Post by john1958 on Jun 30, 2015 20:45:36 GMT 1
Decided a couple of months ago during an easyjet sale it was time for a trip to Toulouse and home to Airbus. Flew down last year direct from MAN with Jet2, but this year they wanted silly money, so after much looking on websites and trying various routes it was decided LPL - BOD with easyjet then pick up a hire car and a short 2 hour drive down the motorway we'd be there.
So, the day dawned bright with wall to wall blue, speedily through security and sitting having a coffee when a Hawk flew through about 08:50....good start to the trip.
We boarded on time GEZFF was our ride. A quick 1 hour 20 mins and we were back on the ground, looking at the stored bits and bobs around the drome here.
Picked up our car,and away we went, a quick circuit to log some brand new Falcon 7X's and a couple of French Customs Beech 350's....plus a nice Royal Navy Lynx Wildcat! Then onto the motorway heading southeast.
Pretty uneventful drive down apart from a couple of massive downpours lasting only a few minutes each....then out to bone dry roads!
Arrived at TLS....a quick circuit of the drome revealed that one or the roads on the older Airbus site was being resurfaced, this didn't help with a circuit. After the drive round, up on the hill overlooking the drome.
I love it up here, you can keep your eye on almost every movement here, and this year lots of ATR frames being dragged around on trollies although they are a pig to read off unless you are VERY close, or have a decent long lens.
ATR72 1183 by John Spencer, on Flickr
This shot although from last year shows you the length of the constructors markings on the aircraft.....this one is c/n 1183. Another theme this year was aircraft being taken over to the A380 area for storage. An A350 for Qatar and Finnair over there all week....added to on Friday by the first for TAM.
Plenty of test flying all week by various aircraft including the test fleet A320NEO's.
We stayed close by in the Premier Classe....don't stay here guys unless you are on a tight budget......the wifi is terrible and the rooms miniscule!
Did the Panoramic tour 17th, and this one is well worth doing, easy enough to get a few more frames which are almost invisible from the outside.
18th we had a little drive down to Lourdes/Tarbes, lots in store and well worth the drive down, we visited Toulouse Francazal on the way back.
19th a quiet day, up on the hill early and there until late.
20th an early quick circuit, then the drive back to BOD. Once here I'd organised for us to visit a small museum collection at the Air Force base here. If you are going to be down this way, I have contact details for them, there are a few nice frames in their tightly packed hanger, I will post some pics of this after some TLS shots.
I think easyjet are missing a trick here, there are lots of Airbus workers living in the Liverpool catchment area, and I think they could run full planes pretty much all the time......and even take some spotters too.
FWZFI by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWSN by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWKF by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWBZ by John Spencer, on Flickr
MSN207 by John Spencer, on Flickr
MSN 5000 A350 test rig by John Spencer, on Flickr
HSTYT by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWKF by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWEE-2 by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWBZ by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWBM by John Spencer, on Flickr
D2FLY by John Spencer, on Flickr
B8035 by John Spencer, on Flickr
TSIOM by John Spencer, on Flickr
OKTVU-2 by John Spencer, on Flickr
PROCO by John Spencer, on Flickr
PROCO-3 by John Spencer, on Flickr
SPMRC by John Spencer, on Flickr
GEUYS by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWYZ by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWYY by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWKZ by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWKJ by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWEX by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWEU by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWED by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWWDZ by John Spencer, on Flickr
Lourdes/Tarbes
FMSAD by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWJKI by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWJKJ by John Spencer, on Flickr
IMG_5404 by John Spencer, on Flickr
Bordeaux
IMG_9163 by John Spencer, on Flickr
Markings on Super Frelon
IMG_9161 by John Spencer, on Flickr
FZBBW by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWNDB by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWMSH by John Spencer, on Flickr
FWDFJ by John Spencer, on Flickr
B01 by John Spencer, on Flickr
4656 by John Spencer, on Flickr
Libyan Mirage F1
1371 by John Spencer, on Flickr
Cameroun Cm170 Magister
928 by John Spencer, on Flickr
Singapore A4
Well....if you've got this far....and not fallen asleep, well done. A great trip, over 200 made......and already thinking of our next venture....... :-)
John
