MAN-EDI-MAN bmi

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Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 4,255

Flight No :- BD385
Scheduled Departure :-12:05
Actual Departure :- 12:03
Scheduled Arrival :- 13:05
Actual Arrival :- 13:01
Registration:- G-RJXA http://www.airliners.net/open.file/699253/M/

Well at last, my half term break had arrived. A Trip to EDI had been booked since August, the time had come for me to spend an evening in
the Scottish Capital. After an uneventful train journey from Llandudno Junction, I had 3 hours to spare, so I went up to Car Park Level 13.
After buying my flight check, the weather made a turn for the worse and it started to rain, so I spent about 5 minutes before going back into
the depths of the Terminal.

I decided to check-in, and as I had hand baggage only, jumped the LHR queue, with dirty looks from them HEHE!, and was given seat 8A for
he flight. After being ripped off for a bottle of Fanta in the T1 restaurant, I went through security with ease. I decided to visit the other gates
in T3 and popped by the BOS flight, which didn't look full at all, I'd say roughly 60 people were at the gate. As usual in T3, there were too
much BA ERJ's, 146's and Dashes, so seeing a bmi A321 to LHR was I big relief!

I decided to sit down by Gate 41, and the next thing, a BA Captain sat next to me. I plucked the courage to ask him what "Equipment" he
used. When he heard me used the word "Equipment", he saw that I was a keen fan of aviation, and he answered my questions with a smile all
the time! He flew the Airbus family, and said that the A321 was settling in nice with the BA crew, and said that the 757 would be laid to rest
at this rate! :D

I told him I was a keen bmi fan, and not the favourite BA fan, and he laughed, which I found amusing too! He told me thought that both sets of crew were good friends, and it was the board that hated each other (No chance of a bmi-BA merger then :D). Before I knew it, he had to go
and catch his A319 down to LHR to fly on to AMS. Then I saw "Eileen Grimsahw" of Corrie, who i saw then on the Paul O'Grady show on
ITV later that day :D

I missed the landing of my aircraft, and was surprised to see it sitting in the gate! Then we were called swiftly to Gate 1, where within a few
seconds at arriving at the gate, we were called up to board. 8A was a great seat, no obstructions so a clear view, of.....the rain! Grrr!
We pushed back, and then taxied to 24R where we only had to wait for a bmi baby 737 to land, and we took off. I always feel that the ERJ is
underpowered, as we took more runway length to take off than the AA 757 to BOS! A sharp climb, and we were in the clouds. We saw nout
on the Pole Hill 5D departure, and only light turbulence was in the climb. The 1st sight of land mass since MAN was the Lakes, where we
over flew Carlisle at 20,000ft. We were offered a drink, I got an orange juice, and a snack, which I selected a Walkers Honey Biscuit.

Then we started our decent. We flew over Lockerbie, before turning North East, and Edinburgh was in view. What an Approach! It was very
spectacular, not as good as former approaches to Chicago, or New York, but it was up with the best! We got a fab view of the city, including
the Castle, and Forth Bridges, very nice ending to a nice flight. You could tell that it was a late approach as the PAPI were all white, and it
took quite a nosedive to decent with the glideslope. With flaps at 22, we landed softly on 24, and taxied to Stand 1A.

After a long walk through the terminal, we got to the arrivals hall, where I catched a bus to spend one very nice evening at the Old Waverly
Hotel in Edinburgh

Flight No :- BD386
Scheduled Departure :- 15:30
Actual Departure :- 15:19
Scheduled Arrival 16:30
Actual Arrival :- 16:17
Registration:- G-RJXI (Star Alliance c/s) http://www.airliners.net/open.file/689435/M

After spending the morning browsing the attractions of Edinburgh, it was time to go back to the Airport, and catch the flight back. After
meeting up with my bro, who flew up to fly back with me, I checked in, and was given Seat 15F.
We went through Security swiftly, and decided to have a bight to eat. We then went to watch a few aircraft, and I studied a BA ERJ to SOU
very carefully, and followed it on my scanner, it was very good for time wasting lol!
Then the BA 757 Shuttle arrived a few minutes late, but for some reason, it was v late in leaving EDI as we went before it!

Time flew, as we were called to board, via a bus at gate 1A again. I knew that the CPH flight had RJXE, so i was praying for RJXI, whcih we
got! We were taken by bus to a remote gate, and after a short delay, we were allowed to board. There were a lot of business pax, as there
were more yellow head rest covers, than blue ones!
15A was at the back end of the wing, so I had a good view below me, and I got 15D to myself, as the back of the ERJ was quite empty. We
pushed back earlier than planned, a good 10 minutes! And a swift start-up was followed by a quick taxi to 24. After a Loganair SF340 landed,
we lined up, and departed on a Deans Cross 2C departure. It took us right up to the point where PIK could be seen v clearly!

We overflew the Lakes once again, before cloud over began to build up. Once again, we were offered a drink and a snack, so a Pepsi and a
Mini Roll was the order this time!
We then started our decent from 21,000ft, and approached over Burnley, then over the reservoirs in the Peaks. We intercepted the ILS with
ease, and flap 45 was the order of the day this time.After a soft touchdown, braking was very aggressive as a BA ERJ was only a few miles
behind us! We left 24R near the viewing area, where a few people where still there! Bless ;)
A short taxi to Stand 1 again, I asked for a deck visit which I got, tho it was only a short one as I had a train to catch. We talked about the
LBA-LCY route, and the A330's, before i had to go, as my brother was now worried about that train! Guess wot it was late anyway! Good old
British Rail lol!

So there we have it, a very nice trip to EDI, and for £50, not a bad price at all! Next LHR in 2 weeks, yes with bmi of course, naturally! :D

Original post

Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 3,124

Excellent report, glad you enjoyed Edinburgh. :)

Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 4,255

Cheers mate EDI is a classy city, pics are in the camera, and being sent off today

Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 3,124

pics are in the camera, and being sent off today

Can't wait. :)

Member for

20 years 10 months

Posts: 9,401

Great report - Looking forward to the pictures :)