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Orlando Family holiday & NBAA 17 Oct - 1 Nov 2009  Dave & Matty Anderson

This years family holiday was a return trip to Orlando, our route outbound took us from Teesside to Amsterdam then onto Memphis and Orlando International. The flights were booked and first leg from Teesside to Amsterdam was on the KL1534 Fokker 70 PH-KZG an uneventful flight landing on time, we only had a few hours before leaving on NWA54 A330-300 N812NW already painted in Delta scheme. Not much of  note for me at Amsterdam a new LAN Chile B777F and topping up the KLM E190 fleet was about it. Three movies later and it was downwind to land at a very quiet Memphis, the Fedex terminal is a long way from the main passenger terminal, about 50 mixed aircraft were on their ramps only those on the move could be read off. Although we were seated in the first few rows of the aircraft and almost first off, immigration was a nightmare. It was then almost straight onto NWA A320 N337NW for the hour long flight down to Orlando.

Memphis Tennessee Sat 17th October 2009

A couple at Orlando as we taxied in.

Not planning to do much spotting, more relaxing by the pool when not visiting the "parks", however with the NBAA show on at Orlando  Executive airport during our stay, a shopping trip for the girls resulted in Matty and I having a quick tour. The log contains aircraft in the static, visiting or residents.

Orlando Executive 21 October 2009

There were a lot more light aircraft but I don't spend a lot of time collecting them, the approach was busy with something landing every few minutes, there is a car park at the end of the runway for viewing but not so good for photography with the sun in your face.

Heading back we had a drive down Tradeport Drive at Orlando International, calling for a look at the Cessna centre, and the various corporate ramps, a British Airways 747 on the Signature ramp seemed out of place and it had arrived a few days earlier and greeted by the fire brigade with a water salute, it was still there a few days later when we passed by. The highlight was the Argentinian Citation and a couple of old corporate BAC 1-11's that now live/store here.

Orlando International 21 October 2009

On our way back home we called into Kissimmee, again lots more light aircraft around but it was really a drive in to log the Corporate jets and leave, the new Phenom was nice to see.

Kissimmee Regional Airport 21 October 2009

The girls wanted another trip to the Florida Mall,  so rather than be subject to the torture of shopping Matt and I headed for a run down to Titusville to have a look at the Valiant air museum, the road passes Orlando International so it was another quick drive down Tradeport Drive, the following are different to our last visit.

Orlando International 24 October 2009

The museum at Titusville took about 40 minutes to get to, very close to Kennedy Space Centre, the museum is similar in size to Sunderland and contains a nice variation. The airport that the museum is on is home of the Bristow training academy with loads of Schweizer helicopters, listed below are only the ones read from the car there were probably another dozen or so.

Titusville Air Museum 24 October 2009

Titusville Regional Airport 24 October 2009

Our return flight home was via Detroit, leaving Orlando in the morning and a two hour flight in NWA Boeing 757-300 N582NW again painted in Delta colours, interesting while talking to Detroit approach the callsign was "Northwest 1407 heavy in Delta colours" A few bits noted at Orlando before departure.

Orlando International 31 October 2009

My first visit to Detroit, gawd what a monotonous place this is, 95% of the movements were Northwest, the only variation being some were now painted as Delta! we had about three hours to kill and  that was enough, good to top up the fleets but soon became boring, one good thing there are not too many places left to see active DC-9 31's now. Our chariot home was NWA A330-200 N856NW, we boarded on time but news came of a suspected hydraulic leak, after 30 mins it was found to have been on the tarmac from something prior, we left 30 mins late but due to very strong tailwinds arrived at Amsterdam still over an hour early at 5am local (just over 6.15hours!) in 100mtrs RVR in fog, the pilot had told Schipol ATC it wasn't a problem as we were cleared in at 50mtrs.

Detroit Metropolotan 31 October 2009

Waiting for the KL1533 PH-KZS, one of the latest Fokker 70's to joint the fleet and in between grabbing a few Zzzs the following bits were noted.

Amsterdam 1 November 2009

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