https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7JVnUYK4fg
Largest plane in the world takes off from Shannon.
Majestic.
[quote=“ChocolateMice, post: 775783, member: 168”]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7JVnUYK4fg
Largest plane in the world takes off from Shannon.
Majestic.[/quote]
She’s burning a bit of oil. I’d say the turbo is fucked in her.
I’d be reluctant to fly in anything built by the Russians let alone something that big, what is its purpose freight?
Must be serious power available, it took off there even though it looked to be going very handy down the runway. Never seen smoke out of a plane taking off like that before though.
Ya, it holds all sorts of records for size and weight of the cargo it’s carried.
Flight from Lahore to Manchester turned around at York and landed in Stansted. RAF are involved. No contact can be made with pilot or plane and its in an isolated area of Stansted airport apparently.
Sky News are in full freak out mode.
Greetings from somewhere above Michigan. My first foray into Wifi use on an airplane and I must say that while it is ridiculously overdue, it’s pretty good. Bandwidth intensive tasks are throttled e.g. Netflix, Skype, Spotify… but you’d expect that. Progress at last all the same.
I’m due to fly to atlanta via Heatrow on Saturday the 15th March. Flight from Shannon to London Heathrow is at 08.50 and landing in Heathrow at 10.20 with flight from Heathrow to Atlanta at 14.30. With the proposed DAA and Aer lingus strikes on the 14th March from 05:00 to 09:00 would that have a knock on or domino effect on causing my flight to be delayed and therefore missing the connecting flight in London to Atlanta? Thinking of booking a flight from a regional airport to London and hedging my bets as I wont know if flight will be delayed or not until I am standing in the airport lounge.
Also it has been a few years since I was in the US. Do I need an ESTA or can I do the VISA waiver on the plane?
[quote=“Whiplash, post: 910009, member: 638”]I’m due to fly to atlanta via Heatrow on Saturday the 15th March. Flight from Shannon to London Heathrow is at 08.50 and landing in Heathrow at 10.20 with flight from Heathrow to Atlanta at 14.30. With the proposed DAA and Aer lingus strikes on the 14th March from 05:00 to 09:00 would that have a knock on or domino effect on causing my flight to be delayed and therefore missing the connecting flight in London to Atlanta? Thinking of booking a flight from a regional airport to London and hedging my bets as I wont know if flight will be delayed or not until I am standing in the airport lounge.
Also it has been a few years since I was in the US. Do I need an ESTA or can I do the VISA waiver on the plane?[/quote]
You need an esta and be quick about it.
if you had a previous esta you should be able to find (passport number) and renew , it helps if it is not a new application
[SIZE=4]First transatlantic flight to be remembered with airshow spectacular at Foynes in July[/SIZE]
19 May 2014
Airshow spectacular to mark 75th anniversary of first transatlantic commercial flight, at Foynes, Co. Limerick. Seats on Pan-Am Yankee Clipper flights into West Limerick town cost equivalent of $11,000 today
Sunday, May 18th, 2014: Thousands are set to be dazzled in July by one of Ireland’s most spectacular airshows as a historic moment in the country’s remarkable contribution to global aviation will be celebrated in Foynes Co. Limerick.
An Taoiseach Enda Kenny will be among the huge numbers of people that will flock to the West Limerick town as it celebrates the moment 75 years ago that the Pan American Airways ‘Yankee Clipper’ flying-boat made history with the first commercial transatlantic crossing to Foynes.
The Foynes/Shannon 75th Anniversary Airshow will be a key element of a fitting weekend tribute across July 5th and 6th in the town to the airmen that crossed the Atlantic all of three quarters of a century ago on the historic flight.
Air travel was the preserve of the elite and very wealthy 75 years, as illustrated by the $675 fare – estimated to be the equivalent of over $11,000 (over €8,000) today - for a return ticket on the early flights into Foynes. It took anything from 20 hours to reach Foynes from New York, via Newfoundland, at the time, with passengers in those early days of commercial aviation travel including members of the royal families, movie stars, military personnel and politicians.The inaugural passenger flight was largely used as a promotional opportunity for the service, with the passenger list dominated by media and Pan Am representatives (full list below).
This historic moment at the then ‘Shannon’ Airport will be celebrated with the family festival, which will run on Saturday and Sunday July 5th and 6th and will also double as the 25th anniversary of the opening of Foynes Flying Boat Museum - the only aviation museum in Ireland and the only dedicated flying boat museum in the world. It was officially opened in July 1989 by its Patron, Hollywood star Maureen O’Hara Blair.
The celebrations were officially announced at the weekend at Shannon Airport by its Chairman Rose Hynes and Foynes Flying Boat Museum Director Margaret O’Shaughnessy to coincide with yet another key milestone for aviation on the estuary - the 75th anniversary of the first aircraft, the Irish Air Corps Aero Anson A43, landing at Rineanna, which is now Shannon Airport.
The high point of the July festival will be a three-hour airshow on Sunday, July 6th featuring some of Europe’s leading aerobatic experts in a range of aircraft. Over 20 acts from Ireland, the UK and Europe are booked to appear in what promises to be the country’s most spectacular airshow for many years. Sunday will also see An Taoiseach Enda Kenny unveil a plaque to all who used the Foynes Air Base. The festival will also include a stunning dare-devil display at dusk on Saturday by the UK based Breitling Wing Walkers as well as a Sky Pyro Show and a fireworks display over the river and harbour.
Looking ahead to the festival, Shannon Airport Chairman Rose Hynes said the 75th anniversary is not just significant for Shannon and Ireland but for aviation internationally. “The name Shannon is recognized and respected across the world of aviation as it has such a pivotal place in the history of air-travel. It was the first European gateway for transatlantic flights and so much history also followed. While it is all concentrated today on this side of the estuary, it really began across the estuary at Foynes.
“We are delighted to support this very important anniversary and all the more so today as we celebrate our own 75th anniversary this weekend the landing of the first aircraft here at Shannon.
“We are very proud of our place in global aviation, having achieved so many firsts, from being the original transatlantic crossing to the birthplace of duty-free and right up to becoming the first airport outside North America to have full US preclearance. It is right that we honour that history in style with the weekend festivities in Foynes and look to the example given by the pioneers of 75 years ago as an inspiration going forward.”
Flying Boat Museum Director Margaret O’Shaughnessy said that the anniversary weekend will rightly be one to remember. “Foynes and Shannon Airport are the home of Irish aviation. The history we have is second to none here in Ireland and has few rivals internationally. It is only right then that we would put on a spectacular airshow to recognise and celebrate those who carved out that history. We have kept our aviation history alive here to this day with the Foynes Flying Boat Museum, which is also celebrating its birthday on the same weekend.”
That fantastic history, during the late 1930’s and early 1940’s, at Foynes saw it host many politicians, dignitaries and royalty, among them Col Lindberg, John F Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bob Hope and Ernest Hemingway. Gracie Fields was even known to have sang quayside for staff.
“The place will be humming here again on the 5th and 6th of July. And for the first time in 70 years, the control tower at Foynes will be active again. We will have thousands here on both days but huge crowds, in particular, for the air show. It will be fantastic for young and old and really will be one of the big memories of the year,” added the Flying Boat Museum Director.
In addition to Shannon Airport, other organisations and companies supporting the event are Shannon Foynes Port Company, Limerick City & County Council, IAA, AVOLON, Air Contractors and Irelandia Aviation.
The full list of passengers on board the inaugural transatlantic commercial flight between New York and Foynes on July 9th, 1939 was:
• Thomas H Beck, President, Crowell Publishing Company
• Amon G Carter, President/Publisher, The Fort Worth Star Telegram
• Guido Coen, on a ‘mercy trip’ to see his dying son in Florence, Italy
• John Cowles, President, The Minneapollis Star
• Silliman Evans, President, Maryland Casualty Company
• John D Ewing Editor, The Shreveport Times
• James Furay, Vice President, United Press Association
• Artemus Gates, Director, Pan American Airways
• Roy W Howard, President, Scripps Howard Newspapers
• M C Meigs, Publisher/President, The Chicago Evening American
• Paul Patterson, President, The Baltimore Sun
• Mrs Ogden Reid, Vice President, The New York Herald Tribune
• G L Rihl, Vice President, Pan American Airways
• John F Royal. Vice President, National Broadcasting Company
• James A. Stahlman. President/ Publisher, The Nashville Banner
• Ed Swasey, San Francisco Advertising Executive
• William Van Duaen, Director of Public Relations, Pan American Airways
• Mr & Mrs Alfred L Wolf of Philadelphia
Anybody following the Aer Lingus cabin crew dispute?
Two more strikes planned for June 16th and 18th following the breakdown of talks.
I only booked an Aer Lingus flight for June 16th this evening. 
I still support the workers though.
[QUOTE=“The Scouse Cafu, post: 956511, member: 2660”]Anybody following the Aer Lingus cabin crew dispute?
Two more strikes planned for June 16th and 18th following the breakdown of talks.
I only booked an Aer Lingus flight for June 16th this evening.
I still support the workers though.[/QUOTE]
What are they are striking for?
The dispute is over rostering. Management went back on agreements signed three years ago. To my eyes it looks like management are incompetent.
You should check the Clare Rosters thread on that one.
All management are incompetent.
When i saw this thread bumped i thought the Malaysian plane had been found. Anyone remember that?
Flight FR297 from Stansted to Dublin tonight. London was steaming hot today and tempers were frayed as the passengers queued for the flight. As an aside - in the immortal words of a Kilkenny contributor to AFR the fear is gone. People carried second bags willy-nilly, carried oversized suitcases on to the plane without fear of censure. Anyway the stars of the flight were John, Jen, Leesha and Nanny. John, Jen and Nanny were obviously supping away goodo and missed the gate going up on the board.
They staggered onto the flight as it was about to take off. John - who had that skin tone unique to gentlemen who drink on canal banks loudly exclaimed that you’d think they’d have a proper fuckin announcement system in the airport. Oblivious to the fact that the other 200 people on the plane had somehow managed to figure that one out.
The next exchange went
Jen - put me bag up John
John - there’s no fuckin room
Jen - I paid for fuckin room
John - it’s first come first fuckin served, sit on de fuckin thing.
Nanny - I’m having a nervous breakdown listening to ye
Leesha - I want chips.
They then sent Stacey a text. Somewhere over the Irish Sea Jen checked her phone and was aghast that Stacey hadn’t replied.
Leesha got chips but John nicked half of them. He then harangued Leesha being so scabby that she wouldn’t Nanny a chip. Nanny and Jen were tucking into the Heineken at this stage and were in great spirits when they landed. John and Jen held hands as they got off the plane
As an aside there was a hipster on the flight with a beard in a brown Lacoste tshirt playing away goodo on a ds.