Looking back @ 2013

[cathay belgium]

Hi,

An annual topic at the end of a year...
I just finalised my own flying year so here are mine statistics... as I can say another very good year...
sectors : 73 - a new record for me -
new types : B717/B788/CRJ2/ATR72.5/MD83/Do328p/WACO YKS7/DHC2/DHC3/D8Q300/C180/B1900C/J31/SB2/Ju52
new airliners : LO/AY/OV/V7/AC/0B/H3/8P/LX/U3/A5/BM/JP
best memories and highlights for 2013 : visit Airbus Hamburg and Boeing Everett,flight from BFI in a WACO biplane,a nordic trip to catch some little props,the Do328flight,the floatplanes in Canada,the JAF presentation,my JUNKERS 52 flight.
best service in 2013 : British Airways by Sun-Air of Scandinavia ( by far ! )
worst service in 2013 : HOP! ( what a mess they made of it, even as I wasn't troubled ! horror ! )
most surprising flights in 2013 : BlueAir.. cancelled/not cancelled/delayed and ending up with some other operators...

A very good year as I said before...

What will bring 2014 ?

Booked already E175/SF3/B736 as new types and as nice destinations SYD/KUL...
Will try also to get on An2 or a Catalina as a classic of the year..
Other ideas under construction...

AVGeeks trip-wise : none... yet.. but a weekend idea in toughts...

2014 will be a very interesting year ..

What will SN be at the end of 2014 after the LCC battle in BRU with FR and VY ...
Will we see more LCC at BRU or less after the battle...
What can we expect with the AVRO100's ?
Will we see a A350 in Belgium like the B787, somewhere on a promotour ??
More CSnews ?

We will see... by now... already wishing everybody a HAPPY NEW YEAR and lots of flying fun and happy landings in 2014 ! Cheers

CXB

[cnc]

i might be allowed to fly (not as pilot) with a C-5M galaxy in 2014

[crew1990]

2013 was as well an exellent year for me.

As passenger I had my first experience with those Airlines:

Virgin Atlantic Domestic
Norwegian
Air Berlin
Air Berlin (Germania)
Air Berlin (Tui Fly)
Air Berlin (Belair)
Lufthansa
Gambia Bird (Germania)
SAS (Blue One)
City Jet

for the new aircraft I flew for the 1st time with the Boeing 717 and the Foker 50. I was really happy to fly with those aircrafts because there is less of those type every year and I had the chance to fly it before the moment when they will be all grounded. I also flown with a 737 with the sky interior and I must admit that it's really beautiful!

As a crew I have been happy this year to discover many new airports, and I can color some new countries on my map, those one are:

Ireland
Norway
Macedonia
Serbia
Cyprus
Lebanon
Irak
Gambia
Sierra Leone

I flew a new type of aircraft, the Boeing 737-700 and our new toy, the Airbus A321, it was 3 days old when I flew with it and I still remembering the smell of this brand new bird!

I didn't booked anything yet but I'm sure 2014 will be another year full of new adventures and challenges!

I wish to everyone an Happy New Year full of happy landing!

[air belgium]

I think HOP airlines (Air France) is the worst company in 2013. If you have a choice, do NOT fly this company!!!

[Comet]

In 2013 I had my first flights with Lufthansa. My opinion of LH is a positive one, pleasant onboard snacks (including my first hot inflight snack since BA MAN-LHR in 2006).

I also had my first (and hopefully last) experience of the spotters area at MUC. The visit was ruined by a huge plague of flies, and viewing was not great compared to others places I have visited.

While I was impressed with LH, I was most certainly NOT impressed with MUC.

[sn26567]

About the A5 (HOP! for Air France) flight mentioned twice above: CX-B and I were on these flights and were not affected by the problem that happened to Air Belgium. The issue arose from a mishandled cancellation: instead of having priority on the next flight, Air Belgium and his companion had to wait until everyone else had boarded before being allowed on board.

Even if the fares were very low for the subsidiary of a legacy airline, the way the issue was handled was unacceptable. I did not have any problem at all (you can still find my two illustrated trip reports in this thread) and I do not complain for myself, but I share the distrust of Air Belgium.

[SpottairBRU]

Well, from my side, 2013 was very quiet... aviation-wise!

Compared with the 2011 and 2013, I did not fly a lot... but each flight was memorable!

- all the flights of my honeymoon to exotic tiny nice airports in the middle of the Atlantic, without forgetting the funtastic trip in A310 from LIS to PDL, with the diversion, cancellation and ship cruise as a consequence
- the "tomorrowland flight" BRU-BSL onboard SN's A-333: a very unique experience. Thanks to the people who made this flight happen!
- and to finish the year, a DUS-ARN-BRU trip to add the 717 and the 737-600 to my list.

So, not a lot of flights, but they were all excellent!

2014 will be even quieter for me, as a future luchtzakker/avgeek is preparing itself for landing in the family around end of March. Only project in sight for the moment is the Biman DC10 scenic flight, if the dates and price are right!

Happy 2014 to all!

[sn26567]

When I joined this forum, it was essentially because I was a frequent flyer, up to 100 flights a year for business. I have cooled down now!

My balance for 2013:
23 sectors
1 diversion (FUE iso ACE, leading to a free dinner, hotel night and breakfast, and one more sector than booked: FUE-ACE)
3 new airlines: EZS, OV, A5
2 new types: B787-8 (on two airlines), CR9
2 new airports: TLL, EVN
Longest flight: PRG-EVN
Shortest flight (distance, not time): BRU-BRU (ISON comet observation flight)

[BAAV]

Being an avid reader of this forum since some months, I am posting here my 2013 travel highlights (no overall stats though):
1) I got to fly for the 1st time in an A380 recently, an incredible experience (LH from FRA to Singapore with an onward leg to Kl with Singapore Airlines in an A330). Attached a picture of the beast at the airport in FRA. Return was with a 747 though via Bangkok

A380

2) Flying near the Kilimandjaro, see picture taken from a new Embraer 190/5 of Kenya Airways from Dar to Nairobi

Kilimandjaro

3) In the beginning of the year, I flew from Nairobi to BRU with one of SN's A332 for the 1st time in the new business class configuration. In NOv 2012 they still used the old interior on that line. Same for Austrian from Bangkok in a 777-200. Both great service/fine product! I hope they get more lines in the near future. Funny that the three LH subsidiaries have more modern interiors than the mother company
4) most flying was with the LH group in A319s or Avro with SN but a first was with Adria in a CR200

CR200

[airazurxtror]

In 2013, I have not left Europ :
57 flights in 79.00 hours - at a mean price of 15,7 euros per flight hour.
8 new airports : Biarritz, Bordeaux, Lyon, Porto, Warsaw Chopin, Krakow, Cagliari, Birmingham
1 new airline : Hop! (not bad, in my experience)
1 new type : Embraer 135 (small but cosy)

Worst of the year : the snow at Brussels on 13 March
Best of the year : a lot of good and enjoyable occurences but one of the best was the surprise announcement of Ryanair arrival at Brussels

[airtrainer]

A VERY good year for me as well !

53 sectors
82581mi / 132901km
Shortest flight BRU-AMS 157km
Longest flight SIN-LHR 10894km
New Airlines : 17 (Lot-Eurolot-Transavia-American-Scandinavian-Norwegian-Delta-Scoot-Thaï-Virgin-Helvetic-Qatar-Garuda-Lion-Cathay-Qantas-Jetairfly).
New Types : 6 (Boeing 767-400ER, Boeing 747-8i, Boeing 787-8, Airbus A318, Fokker 70, Fokker 100).
New Airports : 12 (WRO, IAH, FLL, MIA, OSL, LGW, BSL, HKT, DOH, CGK, AKL, AGP).
No Show : 3
Flights cancelled : 3
Worst experience : 24h delay on AF and total lack of customer service.
Best experiences : Norwegian 787-8 in J, Tomorrowland special flight, Qantas and Virgin "Little Red".
Total money spent : not sure I really want to know

[sn26567]

Best experiences : ... , Tomorrowland special flight, ...

Glad you liked that one!

[airtrainer]

Best experiences : ... , Tomorrowland special flight, ...

Glad you liked that one!

Yes, and this was made possible thanks to your efforts, so thanks again

[cathay belgium]

Hi,
Indeed!
So,Andre, your job fir 2014 is quite clear, arrange it again! Like to go to TLV this way
Success!
CXB

[airtrainer]

Totally agree with that !
From Tomorrowland's website, the event will be held on two week-ends, 18-20 AND 25-27 july... I will likely be abroad on the first week-end, not sure yet about the second but keep my fingers crossed !

[sn26567]

My balance for 2013:
23 sectors
1 diversion (FUE iso ACE, leading to one more sector than booked: FUE-ACE)
3 new airlines: EZS, OV, A5
2 new airports: TLL, EVN
Longest flight: BRU-PRG-EVN
Shortest flight (distance, not time): BRU-BRU (ISON comet observation flight)

And this is how it looks on the map (without the detours and diversions):

[koja78]

My conclusion is that I need to find a job which entitles me to more flying. (currently: none )

2013 was:
BRU-FRA-IST on LH
IST-ADB on PC
ADB-SAW on PC
IST-ZRH-BRU on LX

Seemed I was stupid enough not to log the plane types of LH and LX.. darn.

Currently planned for 2014: none...
(? which airlines still fly the 717.. missed that one once due being put on an earlier flight and fokker 50?)

[tangolima]

(? which airlines still fly the 717.. missed that one once due being put on an earlier flight and fokker 50?)

Hello

Volotea in Spain
Blue 1 in Finland

Greetings,

[Comet]

(? which airlines still fly the 717.. missed that one once due being put on an earlier flight and fokker 50?)

Icelandair fly the Fokker 50 on domestic routes - highly recommended!

[tangolima]

(? which airlines still fly the 717.. missed that one once due being put on an earlier flight and fokker 50?)

Icelandair fly the Fokker 50 on domestic routes - highly recommended!

Hello

CityJet Fokker 50

Greetings,