Biman's final DC-10 flights out of Birmingham
Introduction
As you may know, the whole story began with a post at airliners.net where an aviation enthusiast was so kind to send an email to Kevin Steele, CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines regarding an oppertunity to organize a far a well flight due to the retirement of their DC-10 from sheduled PAX service. My buddy Christian advsed me to this post and the idea to get the mighty DC-10 into my flightlog started.
Personally I was very sceptic if an airline which wasn’t very profitable in the past years would allow such a „money waste“ flight. It was planned that the DC-10 would fly from DAC via an airport in Europe to the states for a museum in Seattle. Biman replied to his request and he pleased us to send him an email who is interested in such a flight in order to idicate the demand of it.
It seems he got a lot of emails because end of 2013 we were informed that the CEO picked up the idea and will let us know by january 2014 where and when such a flight will happen.
Due to the high demand the planned single far a well flight increased to whole weekend with 9 pleasure flights from BHX! Birmingham was choosen because BG will start from here in summer 2014 new flights DAC-BHX-JFK so Mr. Steele know how to handle media AND the aviation community to make some advert for the airline and the new service.I think he knows how to connect the interests of a huge aviation enthusiast community in Europe, especially in the UK, with his own company interests.
But now lets start with the tripreport
21.02.2014
HAJ-AMS
PH-KZI, F-70
Duration: 0:40
After a few hours’ sleep it was time to get up, at 05.00lt my cap Taxi was coming. At the airport Christian was waiting for me. He flew with SK via CPH to BHX, I flew with KL via AMS. Boarding was on time. Catering was fine, the sandwich was very tasty. 40 Minutes later we arrived at the Polderbaan.
AMS-BHX
PH-EZS , E-190
Duration: 0:53
As you may know, the whole story began with a post at airliners.net where an aviation enthusiast was so kind to send an email to Kevin Steele, CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines regarding an oppertunity to organize a far a well flight due to the retirement of their DC-10 from sheduled PAX service. My buddy Christian advsed me to this post and the idea to get the mighty DC-10 into my flightlog started.
Personally I was very sceptic if an airline which wasn’t very profitable in the past years would allow such a „money waste“ flight. It was planned that the DC-10 would fly from DAC via an airport in Europe to the states for a museum in Seattle. Biman replied to his request and he pleased us to send him an email who is interested in such a flight in order to idicate the demand of it.
It seems he got a lot of emails because end of 2013 we were informed that the CEO picked up the idea and will let us know by january 2014 where and when such a flight will happen.
Due to the high demand the planned single far a well flight increased to whole weekend with 9 pleasure flights from BHX! Birmingham was choosen because BG will start from here in summer 2014 new flights DAC-BHX-JFK so Mr. Steele know how to handle media AND the aviation community to make some advert for the airline and the new service.I think he knows how to connect the interests of a huge aviation enthusiast community in Europe, especially in the UK, with his own company interests.
But now lets start with the tripreport
21.02.2014
HAJ-AMS
PH-KZI, F-70
Duration: 0:40
After a few hours’ sleep it was time to get up, at 05.00lt my cap Taxi was coming. At the airport Christian was waiting for me. He flew with SK via CPH to BHX, I flew with KL via AMS. Boarding was on time. Catering was fine, the sandwich was very tasty. 40 Minutes later we arrived at the Polderbaan.
AMS-BHX
PH-EZS , E-190
Duration: 0:53
For me the E-190 was a new type of aircraft in my log, thats why I chose this flight. The Aircraft looked very clean and shiny. On this flight we had the same tasty sandwiches.
We were landing at 08.30lt on RWY 15 and on the apron the mighty DC-10 stood in bright morning sunlight. As a bonus the famous An-26 LZ-ABR was standing at the cargo apron together with an EXIN An-26 which departed later.
Now I had to spend two hours until Christian arrived from CPH on a Blue 1 B717. For his arrival I was on a multi-storey car park in order to get a descend photo of his B717.
We were landing at 08.30lt on RWY 15 and on the apron the mighty DC-10 stood in bright morning sunlight. As a bonus the famous An-26 LZ-ABR was standing at the cargo apron together with an EXIN An-26 which departed later.
Now I had to spend two hours until Christian arrived from CPH on a Blue 1 B717. For his arrival I was on a multi-storey car park in order to get a descend photo of his B717.
After picking up a rental car we looked for the spotting locations at BHX. It is on top of a multi-storey car park and by the way only 300m away from our Hotel HOLIDAY INN so it was our preferred spot for this weekend.
The DC-10 took a nap after her long journey from DAC via KWI the day before and rested on the apron. First highlight was a B752 of Turkmenistan, for me the first aircraft of them with the green cs. Traffic is a bit boring at BHX. You have many BE flights a day, other European mainline carriers and some TOM,TCX and MON traffic. 2 times daily EK 773 arrives from DXB. UA B752 is another daily visitor.
The DC-10 took a nap after her long journey from DAC via KWI the day before and rested on the apron. First highlight was a B752 of Turkmenistan, for me the first aircraft of them with the green cs. Traffic is a bit boring at BHX. You have many BE flights a day, other European mainline carriers and some TOM,TCX and MON traffic. 2 times daily EK 773 arrives from DXB. UA B752 is another daily visitor.
We had to wait for a few hours until our friends from HAJ Hilke and Olaf arrived via AMS too. After their arrival we went to the hotel, after that for dinner at a very good Indian restaurant and of course some Kingfisher Beer.
22.02.2014
First departure for a farewell flight was at 09.00lt, so we went to the airport at 08.00 in order to find a good spot. Weather was cloudy with heavy winds. With 45 minutes delay the first of 9 scenic flights departed.
22.02.2014
First departure for a farewell flight was at 09.00lt, so we went to the airport at 08.00 in order to find a good spot. Weather was cloudy with heavy winds. With 45 minutes delay the first of 9 scenic flights departed.
BHX-BHX
BG 004
S2-ACR, DC-10-30
Duration: 0:56
We were booked on the second flight of the day at 12.00lt so we went to the terminal for check-in. At the check-in we realized that there were a lot of Germans and Netherlands on board. After checking we went upstairs where a small “DC-10 farewell souvenir shop” was installed. You could buy some safety on board cards, load sheets, t-shirts, caps etc of the aircraft but it was expensive in my eyes (10 Pounds for a safety card, 20 pounds for a t-shirt which look not so nice). After security check we went to our Bus gate were we had to wait for boarding. In the bus we were advised how we have to behave on the apron and how much time we had for taking photos prior departure.
Next to the DC-10 was an old Beech 99 which seems to be used for Parachute dropping flights, it has a huge door on the left side. But on this day it was used as a photo plane to take some air to air photos of our mighty DC-10.
BG 004
S2-ACR, DC-10-30
Duration: 0:56
We were booked on the second flight of the day at 12.00lt so we went to the terminal for check-in. At the check-in we realized that there were a lot of Germans and Netherlands on board. After checking we went upstairs where a small “DC-10 farewell souvenir shop” was installed. You could buy some safety on board cards, load sheets, t-shirts, caps etc of the aircraft but it was expensive in my eyes (10 Pounds for a safety card, 20 pounds for a t-shirt which look not so nice). After security check we went to our Bus gate were we had to wait for boarding. In the bus we were advised how we have to behave on the apron and how much time we had for taking photos prior departure.
Next to the DC-10 was an old Beech 99 which seems to be used for Parachute dropping flights, it has a huge door on the left side. But on this day it was used as a photo plane to take some air to air photos of our mighty DC-10.
After aprox half an hour of taking pictures from outside the plane it was time for boarding. The all-economy cabin looked like fresh from 1970s movie, but it was built in 1988!
After finding our seats we walked around the aircraft and took a lot of pictures.
We pushed back with delay and for the first time I watched the safety instructions where the whole cabin was silent and all passengers watched mindful the “cabin-ballet”.
Prior departure the captain informed us about flight level (16.000 feet) and that we were chased by a photo plane which was the Beech 99
We departed from RWY 33 and after a few seconds the grand old lady was up in her element.
As soon as the “fasten your seatbelt” signs disappear all passengers walked around the plane and looked in every single corner.
During the flight I chatted with the crew and they told me that they were overwhelmed how many people were interested in that “old” airliner and that they came from all over the world just to do a fare a well flight with it.
After finding our seats we walked around the aircraft and took a lot of pictures.
We pushed back with delay and for the first time I watched the safety instructions where the whole cabin was silent and all passengers watched mindful the “cabin-ballet”.
Prior departure the captain informed us about flight level (16.000 feet) and that we were chased by a photo plane which was the Beech 99
We departed from RWY 33 and after a few seconds the grand old lady was up in her element.
As soon as the “fasten your seatbelt” signs disappear all passengers walked around the plane and looked in every single corner.
During the flight I chatted with the crew and they told me that they were overwhelmed how many people were interested in that “old” airliner and that they came from all over the world just to do a fare a well flight with it.
After the Captain flew the whole approach by hands we landed after 0:56 Minutes in BHX, the flight finished way too early.
After arrival we went back to spotting point 3 in order to get the beauty at departure from another angle because landing direction was changed.
For dinner we decided to drive to Coventry. There is a DC-6 as a Diner so it would fit perfect.
http://dc6diner.com/
The location was perfect and the Burger was good too, but compared to the Indian Restaurant it lost.
We spend the last hours at the hotel lobby and drank some Newcastle Ale.
On the next morning weather was bad, a lot of clouds and storm so we decided to drive to Bruntingthorpe in order to get some stored VC-10 and to go to the museum.
http://www.bruntingthorpeaviation.com/the-aircraft/
The Museum is very interesting but the more interesting scrapping area was not accessible. From the distance we could see 3x VC-10, 2x A300F of QR, 1x B742 of OA and 2 B747 of UN.
http://dc6diner.com/
The location was perfect and the Burger was good too, but compared to the Indian Restaurant it lost.
We spend the last hours at the hotel lobby and drank some Newcastle Ale.
On the next morning weather was bad, a lot of clouds and storm so we decided to drive to Bruntingthorpe in order to get some stored VC-10 and to go to the museum.
http://www.bruntingthorpeaviation.com/the-aircraft/
The Museum is very interesting but the more interesting scrapping area was not accessible. From the distance we could see 3x VC-10, 2x A300F of QR, 1x B742 of OA and 2 B747 of UN.
After the museum we tried to find a spot where we could get the VC-10s or B747s but it was impossible.
On our way to BHX we passed CVT and drove a few times around the airport in order to get some stored aircrafts there too. In CVT there are a few ATPs stored and some other interesting aircrafts.
On our way to BHX we passed CVT and drove a few times around the airport in order to get some stored aircrafts there too. In CVT there are a few ATPs stored and some other interesting aircrafts.
Around noon we went back to BHX for the last arrival of the old lady which we could watch at this weekend. The lady came back again with delay at around 13.30lt and the crosswind landing was spectacular. Than it was time for check-in to our late afternoon departure back to HAJ via AMS.
23.02.2014
BHX-AMS
PH-BCD, B737-800
Duration: 0:57
We departed with delay in a fully booked B738 to AMS. After a few holdings we landed on Polderbaan and rolled for aprox 20 minutes to the Terminal.
AMS-HAJ
PH-JCT, F-70
Duration: 0:33
We landed on time on another F-70 flight back in HAJ.
Conclusion: After my MD-11 flight in 2012 I never expected to get a chance to fly a DC-10 so I had to take this chance and it was every penny worth it.
Many thanks to everyone who was involved in this event and a special thank you to the Biman CEO and crew who let this event happen !
23.02.2014
BHX-AMS
PH-BCD, B737-800
Duration: 0:57
We departed with delay in a fully booked B738 to AMS. After a few holdings we landed on Polderbaan and rolled for aprox 20 minutes to the Terminal.
AMS-HAJ
PH-JCT, F-70
Duration: 0:33
We landed on time on another F-70 flight back in HAJ.
Conclusion: After my MD-11 flight in 2012 I never expected to get a chance to fly a DC-10 so I had to take this chance and it was every penny worth it.
Many thanks to everyone who was involved in this event and a special thank you to the Biman CEO and crew who let this event happen !