Midlands Connect to speak for the region with one voice in winning future investment for transport

Midlands Connect to speak for the region with one voice in winning future investment for transport
27th June 2014

A new group is to champion strategic transport investment across the entire Midlands region.  Midlands Connect is a collaboration of Midlands-wide local enterprise partnerships (LEPs), Network Rail, the Highways Agency, local authorities and the business community.  At a breakfast meeting at Birmingham Airport business leaders from across the region came together to discuss the way ahead.

A major economic study, the first phase of Midlands Connect, is examining and assessing where connectivity improvements are likely to have the greatest long-term impact on employment and the economy.

Cllr Roger Lawrence, (pictured) chairman of the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority which formally approved the launch of Midlands Connect, said working as one body in identifying areas for investment to then maximise growth potential would be key.

“It is only with a clear and unified voice that the Midlands can really punch its weight and realise its true potential,” he said.

“By talking to businesses and pulling together growth plans from the local enterprise partnerships we can create an integrated scheme that serves economic need and is supported by good transport.

“HS2 may be some years away but it is going to be a game-changer for this region. We have to get connectivity to it planned in advance so that we can maximise economic growth and our ability to move around.”

The economic study launched by Midlands Connect is due to conclude in July and the group has already begun to seek funding from the government and other sources.

Once up and running it will then focus on:
Developing an integrated plan for improved connectivity to HS2
Addressing east-west Midlands connections
Addressing capacity for freight movements
Improving connectivity to international markets via the region’s airports

Links have already been established by West Midlands LEPs and chambers of commerce with their counterparts in the east Midlands. The East Midlands councils have also expressed support.

Andrew Cleaves, chairman of the West Midlands Cross-Local Enterprises Transport Group said: “These are early days but already there is a consensus across the entire region that working together on improving our transport infrastructure is far more effective than as individual bodies.

“Economic progress is not governed by municipal boundaries - developments at somewhere like Birmingham Airport or on the M1 can have an impact all over the Midlands, so we need to capture that and use it to our advantage.”

Slo-Mo landings - midsummer 2014

By flugsnug
Published on 21 Jun 2014

Slo-Mo landings - midsummer 2014
Some slow-motion shots of recent approaches and touchdowns at Birmingham Airport BHX.

Includes Pakistan International 777-200 and Air Transat Airbus A310.

Birmingham Airport BHX Gulfstream N413QS landing and crossing runway.

By marcel911
Published on 22 Jun 2014

Birmingham Airport BHX Gulfstream N413QS landing and crossing runway.
Approach and landing of a Gulfstream Business jet N413QS.

I am not sure where he flew from but you can here the pilot is American.

Recorded with Panasonic HC-W850 from Sheldon Park.

Because of the hot weather and uninterupted sun and the 50x zoom required, the heat haze is extreme, so apologies for that.

The audio from the tower is being picked up from a receiver next to me. Unfortunatly there were lots of kids about so it is not at clear as it could have been.

Also there was significant instability because of the long zoom so some stabilisation in post has tightened the framing more than I would have liked.

This is only my 2nd time videoing aircraft so I am very much a beginner.

Magic of the World Cup - 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Livery

By marcel911
Published on 15 Jun 2014

First visit to Birmingham Airport BHX. For anyone visiting BHX for the first time this is what you can expect to get when setup on the footpath across the A45 in the middle of the landing lights. I was using a Samsung GC100 camera with a zoom equivalent to 420mm. Not the easiest camera to zoom with while recording. Excuse the wind noise. There is not much to hear anyway as the aircraft are drowned out by the traffic.

The magic of the World Cup came to Birmingham Airport (BHX) on 12th June 2014.
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil" Livery / Logo A6-ECV B77W Emirates EK39 (UAE39) EK40 (UAE40) Dubai

TUIfly Boeing 737-8K5 D-AHFY operated their weekly IT/inclusive tour flight to Palma

Piaggio P-180 Avanti landing BHX

By funslugg
Published on 14 Jun 2014

Piaggio P-180 Avanti landing at Birmingham Airport BHX
Amazing little pusher-prop design with cruise speed of nearly 400 knots, owned by Danish Crown.

Spitfire G-RRGN Flypast over Birmingham Airport to mark airport's 75th anniversary

By domyates's channel
Published on 18 Jun 2014

Spitfire at BHX, 18th June 2014, 19:40. Flypast over Runway 33. Such a beautiful engine sound. Filmed from the Elmdon Apron with an iPhone 5.


By Ryan Kirkpatrick
Published on 18 Jun 2014

The Spitfire soared into the skies as part of Birmingham Airport’s 75th anniversary celebrations. The Rolls-Royce Supermarine 389 Spitefire DR19 (G-RRGN) flew over Birmingham Airport (BHX) runway 33 at 19.38 on 18th June 2014. Almost 12,000 Spitfires were believed to have been made at the Castle Bromwich factory, nearly half of all those built.

The Midlands airport was officially opened on a rainy Saturday on the 8th July 1939 by HRH The Duchess of Kent, but just two months later the Second World War broke out and the Air Ministry requisitioned the airport so all civil flying was stopped.

On Monday 8th July 1946, exactly seven years after the airport’s official opening, the facility was reopened for civil flying and over the next seven and a half decades more than 200 million people have used the airport.

Originally operating from the ‘Elmdon’ terminal, which still stands proud on the western side of the airfield, the rapid growth in air travel in the 70s meant that a new terminal building was needed, and on the 30th May 1984 a new terminal was opened by HRH The Queen.

Although now twice the size, this remains the site for Birmingham Airport’s operation, which today sees more than nine million passengers use the facility each year.

Commenting on the milestone and the launch of a commemorative logo to use throughout the year, Paul Kehoe, Chief Executive of the Airport, said:

“Birmingham Airport has played an important role in the success of the region for 75 years. It was built with the aim of creating jobs and stimulating industry; and that it has certainly done.

“Back in the early years, only the privileged could enjoy the luxury of flying but as it became more accessible to the masses, more and more people took to the skies from Birmingham to experience the wonder of air travel and seek new adventures overseas.

“Today, Birmingham Airport continues to bring people together, delivers goods to global destinations and connects industry with opportunities around the world - reliably, safely and speedily.”

This spring, the airport opened its extended runway which allows airlines to fly further than ever before from Birmingham, including the Far East, The Americas and South Africa. The last time the runway was extended was back in 1966 by 300ft, which attracted new tour operators using jet flights allowing Birmingham Airport to thrive. Other key milestones over the last 75 years have included:

• 1949 The first post war scheduled service took off from Birmingham to Paris, operated by a BEA Dakota.
• 1955 A record 110,000 passengers used the airport during this year.
• 1959 800ft runway extension opened and name changed from Elmdon to Birmingham Airport.
• 1960 New ‘International Building’ opened at Elmdon to cope with increased passenger numbers.
• 1966 A further 300ft extension to the runway was built.
• 1978 The magic one million passenger mark was reached.
• 1980 Concorde flew from Birmingham for the first time, to Paris.
• 1984 New airport opened by HRH The Queen and operations moved to the new site.
• 1989 3.5 million passengers travelled through the new airport.
• 1991 British Airways’ Eurohub opened.
• 1998 President Clinton and other world leaders land at Birmingham Airport for the G8 Summit.
• 2000 HRH The Queen opens the new Millennium Link terminal extension.
• 2002 Passenger numbers reach 8m.
• 2003 The new Air Rail link people mover system opens, connecting the airport with Birmingham International station.
• 2009 New £45m International Pier opened.
• 2014 400m runway extension operational.
• The commemorative logo is in-keeping with the airport’s corporate brand and symbolises the 75 years, from 1939 to 2014, using aircraft icons to signify global flight. It will be used throughout the year by the airport.

For Birmingham Airport 75th Anniversary video click on link below:

http://skybrex.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/birmingham-airport-marks-its-75th.html

Foggy Arrivals & Departures at Birmingham Airport - 21/04/2014

By DMTaylor90
Published on 15 Jun 2014

Foggy Arrivals & Departures at Birmingham Airport - 21/04/2014
Back at Birmingham for the first time since the start of the year, and it wasn't the best weather in the world! But the fog did produce some wonderful vapour trails as aircraft land on Runway 15.

I managed to catch the United 757-200 arrive due to fog closing the airfield for an hour earlier in the morning. It made a splash and dash at Manchester, before returning approximately 2 hours late.

Among the usual array of aircraft at Birmingham were;

Aer Lingus Regional (Stobart Air) ATR 72
United Boeing 757-200
Helvetic Fokker 100
Thomson Airways Boeing 757-200
Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800

✈[Full HD] Air India B787 Dreamliner @ Birmingham

By HamburgMobile
Published on 10 Jun 2014

✈[Full HD] Air India B787 Dreamliner @ Birmingham Airport BHX

The music is free of license from "incompetech.com" by Kevin MacLeod and/or Dan-O at DanoSongs.com.

✈[Full HD] CLOSE DC10-30 ACTION - Takeoff Biman Bangladesh

By HamburgMobile
Published on 23 Mar 2014

CLOSE DC10-30 ACTION - Takeoff Biman Bangladesh from Birmingham Airport (BHX)

The music is free of license from "incompetech.com" by Kevin MacLeod and/or Dan-O at DanoSongs.com.

Emirates Boeing 777-300 Taxi and Takeoff Runway 15 From Birmingham Inter...

By Taariq Iqbal
Published on 10 Jun 2014

Emirates Boeing 777-300 Taxi and Takeoff Runway 15 From Birmingham International Airport With ATC

Emirates Boeing 777-300 Taxi and Takeoff Runway 15 From Birmingham International Airport (BHX) to Dubai International Airport . Video show Strong Crosswind, Surface Wind was 230 degrees at 12 Knots. Take off Time was 12:05pm. Flight Number EK40 Tail Number A6-EGQ
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Slo-Mo takeoffs from Birmingham Airport (BHX)

By flugsnug
Published on 8 Jun 2014

Slo-Mo takeoffs
Slow motion close-ups of take-offs from Birmingham Airport (BHX), including some spray shows during recent heavy rain.

The planes are: Emirates 777, Hi Fly Airbus A310 and First Choice 767.

The runway in all these shots is at its new full length of 3052 metres (10013 feet), the extension having been opened for use on 27th May 2014.