Southampton Airport Mini Series 'Charlie' Innovations in lighting

New Aircraft Stand Lighting at Southampton Airport

Back at Southampton Airport well talk again to Dan Townsend who tells us that once again Southampton is leading the UK’s airports with its innovative and sustainable approach to lighting. Work was recently completed on the replacement of the lights on all 14 of the airport’s aircraft stands with LED lighting.

British Airways’ Olympic Torch liveried Airbus A319 ‘The Firefly’ at Southampton 

Having successfully used LED and solar lighting around the airport for other projects, when the lights illuminating the aircraft stands at night were reaching the end of their lives the airport’s projects and engineering teams were keen to explore the same technology.

Dan tells us the benefits of using LED and solar power in the airfield environment.

www.southamptonairport.comwww.facebook.com/SOU.Airporttwitter.com/SOU_Airportwww.youtube.com/SOUAirporthttp://souairportblog.com/

South Africa 'Alpha'

Danie Heath, Editor of Aircraft.Co.ZA joins us this week on Across The Pond on the Airplane Geeks podcast, to help us better understand the aviation sector in South Africa. Danie runs a fabulous website with some great aviation photographs but its his knowledge about the sector that we are keen to find out more about.

Kalula B737 8 at Cape Town International - Photo Courtesy of  Hansueli Krapf

We talk about the major airlines, both international and regional and where they operate from. What about low cost airlines and their fabulous names such as Mango and Kalula?

We also discuss the South African aviation manufacturing sector and discover its still running strong.

If you want to learn a little more about aviation in South Africa, listen in. Airplane Geeks Episode 227

www.aircraft.co.za
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Aircraft.co.za
Twitter: @Aircraft_co_za

Tim Gresty 'Delta' International Airline Hubs

Tim Gresty returns to give us his insight and knowledge on where the new super airline hubs will appear. We assess the impact of the pressures on the old international hubs placed predominantly in Western Europe such as London Heathrow, Paris Charles De Gaul, Amsterdam Schiphol and Frankfurt Main.

Will they survive or will the new super airlines growing out of the Middle East increase their domination by using their bases to grow international traffic. Tim gives us his views and suggests there might be room for growth in Europe as well as in the Middle East.

Tim can be found at www.cognitio.com

Benelux Bravo

Boeing 7478F Photo Courtesy of Cargolux

This week on Across The Pond on the Airplane Geeks podcast we welcome back Frenchez Pietersz and Carmen Van Boeckel from the AviationPlatform.com team to discuss the latest Benelux news focusing this week on Luxembourg. Frenchez Pietersz and gives us his views on Cargolux, the Boeing 747-8F and Carmen tells us who uses social media well (or not)!

The Boeing 7478F is now well into service and with the financial troubles faced by Boeing and Cargolux in the handover phase we can now look back at the issues and their effect on the cargo carrier.

What other airlines fly from Luxembourg and who is a host carrier for the nation. Find out more by listening in.

Aviation Platform is a different and innovative aviation website so do have a look at their content and activities and sign up to join in the debates. We'll engage again with them in the future on another segment or two.

www.AviationPlatform.Com
@AviationPlatform on Twitter
Linked In http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Aviation-Platform-82780?gid=82780&trk=hb_side_g
Carmen Van Boeckel on Twitter @iCarms and Blog http://icarms.wordpress.com/

David Cenciotti - The Aviationist

We welcome back pilot and journalist David Cenciotti to Across The Pond this week to give us his views on Farnborough and some of his stories from his website www.The Aviationist.com

 


David has a comprehensive view on aviation based upon a deep understanding of flight, aircraft and the sector and its always a pleasure to read his refreshing yet extremely accurate and timely articles. They always have a unique angle to them that maybe others have not thought of, or have come to conclude yet.

He brings his aviation experience and knowledge to those articles and stories that a traditional journalist would simply skim over and its here that we get the opportunity to delve a little deeper into his own material from The Aviationist website.

We look at the Turkish F4 Shootdown and get David's view on what happened; was this a mechanical failure over hostile territory or was it in fact shot down.

We look back at David's view of Farnborough and the things that caught his eye. Amongst these are the V22 and we look at its recent safety history and what this poses as a dilemma for the aircraft looking to gain international orders.

We also get to talk civilian products and muse over the Boeing 787 display and the mighty A380

David can be found on Twitter @Cencio4 and on the web www.TheAviationist.com

All picture Courtesy of David Cenciotti and TheAviationist.com

Mexico with Aeropodcast

Our 'adopted' Spanish Correspondent Diego Lopez-Salazar from Aeropodcast.com recently had to visit Mexico on business and a part of that visit was to review the Airline Industry in Mexico.

We asked Diego to split from our normal topic of Spanish aviation and tell us about the Mexican Airline industry, what he found and what he felt about the future for the sector.


 After some troubling connection problems Diego gave us a fabulous insight into the Mexican Airline sector and highlighted some interesting dynamics in the marketplace.

To find our more listen to this weeks Across The Pond segment on the Airplane Geeks podcast. http://www.airplanegeeks.com/2012/05/22/episode-198-kip-hawley-on-the-tsa/

Diego and all of his contact details can be found at www.aeropodcast.com

Talking Airlines with Tim Gresty

Sometimes you get to talk to someone who is a 'heavy hitter' in the industry and for the next two segments of Across The Pond, we get to talk airlines with Tim Gresty, Managing Director of Cognitio, a marketing business will bundles of experience in the airline sector.

Tim moves and shakes with the best from airline executives to politicians and everything in between, so knows a thing or two about running an airline.

Having worked in almost every continent and across many airlines we ask Tim what he thinks of the state of regional airlines in the UK and what low cost model will eventually beat the full service airlines.

Having worked across many other business sectors including travel and tourism, FMCG and the finance sector Tim is perfectly placed to comment of what it takes to run a successful airline business. Many fail because they run an airline and not a business and others trip up trying to run the business and not understanding the airline sector. Tim brings a refreshing set of views that bring clarity to an often confused and misinterpreted sector of the aviation business.

The first segment is our interview with Tim and having finished this we left the recorder running (with his permission of course) and just chatted about several other topics in the industry.

http://www.airplanegeeks.com/2012/05/01/episode-195-kelly-murphy-2/

You can find Tim at www.cognitio.co.uk

India with AeroBlogger - Bravo

This week on the segment for the Airplane Geeks podcast, we return to Hyderabad to talk to AeroBlogger Rohit Rao.

We go back over the past month to look at the latest Kingfisher progress and against all the odds they are still in business and have a plan to move forwards. 

This time though we also have a look at Jet Airways who have also been in the news for all the wrong reasons.

On a positive front India still has capacity to bring in new operators and we look at Volk Airlines, ABC Aviation, Air Costa, and Karina Airways.

But its Air India that really is interesting for aviation interest. Will they continue to survive with another cash injection from the Indian Government and why does Rohit rate them above many other airlines for service? 

Find out by listening to the Airplane Geeks podcast.

http://www.airplanegeeks.com/2012/04/24/episode-194-the-aeroscholar/

Rohit can be found @TheAeroBlogger on Twitter and http://www.aeroblogger.com/

Student Pilot Bravo

This week on Across The Pond we get to talk to Neil Bradon again. An avid Airplane Geeks follower Neil is also our adopted student pilot. We are watching his progress through from his pre solo days last year in Ireland to his new found wings over Arizona.

 When we last talked to Neil in Episode 168 he had solo'd and was facing a new life in the USA. We find out this week how the transition went and what the differences are between flying in the UK and Ireland and the blue skies around Phoenix. Listen in and follow Neil's progress.

Neil can be found at www.getmyppl.blogspot.co.uk and lives his life on Twitter as @Pilot_ngb

You can find the episode http://www.airplanegeeks.com/2012/04/03/episode-192-mike-flies-seaplanes/ 

EuroAvChat Golf

This week on Across The Pond its time for a catch up with Gareth and Tim. We get into a great discussion about material both the Royal Aeronautical Society and Global Aviation Resource have produced.

Some old, some new!

 

In GAR's monthly magazine (6) there are some great articles and stories. My favourites are around the EE Lightning and the F14 Tomcat. What really caught my eye was the feature on C135's at Mildenhall. The photo's are fantastic and a must if like me, your were one of those visitors to Mildenhall in the early eighties when these aircraft were really something special to see.

With Tim we talk about his visit to Singapore and how Rolls Royce have opened a new factory there to service the market growth expected in the region. We also talk about some footage unearthed of some great old aircraft, a Spitfire painted blue, the Red Arrows in the Gnats and a Mosquito.

You can find Gareth String on Twitter @Gareth_Stringer and at www.GlobalAviation Resource.com.
You can find Tim Robinson on Twitter @RAeSTimR and at www.Aerosociety.com

Links to items in the segment:
http://www.globalaviationmagazine.com/
http://media.aerosociety.com/aerospace-insight/2012/03/16/centenary-garden-party-film/6541/

Airline Update from India with AeroBlogger

This week on Across The Pond we talk to Rohit Rao from AeroBlogger about the state of the airline industry in India. Rohit gives a great analysis of the airlines and their challenges and goes on to tell us his thoughts on what is going on at Kingfisher Airlines.

He also tell us some positive news from Indigo Airlines about their growth plans.

There was so much to talk about that we will be scheduling another segment with Rohit very soon.

Listen in and learn more about the industry in India but also hear Rohit give his opinions and views about growth and contraction in a market that's one of the most exciting, yet volatile in the world. He's got some interesting views.

Rohit can be found on Twitter @TheAeroBlogger and at www.AeroBlogger.com

Manchester Airport

This week on Across The Pond,

http://www.airplanegeeks.com/2012/03/06/episode-188-the-mach-1-4-uav/

we talk to John Greenway from the Manchester Airport Group about Manchester Airports growth and success at becoming the first Aerocity. Manchester has an innovative style to accommodating its customers, has a great Twitter feed and is performing well in a demanding market.

http://airportcity.co.uk/

Hear how the Airpark (the place for aviation spotters and enthusiasts) homes some of the nations most prized assets, including a Concorde.

I really enjoyed my visit to Manchester to meet John and Paul Hadfield. As I left to fly home, I received a personalised pleasant bon voyage twitter message. Now that's a great way of dealing with your customers using social medial tools.

If you are a traveller listen and find out about Manchester's plans for you as a customer and if you are an enthusiast, hear the passion they have for their spectators park and on airport aviation museum.

You can find Manchester Airport on Twitter and at www.manchesterairport.co.uk/

Simon Atack

This week on Across The Pond we talk to the talented and prolific aviation artist Simon Atack. Simon has been drawing since he was a baby and as soon as he could put pen to paper he was drawing aeroplanes. A career in the RAF followed where his art was spotted and he started to become well known for his original and accurate style.

Simon explains to us why he is so passionate about aviation art and what motivates his work. Listen in and hear how he became an artist and now has his work hanging in such prestigious locations such as the National Maritime Museum.

You can find Simon Atack on Twitter @SimonWAtack http://www.simonatack.com and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/SimonAtack

Southampton Airport

This week on Across The Pond on the Airplane Geeks Podcast we get the chance to talk to Dave Lees, Managing Director of Southampton Airport in the UK. Southampton is one of the best performing regional airports in Europe and its no surprise when you use the airport to travel. Last year it won an award for being the cleanest airport in the UK and regularly tops the customer service awards.

Dave is passionate about the customer experience through his airport and shares his vision on making further improvements with us. With over 1.7million passengers a year to satisfy that's no mean feat.

With a single 1.7km runway, Southampton is steeped in history. The very first aircraft to take off from the Southampton Airport site was in 1910 and belonged to local man Eric Rowland Moon. Eric made and tested the Moonbeam 2 aircraft and no one is entirely sure where Moonbeam landed!

But it will remain more famous for its pre and ongoing war efforts from where the Spitfire made its maiden flight.

Carolyn Grace flying her Spitfire at Southampton Airport to mark the 75th Anniversary of the first flight of the plane

We also saw some of their new firefighting equipment worth a lot more than double the price of a large family house, fully controlled from within the cab by a single operator. Now that's impressive.

Find out more by listening in www.airplanegeeks.com

You can find Southampton Airport on Twitter and www.southamptonairport.com

EuroAvChat Foxtrot

Neuron UCAV - Courtesy Dassault Aviation

Tim and Gareth return to the segment to share in a look back at the months aviation news in Europe. There has been a lot to talk about including the Airbus A380 wing problems amongst many high profile aviation stories.

We look at some interesting developments in the European UCAV market, why the Royal Air Force chose to go back and buy second hand aircraft, what the European Emissions Trading System means to the world and why London Mayor Boris Johnson thinks a new runway on the River Thames would solve the runway congestion issue in the UK.

Hang around for the outtakes when we hear some interesting names for the London Mayor.

You can find the segment at www.airplanegeeks.com

Tim Robinson and Gareth Stringer can be found at www.globalaviationresource.com and www.aerosociety.com