Planes and stuff

Portuguese has usually two airships detached at AM3 - Porto Santo. One is the EH-101, the other...the C-295 Due to some problems in the runway, on the edge that gives access to military apron (runway 18), the C-295 is beeing kept at the civil apron. In one hand it makes it easier to photograph it, on the other hand, the location, near the net doesn't allow that much choice on the angles... 16702 early in the morning... It's most comon mission, specially during summer seasson is the Medevacs to Madeira. Porto Santo has an healt care center with ER and some healt cares but more serious stuff has to be send to Madeira... During my stay there, there was at least a couple of Medevacs (at least one in the night) but I didn't got it flying until one day I was on top of Miradouro das Flores and noticed this sound.... The C-295 was making a low-level flight over the sea, bellow my position....fantastic view!!! With the 300D+18-200 on my hand, runned to the back of ...

Got another email from Jetphotos with a photo that's currently in 2nd place, on the Top of last 24h... Not great quality...it's just that kind of pic that calls the atention of people that click on it to check it out.... Sata's A320 CS-TKJ entering final to runway 05 at FNC/LPMA (Madeira)

One of the planes I was looking forward to catch at Porto Santo was PGA's Embraer ERJ-145 that sometimes makes the night flights from Lisbon. It's a model that PGA doesn't bring to Madeira and one that I think it looks rather nice in the simple PGA livery. Ended up getting a few more interesting traffic, like the Ryanair, with the medical emergency  but will be posting on those later... CS-TPJ arrived from Lisbon (LIS / LPPT) and was ready to depart to Porto (OPO / LPPR) Curiously had already photographed this ERJ earlier this year at Porto...check HERE

Still on vacations but was checking my e-mail and noticed a message from Jetphotos, informing me that this photo had been on the Top 4 shots of last 24 Hours... Not many oportunities to make these kind of shots and even with a small Ixus 80 and right (amazing) golden light, the results can be very nice.... After taking off from Lisbon at late afternoon, while turning to Madeira, on board CS-TKO, Sata's lastest A320 with a very nice golden light over Lisbon, Portela Airport (LPPT / LIS) and Montijo Air Base (BA6/LPMT), on the other side of Tagus river.

Probably no posts during next days... On vacations...Still will take the oportunity for some aviation shots but will only upload them later, at home... Around here the traffic is definitelly better than previous years althought nothing too special or too diferent from Madeira...well... at least is a diferent place... See you in a few days...

Last Tuesday we had around here another air ambulance. Just love those Learjet 35 and this one, from Air Med looks rather nice with a simple but pretty livery. It was the second time I photographed this plane (check the first one HERE ) Opposite to the first time, now I didn't manage to get the landing. It arrived from London Oxford (OXF) and was schedulled to depart two hours later to New Castle (NCL). Anyway, it was the first time I noticed something rather curious on the refueling routine... The pilot had already opened the fuel tanks and on both tip tanks, a can of something with a tube into the tank.... Made some googling and looks like its some kind of de-icing for fuel....check HERE Anyone had any more info on this procedure?? making some calls while waiting for the fuel truck... G-JMED

Withrawn from active duty twice (last time, this year), looks like the Portuguese Air Force Pumas are again on the first line to return, for the second time, to active duty. This time with the fire fighting and Civil Protection missions. The Air Force just published a report stating that the Kamov's currently beeing used by EMA (Public Compay that operates the civilian helicopters that operate to the Civil Protection) are of expensive maintenance rather than having these helicopters beeing operated by PoAF, it would be better to sell them and return the Pumas back to operation.... Let's see how it will turn....  

Remember the time when Sata had the Boeing 737 ? With the vacations arriving, remembered sharing some stuff from Porto Santo, taken during 2004 vacations, not long after I started photographic plane spotting.... CS-TGP at dusk in Porto Santo (LPPS / PXO) Curiously this same plane just went to the service with Jet2 last month, as G-GDFE....maybe we'll see it around Madeira again, with the new colors...

Big sunny summer days are allways nice...if well spent, they let you do an all lot of stuff... Yesterday, after work, beach and some more family time, there was still 20 minutes for some spotting, to get the late afternoon traffic with that real nice golden light typical for that time of the day... (although, at Madeira airport, the sun still goes behind the mountains a bit high...) The most expected catch was the Ukrain International Airlines B737, arriving from Kiev... Only had got it once and the time of its arrival is just on the edge of good light or total darkness.... This day, I was luck...no clouds and it arrived just in time for the last light.... (5 mins. earlier would be just perfect...oh well...) the same registration I had already got: UR-PSD this time I managed to get the beacon without too many tries... Anyway, while waiting for the Ukraine, took the time to get the other traffic that was around...nothing too exciting but with this kind of light,...