Jon Searles' photos with the keyword: aeroport

This Airlony Skylane UL, another plane classified as a microlight under Czech regulations, is also operated by Franair, hence the livery. Based aerodynamically on the Cessna Skylane, although only loosely, it is scaled down, and powered by a 100-horsepower Rotax 912 engine (similar to the Zephyr, although Franair's Zephyr only has an 80-horsepower Rotax) rather than the 235-horsepower Lycoming 0-540-J3C5D used in the original Cessna. This makes it smaller than any plane currently made by Cessna other than the Skycatcher, which it can still outperform. It is also far cheaper, although it is a higher-end aircraft than the Atec Zephyr.

This is an Atec Zephyr 2002LS microlight, which is actually Czech made. Microlight planes are fairly popular in the Czech Republic due to their relatively low cost (comparable to a car), and greater capability than a traditional ultralight. In fact, some of them rival lower-end light transports in certain aspects of their performance. Microlights are a legal category used for some planes classified as ultralights in some countries, but not in others (the term "microlight" is used in several jurisdictions). This means that they are heavier than ultralights but lighter than light transports, with some characteristics of both. Many could almost be flown IFR, but generally microlights are only legal for VFR. Therefore, it is common to fly them VFR at under 4,000 feet, at speeds under about 115 m.p.h. or so, compared to about the same speed for a single-engine light transport, and half that speed for a traditional ultralight (even slower in some jurisdictions). The Atec Zephyr is one of the most popular microlights in the Czech Republic, but there has been talk of discontinuing it in favour of the newer Atec Faeta. When I checked the Atec website today, however, it appeared that the Zephyr was still in production. This Zephyr is operated by Franair, a flight school based in Kladno.

This is a taxiway, but looks like a runway. In actuality, the runway is off in the distance, at the end of the taxiway. The only runway at Hradec Kralove Airport is 7874X197 feet, the length in meters being 2400 (the 197-foot width converts to 60.05m), meaning that it can service small jets and lightly loaded jet airliners and cargo planes. At least one website says that there is jet fuel on hand for those who need it. Strangely, I never found where the planes are parked, as so many other things go on at the airport (mentioned earlier) that the fencing is really confusing. What's secure, and what isn't??? After all, I was standing in the middle of the taxiway, and that apparently was alright, although I shot this photo through a fence they had set up near one end. Looking down the runway at that gantry, I assumed it was for drag racing, meaning that on this day the airport must have been closed to flights (the racers would have crossed the runway on a pass, but of course this is all speculation on my part). Not much information is available online. Google Earth seems to show parking that would be to the right in this photo quite far behind those trees.

On the subject of motorsports, I found this modified APC at the airport, by all appearances in running order, but strictly for peaceful purposes. Because it's modded, I don't know exactly the make and model. It could be a Polish OT-64, as the photos of those available online seem to match it best. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:POL_Warsaw_Bemowo_.JPG

Hradec Kralove Airport used to be an air base, as evidenced by the many old military hangars there. Today it is overshadowed by the nearby Pardubice Airport, but remains open not only as a general aviation airport but also as an exhibition ground, hosting motorsports events, concerts, skateboarding events, and extreme sports.

The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch was originally a Nazi German spy plane, but remained in production long after the fall of the Nazi regime, with a number of variants and manufacturers. It is often credited with being one of the first purpose-built STOL aircraft, simply because it has enough lift to take off and land in a very short distance, in spite of its conventional design. I don't know the background of this particular aircraft, but I noted that its cockpit appeared to be fully modern. The newest version of the Storch that I found online was this one: www.slepcevstorch.com The Slepcev is only 3/4 the size of the original, which looks close to the size of the aircraft in the photo.

This is a view of the runway at Rokycany airport, which is grass, although some of the taxiways have been trampled to dirt. Because it's a grass runway, it's hard to see in this photo.

This is one of the hangars at the Rokycany airport. For a sport airport that can only service the smallest aircraft, Rokycany has ampler facilities than average, including a tower and snack bar.

This was another shot that I took of the A380 with the next roll of film. Unfortunately, I had to change rolls as it was taxiing towards us, but luckily, it was going very slow. This might be my best of the bunch.

Here's another shot of an odd section of New York. That airport down there isn't LaGuardia, it isn't JFK, it isn't Newark, it isn't MacArthur, or even the now-closed Flushing, but rather is Floyd Bennet Field, which has some claim to being the city's oldest airport, being built in 1929, although Flushing was actually built in 1927, as was Republic. Roosevelt field, the origin of Lindbergh's transatlantic flight, was even older, dating to 1917, but it doesn't survive today, having been replaced by a mall. Therefore, Floyd Bennet Field's claim to being the oldest in the New York area is very dubious, although it's probably the second oldest within the official city limits (Flushing would be the oldest, I think). It's now a museum, and features some of the oldest surviving airport buildings in the United States, and therefore the world, dating back to 1930. It doesn't host regular flights anymore, meaning that Republic can lay claim to being the New York area's oldest functioning airport within New York State, although Teterboro airport in New Jersey is even older, dating to 1917, and is owned by the Port Authority of New York.