Three years old! It all started back in 2014 as a trial, today it seems to have a life of its own. Usually this is of course full of 1:400 scale model photos, but this time we’re going to have some real shots, because on my way to one of the most fascinating weeks anyone could have wanted to spend in Washington DC, the evening before there was a rare opportunity to see and photograph aircraft departing Heathrow, Eastbound. Which means many have to do a 180 degree turn to go West and Southwest, and the Far East routes require a 90 degree turn to the Northeast. I rarely get the chance to spot as it is, but this was an opportunity like no other for me!

So between the photos a few details about the blog and what’s happened, and what’s going to happen in the next year. If you like the photos, that’s a bonus. Why the real thing and not models? Because every one of us wants to be on or near the real thing! I took all of these at the spotting zone in the Premiere Inn ‘garden’, which even has cut-ins to the hedges for those with ladders! And they do, but not on this day, 9th May.

1400Reviews-Heathrow9May2017PM-CpywrtJonChamps2017 44 — Kenya Airways 788 5Y-KZA

FACT ONE: 294,408 Unique visitors in 12 months. Some blogs do that a day, some in a week, some in a month, but when you think of the subject matter that’s just awesome!

1400Reviews-Heathrow9May2017PM-CpywrtJonChamps2017 49 — BA A321 G-MEDU

FACT TWO: Those visitors read 936,217 pages.

1400Reviews-Heathrow9May2017PM-CpywrtJonChamps2017 48 — Lufthansa A320neo D-AIND (and below)

FACT THREE: Changing demographics show that while the percentage of visitors from the United States continues to fall, the number of unique visitors from the US continues to rise. Why? Because readership in The Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Mexico and Indonesia, Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have risen significantly. Along with sharp growth in Australia, Brazil, and Germany. All countries showed growth in readership, but it’s very much about where the models are available people want to read about.

FACT FOUR: Biggest readerships are 1=USA, 2=UK, 3=Canada, 4=Australia, 5=Singapore, 6=Japan, 7=Germany, 8=Taiwan, 9=Hong Kong, 10=Philippines

1400Reviews-Heathrow9May2017PM-CpywrtJonChamps2017 47 — One of Flybe’s new Heathrow based Dash-8’s, G-PRPL

FACT FIVE: Most read review: Phoenix Star Wars R2D2 ANA 789

1400Reviews-Heathrow9May2017PM-CpywrtJonChamps2017 46 — TAP Portugal A319-112 CS-TTR

FACT SIX: Most downloaded photo: A359 Comparison test from 2015!

1400Reviews-Heathrow9May2017PM-CpywrtJonChamps2017 45 — BA A380 G-XLEE makes a 180 degree turn right

FACT SEVEN: An article that criticizes a model heavily – especially if it arrives damaged, gets more feedback than a good review about a good model, but a good model review gets reposted 1.5 times more, and shared on Facebook more quickly.

1400Reviews-Heathrow9May2017PM-CpywrtJonChamps2017 40 — SAS A320 OY-KAL

THE FUTURE: Last November I introduced advertising to try and balance the nearly $300 a year of running the website. As I said then, it’s the principal that it pays for itself that matters. Well what can I say? Six months in and it’s made $700 – The excess each year will be donated 50-50 to Coventry Aviation Museum just up the road from me, and Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos California, (which is also up the road from me at certain times of the year), because I love them both.

1400Reviews-Heathrow9May2017PM-CpywrtJonChamps2017 39 — Delta 763ER N1605

Reviews: It’s going to stay at two per week for now, three is no longer sustainable, there aren’t the models – I don’t need loads of Chinese airlines – availability is often patchy and it can take ages to get some of them here in good time, if they have to be sourced from overseas – and many are. If JC Wings get their finger out and start making models on a regular, rather than haphazard basis, it would help!