Aer Lingus A319 (EI-ETG) Flight Testing off West Coast Currently

radar0976

Aer Lingus A319 (EI-ETG) Flight Testing off West Coast Currently. See attachment screenshot from Plane Finder.

MoodeRator

what app is that you are using please?

radar0976

MoodeRator wrote: »

what app is that you are using please?

Plane Finder for iPhone.

Tenger

Not questioning what the app told you. Does it also give a/c info and flight number?

Looking at your app shot, I would agree that it is a test flight. However I would guess it is not the EI A319 but rather another aircraft in Dublin for MX stuff.

Look at the other flights in the screenshot. An EI flight would have a special EI flight number rather than just a reg (EI990 or EI2990 are codes that have been used in the past for EI test flights)


Strangely airframes.org has no info on this reg:
http://www.airframes.org/reg/eietg

bkehoe

EI-ETG has been in DUB; a quick google threw up this; http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcdee6174/6263872416/in/photostream/ - unpainted outside of hanger 6 in October.

radar0976

Tenger wrote: »

Not questioning what the app told you. Does it also give a/c info and flight number?

Looking at your app shot, I would agree that it is a test flight. However I would guess it is not the EI A319 but rather another aircraft in Dublin for MX stuff.

Look at the other flights in the screenshot. An EI flight would have a special EI flight number rather than just a reg (EI990 or EI2990 are codes that have been used in the past for EI test flights)


Strangely airframes.org has no info on this reg:
http://www.airframes.org/reg/eietg

ATC in Shannon were referring to it as EI-ETG ("Echo India Echo Tango Golf") also. It shows up in airfleets.net as being an EI aircraft since 13th October 2011.

bkehoe

A further Google shows it as being scheduled for delivery to Brussels Airlines so no doubt being brought on a test flight before handover to them. Originally an Iberia aircraft delivered in 2007.

http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-a319-3255.htm

radar0976

bkehoe wrote: »

A further Google shows it as being scheduled for delivery to Brussels Airlines so no doubt being brought on a test flight before handover to them. Originally an Iberia aircraft delivered in 2007.

http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-a319-3255.htm

Wonder why Aer Lingus only had it leased for a few months and never used it ?

L1011

radar0976 wrote: »

Wonder why Aer Lingus only had it leased for a few months and never used it ?

Never any intent to use it till the summer and likely not even paying for the lease yet, the Brussels job could be a very short lease. The lessor had no storage for it it seems, Aer Lingus did.

edit: though seeing "unpainted" mentioned there this might be a different a/c than the one they have in a hanger, painted.

N7777G

radar0976 wrote: »

Wonder why Aer Lingus only had it leased for a few months and never used it ?

Simple answer, they didn't lease it at any stage.

This A319 was registered to Bank of America Leasing Ireland Ltd. on 06/10/2011. It arrived (all white) in Dublin on 13/10/2011 and was painted in Brussels Airlines colours by Eirtech Aviation during December and is due to become OO-SSW.

CaptainSkidmark

radar0976 wrote: »

ATC in Shannon were referring to it as EI-ETG ("Echo India Echo Tango Golf") also. It shows up in airfleets.net as being an EI aircraft since 13th October 2011.

i heard SNN tower talking to EICTG last night at around 2am!!! im ALMOST positive

Tenger

MYOB wrote: »

Never any intent to use it till the summer and likely not even paying for the lease yet, the Brussels job could be a very short lease. The lessor had no storage for it it seems, Aer Lingus did.

edit: though seeing "unpainted" mentioned there this might be a different a/c than the one they have in a hanger, painted.

EI never had this aircraft. They already have EI-EPR fully painted in storage since July in their hanger. Their other A319 (EI-EPT) has been stored in MAD, was taken out for repainting over the last 1-2 weeks.

Blue Punto

EI-EPR & EI-EPT are the two Aerlingus aircraft

This is EI-ETG

EI-ETG by niallsaviation, on Flickr

Never an Aerlingus aircraft

L1011

Tenger wrote: »

EI never had this aircraft. They already have EI-EPR fully painted in storage since July in their hanger. Their other A319 (EI-EPT) has been stored in MAD, was taken out for repainting over the last 1-2 weeks.

Thought that it might not have been the hangered one when I saw "unpainted" mentioned (hence the sneaky edit), was just going on the OP calling it an Aer Lingus plane.

checkerboard

Here is EI-ETG arriving back into Dublin following its airtest earlier today.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elevationair/6675095255/in/photostream

ohigg84

What year build are the destined to be EI A319s?

Blue Punto

Build date is 2008

ohigg84

Blue Punto wrote: »

Build date is 2008

Thanks. But why would Iberia dispose of such relatively new build aircraft?

I mean IB still operate A320s they first acquired from the early 1990s..

Tenger

ohigg84 wrote: »

Thanks. But why would Iberia dispose of such relatively new build aircraft?

I mean IB still operate A320s they first acquired from the early 1990s..

Don't look at them as aircraft, look at them as recurring financial costs to the airline.

Perhaps the older aircraft are wholly owned (Like the last 3 EI A321's) thus IB want to get as much use as they can from them. The newer aircraft in their fleet may be leased aircraft that they were able to terminate the lease early to relieve themselves of that financial burden. Perhaps the older leased aircraft are better terms and/or have early termination penalties.

My guess is the IB (along with many other European airlines) looked at their entire fleet/network and decided how they could scale back at bit at the lowest cost to the company.

We know these aircraft are owned by a leasing company. With 2 in storage for 6 months I guess they had a hard time finding a customer. I would assume EI got a generous leasing deal on them.

EDIT: Just read that AA are using their Chapter 11 status to reject the leases of some of their aircraft. This shows what airlines try to do to lower their cost base.

radar0976

She has just taken off from Dublin as flight BEL9902 (squawk 0271). Presumably this is her ferry flight to Brussels ?

urajoke

It took off as EI-ETG as per flight plan and ATC. BEL9902 is being transmitted by it's MODE S.

radar0976

urajoke wrote: »

It took off as EI-ETG.

I noticed that alright. I guess she doesn't assume her new reg until she gets to Brussels ?

Tenger

radar0976 wrote: »

I noticed that alright. I guess she doesn't assume her new reg until she gets to Brussels ?

Probably legally still property of the leasing company until the handover is done and she takes up her new reg.

e46318ise

Was it ever actually in the EI fleet? the reg does not fit in with the other EI 319's EI-EP(x)

AfterDusk

e46318ise wrote: »

Was it ever actually in the EI fleet? the reg does not fit in with the other EI 319's EI-EP(x)

Scroll up.

As discussed a few posts ago it's not an EI aircraft.