The Boeing 777 & Airbus A.340 at John Lennon Airport

[chrisevo]

Didnt know where to put this .

Only just found out that a Boeing 777 has been to the airport , and that the British Airways 777 which came was the aircraft which crash landed a couple years back at Heathrow . Does anyone have any idea why it came in and is it only the once we have had a 777 in ?

[ghostrider]

Chrisevo,

I think it was something to do with the England football team returning from either the european or world cup cannot remenber which but at least 4 years ago.

Andrew

[wardair123]

two BA 777 have been into Liverpool
first took liverpool football club to moscow second brought in Tony Blair sorry cant remeber dates or Reg

[viscount]

Yes, the Boeing 777 has visited Liverpool, and more than once.

THE BOEING 777 AT LIVERPOOL AIRPORT

2002

Type first visit was Boeing 777-236ER G-YMMM landing at 1202 on Sunday, 20th October 2002 as BAW9184 positioning from Heathrow. As BAW9145 it departed at 1519 for Moscow/Sheremetyevo with Liverpool FC to play Spartak Moscow. Uncertain now, as to why LFC used a Boeing 777 and left on a Sunday for a Tuesday evening match.

G-YMMM returned with LFC as BAW9146 from Moscow/Sheremetyevo at 1717 on Wednesday 23rd October, positioning out empty for Heathrow as BAW9185 at 1854.

2004

A few years later, in 2004, on Saturday 13th November at 0559 as BAW9129, G-YMMO landed direct from Andrews AFB, Maryland, USA. On board was PM, Tony Blair fresh from a meeting with US President, George W Bush. It called at Liverpool so that the Prime Minister could attend a memorial service at the Anglican Cathedral for murdered Iraqi hostage Kenneth Bigley. G-YMMO quickly carried onto Heathrow at 0650, still as BAW9129. The PM later continued his journey home to No.10, via London/Northolt on a The Royal Squadron BAe.146, ZE700 at 1307.

Wardair 123 was correct, hope the extra detail I've provided is of interest. The BAW visits, around the same period, in connection with the England team were all using Boeing 767s. With its superior landing aids, no Boeing 777s have yet diverted into Liverpool due to poor weather 'down south'.

Sometime in the future I'll hopefully cover Boeing 747, and Boeing 767 in my visit type reviews - no need to cover the Boeing 777 as it is now dealt with above!

2019

Jump a very considerable number of years, 15 to be precise, before the next Boeing 777 landed at LJLA. One of a number of wide-bodied aircraft contracted from airlines across the world, Air Austral of the Reunion Islands (in the Indian Ocean) supplied a Boeing 777 as part of the airlift to transport LFC fans to the 2019 European Cup Final in Madrid. Boeing 777-300 (so the first of this larger mark to use Liverpool) F-OLRE arrived on the morning of Saturday 1st June to take fans to Madrid. Logically F-OLRE was the same aircraft bringing them back to Liverpool the following morning.


F-OLRE B777 Air Austral by Beemer328i, on Flickr

Hopefully not a further 15 years before we see the next one in Liverpool!

2021

Well in the event, it was only nearly two and half years until the next one to call. On Tuesday 7th December, Nordwinds of Russia, having been contracted to transport multiple loads of PPE from Guangzhou, China to the UK selected Liverpool Airport as the UK destination. The first two flights used Airbus A.330 aircraft, third one a Boeing 777-300, VP-BJJ. The flight operated Moscow-Guangzhou-St.Petersburg-Liverpool-Moscow. Although a passenger aircraft, the substantial amount of light-weight freight, which was all in small packages took around 3 hours to unload. There would be a further 2 PPE flights operated by Boeing 777 before the end of the year with Nordwing VP-BJH on Wednesday 22nd December and VP-BJA on Thursday 23rd December. These flights followed the same routing as the first.

Mo 06.12.21	VP-BJJ	Boeing 777-2Q8	2327 07/0616	St Petersburg-Moscow	    NWS 9042/9043  Nordwind, PPE freight (3) c/s 'Nordland'
We 22.12.21	VP-BJH	Boeing 777-212	0709	1213	St Petersburg-Moscow/SVO    NWS 9006/9007  Nordwind, PPE freight (10)
Th 23.12.21	VQ-BJA	Boeing 777-212	0725	1230	St Petersburg-Moscow	    NWS 9010/9011  Nordwind, PPE freight (11)

2022

The PPE flights from China just kept on coming, mostly using Airbus A.330 and Boeing 777 which were joined by Airbus A.321 and Airbus A.340 flights until 55 had been handled at Liverpool Airport. Of these there would be 12 PPE flights operated by Boeing 777 in the first 7 weeks of 2022, involving Redwings (RWZ) with VP-BSJ first used 5th January and completed 4 flights, VP-BLI first used 7th January and completed 7 flights and VP-BMR on 11th February for a single flight. Nordland continued to be used, but using Airbus A.330s.

                          
We 05.01.22	VP-BSJ	Boeing 777-21H	0835	1259	f&t Moscow/ZIA              RWZ 8829/8830  Redwings, PPE freight (18), c/s 'Redmont Air'
Fr 07.01.22	VP-BLI	Boeing 777-21H	1239	1759	f&t Moscow/ZIA	            RWZ 8829/8830  Redwings, PPE freight (19)
Su 09.01.22	VP-BLI	Boeing 777-21H	1629	2049	f&t Moscow/ZIA	            RWZ 8829/8830  Redwings, PPE freight (23)
We 12.01.22	VP-BLI	Boeing 777-21H	0803	1249	f&t Moscow/ZIA	            RWZ 8829/8830  Redwings, PPE freight (24)
Fr 14.01.22	VP-BLI	Boeing 777-21H	1203	1712	f&t Moscow/ZIA	            RWZ 8829/8830  Redwings, PPE freight (26)
Th 27.01.22	VP-BLI	Boeing 777-21H	0828	1239	f&t Moscow/ZIA	            RWZ 8829/8830  Redwings, PPE freight (33)
Sa 29.01.22	VP-BLI	Boeing 777-21H	0920	1338	f&t Moscow/ZIA	            RWZ 8829/8830  Redwings, PPE freight (36)
Mo 31.01.22	VP-BLI	Boeing 777-21H	1148	1542	f&t Moscow/ZIA	            RWZ 8829/8830  Redwings, PPE freight (38)
Th 10.02.22	VP-BSJ	Boeing 777-21H	1053	1446	f&t Moscow/ZIA	            RWZ 8829/8830  Redwings, PPE freight (50)
Fr 11.02.22	VP-BMR	Boeing 777-21H	0813	1134	f&t Moscow/ZIA	            RWZ 8885/8886  Redwings, PPE freight (52)
Sa 12.02.22	VP-BSJ	Boeing 777-21H	1147	1736	f&t Moscow/ZIA	            RWZ 8829/8830  Redwings, PPE freight (54)
Mo 14.02.22	VP-BSJ	Boeing 777-21H	1449	1841	f&t Moscow/ZIA	            RWZ 8829/8830  Redwings, PPE freight (55), the final PPE flight.

No further Boeing 777 flights into Liverpool during 2022.

2023

List complete to the end of February 2023.


Boeing B777,s involved in the transporting PPE equipment from China,


VP-BJJ B772 by Beemer328i, on Flickr


VQ-BJA B777 Nordwind by Beemer328i, on Flickr


VP-BJH B777-2ER Nordwind by Beemer328i, on Flickr


VP-BLI Boeing B772 Red Wings Airlines by Beemer328i, on Flickr


VP-BMR B777 Red Wings by Beemer328i, on Flickr


VP-BSJ B777-200 Red Wings Airlines by Beemer328i, on Flickr

[ezs942]

Also to finish off the original question...G-YMMM was indeed the 777 that crash landed at LHR..

[chrisevo]

Thanks for that , So is the runway big enough for the 777 ? and would it be possible for Liverpool to take a emirates a380 or a 747 divert from Manchester ?

[viscount]

A question that has been asked before, however it will take far longer to dig through the past index pages and create a link, than to make a fresh reply.

Dave's photos show quite clearly that the runway is quite capable of taking the Boeing 777. It has also handled numerous Boeing 747 movements. Taxiway looks a tight fit, but the curves to transfer from the runway to the taxiway are standard ones.

There have even been some Boeing 747 departures direct trans-Atlantic, when there has been a stiff wind down the centre-line, however the runway is too short for heavy departures to USA or Canada on a regular basis. Sometime soon I'll enter a list of the 80 or so Jumbo visits to date, with a mix of diverted flights and our own charter flights. BAW, Aer Lingus, CP Air, Wardair, TransAmerican, British Caledonian, Virgin, Hong Kong Cargo, Corsair, Air Atlanta & Pullmantur have all brought their Jumbos to Liverpool. Added in - now done so, link: derbosoft.proboards.com/thread/7138/boeing-747-liverpool

Before the first Jumbo visit in 1978 the pessimists had announced that visits would never be possible due to the narrow link taxiway and insufficient clearance between wing-tip and NT 'bund' fencing. In the event, once operators had become confident with the capabilities of the Jumbo, after 10 years of service, there was no problem with operations from either the north or south airfields. Four marks of Boeing 747 have visited, series 100, 200, 300 & 400.

Regarding the Airbus A.380, the pessimists declare the radius of curve between runway and taxiway is too tight, the taxiway too narrow and the clearance from taxiway to hangar and apron lighting too short. I reckon after 10 years or so in service, Liverpool will handle an A.380 quite comfortably. Mind you I am no airfield engineer, so really don't know nothink! Time will tell on this one, but like the Jumbo once there is a need to operate from Liverpool, the will to make it happen will suddenly be there.

A few photos with proof that the Boeing 777 is quite capable of using Liverpool Airport. The originals are 6x4 prints.





G-YMMM Boeing 777 British Airways, 20th or 23rd October 2002, LFC to and from Moscow.

Some more shots of British Airway's G-YMMM in October 2002, also converted from prints. The nose was on the original negative (honest) but chopped off the print.





Sunday 20th October 2002, G-YMMM Boeing 777-236 *first visit by type*, to take LFC team and staff to Moscow/Sheremetyevo to meet Spartak Moscow.

[chrisevo]

It all seems a bit stupid to me , we have had large aircraft many time before in the first couple of years on the new runway and nothing went wrong then , I don't understand why the airport cant handle them , can't they just make the widen the taxiways up a bit ?

[viscount]

Don't quite follow the guist of the question, but will nethertheless attempt to offer an answer.

The Airport, I'm sure, would welcome and encourage any request from an operator to bring Boeing 747, Boeing 777, Boeing 767, Airbus A.300, Airbus A.330, Airbus A.340 etc into Liverpool to operate a charter or even a schedule. These types have a proven track record of operating from Liverpool, so would cause no real problem. There is an apron aircraft stand marked out for wide-bodied aircraft ready and waiting.

Should an operator request operating an Airbus A.380 charter from Liverpool, I'm sure the tape measures would be out pretty quickly. Runway length for a European flight should not prove to be a problem. There is no point though in investing millions of Pounds, and causing considerable disruption to extisting services to move/widen taxiways and change curve radii, for an event that may not happen for many, many years, and then may not be required anyhow as operational experience is gained and operation manuals rewritten as experience replaces theory. Then there is the question, how, without air-bridges etc Liverpool would cope with unloading/loading the double-decker from the current facilities (I'm sure, like the early Jumbo visits, they would find a way when needed though).

Lets face it, the A.380 has been in service just under three years and one has not yet (well, for a few days yet) even been on the ground at Manchester Airport.

[chrisevo]

Thanks for that Viscount , I understand now , Just to ask has a a340 been to the airport ? Just wondering because you put the a/c in the list which have a track record of operating from Liverpool.

[viscount]

THE AIRBUS A.340 AT LIVERPOOL AIRPORT

1994

Virgin's G-VSKY a A.340-300 was the first of the type to visit, on 12th August 1994, on a training flight f&t Heathrow as VIR340T/341T. The aircraft landed, taxied onto the apron, stopped, before taxing out for departure. A week later G-VBUS called on 19th August, again on a training flight, routing Heathrow to Edinburgh, and again called onto the apron.

1995

Virgin's G-VBUS called again on a training flight, routing from Shannon to Heathrow as VIR832/833T on 13th October 1995.

Although operating as 'training flights', these visits did drop off/collect a Branson family member who was apparently studying at Liverpool. Nice.

2001

On Tuesday 16th January, Brunei Government's VIP A.340-212 V8-BKH landed at 0857, departing 1602, operating from & to Heathrow. The Royal Brunei A.340 brought in 10 passengers and 23 crew. Crown Prince Billah of Brunei, along with Prince Azim and Prince Qawi were on a Royal tour of the UK. They visited Anfield Stadium, LFC's training ground and LFC's Academy during their stay.

2015

Yes, over a decade has passed between visits. After a gap of 14 years, an Airbus A.340 called again on Saturday morning 25th July 2015. The first visit by a series 540 ultra-stretched model. For their second Far East Tour, Liverpool FC used a Hi-Fly Airbus CS-TFX A.340-542 departing direct to Bangkok on 12th July from Manchester (using the longer runway there). On 25th they returned over-night direct from Kuala Lumpur, landing after a 12 hour flight at Liverpool at around 0845. Near 2 hours later the aircraft departed for Brussels empty.

2018

In their desperate search for aircraft to transport LFC fans to Kiev for a Saturday European Cup Final, tour operators approached scheduled airlines with aircraft on long day-stops at European Airports. One airline willing to accept a charter was South African Airways, offering both an Airbus A.330 and an Airbus A.340-600, making this the first visit to LJLA of the ultimate stretched version. On Friday 25th May ZS-SNC operated Frankfurt-Kiev/Borispol, at LJLA 0918-1153 arriving empty as SAA 4363. The fans arrived back at LJLA at 1602 on Sunday 27th May from Kiev/Borispol, the aircraft positioning back to Frankfurt at 1852, operated as SAA 2974/4259.

2019

All white Hi-Fly Airbus A.340 CS-TQY brought in Porto FC on Monday 8th April at 1316 to meet LFC in the European League Cup, departing with the Porto FC team and staff the day after the match, on Wednesday 10th April at 1217. In early June no Airbus A.340 aircraft were employed in the fan's airlift to Madrid for the final.

2022

With no visits by type during the Covid travel restriction years of 2020 and 2021, it was back to business in 2022.

Three visits by Airbus A.340-300s during 2022. Two were connected with the Covid pandemic and come towards the end of a 55 flight airlift of PPE equipment from China to the UK through Liverpool Airport. Hi-Fly Malta (HFM) used Airbus A.340.343 9H-JAI (wearing 'Spice Xpress' titles) twice on direct flights from Shenzen Airport China to Liverpool on Saturday 5th February arriving 1349 (the 45th flight of the airlift) and again, also direct from Shenzen, arriving 2321 on Thursday 10th February (the 51st arrival of the 55 flight airlift). On Wednesday 7th September 1922 Real Sociedad FC used Air X Charter of Malta (AXY), with Airbus A.340.312 9H-BIG arriving at 1727 from Vitoria. Real Sociedad were to play Manchester United FC, however due to ground work in progress could not park an A.340 for two days. Real Sociedad returned to Vittoria at 1622 on Friday 9th September from Liverpool Airport.

x x x x x x x x x x x x

In answer to post 14 after the photos:

Liverpool's runway 09/27 and associated taxiways are built to a high specification. Concorde has the greatest load per wheel of any airliner, and operated charters off the south airfield with no problem (and before you ask, all Concorde visits are already detailed on a post now several index pages back). Any wide-body, even highly loaded should have no restrictions taxiing. There could well be a restriction on the fuel uplift weight which affects the range due to the runway length available though. European zone flights should not be a problem, but Middle East or North American flights could need a fuel uplift en route stop - although a few Boeing 747s have departed with a near full passenger load and flown direct to Canada or the USA (a decent wind directly down the centre-line providing extra take-off lift).

[chrisevo]

Hi , Thanks for that , but would it be able to taxi on the runway with a fully booked up flight ?

[Cityflyer]

Aug 25, 2010 23:59:12 GMT 1 chrisevo said:

Hi , Thanks for that , but would it be able to taxi on the runway with a fully booked up flight ?

Is this a question about the PIN clasification of the Taxi-way & Runway or would it be able to lift off with a Full Load?

The answer to the second is It depends on the destination & what the fuel load is, as I have never worked with the 777 I dint have the tables to give you the maximun safe weight a 777 lifting from LPL.

[Beemer]

CS-TQY A340 Hi-Fly by Beemer328i, on Flickr


CS-TQY A340 Hi-Fly by Beemer328i, on Flickr


ZS-SNC A340 South African by Beemer328i, on Flickr


CS-TFX A340 Hi-Fly by Beemer328i, on Flickr


9H-JAI Airbus A340 313X Hi fly by Beemer328i, on Flickr