VS59/60 LGW-LAX?

[Neil]

Just been having a look at the LHR-LGW movement site and noticed on various dates throughout Feb there are some departures/arrivals under flight numbers VS59/60 to and from LAX ex Gatwick.

I cannot find any info on these flights at all, does anybody know what they are/why they operated? There is no set pattern to the times, there is no, p, after the flight numbers to indicate a positioning flight and after searching my usual info sites nothing is showing!

Any info much appreciated
Neil

Originally posted by Attitude23
Just been having a look at the LHR-LGW movement site and noticed on various dates throughout Feb there are some departures/arrivals under flight numbers VS59/60 to and from LAX ex Gatwick.

I cannot find any info on these flights at all, does anybody know what they are/why they operated? There is no set pattern to the times, there is no, p, after the flight numbers to indicate a positioning flight and after searching my usual info sites nothing is showing!

Any info much appreciated
Neil

Another cruise charter perhaps?

I was going to say it is a mistake, as the site often has wrong departure times and destinations but considering that you said it happened a few times throughout the month I doubt that.

I think it must be some kind of charter operation- but why it has such a mainstream flight number I don't know. Was hoping there would be some pictures on a.net but not so.

Odd to have a mix of LGW and LHR based a/c as well. It must have been one big charter operation, the flight is about 5 times a week for the first 2 weeks of Feb!

[Neil]

I initially thought Charter but because of the normal flight number I ruled that out (normally charters are a 4digit number starting with a 9). I have also noticed that some flights with these numbers also happened in Jan, the strange thing is that there are more VS60's than 59's and quite often there is not a 59 the same day/day before[?].

Neil

Yeh LHR-LGW movements arent always that reliable- they are done by someone sat in the car park at LGW so if they miss a flight departing or arriving they cant put it in hene why there are more 60s than 59s!

Has VS59/60 been used before?! Does anyone know what was the number of the old LGW-SFO second daily services?

I wonder if its a mistake but then I keep thinking back to a charter- or maybe a flight for another Virgin Group company. The sheer amount of flights seems to many for it to be a mistake.

Again this was a chater flight. There are lots happening over the next few months.

[Neil]

Thanks for clarifying VITB [y][y], how come it was given a "normal" flight number and not one of the usual charter type flight numbers?

The VS059 is the scheduled B747-400 operated Gatwick to Tobago. The data you are looking at for 01-Feb in the "main" movements is often ACARS derived and not too accurate on destinations as it relies on the decoders knowledge. The site used to have the way more accurate full arrivals for the day, under "more" which was very accurate with ETA, actual arrival time, aircraft reg, parking etc. Very handy for us spotter anoraks. Mr "wiilld", sir, you are not correct. The reason that there are discrepancies is that the ACARS moniter will pick up, for example VS028 Orlando - Gatwick transmitting on a Friday when the only operation the plane flew was going off to Amsterdam for maintenance!! The reason being is that when the ACARS is switched on, it still thinks it is operating VS028 even though that was completed the day before. Like many machines, it needs re-set. Hence in some reports you will get GHOST movements, flagged on ACARS ( or equivalent system ) but not flown in the real world. For a balanced view, have a look to see if you can find the flight in "more" movements or even the following day. It's not perfect and throws up a lot of cruise charters that never were and operations of A340-600s from Gatwick that certainly never were.
Must get back to my car park and loiter now ( as if!!).....don't take this the wrong way but it's nice to be nice to be people, even spotters !!

Sorry confused you with too many big words:D
ACARS is the air to ground communications system.
All digital and F-A-B:D

Bit like a telephone - but on the plane. ( wow - whatever next )
Sorry - been a Hell of a day - off to the pub now lol

And who the Hell is Streisand? And I'm sure Borat is really American.......

Originally posted by virgin is the best
Again this was a chater flight. There are lots happening over the next few months.

Confirms a trend - no more growth in scheduled traffic but clearly sufficient capacity to operate more charters ... is this because they are more lucrative?

[Neil]

Thanks for clearing that up skipness[?]! Seriously kinda get what you are saying and thanks for trying to make it clear!

Neil