and an unmarked Goppingen 1 Wolf glider. Pleasure flights were conducted by two Airspeed AS.4 Ferry G-ABSI and G-ACFB.

Unfortunately due to poor weather during the 1936 display season the company lost money and was placed in voluntary liquidation in November of that year.