Civilian Aviation

This will almost certainly be my last outing of 2014, the sunny (but cold) weather tempted me to go over to Stansted for a couple of hours today, nothing unusual was due but at least it was good weather for photography (most of the time). All these were taken between 11.45 and 14.30

Cyprus Airways transferred their London flights from LHR to STN back in the summer, this was the first time I've recorded one on my camera:

0983 5B-DCH A320 Cyprus Aw by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

Gulfstream A6-HHH is a Stansted regular:

1028 A6-HHH G5 UAE by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

Cargolux put in 2 flights today, this -400 series (LX-TCV) was in Cargolux Italia colours which was a first for me:

1044 LX-TCV B744 Cargolux Italia by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

Aurigny's ATR72s are daily visitors but with the sun on it looked very nice:

1102 G-BWDB ATR72 Aurigny by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

as I said , they are all regular visitors and Pegasus B737s are no exception with several flights a day now (or rather day and night, one is very late arriving):

1123 TC-AJP B737 Pegasus by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

Ryanair 737s are the most common aircraft at STN but this one EI-DLJ now wears the National Express coaches colours as well as EI-EMK - I didnt realise there was a second one until I looked at the reg on the photo!

1141 EI-DLJ B737 Ryanair - national express by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

EasyJet are the other main operator, this one is in their standard colour scheme but I noticed one in a different scheme as I passed the terminal on my way to my pitch, it had smaller titles and orange across the top of the fuselage (a bit like TNT but without the black), don't know if that is a one off or if changes are afoot for 2015:

1154 G-EZFV A319 Ezy by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

The 2nd Cargolux was an -8F version LX-VCH, I've seen 3 or 4 of them at STN now, not sure if I'd photographed this one before though:

1201 LX-VCH B748 Cargolux by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

and the last arrival before I set off for home and a bit of warmth was Nordic Global's MD.11 OH-NGB in a less than inspiring colour scheme (if the word colour can be used for such a scheme!)

1254 OH-NGB MD11 Nordic Global by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

I also had a fairly close encounter with a herd of about a dozen deer which wandered to within 40-50 yards of me without noticing me- unfortunately when I turned my camera towards them the light caught it and they were off behind a hedge before i could get a photo of them (got a distant one a few moments later but didn't make up for the missed opportunity). also had the company of a chilly robin for a while which seemed quite unconcerned by my being a few feet away and a couple of blue tits who were equally unpeturbed, and to think that yesterday I hid up behind an old tin shed to try to get some pics of some goldcrests, I wonder if my presence would hav ebothered them?

hope you like them , C&C welcome and finally a happy new year to you all and happy snapping for 2015
Andrew

Hi - thanks for posting this set.

Some excellent photos that also demonstrates that Stansted attracts some interesting visitors and isn't just a Ryanair bore fest!

Love the Cargolux Italia!

Nice pics, super light but they still have to be taken. Well done and thanks for posting.

Nice pics Andy.

Whereabouts were these ones taken from? (don't look like Belmer Road or Green Street?)

Dan

thanks for the comments everybody.

The Cargolux Italia livery caught me by surprise and it is rather nice.

There's not a massive range of regulars at STN, in addition to the ones I took yesterday there are several daily Germanwings flights, Etihad Regional and the FlyBe Dundee flights. FlyBe are also starting 3 services soon (Newquay is one, can't remember the others). The cargo flights are varied, as well as the above Qatar B777s come in 5 times a week but usually at very unsociable hours, Martinair visit 3x weekly with MD.11s, Panalpina coloured Atlas 747-8Fs 3x weekly, Atlas are currently coming in with one of their own 747-400Fs once or twice a week and then there are the FedEx and UPS flights plus feeders. I've probably missed one or two but gives a bit of a flavour.
There is a weekly Austrian Arrows Fk100 on Saturday mornings at present operating skiing flights (Saturday mornings also have Martinair and Panalpina plus Cargolux later so a bit of variety then).

Dan - these were taken between Mole Hill Green and Broxted, there are a few places along that road where parking is possible but you need to be sensible about it. I like this spot but the flights are slightly too high for my liking. I have parked in the village and walked onto a footpath at the north end of the village which is nearer the airport and the aircraft a bit lower and hence side on but it's a bit wet this time of year. There is a good gateway on the Mole Hill Green to Elsenham road that I used in the past but the field is private and the local police don't like you stopping there (I like to co-operate with them as their planewatch scheme is excellent and has the occasional viewing benefit) so that's a bit of a hike from the village and from the gateway you can't get side on shots so I don't use that now. Hope that helps.

Cracking end to the year Andy

Really nice set Andrew, and a location i'll be looking at finding next time i head to Stansted! Like the angles on those.

Cheers for posting.