Ukrainian visitor to Okęcie

Above: A Ukrainian Air Force Antonov An-30 coming into land at Okęcie. The aerial survey version of the widely-built An-24 is distinguishable by its extensively glazed nose and the raised cockpit position above the fuselage. Like most passenger airports, the bulk of traffic at Okęcie is composed of vanilla-flavoured Boeing 737s and Airbus 320s, seasoned with ATR-42s and -72s. So it's interesting to get a rare visitor from the east.

This particular aircraft is taking part in the Open Skies programme, under which the air forces on either side of the former Iron Curtain can overfly the territories of their former adversaries to promote openness. It seems from the OSCE website pages about Open Skies that the Ukrainian Air Force surveys German territory, so it's possible that this aircraft is refuelling on its way out or home.

PHOTO UPDATE 20 SEPTEMBER 2009

Below: A Bulgarian Open Skies An-30 has been flying into and around Warsaw these past few weeks. Here it is taking off from Okęcie, 12:50 CET.

A better photo showing the same plane landing, this time in Germany, here.