Tivat

Tivat Airport has become the latest airport in the Ex-Yu region to be affected by the global financial crisis. Despite this seaside Montenegrin airport expanding its apron recently so more aircraft can be accommodated, the airport reported a drop in aircraft operations as well as passenger figures. In spite of the peak season which is currently unfolding, the airport is reporting the same volume of traffic and passengers this summer while for the first six months of the year the airport has reported more than 17% drop in passenger movement. A total of 1.488 aircraft operated out of Tivat until the end of June this year, while a total of 171.000 passengers used the airport. That is 17.8% less passengers than in the first half of last year. The number of aircraft operating out of Tivat has decreased by only 3, meaning that the total aircraft operations amount to 569. During June alone there were 840 passengers less than June 2008.

The busiest day for Tivat Airport is usually a Saturday. So far this year, June 28 has been the busiest day with 7.380 passengers handled and 47 aircraft landing during the day. On average the airport handles 20 aircraft.

Tivat Airport is heavily used by charter airlines, particularly from Russia, during the summer months as it is the quickest way tourists can get to towns such as Budva. Recently, Montenegro Airlines has started focusing more on the airport by introducing services to Copenhagen, Priština, Niš and Rome.

Two cockpit shots for you to ponder this time.

What types are we looking at ?

Then have a crack at the registrations for both !

Soon with the flying dots

Serbia’s Jat Airways has decided to lease 2 Boeing B737-700 aircraft, which will enter its fleet during September 2009. The airline from which the aircraft will be leased from has already been selected. One of the aircraft is a B737-700 with winglets currently operating for AeroMexico. It was made in 2004. The lease of the two aircraft is part of the airline’s 5 year development plan. On July 9, the airline’s management will make further decisions on the fate of its current and future fleet. More new aircraft will be added during 2010.

Source : EXYU aviation news : http://exyuaviation.blogspot.com Blog can exclusively reveal that Jat will be returning its sole Boeing B737-400 once the 700 series aircraft enter service. The B737-400 registered YU-AOS (made in 1989) has been with Jat since 2004 and is leased from CIT Aerospace. The B737-700s will be deployed to popular destinations such as London, Moscow and Zurich. The new fleet addition will make Jat’s fleet more reliable after mechanical problems caused major delays during this week, emphasising the fleet shortage Jat is currently facing. At this present time there are no plans to introduce the B737-700s on Jat’s longest service, to Abu Dhabi, although major changes are expected on this line starting in spring 2010 - aircraft and frequency wise.

Meanwhile, the airline continues to refurbish its B737-300 fleet. A further 2 aircraft have received new seats in economy class.

Above is a less than perfect shot of what I believe to be ZK-BMN taken outside the Air Contracts hangar at Masterton in early August of 1963. This (as we know) later became ZK-BXO. Parked in front is the Cessna 180 ZK-BLL. [This is my negative No 78, taken on a Kodak Jiffy using real Kodak 620 B & W film]

Above. In December of 1963 ZK-BMJ was parked near the Wellington Aero Club hangar. Note the small side window.

On 24-01-1971 ZK-BMJ was parked at Paraparaumu alongside ZK-BXO. Note now the larger side window.

Easy comes – easy goes

Serbia’s Jat Airways which yesterday resumed services to the Croatian town of Dubrovnik after 18 years has been forced to end all ticket sales after the Croatian Civil Aviation Agency decided to revoke Jat’s license to Dubrovnik. The Croatian aviation authority will allow the Serbian carrier to operate one more flight (on Tuesday) after which it will no longer have right to operate to the seaside town. The CEO of Dubrovnik Airport says that Croatia and Serbia have no bilateral air agreement and therefore the service will be blocked. Jat’s management announced that the ministries that are in charge of aviation in both countries will meet on July 7, when the airline hopes that this problem will be resolved. Jat has already sold 800 tickets to Dubrovnik and if the service is not resumed in time for next Thursdays flight the airline will transport passengers to Tivat in Montenegro where a bus shuttle will transfer them to their final destination. Dubrovnik was first connected to Belgrade by air in 1936 when Aeroput, Jat’s predecessor, operated the line via Sarajevo. After World War Two services to Dubrovnik were resumed on the service Belgrade – Sarajevo – Dubrovnik – Herceg Novi. On June 6, 1956 the first international service was operated from Dubrovnik while in 1983 Jat began operating the first intercontinental flights from Dubrovnik, connecting the city to Toronto.
Meanwhile, Srđan Radovanović has finally been officially named as Jat’s new CEO. He has not worked in Jat before however, with a law degree, has worked in some of Serbia’s largest state owned companies.

Visit tomorrow for exclusive information regarding Jat’s fleet renewel

Dubrovnik Airlines G-STRP

Dubrovnik

After 18 years, Jat Airways' flight JU720 will depart for Dubrovnik from Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport at 12.50 CET. It will be the first time since 1991 that the company has made that journey possible for its passengers. People from Serbia will be able to head to a city that is often described as the pearl of the Adriatic. A statement from the carrier earlier this year said that officials from Jat Airways and Dubrovnik Airport met on May 13 to decide that a new service between the Serbian capital and one of Croatia's most popular tourist spots would get underway this summer. Initial plans are to provide the route to passengers twice a week, on Thursday after midday and Tuesday mornings. The Belgrade to Dubrovnik link-up comes after Jat Airways restarted flights from the Serbian capital to Pula last year after a lengthy period of no service. As a result, today not only sees a flight to Dubrovnik from Belgrade, but also a flight to Pula (operated at 11.55 CET). Jat plans to introduce a third Croatian city to its destination network, Osijek, from summer 2010.

Meanwhile, there seems to be significant development on Jat’s fleet renewal and new aircraft might join the fleet earlier than expected. There will be more news regarding these development by the end of the week.

A dash around Ardmore late this afternoon netted three new aircraft, well, new to me!

The first was Cessna 185B ZK-CMW registered to Pokeno interests, and by the getup worn by the pilot now employed in the meat bombing role from the local strip at Mercer.

The second aircraft discovered was Piper PA38-112 ZK-JBX. I actually photographed this aircraft some months ago but it has been minus any markings, its registration just recently applied. It is lined up to head south sometime for the aero club at Palmerston North to whom it has been registered since September last year.

Thirdly was Jodel D.18 ZK-SCJ just far enough outside of its hanger and capturing the last rays of sunlight. It is registered to an Air NZ pilot and came onto the register in 2004, flying for the first time in October that year. It would appear the aircraft has been based in the Waikato region but perhaps now resides at Ardmore.