Off Topic: Strange Things at Stuttgart Airport

Today I departed Stuttgart Airport via KLM 1870 to Amsterdam. And as usual when I am on an airport, I am on the lookout for strange and unexpected planes and things that happen. Today was really cool in this respect.

First, while I was walking around outside the airport to spend some time until the
plane boarded, I saw a large 4-engines plane take off. By the time I realised something special was going on (because there typically aren't any large 4-engines planes around in Stuttgart, except the small Avro RJs and easily distinguishable C-5, C-141, C-130 and C-17) the plane was already directly over me and quickly disappeared into the clouds. As far as I can tell, it has been either a Boeing 747 or (more likely!) an A380. I have not seen any of those in Stuttgart before.

Then it became even better. Peering to the cargo/military area of Stuttgart, I saw
an E-6 Mercury, basically another version of the Boeing 707/C-135 series. What's interesting about the E-6 is that it is used for communication with nuclear submarines. It has this real long (several kilometers!) antenna that can be reeled from the tail of the plane to collect the very-long-wavelength signals of submersed submarines. I wonder what this plane did in Stuttgart. Maybe there are US subs in the Bodensee :-) ?

Finally, when we taxied out to the runway I saw a small business jet (some Hawker thing, I guess) being intercepted by a follow-me car, stop on the taxiway, and open the door. Very strange.

Anyway, if anybody can provide me with explanations for all of those sightings, I'd be happy to hear from you!  permalink