DFW | August 2009 | 18L/18R Depatures | New spot!

Tail number B-18706 is a Boeing 747-400F built and delivered to China Airlines in February 2001. Departing off 18R on the first of many mild mornings to come! What a nice break to get to spot and not get A) Sunburned B) Dehydrated C)Sweat more than all the Sweathogs combined.

Triple-slotted flaps. Check. Krueger flaps. Check. FOUR engines. Check. What's not to love here, folks?

"Dynasty 25 Heavy, contact departure on 124.25, good day......"

I these shots in full manual and manual focus for the first time. A bit too overexposed, but I'm pleased how they came out. It just gives me an excuse to go out another morning and try again. And again. And again ;)

Right behind the China Airlines Cargo departure off 18R was ABX Air/DHL's 767-200F. not many of these left in US skies I believe, so each one I catch with the camera is a keeper. This particular aircraft, N752AX, is a regular at DFW in its bright yellow and red DHL color scheme always a treat to see.

Built in April 1987 for All Nippon Airways of Japan, it was leased for a short while to Japanese startup carrier Skymark before reverting back to ANA. In 2005 it was purchased by ABX and converted to freighter configuration by Israeli Aircraft Industries in April 2005.

Now that's some seriously worn out corogard! The simplified flaps of the Boeing 767 make an interesting contrast to the more complex arrangement of the Boeing 747.

ABX Air uses the radio call sign "Abex". Can't recall the flight number on this one, but it's the regular departure from DFW just after 800am.

NTx airNEWS: Dallas/Fort Worth Airport hopes to make millions by developing land around it

From the 9/5 edition of the Dallas Morning News:

With 18,000 acres, D/FW wants to turn its wealth of land into much more wealth. That includes increasing air service to bring money-spending passengers here and more commercial development to create jobs and sales tax revenue.


To that end, airport officials envision:

•More development parks such as the International Commerce Park, which the airport estimates has created 3,000 jobs.
•More entertainment and hospitality businesses, along with corporate headquarters for companies that are dependent on air travel.
•More corporate jets, drawn by $3 million worth of improved general aviation facilities.
•More airlines – especially international carriers – to be lured by bigger incentive programs that give carriers free rent for a year or more.

 I've noted the items that should be of interest to local spotters. Click the Dallas Morning News link above for the whole article.

FTW | April 2009 | Cowtown Warbird Roundup | EA-6B Prowler

  

Grumman EA-6B Prowler with Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron TWO (VMAQ-2) based at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. VMAQ-2 has operated the Prowler since 1977.

FTW | April 2009 | Cowtown Warbird Roundup | C-49 "Southern Cross"

 

 

Built originally in 1942 for American Airlines, this Douglas was delivered instead to the US Army Air Force but only spent two years in military service before being transferred back to civilian hands.

Tail number is N87745. Reviewing the registries, it had the military designation C-49J.

The Douglas C-49 was the designation given to 138 Wright Cyclone powered DC-3s impressed by the USAAF after the American entry into the Second World War. Of these 138 aircraft 75 were taken direct from the production lines (C-49, C-49A, C-49B, C-49C, six C-49Ds, C-49J and C-49K), while the remaining 63 were already in service (five Ds and E-H). Another four apparently very similar Cyclone powered DC-3s were given the designation C-84. These aircraft differed in minor details, such as the number of seats installed. Many of the aircraft that were already in service were then leased back to airlines operating on approved routes seen as important by the War Department, although rarely went back to their original owners.

DFW | August 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Avoid the heat...spot in the morning...

Mo' shots from August, this time early in the morning as I didn't feel like suffering from heatstroke out there during the afternoons.

Here's Delta's regular early morning departure for Atlanta, this time it's a Deltaflot scheme MD-88 with the tail number N919DL. This particular 88 was built and delivered to Delta back in April 1988 and has worn the old Widget scheme as well as the Interim transitional livery that came before the Deltaflot colors. Maybe one of these days it'll show up at DFW in the new Angry Widget colors.

I'd been trying to see if could get a plane that was turning onto 18L for takeoff just right so that you could see out the other cabin windows. Got it on this one. On the original you can make out the passengers' silhouettes in the windows.

United Express ERJ-170 flight arriving from Chicago O'Hare with the International Terminal in the background. This particular aircraft, N650RW, was supposed to go to Chautauqua but instead got picked up by Shuttle America who has been flying it in United Express colors since its delivery from Embraer in May 2005.

Once an independent airline with its own branding, Shuttle America went bankrupt following September 11 and in 2005 was purchased by Republic Airways which also owns other regional airlines like Chautauqua as well as mainline carriers like Midwest and now Frontier. This ERJ-170 and more like it were transferred from Chautauqua to Shuttle America as Chautauqua had been flying as American Connection and the arrival of the ERJ-170s violated the scope clauses with American Airlines, so they were shifted over Shuttle America in 2005.

One of the nicknames for Republic? Shupubliquat. Hilarious.

Rolling down Taxiway C after leaving the West Cargo complex is ABX Air's Boeing 767-200F. This particular aircraft, N752AX, is a regular at DFW in its bright yellow and red DHL color scheme always a treat to see.

Built in April 1987 for All Nippon Airways of Japan, it was leased for a short while to Japanese startup carrier Skymark before reverting back to ANA. In 2005 it was purchased by ABX and converted to freighter configuration by Israeli Aircraft Industries in April 2005.

Nice shot of ABX Air's Boeing 767-200F N752AX holding on Taxiway Y for clearance for an intersection takeoff on 18R while an American 767-300 heads to the maintenance hangars on Taxiway Z.

One of Martinaire's Cessna 208B Caravan I "Super Cargomasters" heads out for departure from their ramp which is west of the UPS ramp. Between 800 and 830am there's something like two or three Martinaire departures along with an Ameriflight Metro III. This particular Caravan, N9331B, was built back in 1987.

UPS MD-11F N273UP heads out for the east side of DFW for departure. This particular MD-11F was built and delivered in passenger configuration to Japan Airlines in June 1994 and then sold to UPS in 2003 who had STAS Singapore convert her to freighter configuration at Paya Lebar Airport before entering revenue service with UPS.

Yep, there's sumthin' not right with this here enjun'. This is N250UP that has misbehaved enough this early morning to get two guys to come, unbutton the nacelle up and go diggin' in the back side of that CF6-80C2.

This particular aircraft was built and delivered in December 1995 for the Brazilian airline VASP before it was sold to UPS and converted in Singapore into freighter configuration. As a matter of fact, N250UP is UPS's very first MD-11F.

DFW | August 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Roasted nuts...

When August rolled around, I finally had some time to start spotting again and holy crap, it must've been the hottest yet while spotting. Temps 100+ out at the airport and that's before tossing in the heat index. But it's all about planes man, so a middle finger salute to the heat and the heat haze, bastards that they are!

Skywest's CRJ-900 flying as Delta Connection on short final to 18R. This particular aircraft, N817SK, was orginally ordered as a shorter CRJ-700 but the order was switched to a CRJ-900 by Skywest and it was built and delivered in March 2007 to the airline.

First time to finally see it and there's more heat haze out there than can fit in that porta-crapper in the lower left of the shot. There were some workers doing some repairs on the perimeter road and they had quite possibly the most scenic place to go take a dump not far from the end of 18L and 18R.

But I digress.

This is Sun Country's N711SY, a Boeing 737-700 built and delivered to EasyJet in January 2002 as G-EZJJ, but then sold to Sun Country last year- repainted in Sun Country's colors in Southend in the UK before delivery to the airline's hub at Minneapolis.

Another Skywest bird, only this time it's a CRJ-700 in the colors of United Express. Built and delivered to Skywest in October 2004 and has been flying in the colors of United Express since then.

Here's Mexicana's Baby Buslet XA-UBW on the airline's daily early afternoon flight from Mexico City. This Airbus A318, XA-UBW, was built and delivered in June 2005 to aircraft leasing giant GECAS who in turn has had it leased out to Mexicana since then.

This is N804SY, one of Sun Country's Boeing 737-800s. This particular aircraft was built and delivered to leasing giant ILFC in July 2001 and they've had it leased to Sun Country since then.

Rolling out of the West Cargo complex for an intersection takeoff on 18R, this aircraft is HL7604, a Boeing 747-400F, built and delivered to Korean Air Cargo in October 2005.

Frickin' heat haze..........

Sailing in over the numbers on a charter flight from Cancun, here's Aeromexico Travel's MD-83 tail number N538MD. Originally built and delivered in January 1988 to Aeropostal of Venezuela as YV-39C, she was then sold to Aeromexico and a few years ago then passed on to the charter subsidiary Aeromexico Travel.

Heading out for an intersection takeoff on 18R, EVA Air Cargo's 747-400F tail number B-16482 was built and delivered to the airline in July 2001. In the background is an American Eagle ATR headed out.

Now arriving from Seattle, Alaska Flight 660...on time.....this Boeing 737-800 was built and delivered to Alaska in February 2006.

This is probably one of the newest planes I've shot at DFW- this TACA ERJ-190 was built and delivered to the airline just in June of this year and is arriving as TACA Flight 440 nonstop from San Salvador, El Salvador. Nice to see it on this side of the airport for a change, in the past I've had to go to the east side of DFW to get it.

Yet another Skywest CRJ, this time it's a CRJ-900 in the new Delta Connection colors. This particular jet was built and delivered to Skywest in January of this year.

My special catch for this particular day, a Ryan International Boeing 767-300 arrives on a military charter. This particular aircraft, N123DN, was built and delivered in September 1987 to Delta Airlines and you can see the basic underlying colors are still Delta's Deltaflot colors. There's even still a Skyteam logo between the forward pax door and the cockpit. She was then sold to Ryan International last year and has been operating trooping charters since then.

DFW | July 2009 | Founders' Plaza | That's a big pair of......

 Somewhat of a unique look for DFW, a conga line (of just two, but hey, after 835 MD-80s, I was excited) of 747-400Fs heading out from the West Air Cargo complex for departure. Leading the way is a Singapore Airlines Cargo bird headed to the east side for departure and behind it is a China Cargo Airlines 747-400ERF headed for an intersection departure off 18R.

This Boeing 747-400F, 9V-SFD, was built and delivered to Singapore in August 1995.

 Ahhh, B-2425. I can't even begin to count how many times I'd photographed this particular China Cargo Airlines 747-400ERF. I'm quite convinced this particular aircraft is stalking me.

DFW | July 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Mixed assortment

Frontier's "Grace the Trumpeter Swan" just seconds from touchdown on 18R while a Delta MD-88 departs in the distance from 17R on the east side. This particular Frontier aircraft, N904FR, is an Airbus A319 built in August 2001 for leasing giant GECAS who in turn has it leased out to Frontier.

Just another hot-as-habaneros day as a UPS freighter heads out from the ramp adjacent to Founders' Plaza. This particular cargo bird, N128UP, is an Airbus A300F-600R built and delivered to UPS in December 2000. Looks like she got her new colors relatively recently. It would appear that both Airliners.net and JetPhotos.Net have photos of this aircraft only in the old colors.

Close up shot of the nose of Singapore Airlines Cargo Boeing 747-400F on short final, tail number 9V-SFK, built and delivered to Singapore Airlines in February 2002.

Singapore Airlines Cargo 747-400F (tail number 9V-SFK) plants it on 18R with the International Terminal in the background. [Homer drool]Mmmmmmm....triple slotted flaps.........[/Homer drool]

American Airlines Boeing 767-300ER late afternoon arrival to DFW....This aircraft I believe was coming from South America. N395AN, built and delivered to American in June 1998. This was one of the few times I've gotten to shoot in the late afternoon and the lighting was much easier to work with than the harsh early afternoon sun when I have done most of my past spotting.

Alaska's early evening arrival from Seattle sailing in over the numbers for 18R. This aircraft, N594AS, is a Boeing 737-800 built and delivered to Alaska in March 2008.

On short final in the evening light, here's N638AA, a Boeing 757-200 built and delivered to American back in February 1991 and recently retrofitted with blended winglets.

Another one of my obligatory shots of a UPS MD-11F parked next to Founders' Plaza. This particular aircraft, N296UP, was built and delivered as a passenger aircraft to Delta as N803DE back in December 1991. Delta then passed her on to World Airways who had her painted in their classic retro colors for their first flights into Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War. From there she then was to be wet-leased to an outfit called Swiss Skies, but that fell through and she was picked up by UPS for conversion to a freighter. This was done in March of last year by Singapore Air Services Company at Paya Lebar.

N14324 is a Boeing 737-300 built originally in February 1986 for New York Air and subsequently folded into Continental's fleet (back when Frankie "Smooth Talk" Lorenzo was brushing up on his qualifications to get banned from the airline industry by an act of Congress). This flight was arriving from Houston- I think she was retrofitted with blended winglets just last year.

Damn you, heat haze. On a cloudy day, too! And the first time I get to catch Alaska Airlines' 737-800 in the special Dreamliner scheme. This aircraft, N512AS, was built and delivered to Alaska in July 2008.

Here's EVA Air Cargo's 747-400BCF (Boeing Converted Freighter) holding for an intersection takeoff on 18R. Built originally in January 1995 in passenger configuration for EVA Air, she was recently converted to freighter configuration by Israeli Aircraft Industries in Tel Aviv in April of this year.

Dang it, didn't get the tail number of this American 767-300ER as I was trying to get a close up shot of the nose. Usually I'll take a wider shot so I can make note of the tail number. Oh well. If I remember right, this particular arrival was coming from South America.

I love these colors. This is Aeromexico's Boeing 737-700 N842AM, built and delivered in October 2005 for leasing giant ILFC who in turn has had it leased to Aeromexico since then.

Screw you, heat haze....this is N838AM, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (sorry, I ain't gonna call it a Boeing MD-83) built in November 1986 originally for Braathens Sweden who then passed it to AirTran who then passed to Aeromexico who then passed it like a party bong to their charter division, Aeromexico Travel. Notice that it has an American Airlines MD-80 nose cone.

If was smart, I would have framed this aircraft with the Aeromexico 737-700 that arrived on 18R as this MD-83 positioned itself on 18L. But I was too busy cursing the heat haze.

DFW | May 2009 | Founders' Plaza | What can brown do for you?

Around 1030 or so a steady stream of UPS freighters starts arriving at DFW and that makes the UPS ramp adjacent to Founders' Plaza a beehive of activity until right after lunch time. If you dig cargo birds, then that's one of the prime spotting times at DFW. These are all shots from just one day right before lunch back in May:

First of the lunch rush at the UPS ramp, this is N435UP, a 757-200PF (Package Freighter) that was built and delivered to UPS back in October of 1993. She's just nosing into her parking space and you can see other rampers heading out to marshall in the other arriving UPS flights.

Too bad the day was so hazy, this would have been a much better shot, but here's the UPS flight that arrives from Ontario, California, daily at DFW. This MD-11F, N253UP, was built originally as a passenger aircraft for Varig Brasil in September 1993 and was converted to freighter configuration by Singapore Air Services Company at Paya Lebar Airport there for UPS. Notice that her #1 and #3 engines have different exhaust spikes. Don't see that very often that two different versions of the GE CF6-80C2 are used on the wing engines. Usually if one engine is different, it's installed on the #2 tail position.

N253UP just seconds from touchdown on 18R with the International Terminal in the background......

Hot on the heels of a UPS MD-11F comes a UPS A300-600F from Boston that's still in the old colors. This aircraft, N144UP, was built and delivered to UPS in February 2002. In a few seconds, the spoilers across the wings will deploy.....

This UPS 767-300F arrived on 13L just before the UPS MD-11F and A300-600F and got to the UPS ramp first. This particular Boeing freighter, N322UP, was built and delivered to UPS in November 1997. Behind it entering the ramp is the MD-11F N253UP.

N253UP starts its turn into its parking space while behind her the A300-600F N144UP enters the UPS ramp.

Close up shot of N144UP as it turns a stone's throw from Founders' Plaza onto the north ramp of the UPS facility.

Bringing up the rear of the late morning UPS conga line at DFW, N151UP is an A300-600 this time in the current newer colors, built and delivered to UPS in April 2003. I think this flight came in from UPS' main hub at Louisville.

Some UPS birds framing American Airlines line maintenance hangars and the West Tower at DFW. I liked how this one came out, I'll probably get it enlarged to hang on my walls.