Very.Very Rare LGA Visitor Today May 3

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

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! :wink:

Brian

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

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

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

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?

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

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

Josh

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Originally Posted by Futterman

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

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Originally Posted by IslipWN

Can't wait to see the pic!

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Originally Posted by Tom_Turner

Looking forward to seeing the shots.

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Originally Posted by Jakbar

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

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

hahaha

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.

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....

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

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

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

Josh

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

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... :wink:

Ron, I joked with Celmer on the phone about getting both N102DA and the A310 in the smae shot, and you did it!

Email me the shot if you want it hosted.

ron, at least you got to shoot the bird while i was stuck in the conference room in a meting. :cry: but what i like is that this time you shot her the real way, ramp side, not cooped up in the tower behind glass... :D

Greetings, This is my first post int he forums! :)
You might want to keep a look out as there is a good chance the Spanish A310s will be back again either tonight or tomorrow. I am a little disappointed they brought in the A310 instead of the 707 this year as I really want a shot of that 707. They must have gone to LGA because of some work going on around JFK rwys/txwys that I have witnessed.

Senga

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Originally Posted by SengaB

You might want to keep a look out as there is a good chance the Spanish A310s will be back again either tonight or tomorrow.

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How do you know this??? As you get more concrete information, can you post it here? I might want to leave early from work today/tomorrow if we know when this bird might come back. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by SengaB

I am a little disappointed they brought in the A310 instead of the 707 this year as I really want a shot of that 707.

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An arrival of a 707 would be so insane. I have nothing even remotely close to something like that in my photo collection.

Josh

Josh, all
The plane is part of Cinco De Mayo celebration. Normally they bring in the 707 and fly it into JFK but this year for construction reasons they flew in the A310 into LGA. They Construction seems to be mostly completed and they were using 13s again as well. So the A310 might hit JFK tomorrow instead of LGA. I would suggest hanging out as one airport while scanning the approach freqs on the other. Yes, I will post more info when if I get it. Was approached the cops today at JFK MOUNDS 22L. some idiot called the cops while I was shooting. The mounds are normally hassle free as you know but there seems to be I think >>ONE<< person in those houses who feels they have to call the Enforcers. Just a warning to keep a look out on those few houses and to make sure no one is peeping at you.
Senga

If the A310 doesn't come back tonight it will certainly be back tomorrow
Senga

Do you know why it keeps coming back like this? And where is it going? Back and forth to Spain?

Well, it's hard for me to take the whole day off from work, so I guess I'm gonna end up missing this bird if it comes back tomorrow. Oh well...I'll look forward to that 707 next year! :)

It is shuttling people back and fourth between ADW and NYC to celebrations and stuff. EWR has some Mexican Air Force stuff over there as well. More of the business jet types though. Its hard to say where the A310 will go next, JFK or LGA. I peronsally think JFK. If you are lucky it will show up as an Aeromexico flight as it seems to do sometimes. (AMX) as opposed to AME. Someone goofed and types it in as that. 2 years ago the 707 showed up at JFK,ADW as an Aeromexico 707-300
Senga

First of all Welcome to these boards Senga, really glad you are on here, :D some more observations. I worked a brutual double Thursday (0400-2200) and I was only out of the tower for about 20 mins so if the 310 had come and gone I would have seen it. Only interesting traffic was a 319 and 320 in full new AirCan colors plus a 320 hyrbrid(these are becoming more and more common, even the Horizons Enfance 319 has the new tail) plus the SportsFlight 734 N737DX and the highlight of the day UA A-320 N420UA in new colors, photo's of that one in the que's. I was told the first arrival of the 310 was nonstop from MAD and I can't see it doing LGA-MAD nonstop so I would think when it leaves to go back to MAD it would be out of JFK, just my thoughts, hope you or anyone else can maybe catch it there, I am off Friday/Saturday so it comes to LGA today I will miss it. :(

Cheers Ron Peel

ron, i think that the A310 could make it back to MAD from LGA, depending on how light a pax load it has though. see now that's why i hate dispatching at work, you miss all the good stuff on the ramp... :cry:

Hello,
I managed to get down to ADW to see what was there. Unfortunately at the time the Spanish Air Force A310 or 707 were not present. Only a Spanish Air Force Falcon 900. I was a little disappointed but its better than nothing. Got some other good stuff while I was there though-nothing too spectacular but satisfying. I assume that Since the A310 wasn't as ADW or NYC then it must have flown back to LETO OR its been flown to a staging airport like SWF, DOV WRI CEF.
Senga

Hi Ron, Thanks for the welcome. That's a great shot you took that you have on JP. Its amazing that LGA received that aircraft. It certainly has some historical significance. I would love to get a shot of the ACA in new colors. They seem to still be hard to see. Might have to wait a few more months before the chances go up.
Senga

Senga, re: the new colors Air Canada they are at LGA almost daily, especially the hybrids, they are painting all the ex Tango 320's (they may all be gone, shame). Only know of one 319 in full colors but they will be painting I think one a week. I belive the silver/grey TCA 319 was sched to be the 4th or 5th 319 repainted, but it actually needs it, looking a little shabby. Here is the one full new color 319

http://www.airliners.net/addphotos/big/ ... 2APR05.jpg


Ron

That's good news Ron,
I tell you its hard to get up the motivation to shoot at LGA because for obvious reasons. Maybe this will get me moving. I still need to get the DAL 767-400 in new colors as well and the Atran 737.
Senga

I've been seeing a lot of AC's in new tails....but why not the blue bodies?

Senga, you should come shoot at LGA, you "might" get some good stuff, in fact with their new sched between 1300-1800 you can actually get 5 Spirit Airbusses (3-321, 2-319) and they only have 6 so that's pretty good.

Phil, the reason for so many tails painted and not full colors they can do the tail in approx 1 1/2 days where as the full treatment takes about a week. Anyone feel free to correct me if I am off a little on this.

Sunday there where 2 320's Full colors
Monday 1 319 hybrid twice (same airplane).

LGA777