Highlights 2017 at Madeira

Last year has been marked by the disappearance of 3 major visitors at Madeira Airport: Monarch, Air Berlin and Niki so, the first highlights should be definitely to these airlines that flew the Madeira skies for so many years...

Monarch A321 with sharklets G-ZBAM landing on runway 05
More on Monarch HERE

Air Berlin A320 special Etihad livery D-ABDU departing from runway 23
More one Air Berlin, HERE

For Niki...a real oldie (at least for me...), back from Aug.2006, still with the first livery I saw them use (looked kind of a chocolat bar....)..A321 OE-LOS :

More on Niki, HERE

In February made the firsts (and only) shots to Hawker 900XP of Madjet after its complete refiting.
This plane used to be based at Madeira...
Check all pics HERE

In March we had a premiera from down under... :)
First time I got a Royal Australian Air Force plane and also first time we got a C-27 Spartan at Madeira, on a technical stop. Check HERE

A34-004 departing from runway 05

Also in March, had (probably for the last time) the oportunity of photographing a couple of Sata A310's together...check HERE

CS-TKN and CS-TGU 

Transavia special liveries are dificult to find around here, so  it was nice to get for the first time F-GZHO with #MyPicOnAPlane special livery....Check HERE

In April, Brussels Airlines made its first flight to Madeira:

A319 OO-SSM being received with the water salute on the airline's first flight to Madeira.
check HERE

Also in April, Condor made us a surprise with a Condor 767...
D-ABUI, check HERE

Continuing in April, finally made a few shots to Easyjet's Shakespeare special livery, G-EZBI. Check HERE

In May, we had an Air Tractor and a couple of helicopters for some aerial fire fighting tests at Madeira...
Spanish EC-LNT, during the take-off for the tests:

More of the Air Tractor, HERE

The Helicopters were operated by HTA (CS-HBB made the tests and the other remained on backup).
Check HERE

In June we had, for the first time, Air Europa's B737, with a series of charter flights from Spain.
Check HERE

EC-MKL departing from runway 23 with 30th aniversary special sticker. More, HERE

In July, Aerovip brought another Jetstream to ensure the inter-island route while the usual CS-DVQ went to the mainland for a deep maintenance...

Swedish registration SE-FVP arriving for the first time at Madeira. Check HERE

The maintenance of CS-DVQ included the new Sevenair Group livery that fits really nice (personal opinion) on the Jetstream:

Also in July, Arke (Tui Nederland) made a few flights with something diferent: A canadian registration (Sunwing) B738 with a Tui Family Life special livery:

C-FTOH lining up to runway 05. More, HERE

Still on July, Madeira got finally the return of the daily cargo flights from / to the mainland (Lisbon).
Check HERE

Now the flights are beeing made with an ATR-72, by Swiftair, which has already flew several cargo flights to Madeira, with the B737 and ATR-42

In August, a UEFA competitions provided us another premiere...Ukranian Wind Rose came for the first time at Madeira, with Dynamo Kiev, to play to local team C.S.Marítimo. Check HERE

There was another premiere regarding the UEFA championship but didn't manage to get it...an A319 of the Bulgaria Government.

In September, a birdstrike in the nose of Tuifly D-ATUH provided us another nice traffic, although not for the first time...Ukraine Air Alliance An-12 UR-GCV had to bring another nose to the grounded plane...Check HERE

Also in September, got another Arke from Sunwing...C-GOWG, more HERE:

In October,  Brussels Airlines finally started flying to Madeira with the A320 opening the possibility of getting some special liveries...and it did...first A320 flight was made with OO-SNA (Red Devils livery). Check HERE

Also in October, and due to the backrupt of Air Berlin, Eurowings started flying to Madeira. The first flight was made....with an Air Berlin plane........
More, HERE

A320 D-ABFC

Still in October, Madeira received the first A321 NEO to operate to Portugal. Novair's SE-RKB. More HERE

October was a really nice month, regarding highlights... :)
at the end of the month we got, for the first time, a Royal Canadian Air Force C-130, on a technical night-stop. Check HERE

130613  landing on runway 05

In November, a special present...the second ever A318 at Madeira. An Austrian CJ OE-ICE that arrived almost at night.
More HERE

In December, finally got my first pic of a Eurowings plane..Check HERE

A319 D-AGWD landing on runway 05

Also in December it was time for Brussels Airlines "Magritte" to visit us...(there are still a few special liveries to come....hello!!! Brussels!), check HERE

OO-SNC landing at runway 05, on a dull day...

Highlights 2016

It's once more that time of the year where I review the highlights of the previous year... :)

The first hightlight of 2016 was also the last of 2015 :)
The departure of New Year's charter from/to Bucarest, carried by a Tarom A310 YR-LCB.
Check HERE

this plane is now stored....

In February got for the first time D-AGER with Germania's 30th aniversary livery and Tuifly's D-ATUZ with the RIU livery...nice liveries!
Check HERE

In March we had this nice French Civil Protection Dash8-Q400. Check HERE

F-ZBMC departing from runway 05

In April, got for the first (an only) time, Easyjet's special livery celebrating the airline's 20th Aniversary. Check HERE

G-EZOX coming to a stop, after landing on runway 23...this one looked a lot better in the paper than in live colors...

In May, Corendon made it's first flight to Madeira, beeing received with a salute with the water canons. Check HERE

PH-CDF arriving from Amsterdam

Right in the begining of May, got, for the first time this nice Smartwings / Air Transat hybrid. Check HERE

OK-TVU landing on 05

May was also the month I finally got Thomson G-FDZG with Family Life special livery :)
Check HERE

Also in May, portuguese airline Everjets made it's last flight as a regular airline based at Madeira.
It was a very strange project and never gained the confidence of the people...turned to the charter flights....check HERE

OY-RUP (leased from DAT - Danish Air Transport) performing a nice take-off from runway 23 (one of the lasts...)

In June there were news on the double :)
It was the first time I got Air Horizont (performing Everjets charter flights) and TAG Aviation 757 performing a TCS Expeditions world travel:

Air Horizont B734 9H-ZAZ and TAG Aviation B752 G-TCSX

June was also a nice month for the Tuifly special liveries...I got 2 more that were new to me...
TUI BLUE D-ATUD, check HERE

and TUI Magic Life D-ATUG (with Tui Robinson D-ATUI, another new special livery).
Check HERE

In July, photographed Portuguese Air Force C-130 16804...a plane that a few days later would crash in Montijo Air Base with full loss of the plane and 3 crew...dark moments it were...

In August we had once more the pleasure of having a Reims-Cessna FTB337G flying around as CS-DIT (former Portuguese Air Force 3725 arrived at Madeira. It's based here and operated by local Aeroclub. Check HERE)

first arrival

In September, got for the first time (and only...) an ASL Airlines B737 with its new livery (former Air Contractors), check HERE

EI-STA on a great afternoon light (usually came at lunch time with an awfull light)

In October, we had the return of Lufthansa to Madeira, and it was the retro :)
Still haven't processed my pics from that day....(remembering that now...)
Check my daugher's ones HERE

D-AIDV, received with the water canons salute

Also in October...it's not everyday I get CJ planes around here...and this A319CJ from Mjet arrived with a fantastic light....check HERE

OE-LJG landing on runway 23

October was also the month that we finally got a Transavia Sunweb...after so many time...
Check HERE

PH-HZL departing from runway 23

This year, TAP started retrofiting its planes with sharklets, including CS-TNP, with the Star Alliance livery:

In December we got, for the first time, a Transavia with full GOL livery PH-GUU.
Check HERE

To end the year, another first...a Blue Air B738 performing a charter flight from Bucarest for the Madeira Reveillon...Check HERE.

YR-BMB arriving from Bucarest

Madeira Highlights 2015

Happy new year, everyone!
Time for a review on last year's highlights at Madeira traffic.

In February Air Berlin brought us its special livery "Milo". Check HERE

Also in February, got for the first (and only, until now...) a DAT (Danish Air Transport)...OY-LHD, on final to runway 23:

In April, got for the first (and only...) time, Air Berlin's Fan Force special livery (D-ABFK). Check HERE

Also in April, a special catch for me...the firsts (and only, until now) pics of Portuguese Air Force C-295 16705 carrying the 502 Sqn 60th Aniversary livery :)

Check HERE

performing a low-pass, after take-off 

This year, Air Contractors flew, for the first time, to Madeira. It was making flights from Dublin...only managed to get it once, in May. Check HERE

Also in May, British Airways started its flights to Madeira, from London Gatwick, beeing received with the water canons salute. Check HERE

G-GATK arriving at the stand

Another British highlight in May was Easyjet's 250th special livery, G-EZOL. Check HERE

Tuifly is one of those airlines that allways brings to Madeira some great special liveries...in May got for the first time its Tropifrutti, D-ATUJ. Check HERE

In June, we got, for the first time, Privilege's B767 ( EC-LZO ). Check HERE

Transavia is one of those airlines that rarely brings their special liveries to Madeira but we still managed to see around here a few times Transavia France's Bostick special livery, on B738 F-GZHG
Check HERE

In July, Iberia made its debut at Madeira. Check HERE

A319 EC-MFO was the first Iberia plane, received with the water canon salute

Also in July, the debut of another Spanish airline, at Madeira: Vueling.
The first flight was received with the water canons, flowers and Madeira Wine. Check HERE

EC-JFF landing for the first time at Madeira, with a great morning light

July, 16th: Aerovip's new plane that would make the inter-island flights arrives at Madeira, from the mainland, a BAe Jetstream, CS-DVQ. Check HERE

Later, in December, had the fantastic oportunity for some shots on this plane's cockpit...definitely an highlight of the year, for me... check HERE

As usual, in the summer, Air Nostrum made a few flights to Madeira, from several spanish cities...

In July got, for the first time an Air Nostrum with the new livery and it was the one (EC-JNB) with the special livery, celebrating the airline's 20th aniversary. Check HERE

In August we got a rare B767 from Condor (with the extra of beeing one with a special livery...D-ABUE) Check HERE

In September, Air Berlin flew to Madeira, for the first time, its A321 D-ABCO with Air Dusseldorf titles. Check HERE

In October, another Easyjet special livery, for the first (and only) time..G-EZBF Tartan "Inverness". Check HERE

Also in October, another special livery from Easyjet: G-EZDN with the Amsterdam livery. Check HERE

In November and December, after almost 2 years, Air Berlin finally brought to Madeira it's AB / Etihad Moving Forward special livery D-ABDU...check HERE

Also in November, the debut of a new airline based at Madeira: Everjets. Its only A320 (leased to DAT, OY-RUP) was received with the water canons...check HERE

In the last month of the year, we still got a few nice movements...
Ukraine Air Alliance An-12 UR-CGV made a special cargo flight. Check HERE

Football (soccer) team F.C.Porto leased a rare (around here, at least) Carpatair Fokker 100 to bring the team to Madeira. Check HERE

YR-FZA ready for the night...

and Tarom made a Reveillon charter from Bucarest with an A310 YR-LCB. Didn't get the arrival, only the departure, already this year...check HERE