Very.Very Rare LGA Visitor Today May 3

[LGA777]

Foreign goverment VIP transports are very common sites at JFK and EWR, but fairly rare at LGA, especially widebodies, but today (Tues 5-3) we where treated to the short visit by one of the two Spanish goverments version of Air Force One, a former Air France A-310, reg T-22-1 with (In Spanish) "Fuerza Aerea Espanola" titles. A-310's are very rare at LGA, in my almost 20 years working here the only other A-310's I have ever seen belonged to the goverments of Canada and Germany. once each some years ago. This is one of the reasons I bring my camera to work every day, no exceptions, and although the weather did not co-operate, sun behind the clouds, I wiill upload shots tonight or in the morning. There are no shots on a.net of this aircraft in the US, but many elsewhere. Seeing this I had hoped to title this post "So Rare Even Senga hasn't shot it" untiil I went to Jetphoto's and as I should have known, Senga "Mr. Everywhere" Butts has a nice shot of her at JFK, SURPRISE, SURPRISE ! I did not see the Airbus land, so a big word of thanks to my buddy Darrell Gordon for contacting me after hearing her on the scanner, "Thanks Dude" :D

Ron Peel

[Futterman]

That's insane. I can't wait to see your shots, Ron!

Of all the runway 13 departures I saw today, this one had to elude me. What were the arrival and departure times?

Phil told me that the A310s were "banned" from LGA because the landing gear's wheel base wasn't wide enough to sufficiently distribute the weight on the piers. I guess the occasional landing (like this) wasn't any big deal, though...

Here's what she looks like:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/559340/L/

Fantastic work again, Ron...looks like Senga has to watch his back!

Brian

[LGA777]

Brian, we where departing 31 all day, landed on 22 around 1600 local, dropped off some VIP's at Five Towers.departed 31at 1736L. Could not find her on the flight tracker, but was told she operated (inbound) as AME4555.

Ron

[IslipWN]

Can't wait to see the pic! Which part of the airport was the plane at when you took the pic?

[LGA777]

ISPWN. the shots are down near the end of Runway 31, I got a few when she taxied by my loaction and also on the early part of the takeoff roll.

Ron

[Futterman]

Whoops...I'm thinking of yesterday's actives. You're right, they were landing on 22.

Where do you think it came from? Directly from Europe?

[Tom_Turner]

I believe they likely came from Andrews.

Spain Air Force flew in the other day...no aircraft type though.

You can see previous shots of the Spanish Air Force 707 at JFK..right around todays date more or less. Connection to Cinco De Mayo?

Anyways - Great catch Ron!!!!! Looking forward to seeing the shots.

VIPs at LGA - That is great!

Tom

[jakbar]

I can't wait to see these pics, Ron! An A310 at LGA....wow! :shock:

Josh

[Futterman]

I can't wait to see your shots, Ron!

Can't wait to see the pic!

Looking forward to seeing the shots.

I can't wait to see these pics, Ron!

P R E S S U R E ! :twisted:

hahaha

[PhilDernerJr]

Ron,

That is INSANE. I've always wondered if/when an A310 would grace LGA.

I generally don't put aircraft visitors ont eh news page anymore, but this is a rare exception. Let me know the second it get uploaded so I can link it to the news page.

Wow.

[cancidas]

thanks for letting me know about it Ro. she definately was a surprise, and caught a few of our agents by surprise as well. i just didn't expec you to come up on our channel to rmind me about it. wish i had a camera though....

[LGA777]

Well I was able to get one photo up on Jetphotos, I am sorry I do not know how to link yet on this site, I did not realize how bad the weather was until I saw the photo's, had a second one rejected. Figures 20 mins after she took off it was sunny, oh well, don't want to look a "gifthorse in the mouth". ENJOY

Ron Peel

[jakbar]

Here you go, Ron: http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=466623

Bad weather or not, this is still an amazing sight!

Josh

[LGA777]

Big Surpise, the 310 was BACK, saw here when I pulled into the emplyee parking lot around 1235 today (Wed. 5-4) and I almost missed her departing, she taxied by our terminal at 1310, and was airbourne at 1321. Of course the sun had to disapear again, but hopefully I did better than yesterday, got more shots anyway. And in an unbelivable one in a million chance, she had in line right behind her N102DA, the "Spirit of Delta" and although not a.net quality due to the distance and angle, I do have shots of them together. Maybe in a few days I can get Phil to host some of the non a.net or jp quality but still very interesting photo's somewhere on this site.

Cheers Ron Peel

[Futterman]

So, Ron, what are tonight's lottery numbers? haha

Again, naturally, actives are 22/31 and there 'tis nothing to see by me. I'll bet Phil a Yuengling that it'll be back again some time this week...