November, Riga/Vilnius
Long time since last but finally off to Vilnius to stripe another aircraft. Nowadays company is FL Technics and the airline is branded as "Small Planet Airlines". To get there until now you have to go via Riga since FlyLAL closed the Arlanda connections. Estonian also just started but were not an option for us. Leaving Arlanda on a 737 late sunday evening arriving at Riga in darkness. Barely visible in the woods on the far side, a couple of Il76 tails from Inversija as well as a Tu134 in Aeroflot silver colors on a remote apron next to the terminal. Otherwise only green tails everywhere and the only pictured aircraft during the trasit stop was YL-BCB of SmartLynx. Boarding another 737 bound for Vilnius arriving after midnight and then directly to the hotel.
Copyright © Ola Carlsson


After breakfast at the Hotel Panorama, we headed for the hangars. FL Technics has an extensive 737 maintenance going on and there are plans to expand into Airbus maintenance as well. There were several 737's parked around the facilities and among them KLD Avia, Skyexpress, Yamal, Donavia, Europe Airpost, Transaero and Belavia. Our target this time was LY-FLC, one of Small Planets 737's flying sofar only with fuselage titles. Now it was to get the full tail colors as well. In the evening Carpaccio and a Pepper STeak at the usual place downtown and then back to the hotel for a good nights sleep.
Copyright © Ola Carlsson


Back at the airport in the morning finishing the tail and then afternoon flight on a Fokker to Riga, again arriving in complete darkness. Another SmartLynx YL-LCG was parked next to the other and this ex Freebird aircraft was new to me.
Copyright © Ola Carlsson