On February 12, I took a look on the flights tracking, and saw that the flight AC 865 from Heathrow was made with an Airbus A340… This is one of my favourite plane, and I think that a 4 engines in the AC colours is beautiful! So I checked the weather forecast… -15C, that’s cold, but I’ want him in picture! So I took the underground and the bus, going near the axe of the runway 24R… After 1h30 of travel, I jump out of the bus, and say “cool!” An 747 of AF is on short final! That’s the place to be to catch the A340!
I stayed in the cold between big mountains of snow; clouds are coming and pass forward the sun… And finally, the A340’s coming, but for landing in the other runway, the 24L… Too bad, I miss it! But I also find his reg. : Fin#905, C-FYLG…
On February 14th, I watched the news on TV, and saw that’s the flight from Heathrow to Montreal had a little problem… In fact, Russian parents and coaches who accompany a young team of hockey decide to make a party @ 35.000 feet… Pilot calls the tower and the police was waiting them at the arrival…
http://www2.canoe.com/infos/societe/archives/2008/02/20080215-054700.html
This flight was also done with the same A340, C-FYLG.
A discussion was started on the forum “yul aviation”. I know that’s only 3 A340 still flying for Air Canada, and they will be remove shortly… very shortly… and I read that’s C-FYLG is due to go tomorrow (February 16th…)
So today, February 15th, the “luck” was there, and flight AC 865 was again done with the same aircraft. Little check for the weather forecast and winds, batteries and camera are ready… I done the same long travel, but it’s nothing when you know that’s you’re going to see some big bird of steel! The sun was low on the horizon during this end of winter day, winds were present (a good 40 km/h with gust winds! From west) Last winter storm made some bigger mountain of snow… It’s not so easy to walk, and finally I arrived to my spotting place near the runway 24R. Always the same story, Air France 747 on short final for the 24R, 1 hour to wait flight AC 865… And you know what? Rwy 24R was again closed just before the coming of the famous Airbus 340, and I saw this big bird coming on 24L… After a run, I was able to take these pictures… They aren’t so good for reasons that I gave, but the sun was there, and I really didn’t want to miss this last commercial flight of this A340 for Air Canada!
Between wire, and mountains of snow, here are 3 pictures… Sad to know that only two A340 still flying for AC, and in few months, A340 will be in the list of retired plane of Air Canada…
Thanks for reading, and excuse me for my English which is not so so good :-)
Air CanadaAirbus 340-313X
Reg: C-FYLG
15 Feb 2008
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