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City Star Airlines was founded in 2005 as a subsidiary of Atlandsflug ehf and based at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland. City Star Airlines operated 3 Dornier 328-110 airliners. From 18 September 2006 until the summer of 2007, City Star Airlines flew a Monday, Wednesday and Friday service Stavanger-Groningen vv. Dornier 328 TF-CSB was delivered in September 2005. After the collapse of City Star Airlines on 30 January 2008, Dornier TF-CSB was inpounded at Aberdeen. The registration TF-CSB was cancelled in April 2008. City Star Airlines used IATA code: X9, ICAO code: ISL and callsign: ISLANDIA. Dornier 328 TF-CSB was photographed by Jack Poelstra on 22 September 2006.

bmi regional operates a Monday to Friday service Aberdeen-Groningen vv, using an Embraer ERJ-135 or a ERJ-145 Jet. Tickets for this service can be ordered via their website. The ERJ-135 is a 37-seat development of the ERJ-145 and was flown first on 4 July 1980. One of the EMBRAER Regional Jet aircraft used by bmi regional on the service is the 2001-built ERJ-135ER G-RJXJ, which was photographed by Jack Poelstra on 10 June 2004. The G-RJXJ (ex. PT-SVS) was registered in the UK with British Midland Airways Ltd. on 7 July 2001. The 2001-built ERJ-135ER Regional Jet is operated since with bmi regional.

Eastern Airways operates on Monday and Friday a private service Norwich-Groningen vv flown with the Jetstream 41. Their Jetstream 4102 G-MAJV was photographed by Jack Poelstra on 9 June 2006. The G-MAJV was registered on with Air Kilroe Ltd., trading as Eastern Airways, on 10 April 2006. This 29-seat Jetstream J41 is one of four leased from BAE Systems Regional Aircraft by the fast growing Eastern Airways. Including these four aircraft, Eastern operates 21 Jetstream 41 aircraft, making Eastern Airways the world’s largest fleet operator of the type. In addition, the airline operates four 18-seat Jetstream 32s.

The Cirrus Design SR20 and SR22 aeroplanes for Europe and Africa are delivered out of Duluth, Minnesota in the USA via Eelde. General Enterprises b.v. at Eelde airfield is the agent for Europe and Africa. On 28 June 2004, the TFHS - Trafikflyg Högskollan / Lund University School of Aviation (LUSA) signed an order for delivery of 5 Cirrus SR20g2 aircraft as a replacement for their ageing Scottish Aviation Bulldogs in use for their basic aviation training. On 28 February 2005, the Cirrus SR20s were photographed by Jack Poelstra prior delivery to Sweden.

The 1949-built North American F-86A-5-NA Sabre G-SABR (ex. N68388, N178) of Golden Apple Operations. was one of the highlights at the Airshow Eelde 2005 on 27 August 2005. This ancient fighter-jet is powered by a General Electric Co J-47-13 engine. The Sabre flew a nice performance together with another classic jet, Golden Apple's T-bird, the Lockheed CT-33AN Silver Star G-TBRD "21261/261". At the Airshow Eelde 2005 the North American F-86A was painted in the U.S. Air Force FU-178 serial 8178 (48-0178) colours. Airshow Eelde 2005 was closed with an air show presented by the Breitling Jet Team with six Aero L-36C Albatross jet training aircrafts.

The bulk of the holiday charters out of Groningen is flown by Transavia Airlines. In the summer of 2010 Transavia flies to Las Palmas; Faro; Mallorca; Tenerife; Heraklion; Corfu; Kos; Rhodos; Antalya and Dalaman. It is possible to book the flight as a regular service on a number of these destinations. Transavia operates the Boeing 737-700 and 737-800. During the summer 2007, three Transavia Boeing 737's wear logo jet colours for the Dutch supermarket Jumbo. Boeing 737-8K2 s/n 28248 l/n 1126 flew first on 17 April 2002 and is owned by International Lease Finance Corporation. The Boeing was registered PH-HZX with Transavia Airlines CV as holder on 26 April 2002. Since this the Boeing was sub-leased by Transavia twice to Sun Country Airlines.

Sky Airlines operates the Boeing 737-400, Airbus A.321-231 and Airbus A.320-211 on the holiday charters Groniongen-Antalya. The Turkish charter airliner Sky Airlines (SHY) was established in 2000 as an affiliate of the KayiGroup, located in Antalya. In 2009, Sky Airlines operates six Boeing 737-400, one Boeing 737-800, two Airbus A.320-211 and two Airbus A.321-231 airliners. Airbus A.320-211 c/n 148 was test flown as F-WWDO on 30 November 1990. On 14 February 1991, the aircraft was delivered as JA8383 to All Nippon Airways in Japan. In March 2008, the aircraft was withdrawn from use with ANA and the Airbus was registered N148LC in the US. After the Airbus was delivered to Sky Airlines registration N148LC was cancelled. The Airbus A.320-211 entered service with Sky as TC-SKK.

LZ-CBE Antonov An-12B c/n 6343708

Heli Air Services (HLR) is based at Sofia Airport, Bulgaria. Heli Air started in 1990 as a helicopter operator. In 2006, Heli Air is operating scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo air transport, aerial works, offshore operations, air ambulance and fire fighting. Early 2006, Heli Air Services operated a fleet of a single Mil Mi-8 MTV and seven Mil Mi-8 helicopters, six L-410 and four AN-12 airliners. The AN-12 cargo aircraft operated by Heli Air can carry up to 20 tones at a distance of 1,300 km. Their Antonov An-12B LZ-CBE came in at Groningen Airport Eelde on 24 February 2006. Jack Poelstra photographed the aircraft on 26 February when it departed to Dakar loaded with 12 tones cargo.

On 23 April 2009, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden visited the province of Groningen. The Swedish royals departed at the end of their visit to the Netherlands from Groningen Airport Eelde in the Swedish Air Force Gulstream GIV-SP 102004 '024'. The Swedish Air Force operates this GIV-SP, designated as Tp-102C, in the VIP transport rule for the Swedish Royal Family and the government. The 1996-built Gulfstream Aerospace GIV-SP c/n 1274 was registered LV-WOM with Sogma SA in Argentina in March 1996. The aircraft entered services with the Swedish Air Force in October 2000. Gulfstream G-IVSP 102004 is operated by Svenska Flygvapnet Transportflygenhet F-17M / Swedish Air Force Transport unit F-17M at Stockholm-Bromma.

On 27 April 2006, Flying Bulls came in at Groningen Airport Eelde with their ancient Douglas DC-6B N996DM. This aircraft has a long history. It was delivered first on 24 October 1958 as YU-AFA to JAT - Jugoslavenski Aero Transport. In 1961 the aircraft was transferred to the Yugoslav Air Force as 7451. The DC-6B was converted to a luxury plane and operated as a VIP aircraft for Yugoslavian president Marshall Tito and his guests. In 1975, the aircraft went to the Zambian Air Force where it was used as a VIP aircraft for President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda. After being withdrawn from use it stood idle for over 15 years on Lusaka airport until it returned in service with NCA - Namibia Commercial Aviation. Nowadays the Douglas DC-6B is operated by the Flying Bulls and stationed at Salzburg in Austria.

All photos on this site are copyrighted by international copyright laws, and remain the property of the relevant photographer. Prior permission should always be sought directly from the photographer for any other means than private viewing. If no photographer is mentioned the photos on these pages are made by Jack Wolbrink.

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to insure the correctness of data. However, I disclaim any responsibility in case of any errors or omissions. I am not responsible for the content of the linked websites.

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