This article is from page 21 of the 2013-06-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
SHANNON boasts Ireland’s longest r unway and is to play host to the world’s largest charter airline, after the decision announced last week by Thomson Ai rlines to use Clare’s international air por t as a training base for pilots on its Boeing Dreamliner passenger jets.
Thomson Airways officially took deliver y of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner last week, making it the first British car rier to receive one of the jets – with the leisure car rier’s deliver y flight leaving Boeing’s factory in Washington for Manchester.
The next stop is Shannon as it’s one of several ai rports selected for training flights – the other airports being Cardiff, Doncaster Sheffield, Newquay, Prestwick and Hanover.
“Thomson have indicated to us that they wish to use Shannon for a series of touch-and-go procedures for a three-week period in June,” said Head of Operations and Services at Shannon Air por t Niall Maloney.
“Shannon has always been to the forefront of flight training and new technology and has a proud history of facilitating all types of aircraft. Concorde trained here as did the Ai rbus A380 while several ai rlines continue to use Shannon for training “Thomson’s decision to use Shannon fur ther highlights the potential of the ai rport with the longest r unway in Ireland and excellent weather conditions for such training flights,” Mr Maloney added.
The Dreamliner jets have been beset with difficulties since entering service last year. Ai rlines operating the Dreamliner were forced to ground them in Januar y following a number of serious incidents involving overheating batteries. Operators have however started to return their jets to service after Boeing remedied the problem.
Shannon was the first commercial air por t outside the US that a Boeing 787 Dreamliner visited and the jet has visited the ai rport five times in the past three years.