So back to where I had entered Israel, on what turned out to be quite an experience, not only from an aviation point of view, but also in seeing how they live in such a delicately balanced region of the world.
Quite a strange feeling, parked up on the hard shoulder of a motorway watching a live missile attack, with surface to air missiles shooting up looking to hit the incoming. Then from nowhere, an enormous screech and one missile coming out from a field behind us as we waited the the air raid siren to stop!
At the same time, we were also seeing fully armed aircraft showing off the armament just above us, that was certainly something I did not expect as part of the trip, but that’s life, as it was told to me by a local!
We had been as far South as Ovda/Eilat and up in the North at Haifa. During these long drives, it was interesting to see the difference in the landscape as we travelled through stone deserts in the South, then into the more lush green farmland of the North.
Anyway, it was certainly a trip to remember and very much recommended.
So at the airport I was the only one departing from Terminal 3, I was flying to Manchester via Brussels. The rest of group were going back direct to Luton and from Terminal 1.
Before I could settle and get some more photographs as I did on arrival, I had to go through phase one of the security process, with some stiff questioning as to where I had been and what my wife’s name and birth place was, that was just to get to the check-in desk! So through phase one to the check–in desk, where the hold luggage and I were checked in. I now went back to the level three departures arrival area and took a few photographs.
As I did on arrival, to the right of the departures gates in terminal three is a good place to view proceedings. This is where a cafe / Pizza restaurant is located and with the help of FR24 on my phone, the inbounds as well as outbound aircraft are clearly seen. Nothing could sneak in or out. In addition, I took up a seat which was also a charger station for mobiles, Ipads and the like.
However after a coffee, I decided to go through the ‘usual style’ security as we know it and went towards the C gates where I would be departing from.
After a look around it appeared that gate C9 was fairly good to view proceedings, so like at the cafe / Pizza restaurant I mentioned before, you will see all movements. No issues taking photographs, however as some of the glass is speckled, distance shots seem ok, but taking closer photographs seem to distort. You will see a couple of examples on the photo link below.
Once I had boarded my flight and the doors were closed, the dreaded announcement………….a delay. We were delayed for about 45 minutes, although it was initially said it was possibly up to 3 hours, anyway we were off. The taxi to the holding point took you past the military fighter store area, as well as along the business jet ramp, so a few extra’s could be gleaned.
A few photographs at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jlt_egcc74/albums/72157709220008086
Photographs for arrival day: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jlt_egcc74/albums/72157680414994458
Photographs on Ben Gurion ramp/business jet and military store area tour: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jlt_egcc74/albums/72157678293019767
John
Trip Airfield Albums https://www.flickr.com/photos/jlt_egcc74/albums
Country Folders https://www.flickr.com/photos/jlt_egcc74/collections
Old scanned photographs at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jlt_egcc74/collections/72157676555557434/
Noted between 1230-1645hrs
Terminal 3 Departures Ramp and Photographs
4X-ABI Airbus A320232(SL) C/n 7110 Israir
4X-ECF Boeing 777258(ER) C/n 36084 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EMA Embraer Emb-190200IGW C/n 19000172 Arkia
I-NDOF Boeing 767306(ER) C/n 27610 Arkia
TC-JSK Airbus A321231(SL) C/n 5663 THY Turkish Airlines
UR-GEB Boeing 76733A(ER) C/n 25530 Ukraine International Airlines
VQ-BIL Boeing 777300(ER) C/n 41692 Aeroflot Russian Airlines
From Terminal 3, the C gates.
4X-ABS Airbus A320232 C/n 2728 Israir
4X-EDF Boeing 7879 C/n 63394 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EDI Boeing 7879 C/n 38800 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EHA Boeing 737958(ER) C/n 41552 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EHD Boeing 737958(ER) C/n 41555 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EHE Boeing 737958(ER) C/n 41556 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EKA Boeing 737858 C/n 29957 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EKB Boeing 737858 C/n 29958 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EKF Boeing 7378HX C/n 29638 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EKH Boeing 73785P C/n 35485 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EKJ Boeing 73785P C/n 35486 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EKL Boeing 73785P C/n 35487 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EKM Boeing 737804 C/n 30465 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EKO Boeing 73786Q C/n 30287 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EKR Boeing 737804 C/n 30466 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EKT Boeing 7378BK C/n 33030 El Al Israel Airlines
B-1096 Airbus A330343E C/n 1871 Hainan Airlines
B-LXH Airbus A3501041 C/n 258 Cathay Pacific Airways
D-AISQ Airbus A321231 C/n 3936 Lufthansa
D-AIZE Airbus A320214 C/n 4261 Lufthansa
EC-MIH Boeing 7878 C/n 36413 Air Europa
EI-DSU Airbus A320216 C/n 3563 Alitalia
EI-ENF Boeing 7378AS C/n 35034 Ryanair
EI-ESV Boeing 7378AS C/n 34993 Ryanair
F-GKXM Airbus A320214 C/n 2721 Air France
G-EZWU Airbus A320214(SL) C/n 6095 easyJet
G-STBJ Boeing 777336(ER) C/n 43703 British Airways
HA-LWC Airbus A320232 C/n 4323 Wizz Air
HB-JNJ Boeing 777300(ER) C/n 62755 Swiss International Air Lines
HB-JXK Airbus A320214(SL) C/n 7779 easyJet Switzerland
N923FD Boeing 757204(SF) C/n 26266 Federal Express
OE-ICF Airbus A320214 C/n 4708 easyJet Europe
OE-IZB Airbus A320214 C/n 4316 easyJet Europe
OE-LBF Airbus A321211 C/n 1458 Austrian Airlines
OM-FEX Boeing 7378Q8 C/n 28213 Sun d’Or International Airlines
OO-TCV Airbus A320214 C/n 1968 Brussels Airlines
PH-HXD Boeing 7378K2 C/n 61791 Transavia
PH-HXO Boeing 737800 C/n 62577 Transavia
TC-JLU Airbus A319132 C/n 4695 THY Turkish Airlines
TC-NBD Airbus A320251N(SL) C/n 7162 Pegasus Airlines
UR-PSV Boeing 7378AS C/n 35017 Ukraine International Airlines
VQ-BGY Airbus A321231 C/n 2105 Ural Airlines
On taxi to the holding point
4X-ECF Boeing 777258(ER) C/n 36084 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EHA Boeing 737958(ER) C/n 41552 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EHB Boeing 737958(ER) C/n 41553 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EKJ Boeing 73785P C/n 35486 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-EKP Boeing 7378Q8 C/n 30639 El Al Israel Airlines
4X-ELA Boeing 747458 C/n 26055 El Al Israel Airlines
9A-BTH Airbus A320214 C/n 1454 Trade Air
D-AIZE Airbus A320214 C/n 4261 Lufthansa
EI-IXZ Airbus A321112 C/n 848 Alitalia
F-GZHM Boeing 7378K2 C/n 37792 Transavia France
UR-PRT Hawker-Siddeley 125800XP C/n 258682 Corporate
Fire Service Training area
4X-ELH Boeing 747412 C/n 26555 Leasing Company
4X-AXM Boeing 7472B5BF C/n 22485 Leasing Company
Photo credit: John Tomlinson