Cardiff/St Athan 2024

[welshdan1927]

Hi all,

A bit of festive down time means some reflection on a year where I spent more time away from the local than I did at it. Nonetheless, here's a small selection of some of the visitors I did get into South Wales this year.

G-ZBKR by Dan W, on Flickr

LY-NVM by Dan W, on Flickr

Vueling Airbus A320-271N MSN 8510 EC-NAJ by Dan W, on Flickr

That's the regulars. No, really.

Slovak Government Flight Service Fokker 100 msn 11403 OM-BYB by Dan W, on Flickr

The quiet airspace does bring a few interesting test flights here though;

Airbus A321-271NY msn 11058 F-WWBZ by Dan W, on Flickr

Airbus A321-251NX msn 7877 D-AVZO by Dan W, on Flickr

The Honeywell 757 returned with a friend. This was fascinating to watch as the 75 performed a series of go-arounds with the E170 on the runway. Then the E170 vacated at the mid point to allow the 75 to land, at which point the E170 taxied back onto the runway and the 75 turned 360 and charged back up the runway directly at it. Great fun. some sort of proximity testing I believe.

N757HW by Dan W, on Flickr

N757HW by Dan W, on Flickr

N170EH by Dan W, on Flickr

Amazingly this was a summer visitor, refuelling after the displays at the Midlands Air Festival. the logistics make no sense to me but I have absolutely no complaints

Swedish Air Force Historic Flight Saab J35J Draken SE-DXR (35556) by Dan W, on Flickr

It's the nature of the beast here that I've had to get more interested in biz jets as they provide most of the variety nowadays. Sometimes even three on the move at the same time!

Proair Aviation Cessna Citation 525A D-IKBO by Dan W, on Flickr

Saudi Medevac Gulfstream Aerospace Gulfstream G450 (G-IV-X) HZ-MS4B by Dan W, on Flickr

LFG AVIATION 2 INC TRUSTEE Gulfstream G650ER N540LF by Dan W, on Flickr

Executive Jet Management Global 5000 N241EA by Dan W, on Flickr

LX-FCB by Dan W, on Flickr

9H-MGM by Dan W, on Flickr

M-MEVA by Dan W, on Flickr

F-HSFN by Dan W, on Flickr

D-CSCR by Dan W, on Flickr

G-ZAHS by Dan W, on Flickr

Swedish Air Force Historic Flight Cessna 550 Citation II SE-RMI by Dan W, on Flickr

Saints has the usual array of scrappers, but nowhere near the standard of Kemble's.

Smartlynx Malta Airbus A320-214 msn 1725 9H-SLK by Dan W, on Flickr

ITA Airways A320-216 msn 3921 EI-DTG by Dan W, on Flickr

Corendon Airlines Boeing 737-8S3 msn 29247 TC-TJJ by Dan W, on Flickr

Air Moldova Airbus A320-211 msn 622 ER-AXV by Dan W, on Flickr

ET-ARB by Dan W, on Flickr

Luckily, there was a French lift. Even that was pale in comparison to recent years with only one F-

F-GZTP by Dan W, on Flickr

D-AASG by Dan W, on Flickr

EC-MRF by Dan W, on Flickr

HiFly Airbus A321-231 msn 1004 CS-TRJ by Dan W, on Flickr

OK-TSO by Dan W, on Flickr

OK-TVO by Dan W, on Flickr

And that is about it that I've managed to bag for the year.

Always something different going on, just... not much. I've been lucky in that I've managed to take a few trips away this year, so I'll share a few in due course.

Appreciate the viewing and comments as always folks.