Welcome Home... And Goodbye

Today Lisbon welcomed the newest addition to TAP Air Portugal fleet, CS-TJK arriving from XFW. Saddly, we also said goodbye to the oldest A330-200, CS-TOH, which served as a prototype aircraft for Airbus Industries, flying with both the GE CF6-80 and RR Trent 700, and then, when it went to Austrian Airlines, converted to A330-223 with PW4000. While flying for Austrian, it had been painted with Star Alliance paint scheme, and with TAP it stayed always with the Star Alliance corporate livery. Today, it departed to Lleida-Alguaire Aiport, in Spain, for storage, and most likely, scrapping. CS-TOH was also the first A330 I photographed earlier in 2013.

Airbus A330-223, CS-TOH, TAP Air Portugal (Star Alliance c/s)

Airbus A321-251N, CS-TJK, TAP Air Portugal (Delivery Flight XFW-LIS)

Azores Airlines A321neo Low Pass

You know you've just witnessed an amazing low pass, when, after the aircraft is gone, there's silence among spotters, as we check our recently taken pictures. That's exactly what happened when Azores Airlines' brand new A321neo, first with Portuguese registration, arrived at Lisbon on its delivery flight, earlier this month. Thumbs up for Azores Airlines! Well done.

Airbus A321-253N, Azores Airlines, CS-TSF ("Breathe" c/s)

Three Portuguese special liveries, TAP Air Portugal's Retro, "Portugal Stopover", and Azores Airlines's "Breathe"

No-Shave November

Since we are already in November, here's one that I photographed last month at Madeira Airport. This A321 from Monarch is the only one still wearing this stylish moustache from last year.

Airbus A321-231, G-OZBE, Monarch (No-Shave November)

Spotting from the Control Tower

Some months ago I was invited to visit the control tower at Madeira Airport. Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to photograph the interior of the tower, but some photos to the aircrafts were possible.

Airbus A320-214, G-EZWD, easyJet

Airbus A321-231, G-ZBAF, Monarch

 

One Arrives; Another Departs

A couple of weeks ago, I was trying a new spot, with runway 23 in use. While Thomson was on final approach, the ATC authorized a Thomas Cook to line up. Of course, few seconds later, the ''expedite'' word could be heard on the radio. When Thomson was about to touchdown, Thomas Cook had just taken the weels off the ground.

Airbus A321-211, OY-TCG, Thomas Cook Scandinavia

Boeing 737-8K5, G-FDZS, Thomson

The Good Life

What's better than lying on the ground, at the airport ramp, watching the airplanes passing by at no more than 40 meters away, on a monday morning?

Eventually, somebody noticed me, and decided to photograph me taking this shot, so I leave here also the making of the photo. Thank you Daniel for capturing this funny moment!

Airdüsseldorf

Today's flight from Berlin was performed by D-ABCO, from Airberlin. However, insted of having ''Airberlin'' on the fuselage, it has ''Airdüsseldorf'''. Special liveries from Airberlin around Madeira are extremely rare, so nice to see this one, even though it's a small thing.

Airbus A321-211(WL), D-ABCO, Airberlin (Airdüsseldorf livery)