Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 04-Oct-20.

Named: "Explore".

Another 'lessor-owned' aircraft with a long and mostly sad history. It was first flown in Mar-93 with the Airbus test registration F-WWIE. Originally ordered by 'GPA Airbus A320', they cancelled the order and the aircraft was delivered to GATX/CL Air Leasing and leased to LACSA Costa Rica as N486GX in Jun-93. But not for long. It was returned to the lessor in Jan-94 and transferred to GATX/CL Air NV as PH-GCX in Feb-94. It was leased to Air Inter (France) as F-GJVX the same day. Air Inter was renamed Air Inter Europe in Jan-96 and the aircraft was returned to the lessor in May-97. It was leased to a new Spanish company, BCM Airlines in Jun-97, retaining it's French registration. BCM ceased operations in Oct-97 (see note below), the aircraft returned to the lessor and was stored. In Apr-98 it was leased to Volare Airlines (Italy), still with it's French registration. They ceased operations in Nov-04. The aircraft returned to the lessor and was stored at Bordeaux, France. It was leased to Thomas Cook Airlines - Belgium as OO-TCM in Apr-05 and returned to the lessor in Feb-08. It was immediately leased to Aerolineas Argentinas as LV-BNZ and delivered to Buenos Aries-EZE. However, it never entered service and was stored until it was returned to the lessor as N420BV in Dec-08 and stored at Goodyear, AZ, USA. It changed lessors twice while it was stored and was eventually leased to Strategic Airlines Europe (a small Australian company with big ideas and very little finance!) as F-GSTS in Aug-09. Their French AOC was withdrawn in Oct-10, they ceased operations, the aircraft was returned to the lessor and stored at Brussels, Belgium. Strategic Airlines Europe started up again in Apr-11, this time in Luxembourg. They leased the aircraft again, now registered LX-STC. They were no more successful the second time than they had been previously and ceased operations in Oct-12. The aircraft was returned to AeroTurbine Inc and re-registered N271AT in Nov-12. It was permanently retired at Goodyear, AZ, USA and the registration was cancelled in Mar-13.

Note: BCM Airlines was named after the initials of it's owner 'Bartolome Cursach Mas'. The airline only lasted for the summer of 1997 and ceased operations in Oct-97. Two of their four ex A320's formed the basis of Iberworld.

Tags:   OO-TCM Airbus A320-212 Thomas Cook Airlines - Belgium aircraft airplane airliner jet jetliner aviation

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Replacing an earlier scanned photo with a better version 11-Oct-21 (DeNoise AI).

All white livery with titles & tail logo only (and looking a bit dirty). On lease from SAA South African Airways.

First flown with the Boeing test registration N1786B, it was later re-registered N1781B during testing. This aircraft was delivered to GATX Flightlease and leased to SAA South African Airways as ZS-SJP in Sep-01.

It was sub-leased to Transavia Airlines Holland as PH-HZU in Apr-02 and returned to SAA as ZS-SJP in Nov-02. The aircraft was wet-leased to Excel Airways (UK) in May-03 and returned to SAA in Nov-03.

In Apr-05 it was again leased to Transavia Airlines Holland as PH-HZU, this time for 18 months, returning to SAA as ZS-SJP in Oct-06. The aircraft was transferred to SAA's 'low-cost' subsidiary, Mango, in Apr-11 and was repainted in special 'SKA Africa livery between Nov-11/Nov-12.

It was stored at Johannesburg, South Africa in Feb-21 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. It's now 20 years old, will it return to service? Stored, updated 11-Oct-21.

Tags:   PH-HZU Boeing Transavia Airlines Holland aircraft airplane airliner jet jetliner B737-8BG/W aviation

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Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 01-Jan-21. plus DeNoise AI 18-Nov-22.

An aircraft in rather dirty condition...

First flown in Dec-02 with the Airbus test registration D-AVZO. The aircraft was re-registered F-WWDQ later in Dec-02 and ferried to Toulouse for some flight testing.

It returned to Hamburg-Finkenwerder in late Feb-03 and became D-AVZO again. The aircraft was delivered to MyTravel Airways A/S (Denmark) as OY-VKA in Apr-03. It was sold to Debis Airfinance BV on delivery and leased back.

The MyTravel Group (Airtours) was officially merged into the Thomas Cook Group (UK) in May-08 with MyTravel Denmark being renamed Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia, although this aircraft had already been repainted in Thomas Cook livery in Feb-08.

It was transferred to Thomas Cook Airlines - UK as G-TCDY in Feb-15. In Nov-18 the aircraft was sub-leased to Air Transat as C-GTXY for the winter season, returning to Thomas Cook - UK as G-TCDY in Mar-19.

On the 23-Sep-19 the Thomas Cook Group (UK) ceased operations and the aircraft was impounded at Manchester. It was returned to the lessor by the end of the month and was initially stored at Manchester.

At the end of Oct-19 the aircraft was ferried to the small airport at Castellon de la Plana - Costa Azahar (Spain) for further storage. In mid Dec-19 it was ferried to Montpellier (France) and stored, it was re-registered F-WTAJ in mid Jan-20.

The aircraft was due to be leased to Air Senegal in Jul-20 but the lease was delayed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. It was finally leased to Air Senegal as 6V-AMC at the end of Nov-20. The aircraft was withdrawn from service and stored at Chateauroux, France in Oct-22. Updated 18-Nov-22.

The registration OY-VKA was later used on an A321-251NX with Sunclass Airlines.

Tags:   OY-VKA Airbus A321-211 MyTravel Airlines Denmark aircraft airplane airliner jet jetliner aviation

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Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 31-Dec-20.

First flown in Jan-99 with the Boeing test registration N1787B, it was re-registered N1784B a week later for some test flights. The aircraft was delivered to GATX 737-800 Partners BV as N501GX in early Feb-99 and was due to be leased to ASERCA Airlines Venezuela. The lease was cancelled and the aircraft was stored at Oklahoma City, OK, USA on delivery. It was leased to Novair Airlines - Sweden as SE-DVU in May-99. It was sub-leased to Tunisair between Jul/Sep-99. The aircraft was returned to the lessor as N510GX in early Jan-04, but then leased back to Novair Sweden as SE-DVU a week later (I have no idea why!). It returned to the lessor in Apr-05 and was leased to Air-Berlin as D-ABBR the following month. The aircraft was returned to the lessor in Jun-10 and fitted with blended winglets before being leased to Yakutia Airlines (Russia) as VQ-BOY later the same month. It was withdrawn from service and stored at Moscow-VKO in Apr-20 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and returned to service in early Jun-20. Current, updated (Dec-20).

Tags:   D-ABBR Boeing B737-86N Air-Berlin aircraft airplane airliner jet jetliner aviation

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Replacing an earlier digital photo with a better version 01-Sep-20.

Quite an early Boeing 737NG (Line No: 106), this aircraft was delivered to Air Berlin as D-ABAP in Oct-98. In was sold on delivery to Joachim Hunold & Company (Air Berlin's founder) and leased back to Air Berlin. It was sold to SALE Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise in Nov-01 while the lease continued. Blended winglets were added in 2005. The aircraft was returned to the lessor in Jun-12 and immediately leased to SunExpress Airlines - Germany as D-ASXK. It was returned to the lessor in Jan-17 and leased to Go2Sky Airlines (Slovakia) as OM-GTF 10 days later. It's first sub-lease was to Air Berlin for 4 weeks in Feb/Mar-17. On it's return to Go2Sky it was sub-leased to Fly Niki (Austria) for 4 weeks in Apr-17. At the beginning May-17 it spent 11 days sub-leased to TUI Airlines Belgium before being sub-leased to Travel Service Airlines (Czech Republic) in mid May-17. The aircraft returned to Go2Sky on 01-Oct-20 and was immediately wet-leased to Titan Airways (UK) for two weeks to operate repatriation flights for Monarch Airlines passengers. It returned to Go2Sky in Mid Oct-17. The aircraft was wet-leased to Sunrise Airways (Haiti) between Dec-17/Feb-18. It was leased to Travel Service Airlines-Poland for the summer season between Mar/Oct-18. The aircraft was operated on many short-term leases for other airlines during the 2019/2020 winter season but due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, their summer season contracts were cancelled. They operated some sub-charters and some PPE flights to China but were forced to cease operations in Aug-20. The aircraft was parked at Piest'any, Slovakia and returned to the lessor. Stored, updated (Sep-20).

Tags:   D-ABAP Boeing B737-86J/W Air-Berlin aircraft airplane airliner jet jetliner aviation

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