Thank you cockpitvisit for your input.

Back to Sinsheim and we all met up for coffee and a chat before dispersing our separate ways. Talk was mostly about Formula 1 cars, more cars (Trabants), the role of the RAF Harrier Force in Cold War Germany and tactical battlefield nuclear weapons - sorry if I bored everyone with those last two subjects.

cockpitvist and I also had a discussion on the NATO names for Soviet aircraft. As we in the west didn’t know the names of aircraft, they were given a code name so that if seen, they could be identified and reported.

Fighter aircraft were given a name beginning with the letter F, example, Flogger for the MiG23, Fishbed for the MiG21, Flanker for the Sukhoi Su-27.

Bombers were named starting with the letter B, example, Bear for the Tu-95, Backfire for the Tu-22, Blackjack for the Tu-160

Transport aircraft were named starting with the letter C and helicopters named starting with the letter H.

Then off to Heidelburg with my buddy for dinner and for him to see a bit more of Germany as it was his first visit.

Sunday morning was up early to pack up the luggage, fuel and return the hire car and check in our wheelie cases so we didn’t have to lug them around. Baggage drop had only 1 counter open and a queue of around 35 in the Eurotraveller section waiting. We waltzed up to the front of the empty Club Europe queue and stepped forward once the person in front was finished. I did expect to hear some complaints from those behind us but nothing happened. Question to the forum, should I self report to the DYKWIA thread ​​​​​in the British Airway forum?

Coffee and a blueberry muffin and then up onto the viewing terrace for a look around.


Seating and a cafe - why can’t we do this at UK airports?


Viewing terrace with cafe


Aeroplanes

Is there a law in Germany that states that every airport must have an Antonov 2 somewhere on it? It seems that way; I flew around northern Germany for 3 days in 2023 and every small airport had one quietly rotting away, just like the one below.


Antonov An-2: NATO reporting name - Colt

Through Fast Track, which had to be the slowest security experience ever with 6 in front who obviously had never been to an airport before and were going into the body scan with belts on, keys or money in pocket and bottles of water in baggage.

Into the lounge and met up with those FTers who were on our flight, including TPRun, who I had not met before now. Much hilarity ensued while drinking bubbles and listening to the experience of “Roadkill” getting through security.
cockpitvisit was away off to Hahnweide, Cymro had departed FRA much earlier and although WiSK was still alive, was on a later flight to somewhere else, so I never got to meet him on this trip.


Entrance to the contract lounge


Food


More food


Even more food


One of the seating sections


Loved these seats with their own little table attached

Flight was delayed an hour and when we got on board, delayed some more. JapesUK was in his usual 1C with Redmongoose and Mrs. Redmongoose (what is your actual username anyway - is it Roadkill?) in 1D and F. TPRun and I were in Povvo Club, row 10 and because the APU was unserviceable and the air conditioning not running, we could hear JapesUK engaging in banter with the IFL.

Flight was delayed for a further hour on the ground, TPRun and I were able to chat for a bit and then we got going. Not much else to report other than we had to hold to the north east of Heathrow due to weather slowing down the arrival rate and it was a bit wet when we landed.


Povvo Club - row 10 on a BA A319


In flight wingshot


Our routing


A quick twirl round the hold on the way to Heathrow runway 09L


A bit damp


Our aircraft, Airbus A319 G-DBCA

Once on stand, those in Club Europe did a runner and left me to help TPRun with his baggage until he was off the aircraft; never saw the others after that, they took off like a stabbed rat. I think that JapesUK was off to his second home in the CCR.

That’s it, a successful trip; beer, aeroplanes, schnitzel, currywurst and a FT meet up, what more could anyone want from a weekend. See you at the next one?