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Sorry if this is old news but at around 0100 local / 2300 GMT a low level target popped up in the middle of nowhere near Oxford in the UK, heading Northwest and climbing. Flight number SEY3220, Air Seychelles. After about ten minutes it executed a slow turn to port and took up a Southwesterly heading, climbing all the time.
I was curious because Air Seychelles flight normally originate at LHR and route out over Kent heading South East, so where could this guy be going...
Flightaware couldn't identify the flight number so out of curiosity I went to the Air Seychelles website. The search box revealed nothing for the flight number but then I caught a glimpse of something in the Latest News box...
Here is a press release;
"Air Seychelles chosen to fulfil UK Ministry Of Defence South Atlantic Airbridge
Main News Page
Monday 1 February 2010
An Air Seychelles B767-300ER yesterday, Sunday 24’th December 2010 commenced flights on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence from Brize Norton Air Force Base, located in Oxfordshire England, to the Ascension Islands and then onto the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic off the southern tip of South America.
This will be the only scheduled air link to the islands of Ascension and Falklands and is commonly known as the South Atlantic Airbridge.
Both Ascension Islands (Wide Awake Airfield) and RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falklands are isolated airfields. Given that Mahe is also considered an isolated airfield with no nearby suitable alternate aerodromes the operational experience the national airline has, played heavily in the airlines favour in the selection process. Likewise being one of the world’s most experienced B767 operators with over 20 years extended range operations and having a meaningful fleet of aircraft, Air Seychelles was considered the best choice.
We are delighted and proud that Air Seychelles was the airline of choice for such an important mission. To enable this operation to be effectively conducted one of the airline’s five B767’s, a B767-300ER will be permanently based in the UK to carry out the twice weekly service to Ascension and onwards to the Falklands. Crews have been positioned in Ascension and the UK."
So...it was a flight from the middle of nowhere, routing via another middle of nowhere and terminating at yet another middle of nowhere!
Nowhere...not quite the end of the world but you can see it mostly from 35000 feet!
Thanks to those who provide the feeds for this great service; one day I'll be able to afford to join you and provide a feed from the Granada / Malaga area in Spain....
I was curious because Air Seychelles flight normally originate at LHR and route out over Kent heading South East, so where could this guy be going...
Flightaware couldn't identify the flight number so out of curiosity I went to the Air Seychelles website. The search box revealed nothing for the flight number but then I caught a glimpse of something in the Latest News box...
Here is a press release;
"Air Seychelles chosen to fulfil UK Ministry Of Defence South Atlantic Airbridge
Main News Page
Monday 1 February 2010
An Air Seychelles B767-300ER yesterday, Sunday 24’th December 2010 commenced flights on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence from Brize Norton Air Force Base, located in Oxfordshire England, to the Ascension Islands and then onto the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic off the southern tip of South America.
This will be the only scheduled air link to the islands of Ascension and Falklands and is commonly known as the South Atlantic Airbridge.
Both Ascension Islands (Wide Awake Airfield) and RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falklands are isolated airfields. Given that Mahe is also considered an isolated airfield with no nearby suitable alternate aerodromes the operational experience the national airline has, played heavily in the airlines favour in the selection process. Likewise being one of the world’s most experienced B767 operators with over 20 years extended range operations and having a meaningful fleet of aircraft, Air Seychelles was considered the best choice.
We are delighted and proud that Air Seychelles was the airline of choice for such an important mission. To enable this operation to be effectively conducted one of the airline’s five B767’s, a B767-300ER will be permanently based in the UK to carry out the twice weekly service to Ascension and onwards to the Falklands. Crews have been positioned in Ascension and the UK."
So...it was a flight from the middle of nowhere, routing via another middle of nowhere and terminating at yet another middle of nowhere!
Nowhere...not quite the end of the world but you can see it mostly from 35000 feet!
Thanks to those who provide the feeds for this great service; one day I'll be able to afford to join you and provide a feed from the Granada / Malaga area in Spain....
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