A340-600 at EastMidlands ?

Flew out to Jersey on Friday 4.30pm and saw the airbus flying in ? Why?
Then waiting and took off again, then cirled and landed but didn't came in and hit the concrete and took straight off again.

Heard of any problems?[8D]

From the LHR ACARS log

VS830T To East Midlands G-VHOL 340 02/09/2005 15:55
VS832T From East Midlands G-VHOL 340 02/09/2005 20:28

I believe that VS do pilot training up there - landings / take-offs.

Phil (Buffy)

Edit: VHOL is, of course, a 343 not a 346 which would fit - as they do normally use the 343 for training rather than taking the larger 346.

I live in the area and occasionally do see Virgin aircrafts circling and doing touch and go at EMA. It is usually A340-300 at EMA though. I did see a four engined aircraft at a distance the other day but couldn't remember if it was Friday but it was most likely a VS plane.

Happy Flying

As said above, pilot training. I flew out of EMA yesterday to CDG and there was an Antanov on the ground at the DHL terminal! Now that's a big aircraft for EMA, although it has a phenominally short take-off/landing requirement.

Personally I think EMA needs more bigger aircraft but they don't really have the runway for it and no where to expand. TCX and FCA fly bigger two engine aircraft out of there like the B763 and A330 on short-haul routes and apparantly are starting to Mexico which worries me unless its via LGW/MAN/GLA or somewhere to refuel!

Originally posted by BuffyTVS65
From the LHR ACARS log

VS830T To East Midlands G-VHOL 340 02/09/2005 15:55
VS832T From East Midlands G-VHOL 340 02/09/2005 20:28

I believe that VS do pilot training up there - landings / take-offs.

Phil (Buffy)

Edit: VHOL is, of course, a 343 not a 346 which would fit - as they do normally use the 343 for training rather than taking the larger 346.

A bit curious, where do you get this data from?

Cheers
Artur

take a look at this website.

shows fleet movements out of LHR and LGW for most airlines on a day by day basis.

Rich.

Originally posted by Kryten
As said above, pilot training. I flew out of EMA yesterday to CDG and there was an Antanov on the ground at the DHL terminal! Now that's a big aircraft for EMA, although it has a phenominally short take-off/landing requirement.

Personally I think EMA needs more bigger aircraft but they don't really have the runway for it and no where to expand. TCX and FCA fly bigger two engine aircraft out of there like the B763 and A330 on short-haul routes and apparantly are starting to Mexico which worries me unless its via LGW/MAN/GLA or somewhere to refuel!

EMA has expanded over the years and are receiving more and more aircrafts. Even though mostly are still B737 and B757. I am not 100% sure but the runway i think is capable of handling a B747, it certainly can handle a Concorde.

Originally posted by Kryten
TCX and FCA fly bigger two engine aircraft out of there like the B763 and A330 on short-haul routes and apparantly are starting to Mexico which worries me unless its via LGW/MAN/GLA or somewhere to refuel!

The runway at East Mids is plenty long enough to accomodate a 767 or A330 with a long haul fuel load - almost 3km.

Cheers!
Mike

Originally posted by sky0000547

Originally posted by Kryten
As said above, pilot training. I flew out of EMA yesterday to CDG and there was an Antanov on the ground at the DHL terminal! Now that's a big aircraft for EMA, although it has a phenominally short take-off/landing requirement.

Personally I think EMA needs more bigger aircraft but they don't really have the runway for it and no where to expand. TCX and FCA fly bigger two engine aircraft out of there like the B763 and A330 on short-haul routes and apparantly are starting to Mexico which worries me unless its via LGW/MAN/GLA or somewhere to refuel!

EMA has expanded over the years and are receiving more and more aircrafts. Even though mostly are still B737 and B757. I am not 100% sure but the runway i think is capable of handling a B747, it certainly can handle a Concorde.

It can definately handle a 747, I took a VS one to their once from LGW on a pleasure flight That was many years ago.

I know that the runway is prety big, but was not sure it was ok for fully loaded flights, but I guess charter planes tend to run lighter cargo and luggage loads?

[Nottingham Nick]

I used to work at NEMA a few years ago, every now and again. I remember that when there were fog diverts from LHR / MAN / BHX, the 747s could land at (then) EMA, but weren't allowed to take off fully laden. [:0]

Therefore, even if the fog diversion was only a short one, pax still had to be bussed to their destination airport [:(!]. The airport has changed an awful lot since those days, so I don't know what the current position is.

I do know that, like a lot of airports, the anti noise / anti expansion lobby seems to be getting a lot of publicity at the moment.

Nick

VHOL is, of course, a 343 not a 346 which would fit - as they do normally use the 343 for training rather than taking the larger 346.

Perhaps the guy who managed to tail strike an 346 at IAD should be practising with a 346, not a 343[}:)]

(note to Mods: this is meant as a light-hearted comment and not a criticism of the pilot concerned)