Founders' Plaza

DFW | October 2010 | Founders' Plaza | I'm alive dammit.....

2010-10-31T01:55:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I posted to the blog, it's been a busy summer what with the flock of Chicklets off school and we also welcomed the arrival of Chicklet 004 as well. I do have a mountain of DFW area spotting shots from earlier this year and the last few weeks to sort through and post to this blog, though, so stay tuned. About 2 weekends ago had the rare chance for me to go out to Founders' Plaza around sunset. Most of the time that I can go spotting it's usually in the mornings or mid-afternoons, so getting a chance to head out and shoot in the evening light is always a nice change of pace.

One of American's 767-300ERs heads out from line maintenance at the west hangars for International Terminal D. You hardly see American's jets now taxi out back to the terminals from maintenance work under their own power now. Nearly all the time, they use these tugs that pick up the nose gear and take it away. You can see the slight nose up stance when these tugs are being used. In this shot, they're holding short of 18R while an American MD-80 rolls out with its thrust reversers deployed.

This particular 767 is N386AA, a 767-323(ER) built and delivered to American in May 1994. Not sure how many 767-300s are left that haven't been retrofitted with the blended winglets, but as the 763s with the blended winglets are becoming more common at DFW, the numbers of unmodified 763s have to be shrinking quickly.

MD-80s are so synonymous with DFW I usually don't shoot pictures of them unless they have non-standard tail numbers which usually clues me in that they're ex-TWA birds. This MD-80 sailing in over the numbers on 18R is N9621A which is an MD-83 that was built and delivered to TWA in June 1998 and is now part of American's fleet post-merger.

In the background a British Airways 777-200ER is heading out to go to the east side for departure. I couldn't make out the tail number, but it's one of several British Airways 777s that have "KEEPING THE FLAG FLYING" titles on the aft fuselage in reference to dealing with the crew strikes of recent at the airline.

I was hoping to catch the Lufthansa Cargo MD-11F evening arrival, but a UPS MD-11F will do nicely in exchange! There was a time before 9/11 that Japan Air Lines operated passenger MD-11 services to DFW and it's a bit nostalgic when an arriving UPS MD-11F happens to be an ex-JAL bird like N273UP happens to be. This aircraft was built and delivered to JAL back in June 1994 and was operated in passenger configuration. JAL's MD-11s were known as "J-Birds" and each plane was named for a species of bird native to Japan. This aircraft, when it was JA8583 with the airline, was named "Golden Eagle". A bit appropriate given the golden light of this particular evening at DFW.

In 2002 it was sold to UPS where it was converted to freighter configuration by STAS-Singapore at Paya Lebar Airport (that was Singapore's old international airport before Changi opened). As a side note, I've noticed in the last several months that the GE-powered UPS MD-11Fs are less common at DFW now- it's now almost always a PW-powered MD-11F. I assume that might be for maintenance reasons. Last year there were several occasions where GE-powered MD-11Fs of the airline were down for maintenance and sat on the UPS ramp until fixed.

This particular MD-11F was using the call sign "UPS 2752 Heavy".

Here UPS 2752 Heavy does something that the Dallas Cowboys can't quite do- make a touchdown in DFW. (*rimshot*) You can see that the centerline main hasn't touched down just yet.

"UPS 2752 Heavy, turn right on Taxiway C and contact UPS Ramp." In the distance you can see Alaska Airlines' 737-800 with the special lei markings on the tail for their Hawaii services. Not from DFW. Obviously.

I could never get sick of trijets of any sort. Even though the MD-11 has a checkered history, it's still a sharp looking aircraft.

Close up of the front office on UPS 2752 Heavy as it passes another UPS MD-11F and an A300-600F. The room and visibility from the cockpit of the DC-10/MD-11 probably have to be some of the best of any jetliner.

Enjoy!

DAL | June 2010 | 13-Left Ops | Dammit, it's HOT!

2010-06-21T22:01:00.000-05:00

This past Wednesday I had some time while waiting for some of the Chicklets' summer activities to finish to head over the Dallas Love Field to get some bizjet action in as it had been several months since I last spotted there. Holy schnap it was hot. Damn hot. Real hot. So I did some in-car spotting with the A/C on full blast with the scanner dialed into DAL Tower/Ground. For these shots, I was parked at George Coker Circle off Lemmon Avenue and had way more shots than these, but with the heat haze and shooting through an 8-foot chain link fence, this was the best I had. And I sure as hell wasn't going to climb on the roof of the car to shoot over the fence. Not in this heat.

But the advantage of George Coker Circle is that it sits abeam 13L where the bizjets rotate and where the incoming aircraft rollout. George Coker Circle was once the circular drive for the original DAL terminal before it was demolished when the current terminal opened in the 1950s.

N621CS is a Cessna Citation Sovereign (Cessna 680) belonging to McLean Aviation of Virginia, built in March 2007. This particular day she had left Love Field about an hour earlier and then returned, I'm guessing either a training flight or functional test flight after some maintenance work was done. I thought that tail numbers ending in "CS" belonged to the Citation Shares fractional operation and N621CS's history indicates she's flown everywhere which would fit a fractional jet's pattern. The following day she left DAL for Dallas Redbird (sorry, I can't call it Dallas Executive) for a short stop before flying on to Shenandoah Regional Airport.

N708LX is a Cessna Citation X (Cessna 750, oooh-la-la, I so love those curves!) belonging to the Flight Options fractional operator and built in March 2000. Here she is headed to the departure end of 13L on Taxiway A. Looks like this bird is blocked on flight tracking as the last data Flightaware has is from last month.

Citation X, GTFO! Caught right at the moment she left the ground for who the hell knows where. I just dig the looks of the Citation X.

N7HB is another Cessna Citation Sovereign built in April 2008. The owner of record is listed as Wells Fargo Bank, but there was an N7HB Citation Encore that belonged to Hunt Building and I wonder if this that aircraft's replacement. She was headed out from DAL to Dona Ana County at Santa Teresa outside of El Paso. You can nicely see the supercritical wing profile on the Sovereign in this shot, compared to jets this size, the Sovereign has impressive field performance, being able to use less than 4000' of runway fully-loaded is damn good for a transcon bizjet that seats 12.

Honest to God, I had pics of Astras, Gulfstreams, Beechjets, and so on, but those all came out looking like donkey balls. These Cessnas all came out okay, though. Go figure. N77HF is a Citation VII (Cessna 650) owned by Taft Sales and Leasing of Dallas. Her flight history is blocked (argh), but it looks like she was built in January 1995. Caught this one as the thrust reversers were starting to deploy.

Cool catch of the day and spotting while getting broiled was worth it! A T-45A Goshawk from Training Air Wing TWO (TW-2) of NAS Kingsville in South Texas made an appearance at DAL. Not sure why, it parked at one of the FBOs off Lemmon Avenue, maybe delivering someone of rank to a meeting. I don't think TW-2 does many of their cross-country flights up this way, I sure don't usually see Goshawks in the area often. Super sweet to catch one landing, though!

Rolling out a bit further with the airbrakes deployed and some Southwest action in the background. Had to have at least one shot with some LUV in it for this set!

DFW | Passenger 747s returning to Dallas/Fort Worth...

2010-06-16T16:10:00.000-05:00

Andrea Ahles of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram posted this to the Sky Talk blog this morning:

Jumbo jets return to D/FW

For the first time in several years, plane spotters will be able to watch passenger Boeing 747s land at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport.

British Airways announced that it will use the 747 on its daily London Heathrow-DFW route starting on December 1. Coupled with Korean Air's decision to switch from a 777 to 747 in the fall on its Seoul-DFW route, plane spotters will have fun looking for the sky blue Korean Air and white BA jumbo jets on their arrival.

According to Greg Gayden, who runs DFWTower.com, BA used the 747 on its DFW route for about 10 days in January. Prior to that, the last time D/FW airport had 747 passenger service was when Korean Air had the jumbo jet on its Seoul route for six weeks in 2005.

DFW | January 2010 | East Side & West Cargo | Some over there, some over here...

2010-06-03T22:27:00.002-05:00

These shots were from 21 January:

North winds don't usually make for good spotting days at DFW Founders' Plaza, but in the mid-afternoon if you catch it right and the spotting gods are on your side you can catch neat things like this North American 767-300ER departing on a military charter using the radio call sign "Reach". Usually the afternoon North American military charter departs from the east side of DFW and too far away from Founders' Plaza. This particularly cold, but sunny day in January, the spotting gods decided to reward my persistence. This particular aircraft, N767NA, is a 767-324ER, was built in January 1996 and was part of Continental's order for 767-300s that they ended up not taking up (they have only used 767-200s and 767-400s as a result) and was passed on to leasing giant GECAS, who in turn leased it out to Ansett Australia where it flew in the Sydney 2000 Olympics Torch color scheme before getting passed on to North American where it has flown predominantly military trooping charters ever since.

Next departure in GTFO day at DFW was this UPS 767-300F. This particular aircraft, N330UP, is a 767-34AF(ER), built and delivered in July 1999 to UPS.

And some love for the MD-11 crowd out there, this brisk afternoon in January was topped off with the usual UPS MD-11F departure. This particular Eleven is N277UP, built in May 1995 for Japan Air Lines in passenger configuration and was picked up by UPS and converted by STAS at Paya Lebar in Singapore in October 2004 when JAL phased out their MD-11s. Seeing an ex-JAL MD-11 here at DFW is a bit nostalgiac, there was time before 9/11 that JAL's MD-11s were regulars, arriving around noon time, usually overflying my office as I was headed out to lunch.

This next group of shots were from 25 January:

I had been trying for what seems like forever to get a good shot of the KLM A330-200 departure for Amsterdam and with this particular day having north winds, it would be my best shot from my usual spotting location north of Carpenter Freeway on the east side even though the aircraft would probably backlit. I hate taking backlit shots in the late afternoon, but I figured it was as good as any time to try and figure out how to do it right. Here she it outbound and contacting Departure. PH-AOK is an A330-203 built and delivered to KLM in April 2007 and was christened "Radhuspladsen-Kobenhavn".

Tight shot on the business end of the KLM A330-200. What, the cockpit? The engines? Aren't those GE CF6-80C2s nice looking? Oh, right. What was the question again? Does anyone know what the red rectangle marking is just behind the leading edge slats outboard of the engines? I'm assuming that's the refueling panel?

The best use of the Ubiquitous-80s at DFW are to try new and interesting artistic things and experiment with camera settings. Unless it's got a non-standard American tail number which means it's probably ex-TWA and I'll shoot a picture of it. To get this shot of a departing MD-80 and the sun and high clouds, I had to shoot at ISO 200, f/11, and 1/4000 sec.

American's 737-800s are starting to get ubiquitous to me, but not as much as the MD-80s. This is N925AN, a 737-823 built and delivered to American Airlines in December 1999.

I then went over to the West Cargo area to see if there was anything interesting going on before heading home for the day. Caught this shot of a departing American MD-80 with the bright greent tail of EVA Air Cargo's MD-11F parked at one of the West Cargo aprons. This particular MD-11F, B-16108, was built and delivered to EVA Air Cargo as a freighter in October 1997.

I tried to get closer and shoot through the fence on this Omni Air International 767-300 that was parked by one of the cargo buildings, but I was getting the rabid stinkeye from the security in the area (they weren't DFW Airport Police), I decided to back off and shoot out the window on my way outta there. Omni is now flying military charters and it looks like this aircraft was getting some attention before moving over to Terminal B across the west parallels. N351AX was built in May 1995 for AWAS and was leased out to Alitalia. It looks like AWAS planned to sell it to the Italian charter airline Blue Panorama but that deal got cancelled and it instead got picked up by Omni Air International.

DFW | January 2010 | Founders' Plaza | Storm Front

2010-05-22T08:09:00.003-05:00

This was back on 28 January. Bizzaro day that was pretty much the only spring-like day for most of the winter. There were some rain showers from earlier in the day but a squall line from a frontal boundary was fast approaching and I thought it'd make an ominous backdrop for a panoramic shot of the UPS ramp.

Believe it or not this was about 3pm in the afternoon when the UPS flights all start heading out. There are usually two A300-600Fs off to the right of that Boeing 767-300F, but they'd already headed out and the MD-11F is being pushed back. Right after that MD-11F taxied out, a torrential downpour with tons of lightning stopped airport and ramp operations temporarily, but one of the 757 freighters still managed to taxi out.

Tripod mounted set of three shots were taken for this panorama- f/5.6, 1/100 sec at ISO 800. Click the image to view in a larger format.

DFW | March 2010 | Overheard

2010-03-27T00:37:00.004-05:00

I was out at Founders' Plaza recently (and I should point out the sun canopies are back up, hooray) and overhead the following on the West Approach frequencies:

Approach: American 2436, maintain your current heading and speed but I'll have you turn south of NETEE over the lake for visual approach to One-Eight Right for noise abatement.
American 2436: Current heading and speed, turn south of NETEE and we'll wake up the fish, American 2436.
Approach: (chuckle) After doing that, contact Tower 124.15........

In an ILS approach, most of the flights bound for 18R turn onto the glideslope north of NETEE- I live in Flower Mound on the north side of Grapevine Lake and see them all the time turning from base to final. On bad weather days/IMC, they'll often intercept the glideslope much further north, sometimes as far north as YOHAN just south of Lake Lewisville.

DFW | February 2010 | Founders' Plaza | What the hell is ALL this white stuff?

2010-02-20T22:18:00.001-06:00

Spot in VFR? Check.
Spot in 110 degree temps and get sunburned? Check.
Spot in single digit windchills? Check.
Spot in IFR? Check.
Spot in a thunderstorm? Check.
Spot in a snowstorm? Dammit, did that on the day of DFW's epic 12 inch snowstorm, too. 'Cause that's how I roll.

It started snowing at 0300 local time that day and it wasn't too bad in the morning as I took the kids to school. And of course, I was going to swing by Founders' Plaza at DFW on the way back home as I figured it might make for an interesting exercise in photography as I've found it's in the crummy weather conditions that push me to really experiment with different combinations of settings. So I spent about an hour to catch some morning action on the west side of DFW from Founders' before I had to cash in my chips and bail as the snow got heavier and visibilities dropped as heavy snow AND fog set in.

This was the METAR when I got there:

KDFW 111353Z 12006KT 3/4SM R17C/6000VP6000FT -SN BR OVC003 00/M01 A3009

Obligatory shot of the UPS ramp, this was around 0800. The MD-11F arrived the previous night and doesn't head out until later in the afternoon, but two A300-600Fs were being loaded up and prepared for departure.

It looked like they were about 1/2 of the way through loading this Airbus freighter. Notice how the snow has melted on the top of the fuselage where the aircraft structure is under the skin. I'm assuming that's from conductive heating from the interior? Couldn't make out the tail number, snow was covering that part of the fuselage.

There was a lot of activity on the Ameriflight/Martinaire ramp that's just to the west of the UPS ramp. Decing. This was the first of the planes out of the ramp, an Ameriflight Beech C99. This particular bird, N223BH, was built back in 1981 and has been in service with Ameriflight since June 1992. The orange staining is the deicing fluid.

"American 632, cleared to land One-Eight Right RVR five-thousand, braking action fair to good."

This particular MD-82, N489AA, was built and delivered to American back in January 1989 when I still sported a Flock of Seagulls haircut. In addition to the snow falling, fog was beginning to set in and the condensation clouds on the wings of the arriving flights began to get more prominent.

"American 2407, position and hold One-Eight Left, be ready to go when I call you back. Amflight 1722, hold short on Whiskey Golf for One-Eight Left."

This shows how challenging the visibility was with the snowfall. That Ameriflight Beech 99 was the one I posted above, N223BH. The American 737-800 was headed to Los Angeles and the Ameriflight Beech 99 was headed to Amarillo.

Here's something not often seen from Founders' Plaza- three cargo turboprops just sitting at the Taxiway C and Taxiway Y intersection. Two Ameriflight Swearingen Metroliners and a single Martinaire Cessna Caravan. I'm assuming they were waiting on their IFR clearance? Only one of the Metroliners made it out, though.

The snow started getting heavier when this other Martinaire Cessna 208B Caravan headed out. This particular aircraft, N4591B, was built and delivered to Martinaire in July 2004.

Hot on the heels of that Martinaire Caravan was this Ameriflight Beech C99- N228BH was built in 1986 and has been with Ameriflight since March 2004. Seeing the Metroliners and Beech 99s was quite nostalgiac for me, I grew up in Western Kansas and as a kid in the mid-1970s, Air Midwest's Metroliners and Beech 99s were our airport's "heavy metal".

One of DFW's heavy fire trucks heads out on an emergency call while an American MD-80 gets into position for departure off 18L.

By this point the weather was really starting to go south. No wind, thank God, but the snow was getting heavier and the RVRs were dropping below 3000 feet. These three guys elected to call it a day and head back to the ramp- a Martinaire Cessna Caravan, an Ameriflight Swearingen Metroliner, and bringing up the rear of the conga line was an Ameriflight Beech 1900C. Not sure where the 1900C came from, it might have been already out waiting for departure when I got to Founders' Plaza. Two of these guys were in that group I pictured above that were waiting at a taxiway intersection.

You can see the snow accumulation on this Ameriflight Metroliner. Perhaps that was why they headed back, to get another deicing application? This particular bird, N428MA, was built back in 1986 and has been flying with Ameriflight since March 1998.

Shooting was getting hard by this point. This Ameriflight Beech 1900C, N331AF, was built in 1985 and has been flying with Ameriflight since January 1996.

I was getting ready to pack it up and head home as I was cold and a bit soaked when I heard on my scanner "EVA 696 Heavy maintain 3000 to YOHAN and get established on the localizer for ILS One-Eight Right, you're following an MD-80." Well, okay, what's a few more minutes? Here she is breaking out of the overcast on short final.

EVA696 was coming in from Anchorage and the pilots were probably thinking "Dammit, the weather was waaaaay nicer in Alaska than here!" This particular EVA Air Cargo bird, tail number B-16401, was built and delivered to EVA Air as a passenger 747-400 back in October 1992. Between November 2007 and June 2008 she was laid up at IAI's Bedek Division in Tel Aviv being converted to freighter configuration as a 747-400(BDSF)- Bedek Division Special Freighter.

And here she is just about to come over the threshold of 18R (the line of green lights on the lower right of the picture). The condensation cloud over the wings completely obscured the mid-fuselage and "EVA" titles.

Lest you think me nuts for spotting in this weather, I wasn't the only spotter out there this morning. I present a fellow airport nerd and photographer.

Oh, and for good measure, our very own mascot Spotting Grackle was there, too. He ain't afraid of some pissant snowflakes. And I'll be damned if I'm gonna get shown up by Spotting Grackle.

DAL | Love Field Terminal Modernization Project

2010-02-01T20:31:00.000-06:00

The Love Field Modernization Project now has their own website and I have to say I'm impressed with what I see so far. It's going to be quite a construction project as I understand it will be built in phases with flights moved gradually from the current Southwest concourse to the new concourse. During the transition period some flights will be using progressively more and more of the new terminal as it's completed. Some of the images from that site:

DFW | January 2010 | Founders' Plaza | It's IMC below 1000' AGL......

2010-01-28T13:54:00.000-06:00

Last Wednesday we had a bit of a temperature inversion that had a thick layer of ground fog about a 1000 feet or so thick but VMC conditions above that point. With the rising sun, it made for some unusual shooting conditions at Founders' Plaza that I thought might be fun.

It was too foggy to get a good shot of the registration numbers for either of these two birds. As an American MD-80 lands on 18R, an Airborne Express 767-200F with a yellow rudder from the DHL livery starts its takeoff run on 18L.

Beacon flash! As the sun starts rising, it started to give a slight orange hue to the fog. There were higher clouds that occasionally would cover the sun and give you more of the bluish-depressed look. Here a United A320 gets into position from the NW hold pad onto 18L for departure. This particular United Airbus, N429UA, was built and delivered to United back in May 1995.

The humid air provided an opportunity to try and photograph the low pressure condensation clouds that form over the wings on landing aircraft. As non-standard American tail numbers always get my attention, I had to shoot this MD-80- this is N9426T, an MD-83 built and delivered originally in September 1998 to Trans World Airlines and now flying with American post-merger/acquisition/Borg assimilation of TWA.

"EVA 692 Heavy, cleared to land Runway One-Eight Right, RVR more than six-thousand feet......"

This EVA Air Cargo 747-400BDSF (Bedek Division Special Freighter) came in from Seattle.

This particular aircraft, B-16402, was originally built and delivered to EVA Air of Taiwan as a passenger 747-400. Between June and November 2007 she was converted to freighter configuration by IAI Bedek Division in Tel Aviv.

Note the vortex highlighted by the condensation cloud coming off the mid-wing area! First time I've managed to catch that. Cool. It only shows up as the 747s are making their flare as the angle of attack on the wings increases.

The fog got a bit thicker as the sun got higher in the early morning sky. I can't make out the tail number on this American 737-800 that was asked by DFW West Tower to "position and hold on 18L".

"American 176 Heavy cleared to land One-Eight Right, RVR more than six-thousand feet...." Arriving right on the dot at 830am is American's regular Boeing 777-200ER service, Flight 176, from New Tokyo Narita International (RJAA).

On short final, N793AN shows off it's low pressure condensation cloud. It's actually much more impressive further back from short final, there have been days so humid the 777's condensation cloud will look like a waterfall spilling back off the lowered flaps. This particular 777 was built and delivered to American in September 2000.

At this point in the morning they closed 18L for departures and moved the next bank of departures to 18R (and closer to Founders' Plaza). Operating as Skywest 4745, N821SK takes up position on 18R to await departure clearance. This particular CRJ-900 in Skywest's 35th Anniversary livery was built and delivered to Skywest in April 2007 and has been operating under the Delta Connection banner since then.

You'd think crappy vision conditions like this would dissuade most photographers, but this guy was one of three of us spotting that morning in the muck. He had the biggest glass on hand, though. That's one of the great things about coming out to Founders' Plaza as a planespotter and photographer. I've met plenty of like-minded folks out there who enjoy spotting and photography as much as I do.

DFW | January 2010 | Founders' Plaza | A few more from the first spotting day of the new year....

2010-01-23T13:16:00.000-06:00

Here's a little different format, panoramic but not multiple shots stitched but rather the quick and dirty way, crop to panoramic. This is N262AA, an MD-82 built and delivered to American Airlines in March 1985.

N384AA takes position on 18L and awaits departure clearance from the tower. This Boeing 767-300ER was built and delivered to American in August 1993.

You don't usually see an A300 freighter parked in this particular spot at the UPS ramp, much less still unbuttoned. This is N162UP, an A300F-600R built and delivered to UPS in December 2004

Last of this set, this is N759AN headed to the American line maintenance hangars on the west side. Built and delivered to American in November 2001, this Boeing 777-200ER got its special Susan G. Komen breast cancer awareness livery in October 2008.

DFW | January 2010 | Founders' Plaza | The first spotting session of the year....

2010-01-21T23:08:00.000-06:00

These were shots I took on January 2nd. We happened to be out on errands on the Fort Worth side of the Metroplex and we were on our next to last stop of the day, the last stop being over in the Valley Ranch area on the Dallas side of things. The missus noticed the kids getting restless in the back and she suggested (yes, she actually DID suggest this) "Hey got your camera? Let's go hang out at Founders' Plaza and give the kids a chance to run around and burn off some energy."

That's called a keeper, boys. ;)

Just missed this one, it had just landed when we pulled into Founders' Plaza and oh it would have been so sweet to catch this on short final to 18R. Oh well, just gives me another excuse to head out there that I can add to my 50-page list of reasons to hang out at an airport.......Sometimes this flight is a 767-300 also in Omni Air colors but whether it's a DC-10 or a 767-300, it's on a military trooping charter.

Every single time I've seen Lufthansa's regular A340 flight subbed with an A330 I'm either in the area without a camera or not able to get to DFW. Until now. And it has the NERVE to go taxi to the east side for departure. I think my list of reasons to hang out at the airport just hit 51 pages.

This is one American Eagle ERJ-145 blue tail I haven't caught until now, N606AE is an ex-American Connection bird that flew for Trans States as N819HK, hence the blue tail logo. It was built and delivered to Trans States in June 1998.

Not my best shot, but I had to include this for two reasons. One, I caught the beacon flash on it, and secondly, it's tail number- N666A. Not just a non-standard American tail number, but one not for the superstitious out there. It's always flown for American under this tail number, it was built and delivered to the American back in April 1992.

Four more shots to come, but those will be presented a bit differently from my usual....stay tuned!

DFW | January 2010 | Founders' Plaza | Shooting in the suck.....

2010-01-20T22:29:00.000-06:00

This set of shots was from a decidedly murky IFR day- about 2 mile visibility with 500' ceilings. But that never stops me from doin' some spottin'. Rain. Shine. IFR. VFR. TSTRM. I'm there, boys.

Heading out from West Cargo bound for Brussels is this Sinapore Airlines Cargo 747-400F with the radio call sign "Sing Cargo 7978 Heavy" and heading to Brussels. The droop of the wings is indicative of the big fuel load for the flight out.

This particular aircraft was built and delivered to Singapore Airlines in August 2003. Here she's turned from Taxiway C onto Taxiway Z to take the Zulu Bridge over to the east side for departure.

Now here's something you don't see very often- this American MD-83 is backtracking up 18R to do a 180 at the end for departure. Apparently this particular morning they were using 18L for arrivals and 18R for departures, the reverse of the normal mode of operation.

"American 1288, do a one-eighty at the end of One-Eight-Right and position and hold for departure...American 1288, cleared for takeoff One-Eight-Right, RNAV to BPARK...."

This particular MD-83 is ex-TWA. N9681B was built and delivered to TWA in November 1999, one of the last to join TWA before it was acquired by American Airlines.

It's unusual (at DFW, at least) to see a UPS MD-11F this dirty. Those aren't smudges or shadows, that's grime. Now *that* is more becoming of a pimp-slapped freighter flying rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong!

This particular MD-11F was built originally in passenger configuration in September 1993 for Japan Air Lines and flew as JA8580 and was converted in Singapore to freighter configuration for UPS later on.

"United 723, cleared for intersection takeoff from Yankee to One-Eight Left, RNAV to BPARK...."

This A320, N478UA, was built and delivered to United in June 2001 and flew for several years in Ted colors before the operation was folded back into United's mainline. As I was leaving Founders' Plaza, a Beech King Air in FAA colors came in low on approach to 18R (the only approach to 18R in the time I was there), stayed about 100' above the runway and never landed. That explained why the operations on the 18s were reversed- the ILS on 18R was probably getting flight checked by a callibration flight.

DFW | January 2010 | Founders' Plaza | It was so cold.......

2010-01-07T21:23:00.002-06:00

Had an hour to kill this afternoon between kids' activities and decided to swing by Founders' Plaza despite the fact that it was 26 degrees with a brisk north wind that had the wind chill down in the single digits. So the operative word here is to sit in a very warm car and only hop out for shots you *really* want. I wasn't expecting anything interesting, but the chilly weather we've had lent itself to a scene you don't really see much of at DFW.......

Deicing! Doesn't happen much in these parts and I wasn't expecting to see it, but lo and behold, there you have it. The afternoon MD-11F departure gets a hose down. Funny thing is that this particular MD-11F, N276UP, was originally built in March 1996 as a passenger MD-11 for Japan Air Lines and flew as JA8588. JAL called their MD-11s "J Birds" and each one had a different species of bird on the winglet, this one was a white-tailed eagle. Way back then, JAL's MD-11s were regulars at DFW and just maybe this is one that's come on back. Ahhhh, nostalgia. I was usually out on my lunch break when JAL's MD-11s arrived back then.

Here the other side of the aircraft gets treated. The poor guy had a difficult time getting the #2 intake as he was positioned in front of it and had to spray into the blustery north winds. I'm surprised he tried as much as he did before repositioning upwind from the tail section.

When they started the #3 engine, this enormous cloud of white smoke poured out of the engine. Not unusual if the engine has cold soaked (I think this aircraft had arrived the night before and there was some freezing rain last night, hence the need for deicing to get rid of the accumulated ice), but it's usually not cold enough here to see this happen a lot. I think it actually has to be a lot colder to see some flames shoot out, but not sure.

Start up of the #1 engine then resulted in more white smoke. Didn't seem as thick and heavy as it did for the #3 engine, don't know if the engine bleed air maybe pre-warmed this engine a bit?

And finally the #2 engine was started with all the white smoke that comes with a cold-soaked engine start.

This particular aircraft, N276UP, was converted to freighter configuration in August 2004 by Singapore Aerospace at Peya Lebar Airport for UPS.

DFW | December 2009 | Two Midwest E-Jets..in a row?

2009-12-31T23:35:00.000-06:00

Things were busy at the ol' day job in December and I haven't had as much time to upload some of my DFW spotting pics from this month, hopefully in the coming weeks I'll have an assortment of shots from the last month of the year to share. This set of shots was from the 17th. I was wrapping up an afternoon at Founders' Plaza when not just one Midwest E-Jet landed, but two of them. In succession. Usually the Midwest flights land on the east side and thus too far for anyone at Founders' Plaza. So to see one land on the west side is unusual. But to get two in a row on the west side? Well that's just plain strange. Not my best shots, but it was a unique sight I had to share on my blog.

This particular Embraer is an ERJ-170 with the tail number N874RW. Built and delivered to Shuttle America in October 2006, she flew originally in Delta Connection colors. She was then used by Republic (parent company of Shuttle America) to fly regional services for Frontier Airlines in full Frontier colors with the mule deer tail graphic (how's that for irony) and after a brief stint in generic colors flying as US Airways Express, she started flying as Midwest Connect in early 2009.

So imagine my surprise to have another Midwest E-Jet landing right after the Midwest ERJ-170. And this one was not only an ERJ-190, it had just Midwest titles and not Midwest Connect titles as I assume once Republic assumed control of Midwest and the last of the 717s was sent to pasture, these are now Midwest's "heavy metal" (and boy I know some guys up in MKE who are totally pissed about that). This particular 190, tail number N165HQ, is one of the newer aircraft I've photographed at DFW, this one was built and delivered to Republic in September 2009, just three months ago.

DFW | December 2009 | Overheard

2009-12-03T17:03:00.001-06:00

Out at Founders' Plaza on a quite blustery day to see what could be had and I heard the following exchange on my scanner:

Aircraft: Regional Approach, November eight-four-oh Foxtrot, one-zero thousand for four thousand.
Regional Approach: Okay, you sure you're eight-four-oh Foxtrot?
Aircraft: That's right, eight-four-oh Foxtrot.
Regional Approach: Well, see, according to this fancy-shmancy machine in front of me you're eight-OH-four Foxtrot.

(Long pause)

Aircraft: November eight-OH-four Foxtrot, at one-zero thousand for four thousand.
Regional Approach: That's better.........

BHM | November 2009 | On Turkey Day, sometimes the turkeys aren't what's at the dinner table...

2009-11-26T21:53:00.000-06:00

This past week we traveled to visit my sister-in-law and her family in Jacksonville, Florida and flew Southwest (because with a family of five, no bag fees was a lifesaver and historically we've had good customer service on Southwest traveling as a family of five) DAL-BHM-JAX this past Saturday and returned home to North Texas this evening JAX-BHM-DAL. On both trips we had about two hours layover in Birmingham due to Wright Amendment provisions and what to do in BHM? Why spot, of course. The Southwest gates are right next to where the arrivals and departures pass on Runway 6/24, the terminal has free wifi and nice big windows. And it's not DFW for a change where I've practically sprouted roots at Founders' Plaza.

So yes, there'll be pictures from our layovers at BHM soon to appear in this blog. But that's not why I'm posting this evening.

Our our flight to JAX this past weekend, I shot plenty of nice shots that wont' get me into Airliners.net, but I like 'em and my friends like 'em. No issues. Today we flew back home, by flying on Thanksgiving Day we saved a considerable amount of money on the airfare (again, that whole family of five thing) and did our Thanksgiving feast last night with family there in Jax.

The terminal at Birmingham mid-afternoon was near dead. The concessions were closed and there couldn't have been more than 10 other folks at the Southwest gates when we arrived from JAX on Southwest 3658 at 255pm CST. Our next leg home to DAL wasn't departing until 535pm local time.

My wife and I got ourselves and our three daughters set up at Gate C12 where they have some nice comfortable chairs that have laptop power outlets. She did find a concessionaire outside the security checkpoint that was open, so we were able to get the kids an early dinner while waiting. Like I had done this past Saturday, I'd stroll around those five gates or so and shoot pictures of the arrivals and departures. I have Flight Tracker on my iPhone and had a rough idea when to expect the arrivals and departures. In between, I had my laptop out and was surfing some aviation websites- Secret Projects, Airlinebuzz, worked on some blog-related material.

While I was seated at Gate C12 on my laptop where I was reading some of the posts on the Flickr aviation groups I belong to, a TSA employee comes up to me and asks "Did you take those here? Those are great looking pictures. And you have wonderful looking family."

Okay, so I talk with him a little bit about it and he walks off. I thought that was the end of the story and maybe he was an aviation enthusiast as well. He remained hovering around our gate area, I figured since it was a very slow day at the airport, maybe he was watching the airplanes come and go as I was doing.

About an hour or so before our departure for Dallas Love Field (and if the TSA wishes to check on this, I was boarding card number A19 on Southwest 5408. But they'd know that. I'm getting to it.), I was coming out of the men's restroom and the same TSA employee approaches me and asks "If you don't mind me asking, are you in the aviation business?"

"No, aviation is a hobby of mine, when we travel I always try to take some pictures of the airplanes I see."
"What do you do with the pictures?"
"Well, I'm an aviation artist as one of my hobbies and I use many of the photographs I take as a reference library of sorts in my work as well as sharing them with friends who are also aviation enthusiasts."
"Okay, that's why you were on Flickr, then?"

(Oh, I see, you were watching me on my laptop.)

"That's right. That's how I share my pictures with friends and fellow enthusiasts."
"Well, I ask because I'm here to de-escalate a situation as several people thought you were being suspcious taking pictures of the aircraft."

(De-escalate? Who was complaining? There's only ten people here right now and half of them are on laptops.)

"I've been doing this for years on our family vacations. Like I was saying, all things aviation is a hobby of mine, from photography and art to the history of aviation."
"Okay, well thanks for being straight up with me. You have a beautiful family and you have a safe trip and Happy Thanksgiving."

So he walks off and go back to my chair at Gate C12 where my three daughters and wife are sitting.

At about 510pm or so, they make the annoucement that they'll begin boarding our flight to Dallas Love Field for departure at 535pm. I put away my laptop in my backpack which is one of those backpack camera bags that can also hold a laptop. We begin getting the girls packaged up so we can get ready and get in line to board.

The same TSA employee comes up to me, this time with his supervisor and a Birmingham police officer. "If you don't mind, we'll have to ask you some questions about what you were up to."

(I thought this was settled?)

They walk me over to an empty seating area at the adjacent gate where they ask me to sit down next to the TSA supervisor who then asks me for my identification and boarding pass and they proceed to ask me all sorts of questions while he writes on a form on a clipboard.

"Is this your physical address?"
"Yes sir, it is."
"And you're headed back home?"
"Yes, we passed through here on Saturday on our way to Jacksonville and our on our way back home to Texas."
"You realize that your activities were suspicious?"
"No sir, I didn't realize that. What looked suspicious?"
"Well, for starters you were shooting pictures of the aircraft here at the airport."
"Okay, that's it?"
"You were also seen on your computer looking at aviation websites."

(The previous TSA employee now chimes in again.)

"Now you told me you were doing all of this only as a hobby, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"So that is why you have all those aviation magazines in your bag as well?"
"That's right, it's all part of my hobby. Reading about aviation technology, history, current affairs, that sort of thing."
"Well you see you're sitting there shooting pictures of the airplanes, looking at airplanes on your computer and you also have aviation magazines."
"Right, like I said, that's my hobby."
"Are you military?"
"No sir, I'm a civilian."
"Well we need you to wait here while we fill these forms out on this incident."

I'm sitting there, all by myself with a TSA supervisor, employee and a Birmingham PD officer standing in front of me. Meanwhile, they've announced boarding of our flight and I motion to my wife to go ahead and board with the kids. She astutely takes my camera backpack with her as she wanted to make sure it didn't get confiscated or searched.

They finally give me back my boarding pass and drivers license and all they really say is "Okay, you can go." End of story. But if I've learned anything in dealing with law enforcement going back to my young and stupid days in college, no matter how right you think you are or how unreasonable you may think they are, stay cool, stay respectful.

The Birmingham police officer then tells me "Don't worry about it. They don't call this town Bombingham for nothing. You have a Happy Thanksgiving. We just have to be vigilant sometimes."

So I do the classy thing and shake hands with the two TSA guys and the Birmingham cop and wish them each a Happy Thanksgiving. Mind you, I was livid. LIVID. PISSED. My hands were shaking, I thought my heart was beating at 120 beats a minute. See, I'm a pretty straight-laced guy. I'm a physician in private practice, I busted my butt in school and did my best to stay out of trouble. And I'm Asian-American, which means I'm unfortunately culturally programmed to not cause trouble and conform!

So yeah, my cage was rattled. I was the last person to board Southwest 5408 and on that flight home to Dallas, it probably was a good hour before I felt chilled out and knew I had to share this story with my friends and on my blogs.

I'm not sure if I was right or if I was wrong, I've traveled with my family tons of times and have shot pictures of aircraft at plenty of terminals and this was the FIRST time this has ever happened to me. I've shot pictures at DFW, DAL, HOU, AUS, ELP, ABQ, MSY, MCO, BWI, SFO, LAX, LAS, DEN, YYZ and beyond. I've got a terabyte drive at home that's stuffed full of all my photographs from different airports.

I'd like to think that my story isn't one of those half-baked "The TSA took my baby away" stories posted in the blogosphere.

DFW | November 2009 | Founders' Plaza | 'Nuther one of them nice mornin's....

2009-11-23T20:37:00.000-06:00

The mornings are gettin' real nice this time of year in North Texas- very cool, and often there's a light low fog in the area just after sunrise that can make some interesting "mood" shots at Founders' Plaza. These were shots I did this past week.

Usually right after 800am every so often on Thursday mornings they'll close 18L for a runway inspection so the morning departures on the west side will cross over and depart from 18R which is much closer to Founders' Plaza...and therefore *epic* with the right lighting conditions. This is N637CZ, an Embraer ERJ-175 that was built and delivered to Compass Airlines in November 2008 and has been operating under the NWA Airlink since then...and I'm sure soon to be repainted in Delta Connection colors.

Always nice to some 767-200 action at DFW...in this case N792AX, built originally for All Nippon Airways (ANA) in March 1985 and then converted by Israeli Aircraft Industries in February 2005 to freighter configuration and has since been operated by ABX Air. The "25" on the nose is for 25th anniversary of Airbone Express. Here she is rolling out from the west cargo complex for an intersection takeoff on 18R.

Gotta toss in my obligatory MD-11F at the UPS ramp in the morning sun shot. This was a bit overexposed, but discovered there is a sweet spot on my telephoto lens right around f/7.1 really gets some sharp shots. Not my best shot, but I'm keeping this one in the name for endless experimentation with settings that got me stumbling into this sweet spot on my lens.

Fine. Land on 13R. It's not like I've been trying to catch this arrival. Go to Founders' Plaza. It lands on 13R. Go to the China Air Cargo parking lot. It lands on 18R. Sigh.

Obligatory Ubiquitous-80 shot, only this time it's N497AA rolling onto 18R (18L was still closed for a runway inspection) for departure. This Mad Dog-82 was built and delivered to American in August 1989. The early morning low fog was already lifting but still left a nice haze in the rising sun.

And hot on the heels of a conga line of Mad Dogs was this American 737-800- N947AN was built and delivered to American in September 2000 sans winglets, only to get them I think last year as a retrofit.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but those 767-300 blended winglets must be the biggest yet retrofitted to a commercial aircraft. Compared to what you see on 737s and 757s, the 767 blended winglets are huge! Seems bigger than the vertical fin of the Ameriflight Metro waiting for its clearance for an intersection takeoff while the American 767-300 heads over the maintenance hangars on the west side for some TLC.

N377AN is an 767-300ER built and delivered originally to American in September 1992 and I think she just got her blended winglets retrofitted just a few months ago.

N191AF is a Swearingen Metro built way back in 1981. Not sure of her operator history, though. Still digging for that. Makes for quite a contrast to the Boeing 767. When I was a kid growing up in western Kansas, the Air Midwest Metroliners were our town's "heavy metal". That's where my spotting bug got its start. Always some great nostalgia when I see Ameriflight's Metro birds head out at DFW.

This is N540AM, an ATR-72 built and delivered back in January 1998 to American Eagle.

Strangely enough my shots don't show the ship number or the tail number clearly enough for me to tell which 777-200ER this is in the American fleet. But I do know it's American 176 Heavy that arrives each morning from New Tokyo Narita International Airport. I always hate a cloudless sky for shooting aircraft pics. Throw in a few clouds, ideally some high cirrus and it makes for a more interesting backdrop.

FTW | April 2009 | Cowtown Warbird Roundup | Sharp point of the spear...

2009-11-22T21:22:00.000-06:00

Shot these at the Cowtown Warbird Roundup back in April. I ran the shots through a B/W Photoshop plug in that lets me manipulate different color channels to accentuate the contrast in certain areas and then added a 15% sepia tone to just slightly offset the starkness of the black and white.

DFW | November 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Heavy departures...

2009-11-22T21:09:00.000-06:00

Some days of the week I have an hour to kill while waiting on some the Chicklets' activities to wind down and finish up after school so I'll sometimes take the opportunity to swing by Founders' Plaza (it's only 10 minutes from their school) to grab a few shots. This particular day was a nice afternoon with the winds blowing out of the north and I was going to see if I could catch the late afternoon international departures.

This is N785AN, a Boeing 777-200ER built and delivered to American in March 2000. She must have been loaded to the gills and then some as her climbout as a lot flatter than usual for a 777 and I usually don't catch the gear retraction this late as most days it occurs much earlier.

Climb, dammit, CLIMB!!! This is D-AIGF "Göttingen", an Airbus A340-300 built and delivered to Lufthansa in March 1994.

Passing abeam Founders' Plaza after takeoff from 36L....this aircraft D-AIGF, was built originally for Continental Airlines back when Continental had some orders for the A340 in the late 1980s. That transaction got canceled and then it was to become N3404G with Northwest Airlines, but then that transaction got canceled as well and she ended up getting taken on by Lufthansa.

"Lufthansa 479 Heavy, contact Departure, good day....."

Heading out as well that afternoon is N396AN, a Boeing 767-300 built and delivered to American in February 1999. I think this flight was headed to South America, but not sure.

"American 822, cleared to land Three-Six Left, caution wake turbulence KLM heavy Airbus departing parallel right before you."

Now *that* is a spirited takeoff! A330s are some of the most graceful looking jet twins out there with the wing flex.

Now passing abeam Founders' Plaza in the setting sun, PH-AOE "Parliament Square-Edinburgh" is a relative youngster amongst the heavy departures this particular afternoon at DFW, having been built and delivered to KLM in July 2006.

airLINK | Totally Jacked Up Aircraft Photos

2009-11-08T21:28:00.000-06:00

This blog I love. Even the most experienced aviation photographer has in the deep recesses of their archives some of the worst shots they've ever pulled off. The header description for Totally Jacked Up Aircraft Photos says it best:

Come celebrate all the ham-fisted, ill-equipped, unprepared and totally inebriated photographers around the globe whom attempted to get that perfect aircraft photo but Jacked It Up. We aim to provide the finest “Best of The Rest” photos, because we don't use no stinkin' screeners. You send it, we post it. Click on photos to see them full size, and submissions are most welcome (if you dare).

Give 'em a visit, maybe even offer up a contribution of some of your less-than-competent efforts!

DFW | November 2009 | Founders' Plaza | HOLY SH*T! A DC-3!

2009-11-07T00:17:00.000-06:00

This caught my surprise this very afternoon out at Founders' Plaza. The radio calls initially had me thinking it may have been a bizjet at DFW in association with race weekend, but then this beauty of DC-3 rolls out on the NW hold pad awaiting its turn on 18L for departure next to a United Express CRJ800, an American 737-800, and an American Eagle ERJ-145 who were also on the hold pad for 18L.....

Got a better look at the tail numbers, NC17334 makes it "Flagship Detroit" that I also photographed up close at the Alliance Air Show from 2 weeks ago (those photos coming).

What a sight to see an American DC-3 take the active at Founders' Plaza!

24 March 1937 this DC-3 was built by Douglas in Southern California and delivered to American. Looks like she flew for American for ten years, 1937 to 1947 before spending a year in Mexico and returning to the US in 1948.

"Flagship Detroit" starts her takeoff roll down 18L......

Through the 1950s she flew in various cargo roles for different operators. And then in the next 20-30 years through the hands of various private owners before ending up the Eastern Mennonite University who in turn sold the aircraft to the Flagship Detroit Foundation in 2004.

I guess "rotate" in a tail dragger has a different meaning.......

This made my day. I never, NEVER, would have expected this at my favorite planespotting location at DFW. Never.

Lift off with just a shade over 1000 feet of 18L being used. I tell you what, we NEVER see anyone rotate and lift off this soon at Founders' Plaza. Maybe Martinaire's Cessna Caravans.........

The past meets the future as Flagship Detroit climbs out with American's long haul fleet at the gates of International Terminal D.....

Thanks also to exnonrev/Mark at Airlinebuzz who pointed out that this DC-3, SN 1920, is the currently the oldest DC-3 still flying.

GKY | Spotter Alert | B-17 "Aluminum Overcast"

2009-11-05T14:28:00.001-06:00

Just got a tip from Hogleg44/Paul on the Texas Photo Forum that the B-17G "Aluminum Overcast" will be at Arlington Muncipal Airport this weekend giving tours and flights as part of its nationwide tour.

From the EAA:

Hosted by EAA Chapter 34

B-17 location on field – by Harrison Aviation

To book a flight please call 1-800-359-6217.

Pricing
Pre-book - for EAA members $359, for non-members $399
Walk-up – for EAA members $385, for non-members $425

Self Guided Ground Tours daily from 2-5 pm. Cost $5 per adult, $15 per family.

EAA is offering historic flight experiences in its beautifully restored B-17G Flying Fortress “Aluminum Overcast.” One of only 14 Fortress's still flying, this aircraft is an icon of the Allied strategic bombing effort that helped turn the tide of battle in World War II. Unlike reading a history book, you can actually fly a mission back in time and feel the might of this magnificent machine, just as those brave young men did more than 60 years ago.

NTx airNEWS: AirTran to add D/FW-Milwaukee flights

2009-11-05T14:21:00.000-06:00

AirTran to add D/FW-Milwaukee nonstop flights
Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009
By SCOTT NISHIMURA

snishimura@star-telegram.com

AirTran Airways, the low-fare Atlanta-based airline, said it will add nonstop flights between Dallas/Fort Worth Airport and its growing Milwaukee hub, expanding connections to the Midwest and Northeast, and heightening what one fare watcher dubbed "the battle of Milwaukee."

AirTran said it will launch two daily nonstops starting April 6, joining American Eagle and Midwest Airlines on the route. Southwest Airlines also launched service at Milwaukee this week but cannot offer nonstops to Dallas Love Field because of federal Wright Amendment restrictions.

The additions come as AirTran expands at the Milwaukee airport, drawing traffic from Wisconsin and the Chicago area.

AirTran also announced Wednesday that it’s adding SkyWest Airlines as a marketing partner. SkyWest will offer regional jet flights starting next month between Milwaukee and Pittsburgh; St. Louis; Akron/Canton, Ohio; Indianapolis; Des Moines, Iowa; and Omaha, Neb.

Fliers on AirTran can also take advantage of the airline’s nonstops between Milwaukee and northeastern cities such as Boston and Baltimore/Washington. AirTran currently offers nonstops between D/FW and Atlanta, Baltimore and Orlando, Fla. AirTran will serve the D/FW-Milwaukee route using its Boeing 717 twin-jet aircraft, successor to the workhorse McDonnell Douglas MD-80.

Christopher White, an AirTran spokesman, said the SkyWest partnership is important because AirTran isn’t scheduled to take another new aircraft delivery until 2011. "This frees our aircraft to serve other destinations, such as Dallas/Fort Worth," he said.

AirTran now serves Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and St. Louis from Milwaukee, and will switch that service to SkyWest, White said.

White said Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport is one of AirTran’s top four hubs and will make up 11 percent of the airline’s traffic next year, up from 8 to 9 percent now.

"In addition to Milwaukee itself, there’s connectivity around the Midwest," he said.

Mike Boyd, a Colorado aviation analyst, said Milwaukee "is going to be a serious connecting hub."

There’s also local business that "you draw from Milwaukee and the northern collar counties of Chicago as well."

Tom Parsons, CEO of Arlington-based Bestfares.com, said the D/FW route is a logical extension of AirTran’s Milwaukee hub.

AirTran tried to buy Midwest Airlines, he noted, and, when that failed, AirTran "just went into Milwaukee and started matching them flight for flight." Midwest is now owned by Republic Airways.

The D/FW route is also a shot at Southwest, Parsons said, because "Southwest can’t do anything about it" until all Wright Amendment restrictions on flights from Love Field expire in 2014. To fly Southwest to Milwaukee, Dallas travelers must stop or connect at cities such as Kansas City, Mo.

Beyond Milwaukee’s value as a connecting hub, Parsons said the airport has become a viable secondary airport to the Chicago market.

"For years, people from Wisconsin had to go to Chicago" to fly inexpensively, he said. "Now, because of the battle of Milwaukee, it’s sometimes $70 to $100 cheaper to fly out of Milwaukee. And I suspect the people of Chicago are finding that out."

Joe Lopano, D/FW’s executive vice president of marketing and terminal management, said in a statement that "AirTran’s new flight to Milwaukee is an outstanding new addition to the service D/FW is able to offer the North Texas traveler. AirTran has a proven track record of success, serving more than 600,000 passengers a year at D/FW."

AirTran is one of the few airlines that’s enjoying profitability, and it has been touting services such as on-board WiFi on all its planes — prices range up to $9.95 — and free onboard XM satellite radio.

SCOTT NISHIMURA, 817-390-7808

NTx airNEWS: Arlington airport lands fans on Cowboys game days

2009-11-02T13:21:00.000-06:00

Arlington airport lands fans on Cowboys game days
12:00 AM CST on Monday, November 2, 2009
By JEFF MOSIER / The Dallas Morning News
jmosier@dallasnews.com
ARLINGTON – Dallas Cowboys fans are filling the Arlington skies just as predictably as their cars are crowding the streets around the team's new stadium.

Arlington Municipal Airport is pushing capacity as dozens of planes filled with fans arrive before every football game and concert. The city's airport usually has a dozen landings in an average four-hour period. A week ago, 80 planes arrived for the game against the Atlanta Falcons.
"In some circumstances, it's almost double what I expected," said Robert Porter, Arlington's airport manager. "That's a good problem to have."
City officials said the boost in activity at the airport is one of the tangible – but little known – signs of the stadium's economic impact.
Porter said about one-quarter of people arriving by private plane for stadium events stay overnight. He said they usually rent a car at the airport and frequently stay in an Arlington hotel. They often shop and eat at the nearby Arlington Highlands center.
And if they are happy with the service, they'll possibly return instead of flying into a comparable airport, said Nathan Mikula, general manager of Harrison Aviation in Arlington.
Mikula said Arlington's airport has suffered from a lack of reputation. Many pilots, he said, knew little about the airport, and those who knew it existed didn't know what was there.
"A lot of those people thought we were just a small little airport," Mikula said.
Actually, Arlington ranks among North Texas' three busiest general aviation airports each year. That excludes the commercial airports: Dallas/Fort Worth International and Love Field.
In 2005, a study commissioned by the Texas Department of Transportation estimated the Arlington airport's economic impact was about $93.3 million, including 786 jobs. Porter said he thinks that number could be closer to $100 million now.
Construction of a tower and a new instrumentation landing system recently has made the airport more appealing to corporate fliers. However, the ailing economy has hurt flight schools and recreational pilots, which has pushed flight operations down about 30 percent compared with last year, Porter said.
Still, Mikula said he's already seeing repeat customers who learned about the airport by flying there for a football game or concert.
Sean Fortenbaugh said he probably will be one of them. The Lawton, Okla., business executive flew to Arlington to attend the Cowboys' August preseason game against the Tennessee Titans.
He said he'd never been to Arlington's airport and knew little about it but was impressed. Even with the large number of planes arriving, he said, rental cars and limousines were lined up and waiting.
"They met me at the plane, got my bags, put them in the car, and I was probably gone in two minutes," Fortenbaugh said.

Boost to business

The stakes are higher, though, than just repeat customers.
Porter said he knew of at least one tenant who moved to the airport after learning about it through stadium publicity. He said another business at the airport is considering expanding operations because of the increased traffic.
City Council member Robert Rivera said that Cowboys Stadium is a destination for business executives and owners and that Arlington's airport can be an important gateway. He said he'd like for city officials to figure out ways to identify corporate decision makers who fly into the airport, and then make a pitch for Arlington.
"It could potentially be a business incubator," he said.
To make the airport even more appealing, work will start soon on an expansion that includes a new $4.9 million terminal and $1 million parking apron for planes.
Although those were planned before the stadium was announced, Porter said the upgrades take on greater importance now that the stadium has landed some of the nation's biggest sporting events.
The work is scheduled for completion just weeks before the 2011 Super Bowl. By then, the airport will be able to accommodate an additional six to 20 planes, depending on their sizes.
Until then, airport management is looking for creative ways to handle the traffic.
"Once we start getting over 80 aircraft, we really don't have the infrastructure to park aircraft without blocking something," Porter said.
He said he could close some airplane taxi lanes and ask businesses about using their property to park planes. Some planes could also be allowed to block access to a hangar if it wasn't in use that day.

Pool and PS3

Harrison Aviation, which sells fuel, provides maintenance and has concierge services at the airport, has doubled the size of its lobby and pilot lounge. Still, they're packed on game days. Harrison has added amenities, including a pool table and Wii and PlayStation 3 video game systems, to give pilots something do while the Cowboys play.
The big increases at Arlington's airport possibly mean decreases at Dallas County airports that handled more of the private plane traffic bound for Texas Stadium. Mikula said Love Field was the airport of choice for private planes heading to Irving.
Jose Torres, a spokesman for the Dallas aviation department, said data at Love Field were inconclusive. However, he said that Dallas Executive Airport, near Interstate 20, has seen increases in traffic during games, and its numbers are down at other times.
Officials with Grand Prairie's airport weren't available for comment Friday. Although some other airports might get a slight boost, the air traffic will tend toward Arlington, where the stadium is a straight shot north on Collins Street about six miles.
"It's giving the airport a lot more exposure than it's had," Mikula said. "A lot of people flying to the Dallas-Fort Worth area thought they had to fly to Dallas or Fort Worth."

AFW | October 2009 | Fort Worth Alliance Air Show | Mo' Blues.....

2009-10-31T00:04:00.000-05:00

The diamond formation in echelon formation pass from behind the crowd over show center for their next maneuver.

I think this one is called the Delta Break where the diamond formation each break a different direction with the slot, Blue Angel 4, remaining level. If you look closely you can see forming vortex condensation clouds over the LERXs of the aircraft that are in the break.

Say hi to the Boss (Blue Angel 1) as he blasts over the crowd.......

Here the diamond while in echelon formation starts the Tuck Under Break- each team member starting with the Boss breaks right into a 360 degree roll that brings them under the flightpath of the aircraft next in the sequence.

The entire team in the delta formation performing the Delta Roll. This maneuver is the most difficult for the outermost members of the team who are having to make the most adjustments in thrust, roll, and pitch to maintain the tight formation during the roll.

Not the best shot of what I got that day but for some reason the way this one came out really catches my eye. This is Delta Loop Break- the whole team starts out in delta formation, passes across the show center into a loop. As they pass the top of the loop and are vertically pointed straight down, the entire team breaks simultaneously in different directions. When the Boss calls the break, the Slot (Blue Angel 4) has to execute a quick 180 degree roll before making its break. You can tell from the picture which plane is the Slot from the twist in its smoke trail.

Last of the Blues before I move onto the other aircraft:

One of my sharpest shots of the Blues, here's the Slot (Blue Angel 4) rocketing over the crowd to reposition with the diamond behind the crowd line.

Last one of the Blues in the air, this is the final Break-to-Land. Blue Angels 6 is out of the field of view to the left flying next to Blue Angel 5 (they're the two solos) and Blue Angel 4 (the Slot) has made it's break to hand. Interestingly they all landed with a tail wind- they took off from 34R at the start of the show but landing on 16L and I didn't appreciate that big of a change in the winds during the show.

DAL | April 2009 | Frontiers of Flight | Collings Foundation warbirds....

2009-10-29T21:57:00.000-05:00

Some artistic type shots I took back in April at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at KDAL when the Collings Foundation's warbirds were in town. The weather that morning was horrendous and I didn't get the shots I wanted to get originally but found the ambient lighting and mood was ideal for a style of shot I wasn't planning on when I left the house for Love Field:

The B-17 and P-51 are part of the Collings Foundation's collection of warbirds.

AFW | October 2009 | Fort Worth Alliance Air Show

2009-10-28T21:03:00.000-05:00

Diamond 360 pass, here they are only 18 inches apart while in diamond formation. It was tough to get a good shot with the bright sky and sun in the background without losing the details of the F/A-18 Hornets in the shade.

I think this maneuver is called the Echelon Parade. Again, bright sky and sun behind them...arrrrghhhhh......

This time Blue Angel 5 joins the diamond for the Line Abreast Loop. This is the group as they pull out of the loop. This is supposed to be one of the more difficult maneuvers to do as they all have to maintain precise formation together while in a loop but in a strict line abreast position.

2009 Blue Angels Frequencies

2009-10-25T19:07:00.002-05:00

I used these on my scanner yesterday at the Fort Worth Alliance Air Show, so I know they work:

237.8000 - Solos
250.9750 - Diamond
275.3500 - Diamond
255.2000 - Circle / arrivals
284.2500 - Show Box
305.5000 - Fat Albert (pri)
302.1000 - Fat Albert (sec)
143.0000 - Tower Obs. (AM)
142.6125 - Maint A (NFM)
139.8125 - Maint B (NFM)
141.5625 - Maint C (NFM)
346.5000 - Pre show checkout / Ground start

AFW | October 2009 | Fort Worth Alliance Air Show

2009-10-24T23:14:00.001-05:00

Just a small preview, I shot about a gig worth of pics at Alliance today and have some serious sorting to do:

Downside, the sun in the afternoon by the time the Blues have the airspace is in your face. Damns if that doesn't make you try every damn shutter and aperture setting on your camera. This was the first time I shot full manual all day and I promised myself this AM I'd do it instead of shutter or aperture priority. And it was good, some shots I wished had come out better but now at least I have a better idea of some of the tweaks I have to make to adjust for certain lighting conditions.

We got to AFW about 1230pm and holy shit, this is the biggest turnout I've seen yet at this show. Damn near walked a mile to get from the family truckster to the show vantage point.

The static was good, some stuff I hadn't seen yet and some perennial favorites. Only a few aircraft were roped off, nearly all of them you could go up to and fondle, caress and grope. And oh did I. Some of the stuff there that I can recall:

T-39 Sabreliner (USN)
2 MV-22 Ospreys (I'd seen the USAF SOCOM ones up close, this was the first time go inside a USMC machine)
T-45 Goshawk (USN)
T-44 Pegasus (USN)
T-38 Talon (USAF)
T-1A Jayhawk (USAF)
E-3C Block 30/35 Sentry (very cool to a Block 30/35 for the first time)
B-52H (Barksdale bird)
KC-135R (Altus bird)
C-130H (Texas ANG)
KC-130 (USMC)
F/A-18E/F ("Pukin Dogs")
RC-12D Guardrail (my first time get to fondle one up close)
A-10 Warthogs
2 F-16s from the 144th FW California ANG, one of them was the new boss bird with the black tail. Very cool.
1 F-16 from the AFRC at Carswell
1 F-16 with the Royal Netherlands AF (very cool to have that on static)
Lots of helos- Bell Helicopter's customer flight instruction center is at AFW, so they had all of their stuff out for display. There were SH-60 Seahawk as well as the UH-60 Blackhawk and the CH-47 Chinook as well. They even had the engine and transmission covers open on the Blackhawk.
American Eagle ERJ-145
American 777-200ER
American DC-3 Flagship Detroit (parked next to the 777, what a contrast)
There was a privately owned T-38 in 1970s USAF Thunderbird colors, that was cool to see!
3 CAP birds to tickle Chuck's fancy (2 172s and the Gippsland)
Diamond DA20
Cessna 421
ATP had one of the Seminoles there
Ted Smith Aerostar
C-7A Caribou
P-3 Orion

The flying demos that I saw included the A-10, F/A-18E Super Hornet, F-16, F4F Wildcat, T-28 Trojan, OV-1 Mohawk (super cool to see that one flying as a warbird), A-1 Skyraider, C-17 (The way they hauled this fat bitch around was impressive). Sean D Tucker flew, that was neat to see him throw that biplane all over the sky. There were some other demos to, I think it was a Bonanza doing aerobatics. And that damn jet truck, Shockwave. Ugh.

I had my Pro-43 programmed to the Blues frequencies and it was damn sweet to hear all that stuff. It quite literally does sound like singing as the Boss (Blue Angel 1) cues the team "Uuuuup....weeeee......goooooo, more powerrrrrr...........and smoke........"

When one is to geek out, one should geek out 100%. Scanner with the Blues, telephoto lens, check. It was funny hearing Alliance Tower say stuff like "Negative Charlie Bravo Niner-Two, the Blue Angels have the airspace and you'll either have to hold outside the airspace or divert."

Then you'd hear "Blue Angels, Alliance Tower, the airspace is yours" followed by "Alliance Tower, the Blue Angels have the airspace!"

Stay tuned, more pics to appear in this blog as I get through them. As well as more shots from September and October from DFW and DAL!

Google Earth + Aeronautical Charts + 3D Airspace = Uber Coolness

2009-10-21T23:20:00.001-05:00

Link: Overlay Sectional Aeronautical Charts in Google-Earth

This is awesome. The nice part is that this also includes terminal area charts and flyways. And though the presentation is a bit rough, they also used Google SketchUp to do 3D representations of Class B airspace which really helps visualize that whole upside down wedding cake layout:

This is Las Vegas' Class B airspace looking northwest. The green areas are the restricted airspace areas of the Nellis ranges that are from the surface to "unlimited", hence their height compared to the LAS Class B airspace.

Not all of the restricted airspace is present, but the major ones are from a quick review. It only covers the US so far.

DFW | October 2009 | Overheard

2009-10-15T21:41:00.000-05:00

I was out at Founders' Plaza this afternoon just as the clouds started clearing out and the much-missed sun made its appearance. The winds were blowing from the north so landings were using the 35s and 36s at DFW and I heard the following exchange on the West Tower frequency:

DFW West Tower: American 1844, cleared to land, Runway three-six left, caution wake turbulence heavy Boeing 757 just departed on the parallel and a heavy Boeing 757 arrived just before you. Caution bird activity reported one-thousand five-hundred one mile from final.

American 1844: Well you're just full of good news for us, aren't you? Cleared to land three-six left, 1844.

DFW | September 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Mo' sunset spotting...

2009-10-13T22:24:00.000-05:00

Obligatory shot of a UPS MD-11F parked adjacent to Founders' Plaza- this is N290UP, built and delivered in passenger configuration in March 1992 to Swissair as HB-IWL. She continued to fly for the downsized Swissair which became Swiss International Air Lines. In 2004 she then went to VARIG Brasil as PP-VTI. In 2007 she was sold to UPS who had the aircraft converted to freighter configuration by SASCO in Singapore in October 2007.

A bank of clouds rolled in front of the setting sun and took me a bit to figure out the best settings on the camera to compensate. N724SK is a CRJ-700 built and delivered in January 2005 to SkyWest Airlines who operates this regional jet in United Express colors.

This is one of many American 737-800s that come in during the evening hours at DFW. N919AN was built and delivered to American in August 1999.

Here's an increasingly rare sight at DFW, an American Eagle ERJ-135, there are only about 29 or so left in service with Eagle. I'm sure if oil prices climb back up, we'll see more of these -135s go into desert storage in Kingman where there are already quite a few. This is N713AE, built and delivered to American Eagle in April 2000.

N363AA is a Boeing 767-300 built and delivered to American back in September 1988.

Hooray, the setting sun is back out, the clouds have moved out of the way...yet *another* arriving 737-800, this is N950AN, built and delivered to American in November 2000.

More American 738 goodness, this is N912AN, an -800 built and delivered to American back in May 1999. That's quite the flock of Eagle ERJs parked at Terminal B!

N645RW is a Republic Airways ERJ-170 built and delivered to Chautauqua in February 2005, now operated by Shuttle America- both companies used in United Express colors and both companies are subsidiaries of Republic Airways.

Nose-tight shot of N622AA, a Boeing 757-200 built and delivered to American in May 1990.

DFW | September 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Ubiquitous-80s...

2009-10-11T15:54:00.000-05:00

Gonna throw in some Ubiquitous-80s with this gorgeous evening light! This in N493AA, and MD-82 built and delivered originally to American Airlines in January 1989.

Hey, who's taking pictures of all these Ubiquitous-80s? Oh, me, that's who. I can't help it. But non-standard American MD-80 tail numbers get my attention. This is N7530, an MD-82 built and delivered to American in September 1990.

And *another* Ubiquitous-80, only this time nose-tight. This is N424AA, and MD-82 built and delivered to American in October 1986.

DFW | September 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Sunset and the blue tails...

2009-10-10T23:34:00.000-05:00

Earlier in September I had a chance to spot at Founders' Plaza much later in the day than I usually do. Sunset at Founders' Plaza doesn't have the variety that comes in earlier in the day, but the lighting sure is nice, the temps are cooler and there were plenty of families about just enjoying the milder temperatures this particular evening. Even though the posted signs say that the park closes at 7pm, there were plenty of people present well after 8pm.

One of the three American Eagle blue tails ERJ-145s that arrived that evening, this is N605KS, originally built and delivered in May 1998 to Trans States as N818HK and flew as Trans World Express. When American bought out TWA, she was rebranded as American Connection and got the blue eagle tail logo in contrast to the red and blue eagle logo used on the American Eagle ERJs. Now flying as American Eagle, the blue tail logo remains. Note also that the engine nacelles are blank, lacking the "RJ RegionalJet" titles.

The second of the three Eagle blue tails for that evening, this is N601DW, built and delivered originally to Trans States in March 1998 as N601GH and N814HK with American Connection before getting its current tail number with American Eagle. This one, however, *does* have the nacelle titles.

And the last of the three Eagle blue tails for some great sunset spotting, this is N608LM, built and delivered originally to Trans States in July 1998, flew as American Connection post-TWA buyout with the blue tail logo, now in American Eagle colors with the blue tail logo sans nacelle titles.

DAL | August 2009 | Arrivals on 31R | Gettin' some LUV and more.....

2009-10-05T18:02:00.000-05:00

Arriving from its home base in Shreveport, LA, is N8KU, a Socata TBM 700 built in 2004 and owned by the Aeolus Group.

Getting ready to turn onto Runway 31R for departure, this Dassault Falcon 900EX, tail number N909SB, belongs to AT&T (and before that SBC Communications before they bought AT&T) and was previously registered as N404A with Bell South.

N12934 is an Embraer ERJ-145EP that was built and delivered in July 1997 to ExpressJet and operated under the Continental Express banner. This flight was departing for Houston Intercontinental (KIAH).

Starting its takeoff run down 31R, N637SW is a Boeing 737-300 that has yet to modified with blended winglets. This aircraft was built and delivered to Southwest in September 1996.

N380SW is another Southwest Boeing 737-300, this time with winglets. Here she is rocketing down 31R with the Love Field tower in the background. She was built and delivered to Southwest in April 1994.

Not long after the earlier SBC/AT&T Falcon 900EX departed, another one from the same company rolled out on 31R for takeoff- not sure if it was headed to the same destination as the previous departure. This 900EX, N900SB, was built in 1998. Unlike N909SB, this one has what I think is a satellite communications fairing atop the vertical fin.

Didn't get the tail number of this Continental ERJ-145 arriving from Houston. I'm surprised it came out decently considering a bank of clouds moved into the area briefly.

First time I've caught a Citation Mustang, this is N352AS, the 201st Citation Mustang built and owned by CNC Aircraft of Venice, Florida. By the time this one got into a good position, I had to shoot past the barbed wire atop the perimeter fence. Grrrr...next time I'm standing on the roof of my car. I somehow think trotting out a 10 foot ladder to shoot from may not go over well with the local authorities.

N797MX is a Boeing 737-700 built and delivered to Southwest in March 2001. I've never seen "MX" used in Southwest's tail numbers before.

One of my favorites of the day, here's N797MX (Boeing 737-700) up tight and close as it turns onto 31R for departure.

Southwest's flights at Love Field leave in waves and N497WN was part of a pack of flights leaving in rapid succession off 31R. This particular Boeing 737-700 was built and delivered to Southwest in December 2004.

N925WN is a Boeing 737-700 built and delivered to Southwest in June 2008- probably the newest Southwest jet I've photographed so far.

Another one of my favorites of the day, here's N925WN accelerating down 31R with the Love Field terminal in the distance.

N403LM is a Gulfstream 200 owned by Lockheed Martin, built in 2003. The G200 was originally designed and built by Israeli Aircraft Industries as the IAI Galaxy and was the product of a joint development between Yakovlev (based on the Russian company's own Yak-48 design) and IAI (using the IAI Astra's wing). In 2001 Gulfstream acquired IAI's Galaxy division and renamed the Galaxy the G200.

DFW | September 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Spot-n'-roast....

2009-10-03T23:18:00.000-05:00

Another set of photos from one hotter than scalded snake balls in a desert wagon rut afternoon. And they for some reason temporarily removed the sun canopies at Founders' Plaza a few weeks ago and man, you damn well better love dem planes to want to roast out there the last several weeks.......if anyone knows what happened to the sun canopies at Founders' Plaza, email me!

But I digress.

A little nose to nose action here...okay, not really, but I thought it might look interesting. A UPS 767-300F rolls out for departure while the MD-11F in the background is readied for pushback.

N307UP is a Boeing 767-300F(ER) built and delivered to UPS in August 1996. Here she is heading out for an intersection takeoff on 18R.

Pushing back right after the UPS 767-300F left the ramp was this UPS MD-11F. This particular aircraft, N294UP, was built and delivered orginally in November 1991 as N801DE in passenger configuration to Delta Air Lines. If I'm not mistaken, N801DE was Delta's first MD-11 and it was also the last Delta MD-11 to wear the Interim colors (Ron Allen colors).

Here's N294UP getting ready to head out while in the distance you can see the previous UPS 767-300F climbing out from 18R.

From my information it appears that N294UP, when it was with Delta as N801DE, was withdrawn from Delta service in 2004 and stored for a while at Montreal Mirabel (of all places instead the desert) before flying for charter operator World Airways (and at one point had a short term lease to Ethiopian Airlines) before being sold to UPS and converted in Singapore to freighter configuration just last year.

Couldn't resist this one. There was contractor crew doing some sort of work between the UPS ramp and Founders' Plaza and this one worker stepped inside the porta-crapper just as the MD-11F spooled up its engines. Alas, there was no fun to be had as I was in a very twisted way wanting to see if the jet blast would provide some sort of entertainment for the afternoon. Must be why there are those heavy duty straps holding the porta-crapper down and it was hitched to a truck.

Still makes for a bit of a humorous shot, though.

Finally caught this one on the west side! Too bad it was so hazy and that heat haze was cranked up to ludicrous speed that day. C-FEKI is an Embraer ERJ-175 built and delivered to Air Canada in November 2005. On a hazy day like this day the color scheme doesn't exactly stand out as well as it does on a sunny clear day. It actually looks best to me when in full sunlight against some dark clouds in the background.

C-FEKI sailing in over the numbers with Terminal B in the background (although some us still refer to it as Terminal 2W ;-)) with a North American 767-300 and United A319 at their gates.

DFW | September 2009 | Arrivals on the 17s | Love that mornin' Texas sun...

2009-10-03T23:11:00.000-05:00

Decided for a break to head to my east side spot instead of Founders' Plaza. The traffic isn't as varied but the lighting is nice and you can get closer to the planes. Or is that the planes get closer to you? In Soviet Russia, planes spot you!

But I digress.

Here's N973AN on short final for 17C just about to cross over Carpenter Freeway. This particular Boeing 737-800 was built and delivered to American Airlines in October 2001 and retrofitted with blended winglets in 2007.

This is N523AE, a Bombardier CRJ-700 that was built and delivered to American Eagle in June 2004.

Finally caught a FedEx arrival on the east side in decent weather, this is N741FD. It has quite a service history, having been built and delivered as an Airbus A300-600R back in May 1991 to leasing company AWAS. AWAS then leased her to Garuda Indonesia, then to Korean Airlines, then to Turkish charter airline Alfa Airlines, then to Saudi Arabian Airlines and finally passed like a party bong to Qatar Airways. Sold to FedEx around 2003, stored for a while and then converted to A300-600F freighter configuration by Airbus at their Dresden, Germany, facility before entering service with FedEx last year.

Narrow shot view of N741FD on short final. That's a lot of flap track/actuator fairings!

Gotta love that early morning light when you're on the east side spotting. This is N946AN, a Boeing 737-800 built and delivered to American back in September 2000.

Here's something you don't see very often at DFW- a 737 without any winglets! This Continental Airlines Boeing 737-300 was built and delivered back in July 1985 to Continental/Texas Air Corporation (back when Frank Lorenzo was the holy terror of organized labor in the airline industry) who leased to New York Air, Texas Air's nonunion operation. It wound up back with Continental where it wore the Red Meatball scheme before getting its current colors.

Nose tight shot of N63305 on short final. She sure doesn't look like she's just shy of 25 years of age, this -300 was darn near pristine.

DFW | August 2009 | Founders' Plaza | S'more from August...

2009-10-03T23:01:00.000-05:00

Something that you don't notice unless you look closely- this American Eagle ERJ is an ERJ-140LR, a long range version of the ERJ-140 which itself was a simple shrink of the ERJ-145 that seats six fewer passengers for a total of 44 passengers instead of 50. American Eagle operates the majority of the ERJ-140s built but they're also used in smaller numbers by other airlines.

Eagle's internal documents and the FAA, however, refer to the ERJ-140 as the ERJ-135KL. Go figure. This particular aircraft, N809AE, is the ninth Embraer ERJ-140 built, having beend delivered to American Eagle in October 2001.

The size change to a 44-seat regional jet was driven by having to meet scope clauses with American Airlines as well as other US carriers. As a result the ERJ-140 is primarily unique to the US market.

Nose tight shot of another American Eagle ERJ, this time it's N654AE, an Embraer ERJ-145LR that was built and delivered to the airline in May 2001. I tried experimenting with a higher ISO to get a faster shutter speed in this shot and ended up with a grainier shot. Oh well.

Gotta work in a 757 shot somewhere in this set. This is N619AA, built and delivered to American back in March 1990. Back when some of us sported Flock of Seagulls haircuts. Yikes. But I digress.

N290AS was at one time a tail number assigned to an Alaska Airlines 727, but today it's used by a Beechcraft King Air 300 belonging to the fractional operator Executive Airshare (hence the AS in the tail code). This was the first of two King Airs from Executive Airshare, the other one on a 2 mile final behind this one. This King Air was built in 2000.

This is the second of two sequential King Air arrivals at DFW that afternoon- this is N291AS, a Beechcraft King Air 300 with the Executive Airshare fractional operator. Gotta wonder what's going on that got two King Airs from the same fractional arriving one after the other at DFW. This particular aircraft was built in 2001.

Fine, I'll take a picture of a Ubiquitous-80. This is N7509, an MD-82 built and delivered to American in December 1989.

This is one of small handful of American Eagle "blue tails" in the fleet- notice that the eagle on the tail is all blue instead of red/blue as is standard for the fleet. This particular aircraft, N604AE, appears to have been N604DG at one time with a regular red/blue eagle on the tail, then went to Trans States as N817HK where it wore the blue tail and then back to American Eagle as N604AE. It was built and delivered originally in May 1998.

The blue tails were used on the Trans States ERJs that flew with American Connection titles instead of American Eagle since Trans States wasn't part of AMR. When they went back to Eagle, the tails stayed the same but the titles reverted back to American Eagle.

"Speedbird 193 Heavy, cleared to land 18-Right....."

It's a Boeing 777. What's not to love? This is G-VIIE, a Boeing 777-200ER that was built and delivered to British Airways back in February 1997. In those days it wore the classy Landor scheme and around 2000 or so was repainted in the Chatham Dockyard tail colors that amongst BA's World Tails, became the standard livery for the British Airways fleet after some time.

Wider shot of G-VIIE as it comes in over the numbers on 18R.

A nose shot from a different angle on G-VIIE only seconds from touchdown.

DFW | August 2009 | 13R Arrivals | Two Asian heavies...

2009-10-03T22:52:00.000-05:00

Well finally I've avoided getting screwed on catching these two arrivals- I go to Founders' Plaza, they both land on 13R. I go to the China Air Cargo parking lot, they go and land on 18R.

I love Korean Air's colors. And they look especially elegant on the brawny lines of the Boeing 777. Here is Korean 31 Heavy turning off 13R on the high speed (Taxiway A4) which nicely points right at the small hill by the China Air Cargo parking lot.

All her feathers are still "out and ruffled" from the landing. This particular Korean Air 777-200ER is tail number HL7575 and is arriving from Seoul-Inchon.

I like how this one turned out, and you can see the port engine nacelle reflected on the fuselage. I think I'll get this one enlarged and printed for my own walls. This particular aircraft, HL7575, was built and delivered to Korean Air in October 2000.

Korean Air's 777-200ERs are always pristine when I've seen them. Their flight and cabin crews stay at the Omni Hotel on LBJ Freeway/Luna Road. In the background of this close up shot is a former FedEx 727-200F used by the DFW fire department as a trainer.

HL7575 rolling down Taxiway B on its way to International Terminal D. West Airfield Road runs right along Taxiway B and under Taxiway A/B a litte further down from my vantage point. It's the *other* dual taxiway bridge at DFW aside from the Alpha and Bravo bridge in the south and Yankee and Zulu bridge in the north that go over International Parkway.

Jackpot! Landing on 13R right behind the Korean Air 777 this particular morning is the newest carrier to serve DFW, Yangtze River Express. Here she is turning off the very end of 13R onto the A5/A6 taxiway.

Established on 15 January 2003 as the second cargo airline in the country after China Cargo Airlines, it was majority owned by the Hainan Air Group (85%) with Hainan Airlines Co (5%) and Shanghai Airport Group (10%) holding the remaining shares. The airline took over the entire cargo operations of Hainan Airlines, China Xinhua Airlines, Chang'an Airlines and Shanxi Airlines, all members of the Hainan Air Group.

In 2006, it divested 49% of its shareholdings to a consortium of companies including China Airlines, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation, Wan Hai Lines and China Container Express Lines. Ironically China Airlines of Taiwan became the largest foreign shareholder with a 25% stake. Yangtze River Express intiated services to DFW just this year.

The classic lines of the 747 transcend just being an aviation icon. It's more than that, a cultural and technological icon that even today 40 years after its first flight lives on in the upcoming 747-8 of which the prototype is nearing completion.

Under the pitot tubes in the red cheatline in small white letters are the titles "RVSM Qualified Aircraft".

This particular aircraft was built as a 747-400 (domestic -400 without winglets) for All Nippon/ANA in October 1997. In 2003 Boeing modified it into a 747-400D (domestic version of the -400 that lack winglets).

When this aircraft was sold to Yangtze River Express, it got its winglets back in addition to other conversion work to change it to freighter configuration. The conversion work was done from July 2008 to February of this year by IAI's Bedek Division in Tel Aviv, making it a 747-400BDSF (Bedek Special Freighter- basically an IAI counterpart of the 747-400BCF, Boeing Converted Freighter).

Early morning shots aren't great when facing east at the China Air Cargo parking lot, but I couldn't resist this shot of the Yangtze River Express 747-400BDSF rolling up Taxiway C to go to the West Cargo complex while the Korean Air 777 heads down Taxiway WM to cross 18R and 18L to get to the International Terminal.

DFW | August 2009 | Founders' Plaza | One early morning...

2009-10-03T22:45:00.000-05:00

Beacon flash! This is N33714, a Boeing 737-700 that was built and delivered to Continental in September 1998. This is a bit of an unusual aircraft for DFW, not that it's a Continental 737NG, but N33714 is one of Continental's ETOPS-certified 737s. And this one was coming from Houston. Go figure, must be the vagaries of scheduling, I guess.....

First time I've seen the new Angry Widget colors Delta MD-90 at DFW. This is N902DA, built and delivered to Delta in February 1995. The usual morning Delta MD-90 departure at DFW has been with a Deltaflot colors bird everytime I've been out at Founders' Plaza in the early morning.

[Captain Johnathan]Yeah baby, yeah baby![/Captain Johnathan]Aaaaaand here we have ABX Air's 767-200F just seconds from touchdown...it's a bit dark but I was there early in the morning and who the hell doesn't love pimp-slapped freight birds? This particular aircraft is N745AX, built and delivered originally to Delta Air Lines waaaaay back in May 1983 as N110DL.

Wider shot of N745AX about to kiss Mother Earth on 18R. When she was N110DL with Delta, she was built and delivered in the classic Widget livery and then got the Interim "Ron Allen" livery but was sold to ABX Air before she ever got to fly in the Deltaflot colors.

N745AX rolls off the active and heads to the ABX ramp just south of the UPS facility. Delta sold her to ABX in 2006 and in December of that year she was converted to freighter configuration by Israeli Aircraft Industries' Bedek Division in Tel Aviv.

NTx airNEWS: Denton Municipal Airport Master Plan (2003)

2009-10-02T23:13:00.001-05:00

I just stumbled across Denton Airport's 2003 Master Plan (KDTO) and while it's a weighty 270 pages, there are some nice historical overviews of KDTO and the analysis of future expansion alternatives makes for interesting browsing- all of which involve adding a second parallel runway- two of the three plans involve a shorter parallel runway and the third alternative had two similarly sized parallel runways.

In 2001-2003 I took flying lessons at KDTO and back then, there wasn't a control tower and on Saturday and Sunday mornings, the traffic pattern could get quite busy! I'm not sure what the current economic climate's effects will be on the Master Plan, but it's a great little airport that I hope does well in the future.

DFW | August 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Heavy iron...

2009-10-01T20:55:00.000-05:00

Heard over the tower frequency that a China Cargo 747 was heading out and made my way to Founders' Plaza to catch it in hopes of it NOT being tail number B-2425...and it was. I swear, this particular bird is stalking me. Every time. B-2425. B-2425. B-2425. Nothing else but B-2425. I'll crap a brick when China Cargo decides to send something other than B-2425 to DFW.

But it *is* a 747, therefore I can't resist taking a picture. Or five. Maybe six. Okay, it was seven. Hmmmph.

Meet N785AN, up close and personal. Gotta wonder if any of the passengers with their shades up in first class are looking out the right side of the aircraft and wondering about the flock of airportnerds around the airport beacon at Founders' Plaza........

This Boeing 777-200ER was built and delivered to American in March 2000.

Trying out a little pseudo-HDR but only a small amount on N785AN...ended up getting a different look, but in introduced a lot of noise in the background. But hey, Rolls-Royce Trent engines are inherently *awesome*.

N785AN just seconds from touchdown with those Bigfoot mains about to smoke 'em if they got' em on 18R.

DFW | August 2009 | 13R Arrivals | Standard stuff...

2009-10-01T20:52:00.000-05:00

Shot this one from the China Air Cargo parking lot next to 13R/31L. This is N913XJ, a Bombardier CRJ-900 flying with Mesaba as Delta Connection. That's right, Mesaba. There's that whole Delta-Northwest merger and this one must've been repainted recently as all the shots on Anet are of it in NWA Airlink colors. On the forward fuselage under the cockpit are the titles "Operated By Mesaba Airlines".

This aircraft was delivered to Mesaba in January 2008 in NWA Airlink colors after being used for a brief time as a demonstrator aircraft for Bombardier at the Dubai 2007 Air Show.

Not much action on the west diagonal this day, so I had to see what I could do with some Ubiquitous-80s. This MD-82 is N463AA, built and delivered to American back in July 1988. She's turning off 13R at the very end of the runway in those close up shot.

Here's some love for the Eagle guys in the prop-jobs. This is N541AT, an ATR-72 built and delivered to American Eagle in January 1998. I think I got the attention of the captain....hey, look, an airportnerd!

DFW | August 2009 | 17R Arrivals | The Angry Widget

2009-10-01T20:47:00.000-05:00

Caught Delta's early morning 757 flight from Atlanta on short final to 17L on the east side. I find these colors strangely growing on me, though nothing could possibly top the Widget livery for me...but then I'm a sucker for days gone by when it comes to commercial airliners.

This is N618DL, a Boeing 757-200 built and delivered to Delta back in April 1986. And it wore the Widget livery back then....ahhhhhhhhhhh........

Different angle of N618DL as it passes over Carpenter Freeway on short final.....

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

2009-09-27T21:39:00.000-05:00

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

2009-09-26T21:48:00.002-05:00

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

2009-09-26T21:29:00.000-05:00

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"

2009-09-26T21:24:00.000-05:00

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...

2009-09-26T08:49:00.000-05:00

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...

2009-09-26T08:42:00.001-05:00

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......

2009-09-25T23:52:00.001-05:00

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

2009-09-25T23:49:00.000-05:00

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?

2009-09-25T23:22:00.000-05:00

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.

DFW | May 2009 | Founders' Plaza | At least it's not raining

2009-09-25T23:06:00.000-05:00

Man, can a brutha get a break and have decent weather for a change when spotting? Oh well...this is something different...sort of. Usually the Continental wingletted 737 Classics we get at DFW are 737-500s, this was the first time I'd seen a Continental 737-300 retrofitted with the winglets. DFW usually gets either 737-800s or 737-500s, sometimes the occasional -700. This particular aircraft, N14336, is an ex-New York Air bird built and delivered to Continental in December 1986 back when Sith Lord Darth Lorenzo was using New York Air as a union busting operation.

Hey Frontier, pay attention, this is your future.

First time I've caught the Republic house colors bird at DFW, this ERJ-170, N821MD, was built and delivered to Republic in September 2004 and has flown in the colors of US Airways Express and Frontier Express as well as Midwest Connect in its five years of operation.

Dang it, everytime I have my camera with me, the Mexicana A318 that arrives after lunch wears the old colors. When I don't have my camera with me, it's in the new colors. Bastards.

This particular aircraft is XA-UBU. Sit Ubu, sit. Built in December 2004 for GECAS who has been leasing it to Mexicana since then.

Heat haze trashed this shot, but most of the United A320s we see at DFW are in the old blue/gray colors, it was a nice change to see one in the full new colors. N414UA was built and delivered to United in March 1994 (it was originally built for Air Canada, but the deal fell through and United picked it up factory-fresh) and flew in Ted colors from 2005 to 2008.

This American 757-200, N645AA, was built and delivered to American back in May 1991 when they used to know how to make money. She was retrofitted with winglets last year.

Once again, using the call sign "King Cargo", is China Cargo Airlines' 747-400ERF. And once again, it's B-2425. This is pretty much the only ERF that China Cargo seems to fly to DFW. Other spotters have seen other tail numbers, but no, me and B-2425 go back a ways.

Here's the regular afternoon Skywest arrival in United Express colors. N752SK, is a CRJ-700 built in April 2005 for Skywest and has been flying its entire career so far in United Express colors.

Some days it feels like the only US mainline carrier flying new jets into DFW is Alaska. This is N563AS, a 737-800 built and delivered to Alaska in October 2006. Under the Boeing titles under the cockpit you can see the phrase "Proudly All Boeing".

Alaska's 737-800 N563AS (built in October 2006) seconds from touchdown with the American Eagle's ERJs in the background at Terminal B.

US Airways A320 on short final, this aircraft, N645AW, was built and delivered in June of 1999 for America West and got repainted post-merger in US Airways colors in January 2006.

Enjoy 'em while they still fly with these colors, this Northwest A320 was built and delivered to the airline back in April of 1991. This aircraft, N317US, is the the ninth oldest Northwest A320 still active, there are eight A320s even older (most delivered in 1990) still flying with the airline.

Finally got a picture of N826AW, the US Airways A319 in the Arizona special colors. Built in June 2001 for America West, it got its Arizona colors post-merger in April 2007.

N17619 is a 737-500 built and delivered to Continental back in October 1991 and I believe was retrofitted with winglets only last year.

DFW | May 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Areas of convective interest....

2009-09-24T22:25:00.000-05:00

Back in the middle of May there were some storm cells approaching from the north and well, I just can't pass up a chance to go spotting in severe weather because that's how I roll.

Now we're talking. That's what a I call an *ominous* sky. This is the airport beacon that's at the center of the spotting park at Founders' Plaza.

Well that sky means nuthin' if it doesn't have some whoop-ass along with it. Let's check the doppler radar feed....ahhhh yes, now we're talkin' business now. The blue crosshairs marks my location at Founders' Plaza and that red moxie is moving south with "make my day" written all over it. Yes. 'Cause that's how I roll, baby.

First off, here's a UPS MD-11F pushing back from the ramp adjacent to Founders' Plaza. This particular aircraft is N294UP, built originally in November 1991 for Delta Air Lines as N801DE, the first Delta MD-11. She was then passed to World Airways for a short while in the passenger role and was even leased for a short period by Ethiopian Airlines. In the first quarter of 2008 she was converted to freighter configuration by ST Aviation Services (SASCO) at Paya Lebar Airport in Singapore before entering service with UPS.

The morning Alaska departure to Seattle was delayed due to incoming weather but they weren't going to stick around for a hold. These guys, there were going to get out of town. Fast. And they did. This aircraft, N568AS, is a young'un, built in January 2007 as a 737-800.

Next up to bat and damn sure to expediting their departure with the approaching storm cells, is American's 757-200 "Flagship Freedom" with its special markings.

This NWA Airlink flight (operated by Compass Airlines) was headed north to Minneapolis, and well, that was a no go with the wall of storm bearing down on the area. They radioed to the East Tower that they were electing to head back to the gate. This particular aircraft, an Embraer ERJ-175LR, was built and delivered to Compass in October 2008.

A rather unusual sight in the morning was to have two Continental 737s on the NW hold pad preparing for departure. This particular 737 is a 737-500 that's been retrofitted with blended winglets- N14645 is a relative youngster as far as 737 Classics go, she was built and delivered to Continental in September 1997.

Following a Continental 737-500 was this Continental 737-800 headed out for Houston Intercontinental. This particular -800, N11206, was built and delivered to Continental in July 2000.

Last shot for this initial set. This just shows how bad it was getting, this Frontier A319 was one of the last to get the hell out of Dodge just before the storm shut things down. I don't have a good shot of which Frontier bird she is but was able to catch the landing lights coming on and the beacon flash.

These were tough as nails shots to get. Poor light, bad weather, I had to jack up the ISO on a lot of these shots and try all sorts of combinations of exposure compensation, shutter and aperture settings. Sheesh. Good way to learn all sorts of things about your camera.

DAL | July 2009 | Frontiers of Flight

2009-09-24T17:48:00.000-05:00

^N269WN is a two and a half year old 737-700, here I shot it from the parking lot of the Frontiers of Flight Museum as it departed off 13L. This was a trickier shot shooting into the sun, but with the clouds in the sky I thought I might be able to get something different. I think I overexposed the clouds, I'll have to try this again the next chance I get.

^This attempt came out a bit better. This is N519SW, a 737-500 built and delivered to Southwest in September 1991. I think that it came out better than the other similar shot with the 737-700 because this one took off at a flatter angle and wasn't as close to the sun.

DAL | July 2009 | Bachman Lake

2009-09-24T17:46:00.000-05:00

Back in July I finally had a nice block of free time to go spotting at Dallas Love Field. The traffic there doesn't have the volume that DFW has, obviously, but can be more interesting as there are a lot of business aviation operations out of Love compared to DFW and knowing that nearly all the commercial flights would be Southwest, I was going to try the time to see what I could do to make shooting nothing but Southwest *interesting*.

My tactic was simple. There are only two runways at Love Field and that day 13L and 13R were in use. Southwest flights pretty much use 13R for arrivals and most of the general aviation action uses 13L with an occasional bizjet to 13R if they're bound for one of the few FBOs on that side of the airport.

I set up on Shorecrest Drive (the south shore of Bachman Lake) and with a flight tracking app on my iPhone, I would move up and down Shorecrest depending on whether it was a Southwest flight or a general aviation flight. At least that way I could anticipate where to be for each shot. Almost. Did miss a few....but it was easier than chasing flights all across DFW hoping you'd be in the right place.

^Here's Southwest's N348SW, a 737-300 that has been flying its entire life for Southwest since its delivery from Boeing in April 1989. If I remember right, this flight was coming in from Lubbock.

^This is N662SW- built and delivered initially in June 1985 to leasing giant ILFC, it flew with charter airline Sunworld before it was returned to ILFC, sold to Piedmont who flew it past the merger with USAir, who in turn sold it Southwest Airlines. The paint job on this aircraft was quite noticeably faded compared to most of the Southwest aircraft I'd photographed that day.

^Wider-angle shot of N638SW on short final, a relatively young 737-300 that was built and delivered to Southwest in January 1996, just a year before the first new-generation 737-700 was delivered to the airline.

^My best catch of that day and a surprise as it wasn't on the flight tracking data- 2127 is a Dassault HU-25A Guardian that ironically got sent to the desert boneyard at AMARC/Davis-Monthan AFB in 1994 and was then brought back into service just last year. She's based at CGAS Mobile, Alabama, which if I remember right is where HU-25 pilots and crews are trained.

I've always liked this bird- the Coast Guard colors look sharp on the sleek lines of the Dassault Falcon 20 and you just can't help but love those crazy reverse flow Garrett turbofan engines.

^N713HC is a Bombardier Challenger 600 built in October 1996. I've always thought the 600s were stubby and lacked the sleek lines of the CRJ and the Global Express that sprang from this design.

^N547CS is a Cessna Citation 560XLS operated by Citationshares, Cessna's fractional jet ownership program.

^N617AC is a 2003 model Bell 407 that operates as a photo bird here in the DFW area.

DFW | May 2009 | Founders' Plaza | VFR, what's that?

2009-09-24T17:39:00.000-05:00

^One week in May, instead of thunderstorms, I get stuck with thick fog and 300' ceilings. You gotta be kidding me. But hey, I did finally get a shot of one of Martinaire's Cessna 208Bs heading out, to Brownwood, I think. They run up and around between here and San Antonio on cargo runs and usually in better weather they're long gone by the time I get to Founders' Plaza.

^It was actually kinda cool to see this American 777-200ER break out of the overcast on short final. I think this morning arrival comes in from Tokyo Narita. This particular aircraft, N780AN, was built in August 1999 and has been flying for American its entire career.

^I so need better weather to photograph the morning Korean Air arrival. Usually the flight from Seoul-Inchon lands on 13R and on occasion will arrive on 18R, particularly on days with bad weather or low visibility. This particular 777-200ER, tail number HL7598, was built and delivered to Korean Air in August 2001.

^By the afternoon the fog had lifted. Around lunch time the UPS ramp adjacent to Founders' Plaza gets VERY busy. And this is just some of their aircraft that were parked there- there's a DC-8-71F, 757-200F, A300-600F, and two MD-11Fs in this shot alone. Off to the right out of frame is another flightline that had two A300-600Fs and two 767-300Fs.

^FINALLY! Got Allegiant's MD-87s arriving. Not sure why this one was arriving from Abilene Regional, though. Some sort of charter I assume. Can't see the tail number in any of the shots I took of this aircraft, though. My information shows four MD-87s active with Allegiant. Naturally all their tail numbers could fit the partial views of the tail number I have on this aircraft.

^This shot suggests that it could be either N948MA or N949MA. 948 is a former corporate aircraft that flew for Ford Motor after having flown previously for Midway Airlines. 949 has a more diverse service history, having first flown for Midway, then leased to Oasis International, then flew for Reno, then American after their buyout of Reno, and then Aeromexico before coming to Allegiant's fleet.

^And finally, here's American's Flagship Freedom taxiing out from the AA hangars for the International Terminal.

DFW | May 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Mo' bad weather...

2009-09-24T17:33:00.000-05:00

^Wednesday morning that week we had some storm cells moving through the area and I think we've established just how much I love spotting in bad weather. This particular morning was no different, but I was rewarded with a cool beacon flash on this UPS 747-400F pushing back from the UPS ramp by Founders' Plaza.

^As the UPS 747-400F headed out as UPS 2751 Heavy, the first of the approaching storm cells for the morning got closer and the sky darkened. I had to push the ISO way up and rest the camera on one of the picnic tables to get this shot come out halfway decent. But I include it because the UPS 747-400F in the new colors wears the nose cone from a UPS old colors 747-100/200F. Since the -100/200Fs have been retired since January (I think the -100s left in August 2008 and the -200s left in January), I figure UPS is making use of some parts lyin' around.

^"UPS 2751 Heavy taxi and hold short of One-Eight Left. Eagle Flight 2241, position and hold, One-Eight Left."

I wanted to capture the dark mood as the storm got closer, I was pleased that I caught the fin logo spotlight on the American Eagle ERJ-145 getting ready to takeoff and the sense of motion conveyed by the arriving American MD-80 landing on 18R.

^Of course, panning is kinda hard in a low-light situation, even with the ISO pushed up. This was the only shot out of a bunch that the arriving MD-80 wasn't blurred.

^Later in the morning the first batch of storm cells had moved off (notice the dark skies in the background towards downtown Dallas). One of the more unusual moments was this FedEx MD-10F taking position on 18L for departure. It's unusual for DFW as the FedEx terminal is on the east side and usually the FedEx flights depart from the east side (the 17s) instead of the west side where Founders' is located (the 18s).

DFW | May 2009 | Founders' Plaza | 36R Departures

2009-09-24T00:04:00.000-05:00

The first week of May had some seriously shitty weather. Lots of thunderstorms and less than ideal photography conditions throughout the day. But, as a photographer patient of mine told me, those are the best times to learn as you'll push your DSLR settings to their limits to try and make the best of the lousiest of conditions.

^Naturally, the only nice day that particular week was Monday and everything was in a north flow pattern. Less than ideal for a good day of spotting at Founders', but I did get this decent shot of an Alaska 737-800 departing for Seattle.

This particular aircraft, N596AS, is a young'un. She was built and delivered to Alaska Airlines in April 2008.

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Saying goodbye to a grand old lady...

2009-09-23T23:59:00.000-05:00

Due to the ongoing economic situation, UPS recently retired its DC-8 fleet sooner than anticipated with the last UPS DC-8 flight taking place on May 12. I thought that April 16 was the last time I'd seen the UPS DC-8, but going through my photos tonight I've found a set of shots that would be the last time I'd be seeing UPS's venerable old DC-8s 'round these parts ever. These shots were taken on a gloomy afternoon on April 30 from Founders' Plaza:

This particular aircraft is N894UP, built in July 1969 as a DC-8-63CF for charter airline Capitol Airlines. In 1984 she was to have been sold to Evergreen, but the deal fell through and she ultimately ended up with UPS who had her converted to Super Seventy standards with the re-engining to more efficient CFM56 engines.

The last information I have she is in open storage at UPS's hub in Louisville.

DFW | April 2009 | Arrivals on the 17s

2009-09-23T23:56:00.000-05:00

Time to head over to my east side spotting location! I just got the car parked as this American 777-200ER made its final approach to 17R. I love how you can see the shadow of the aircraft on the field below reflected on the baremetal underbelly of the jet. I liked this one so much I had it made into a 10x15 print I'm going to hang in my office.

This particular aircraft, N762AN, was built and delivered to American in April 2002 and was using the callsign "American 51 Heavy" and was arriving from London Heathrow.

This is Lufthansa's Flight 438 arriving from Frankfurt, Germany. This particular aircraft, D-AIFA, is christened "Dorsten" and is an Airbus A340-300 built and delivered to Lufthansa in June 2000. I had photographed this aircraft during the 2006 World Cup season arriving at DFW by the old Founders' Plaza with a soccer ball painted on the nose radome.

Close up shot of "Dorsten" on final approach for 17L.

Another one of the my favorites of the day, this Continental 737-500 was operating as Flight 1136 from Newark. This particular aircraft, N14653, was built and delivered to Continental in January 1998 and only recently was retrofitted with winglets.

My special catch of the day, an Embraer ERJ-190 in TACA's new colors. This was operating as TACA 612 nonstop from San Salvador. This aircraft is practically brand-spankin' new, built and delivered to TACA in September 2008.

Beacon flash! The lighting isn't ideal in the afternoons on the east side but you gotta deal with it to catch the interesting traffic.

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza

2009-09-23T23:52:00.000-05:00

Started my afternoon out over at Founders' Plaza. Part of the afternoon they had the usual departure runway on the west side, 18L, closed for about an hour (again) and routed departing flights over to 18R which put them closer to Founders' Plaza.

Here's an American 757-200 rolling into position on 18R. This aircraft, N652AA, was built and delivered to American in August 1991 and was retrofitted with winglets in 2007.

Afternoon US Airways arrival from Phoenix, N669AW is an Airbus A320 built and delivered in April 2002 to America West and was repainted in November 2006 post-merger in US Airways colors.

I never really noticed the small stylized US flag logo on the wingtip fences before.

Close-up view of the arriving United A320 flight from Denver. It seems that every United Airbus that comes in now to DFW in the old blue/gray color scheme has part of its engine nacelles painted in the newer blue color. This aircraft, N846UA, was built and delivered to United in September 2001.

Nice to catch this bird again, this time on landing on a sunny day from Seattle! This Alaska Airlines 737-800 has special lei markings to commemorate Alaska's services to Hawaii. Amazing to think that from the first short-haul 737-100s/200s that first flew in the 1960s that the latest versions of the 737 are flying from the mainland to Hawaii! N577AS was built and delivered to Alaska Airlines in March 2007.

A rather unusual angle on an American 767-300 from Founders' Plaza- the heat haze wasn't so good but I thought it to be a unique shot, so posted it up anyway. Sometimes the northwest hold pad fills up with aircraft lining up for departure and on occasion the tower will ask one or two of the aircraft to cross 18L and do a 180 degree turn and wait in position opposite the northwest hold pad. That's what this American 767-300 was doing. I believe this departure is headed for South America, but not sure.

This aircraft, N346AN, is a 767-300ER built and delivered to American in May 2003.

It's always nice to catch a classic DC-9 and more so in a color scheme that is fast fading from the skies after the Delta acquisition of Northwest. Not to mention this old but sturdy birds have a ton of history behind them with long careers with other airlines.

This particular aircraft is no exception. It even wears its original registration number- N1309T, it's a DC-9-30 built and delivered in December 1968 to Texas International. It then went to New York Air (after Frank Lorenzo formed New York Air as a union-busting operation) and then got folded into Continental as Lorenzo consolidated his Texas Air empire. It then got sold to Northwest where it's still going strong- for those interested, it happens to be the 439th DC-9 ever built........

FTW | April 2009 | Cowtown Warbird Roundup | CV-22 Osprey

2009-09-23T22:03:00.000-05:00

Back in April was the Cowtown Warbird Roundup at Fort Worth Meacham Airport and while there weren't as many warbirds there as I had hoped, I did finally get a chance to examine an Osprey tilt-rotor up close.

The machine on static display was from the 71st Special Operations Squadron based at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. The 71st trains flight crews for the Air Force Special Operations Command's operational Osprey units. We were allowed to go inside, look in the cockpit and the crew was more than happy to hang out with everyone and answer questions. One of them told everyone that they always loved coming to Texas air shows as the crowds were always the most hospitable to military personnel than any other place they'd gone to for air shows.;)

On with the pics!

Shot of the cockpit- on the lower right is the thimble-shaped radome that houses the TFR (terrain-following radar) that is unique to the AFSOC's CV-22 variant (compared to the Marine Corps' MV-22 assault transport version) and allows it to penetrate hostile airspace day, night, and in poor weather.

Key to the Osprey's unique abilities are it's twin tilt rotor nacelles each housing 6200+ hp Rolls-Royce/Allison AE1107C turboshaft engines. They can even pivot past vertical to allow the Osprey to fly backwards when in helicopter mode. There is a thumb dial on the throttle operated by the pilot's left hand that controls the nacelle angle from straight ahead for high speed flight to past vertical for flying backwards in helicopter mode.

Close up view of the cockpit area. The black wart-like aerial just behind the cockpit is part of the CV-22's radar warning receiver (RWR) system that helps the crew identify hostile threats.

Different view of the port nacelle. You can see the fold joints on the rotor blades that allow the Osprey to fit on the elevators and hangar decks of the Navy's aircraft carriers and big deck amphibious assault carriers. The big lateral airscoop serves the IR-suppression system that reduces the infrared signature of the CV-22.

Aft section looking forward. On one of the two vertical tails you can see the various aerials that serve the CV-22's electronic warfare system. The "58 OG" on the tail above the aircraft serial number refers to the 58th Operations Group, which is the operational/flying component of the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque.

It's a much larger aircraft that I had though having only seen it in flight around the DFW area. The crew were obviously very proud and excited about the unique performance and capabilities that the CV-22 brings to Special Operations Command's playbook.

DFW | April 2009 | Arrivals on the 17s

2009-09-23T21:58:00.000-05:00

This Continental Express (operated by ExpressJet) ERJ-145 arrived from Houston Intercontinental- this particular aircraft, N13979, was built and delivered to ExpressJet in November 1999.

This Delta MD-88 in the latest color scheme is a regular morning arrival at DFW's east side from Atlanta. This particular aircraft, N913DE, was built and delivered to Delta in December 1992.

One of my favorites of the morning (of course I dig the 757-200), this American 757 is on short final and just about to cross over Carpenter Freeway for 17R. This 757, N624AA, was built and delivered to American in June 1990. She got her winglets retrofitted in 2007.

Last shot of the morning, this AirTran 717 came in from Atlanta as well. This bird, N956AT, was built and delivered to the airline in January 2001.

DFW | April 2009 | 13R Arrivals

2009-09-23T21:54:00.000-05:00

One early morning in April I headed over to the China Air Cargo parking lot to see what was arriving on 13R (the west diagonal). I was hoping to catch some arriving cargo aircraft but mistimed heading over there but got good compensation when the morning Sun Country 737-800 flight arrived from Minneapolis late. It usually comes in much earlier.

This particular aircraft, N811SY, wears special markings on the nose celebrating the 25th anniversary of Sun Country's operations. She was built in July 2007 was originally to have been delivered to Delta but wasn't taken up and picked up by Sun Country instead.

I thought it a bit unusual that its spoilers were still deployed long after landing.

Second treat on that side that morning, a NWA Airlink (operated by Compass Airlines) Embraer ERJ-175LR that had just arrived coincidentally, from Minneapolis as well. Probably was tailing the Sun Country flight every step of the way that arrived just before it! This aircraft was built and delivered to Compass in January 2008.

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza

2009-09-23T21:50:00.000-05:00

Sometimes early in the morning you get just the right kind of light for some nice shooting opportunities at Founders' Plaza. On this particular morning several weeks ago they were using 18R for takeoffs as well as landings as 18L, the usual departure runway on the west side, wasn't being used for reasons I'm not sure- maybe some inspection work, not sure, but it was only closed for about an hour.

That meant departing traffic would come that much closer to Founders' Plaza for departure. Above is an American 737-800 rolling out onto the end of 18R after receiving its takeoff clearance.

This aircraft is N944AN, built and delivered to American Airlines in August 2000. She was retrofitted with winglets in 2007.

I don't usually post pictures of MD-80s (the Ubiquitous-80) as they're so common and I use them to "practice" some new settings, but this made an interesting scene with two MD-80s side by side holding short of 18R for departure.

Another "unique scene"- here while an American MD-80 awaits departure clearance short of 18R, a Martinaire Cessna 208 Caravan prepares to take the active runway for takeoff. Martinaire flies regional cargo flights, this particular Caravan was operating as Martinaire 803 and was headed for Springdale, Arkansas.

The heat haze look was from the jetwash of a previously departing aircraft.

Another routine morning cargo departure at DFW is this Ameriflight Metro III. At one time the Metro III (nicknamed the San Antonio Sewer Pipe as they were narrow and built by Swearingen in San Antonio) was a common commuter aircraft before larger aircraft more than 19 seats were allowed under deregulation.

There's not much out there that has the same high-pitched scream of a Metro III and its engines going to full power. It really evokes some childhood memories for me watching Air Midwest's Metro IIIs that served the small towns in Kansas I grew up in.

Once 18L opened back up, this Delta MD-90 was the first to head out on that runway. The twin V2500 engines have just spooled up and I sorta liked how the jetwash was blurring out part of the background. This aircraft, N916DN, was built and delivered to Delta (the MD-90's launch customer) in October 1996.

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza

2009-09-23T21:44:00.000-05:00

This particular day in April I was tracking several inbounds that I wanted to shoot pictures of, but they got held up as an outflow boundary from a nearby storm cell caused some erratic wind shifts between southerly winds and easterlies. I noticed three go-arounds in a row over on the west side and figured there must be quite a back up on the NW hold pad as departures held position until the weather improved. So off to Founders' Plaza!

^Sure enough the storms had quite a little cluster of aircraft on the NW hold pad. Here a Cessna 525 (CJ1) from Florida holds position on 18L. It made two attempts at take off, not sure why. He's got quite a back up behind him, too.

There are three "lanes" in the NW hold pad designated WF (Whiskey Foxtrot), WG (Whiskey Golf), and WH (Whisky Hotel). Aircraft will line up in each lane waiting their turn for take off on 18L. This group pictured here is using WH, the southernmost lane on the hold pad.

^It's not often that there will be four Airbus jets in hold pad at DFW. With a Frontier A319 and Mexicana A318 at WH (Whiskey Hotel), this United A319 and US Airways A320 take their positions at WF (Whiskey Foxtrot).

^A Mexicana A318 (XA-UBQ, built in October 2004 initially for GECAS and leased to Mexicana) takes position short of 18L as a gaggle of American MD-80s starts forming up behind it. This is the usual afternoon Mexicana departure headed for Mexico City.

^Here's Trixie, the Red Fox Pup, from Frontier getting ready to start its takeoff roll. This aircraft, N912FR, is an A319 built and delivered in August 2002 to GECAS for lease to Frontier Airlines. This flight is headed for Denver.

^After a while the arrivals started rolling in again and here's an American 757 (N601AN, built and delivered to American in February 1995) about to touchdown on 18L.

^Don't usually shoot pictures of American 737-800s as they're so common, but I liked the way that the exhaust of the CFM56s is deflected downward slightly from the airflow coming over the wings and lowered flaps. This aircraft, N967AN, was built and delivered to American in June 2001.

^Last shot of the day with the dark clouds of the one storm cell to the south- Singapore Cargo 747-400F rolls out from the West Cargo complex bound for the east side to depart off 17R. This aircraft, 9V-SFO, was built and delivered to Singapore Airlines in June 2004. Their cargo aircraft use the radio callsign "Sing Cargo".

DFW | April 2009 | 17C Arrivals

2009-09-23T21:37:00.000-05:00

^Figures, the first time I catch a US Airways ERJ-190 the weather sucks in all sorts of dimensions I didn't know even existed. This particular aircraft, N947UW, is operated by US Airways (instead of a regional partner like most other US airlines that have E-Jets flying in their colors) and is two years old. This flight arrived from Philadelphia.

^Full view of the US Airways ERJ-190 on final approach to 17R.

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Thunderstorm!

2009-09-23T21:31:00.003-05:00

So after dropping the kids off at school one day I took a quick swing by Founders' Plaza hoping to get some shots with lightning in the background....and didn't. But that didn't mean I tried.....

^Obligatory opening shot of the UPS ramp on a stormy morning. Interestingly there would be a siren that would sound from the ramp periodically. Not sure what it was, didn't see any flashing lights or emergency vehicles, I suspect it may have been some sort of lightning warning so that personnel avoid being out on the ramp in case of a lightning strike.
Oh wait, and here I am on this small hill overlooking the area. That's right. I'm THAT hardcore.

^Not the best picture, I was trying to capture the landing lights reflecting off the rainy runway/hold pad but found that I really should get a tripod for those sorts of shots.

Oh right, I want to stand on this small hill at Founders' Plaza with a metal tripod during a thunderstorm. That's right. That's how I roll, baby.

Anyway, this Alaska 737-800 departure to Seattle was delayed about an hour, I usually don't catch it departing. Behind it was a Continental 737-800 who elected to return to the gate due to deteriorating weather conditions. Didn't get a good picture there. Low light, strong winds, no can has tripod, the pictures has the blur.

^UPS 757-200F heading out from the UPS ramp. I had to pump up the ISO on these shots to get something useable, but I thought it'd make a "unique" photographic opportunity to test my newfound skills. I has them.

Running to the car ducking lightning and thunder. That's my skill. Yeah, baby.

^18L is normally used for departures and it closed for a short while this morning, so those with the brass cajones willing to depart were sent over to 18R for departure, like this American 757-200. The landing light was cool looking, but no love on catching some beacon flash.

^Bid adeiu to he with the brass testiculos as they roll down a rainy 18R to get up above the muck into sunny skies.

At this point there were two lightning strikes to my north in close succession not far away. At that point I cashed my chips in, pulled out my Golden Pussy card, hauled ass for the car and headed for home.

That's how I roll, baby.

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza | 36R Departures

2009-09-23T21:29:00.000-05:00

^N825SK, a brand-spankin' new CRJ-900 flying for Skywest in Delta Connection colors, hauls it out of DFW for Salt Lake City. This CRJ-900 was built and delivered to Skywest in January of this year. Probably the *youngest* aircraft I've photographed at DFW yet.

^This aircraft also belongs to Skywest, but it's flying in United Express colors- N716SK, a CRJ-700 (note the shorter fuselage and lack of ventral fins under the rear fuselage compared to the CRJ-900) built and delivered to Skywest in December 2004. I think this flight was headed to Chicago, but I'm not sure.

^American 737-800 making an unusually flat climbout off 36R, this is N924AN, built and delivered to American in 1999 and retrofitted with winglets in 2007.

^Now we're talking! Korean Air Cargo 747-400F (HL7462, built and delivered to Korean in July 1997) on climb out headed to Anchorage on its way to Seoul-Inchon International.

^Passing nearly directly overhead Founders' Plaza, there's a lot more grime and streaking on the underside compared to the near spotless top and sides......

^"[I]Korean Air 36 Heavy, contact departure, good day....[/I]"

^N773AN, a ten year old Boeing 777-200ER with American Airlines starts its landing gear retraction cycle....

^Mmmmmm....Rolls-Royce Trent 892-17 engines, 92,000 pounds of thrust times two.....dig it.........

^Getting cleaned up and heading out, departure contacted, gradual turn to the east....I think this flight was headed to London..........

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza

2009-09-22T21:15:00.000-05:00

^Mexicana 842 arrives from Mexico City. This stubby aircraft, XA-UBZ, is an Airbus A318 built and delivered to leasing giant GECAS in September 2005 but on lease to Mexicana since then.

^*Finally* got the UPS DC-8-71 in a better weather, but the lighting could have been better and heat haze was wreaking havoc with shots of taxiing aircraft. This is N702UP entering the UPS ramp after taxiing what seemed like ALL DAY from the east side of DFW.

This particular aircraft has had one helluva career. Built originally as a DC-8-61CF in 1967 for Trans International, she then went to Nordair who in turn leased her out to airlines like Air Afrique and Royal Air Maroc. Nordair then sold her to Evergreen International who flew her for a while before selling her to UPS who had the aircraft re-engined with CFM56s to become a DC-8-71F.

^You don't see many UPS birds in the older colors much, so this was a catch for me- this particular UPS Airbus A300-600F, N152UP, was built and delivered to UPS in July 2003.

^This UPS A300-600F (N152UP) must have been light, she didn't use much of 18R on landing and quickly entered the UPS ramp where I got this head-on shot.

^Delta MD-88 on short final, this is N982DL, built and delivered to Delta in June 1991.

^This one is new to me, this American 757-200 is christened "Flagship Freedom" and has special yellow ribbon markings honoring US armed forces personnel. Built and delivered to American Airlines in July 1993, she got retrofitted with winglets in 2007 and was unveiled on Veterans Day last year as "Flagship Freedom" at DFW after being repainted in Tulsa.

^This was another new catch for me, it looks like any other China Cargo Airlines 747-400F that's a regular at DFW, but this aircraft, B-2425, is actually a two year old 747-400ERF.

^Close up shot of the nose of the China Cargo 747-400ERF. China Cargo Airlines was originally called China Eastern Cargo but when it became an independent subsidiary of China Eastern it was renamed to its current appellation as a joint venture between China Eastern Airlines and China Ocean Shipping. The operation is based in Shanghai and is a DFW regular.

^One of my favorite shots of this day, I managed to catch the China Cargo 747-400ERF just over the "piano keys" of 18R while a Korean Air Cargo 747-400BCF taxis up Taxiway E for 18L.

^This Korean Air Cargo 747 with the tail number HL7606 was built and delivered in July 1989 as a regular passenger 747-400. The date of construction makes this one of the very earliest 747-400s built as the first ones didn't reach airline customers until 1989 after delays in the program. It was then sold to Air India in 2002 and got the tail number VT-EVJ and was christened "[I]Fatehpur Sikri[/I]" after a historic city in India. In August 2006 Air India sold it back to Korean Air who had it converted by TAECO Xiamen in China to the 747-400BCF configuration.

Looking at the original file, you can see someone looking out of the fourth upper deck window. Maybe whoever it was was amused by the surprisingly large afternoon crowd enjoying the warm afternoon at Founders Plaza!

^Nice nose shot of a US Airways Airbus A320 on short final- this aircraft, N651AW, was built and delivered in July 1998 to America West and repainted post-merger in US Airways colors in 2006.

^Right after lunch the UPS ramp is a hive of activity. Just in this picture alone there is a DC-8-71F, two MD-11Fs and an A300-600F heading out. What you can't see in this picture are two more UPS aircraft on the ramp off frame to the right- another A300-600F and a 767-300F as well.

^The heat haze really messed with this shot, but I like it anyway as I like EVA Air's colors. This MD-11F, tail number B-16110, was built and delivered as a dedicated freighter from the start in July 1998 to EVA Air Cargo. This contrasts with UPS's MD-11Fs which were all acquired second hand and composed nearly entirely (if not fully so) of former passenger MD-11s converted to freighter configuration.

^Here's a UPS Airbus A300-600F in the current colors just over the "piano keys" of 18R as an American MD-82 prepares for departure on 18L. This freighter, N141UP, was built and delivered to UPS in November 2001.

^Last shot of the day and my favorite of the bunch, this is the same UPS A300-600F (N141UP) taxiing in to its parking spot on the UPS ramp. I was hoping to capture the background completely blurred by the heat haze from the day and the A300's engines. If you look closely at the nose, you can see the reflection of the nose gear, the right wing and wingtip fence, and a UPS 767-300F.

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza

2009-09-22T21:08:00.000-05:00

^American 176 Heavy from New Tokyo/Narita International is just seconds from concluding a long overnight flight.....this 777-200ER, N799AN, was built and delivered to American in February 2001.

^Another catch I've been trying to get for a long time now, this Aeromexico Travel MD-87 was operating as ATE6712 nonstop from Cancun, Mexico. Aeromexico Travel is the charter subsidiary for Aeromexico. The subsidiary has only three aircraft- two MD-83s and a single MD-87, XA-TXC, which is this aircraft.

It was one of the MD-87 prototypes before being delivered to Braathens who then passed it on to Transwede and until it came into possession of Aeromexico in 2003, it flew for a variety of European charter airlines including Spanair and Air Liberte.

^This is a little different view of a United Airlines 757-200 in the old blue/gray color scheme. Sometimes when the airport gets real busy, to keep things from backing up on the northwest hold pad for 18L, the tower will have some of the aircraft taxi across 18L, do a 180 degree turn and hold short of 18L on the opposite side.

This was United Flight 123 in the midst of that 180 degree turn. Her tail number is N566UA, built and delivered to United in October 1992, I think this flight was bound for San Francisco.

^Here's Griswold the Grizzly Bear of Frontier Airlines, N812FR, an Airbus A318, just seconds from touchdown on its morning run from Denver.

^This UPS A300-600F freighter arrived from Boston. Poor gal landed on the east side and taxied for what seemed like forever to get to the UPS ramp on the west side. For a freighter she's a youngster, N173UP was built and delivered to UPS in 2006.

^There was a time not long ago that not only were Delta's MD-88s a common sight at DFW, but there was also an MD-88 crew base here at one time before the hub got shut down. It was a very senior base, too- many Delta MD-88 captains nearing retirement ended up settling down here in North Texas. This aircraft, N961DL, was built and delivered to Delta back in 1990.

^An American 767-300, N373AA (built and delivered to American in 1992) starts its takeoff roll down 18L.

^I have been trying to shoot the UPS MD-11F on arrival, and was tracking this flight's inbound progress as UPS2917 from Ontario International in southern California...and then it goes and lands on 13R off to my south...dang it. But I did get as consolation this nice close up nose-on view as it taxied to its parking spot at the UPS cargo ramp. The spotting gods taketh, the spotting gods giveth....

DFW | April 2009 | Arrivals on the 17s

2009-09-22T21:03:00.000-05:00

^I started this particular day over on the east side of DFW, there's a spot just a block or so west of the corner of Freeport Parkway and Royal Lane that is out of the way and has a great view of arrivals landing on 17C. You don't have as good a view as you do of the west side from Founders Plaza, but in the morning the lighting is just right for the arrivals and they come in a lot closer to you than arrivals to 18R from Founders Plaza.

This was a close up shot of an arriving MD-80. Yeah, I know. The ubiquitous-80. It's a good opportunity to test all sorts of shutter and aperture combinations for a DSLR noob like me.

^I've been hunting for a *long* time to get a good shot of the American Astrojet 737-800 on approach. Finally got it. This is the shot that made up for missing 2 747-400Fs arriving on the west side. The spotting gods taketh, the spotting gods giveth. But enough horsing around on this side...back to Founders Plaza!

DAL | April 2009 | 13L/13R Depatures

2009-09-22T20:57:00.001-05:00

The cool thing about where the Collings Foundation aircraft were parked at Love Field last April is that it was inside the airport perimeter at the approach end of 31R. That meant you could get some really great shots of operations on that runway while moseying around the warbirds. If the weather was BETTER. Dagnabbit.

This is one of Pace Aviation's planes used to transport the Dallas Mavericks.

DAL | April 2009 | Collings Foundation B-17G

2009-09-22T20:52:00.002-05:00

Having enduring gusty winds, rain, and less than ideal lighting conditions this particular morning at Love Field, these came out better than I thought.....

Of course, the weather got better after I left. Bastards.

DFW | April 2009 | 35L Departures

2009-09-21T22:46:00.000-05:00

One afternoon last April I was at Founders' Plaza and I then saw the North American 767-300 push back from Terminal B. I wasn't sure if it was going to depart off 36R, in which case I should stay put at Founders' Plaza, or get sent to the east side for departure. I have plenty of shots of it arriving in the morning but hadn't caught it departing, so I got the kids buckled up and car ready as I watched it taxi down. Once I saw it turn east to go over the bridges, I hustled it over to the Whataburger parking lot by Freeport Parkway and SH114. The sun angle was lousy as the 767 was going to be between me and the sun, but surprisingly, the shots turned out okay by my book:

^Unlike North American's other 767-300s, this one has been flying with a solid blue tail that doesn't have the American flag marking on it. I wonder if that's on purpose to reduce its visibility overseas on trooping charters?

^This particular aircraft, N769NA, has had quite a career. A 767-300ER originally built for British leisure carrier Britannia Airways and was leased out to quite a few other charter airlines including Aeris and Blue Panorama and even flew a stint with Garuda Indonesia before coming home to roost in North American's fleet for good around 2007 or so where she's been flying military trooping charters.

I often see this aircraft on arrival- bringing soldiers home on leave from overseas. This was the first time I'd caught a departure and I'm sure there were a lot of families left behind at Terminal B worried about loved ones departing back to Iraq and Afghanistan.

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza

2009-09-21T22:41:00.000-05:00

Here's some early morning shots from last April...downside, you're shooting into the sun, upside, it's before heat haze sets in and makes shooting aircraft departing off 18L nearly impossible.

^N659AA rolls out from the northwest hold pad onto 18L. Built and delivered to American in 1991, she got her winglets retrofitted back in 2007. You can't see it in this shot, but there are small titles under the cockpit below the cheatline- "[I]Pride of American[/I]". First time I've captured this particular aircraft with the camera.

^Non-standard tail numbers on MD-80s get my attention. This is N9414W, an MD-83 built originally for leasing company AWAS who leased it out to TWA, now it flies for American and is owned by American post-merger.

^US Airways 737-300 starts its takeoff roll on 18L, N158AW was built and delivered to America West in October 1987. This early morning departure is headed for Phoenix.

^One of American Eagle's breast cancer awareness ERJ-145s is just seconds from touchdown while a North American 767-300 "blue tail" on a military charter taxis on Taxiway G to its gate at Terminal B.

^[I]Finally[/I] caught this one in good weather for a change- a Delta MD-90, N914DN was built and delivered to Delta (the MD-90 launch customer) in October 1996.

^American Eagle CRJ-700 just moments from touchdown with the International Terminal D in the background. If you look closely, you'll see the American Eagle breast cancer logojet at the gate at Terminal B. That was the one I had shot on landing.

^And all while this was going on, the DFW TRACON was bringing Southwest's inbound flights from the west to Love Field "over the top" above DFW........

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza

2009-09-21T22:36:00.000-05:00

The 9th was a good day for spotting weatherwise- southerly winds, warm day, sunny...smells like a trip out to Founders' Plaza in the making....so I did. I had mentioned in a past posting that I dig 777s and 757s and I'll usually photograph a handful of American's each week. Here's the catches that particular day that came out nicely:

^This 777-200ER is N767AJ, a relative youngster in American's fleet, having been built in February 2006. You can see the reflection of the perimeter road in the underbelly as she comes in on short final.

^A unique 757 in American's fleet- this one with special markings for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer scheme. I knew about the six American Eagle ERJ-145s getting these markings and the single American 777, but didn't realize there was also a 757 as well. Guess I haven't been paying as close attention as I thought! Notice the small pink ribbon markings on the aft fuselage above the cheatline as well as on the winglets.
This aircraft, N664AA, was built in February 1992 for American and was retrofitted with winglets about the same time it was painted in the pink ribbon markings last year.

^Obligatory opening shot of the UPS ramp- this MD-11F is N283UP and she's had quite a career before flying for UPS. Originally built in December 1991 for German leisure carrier LTU International, she then went to Swissair in 1998. Around 2004 or so she then flew for Air Namibia after spending short sojurn in open storage in the desert at Mojave. Sometime around early 2006 she was converted to a freighter by Aeronavili in Italy and delivered to UPS where she's flown ever since.

^I do so love the DC-9! This Northwest DC-9-30, N926NW, was built in April 1970 for JAT (Jugoslovenski Aerotransport) and sometime in the late 1980s it was sold to Northwest Airlines where she's flown ever since. This is the third different Northwest color scheme the aircraft has worn in her career with them.

^If you look closely, you can barely make out the smoke trail from those trusty old JT8D engines.

^American Eagle ERJ-145 N643AE with the special markings denoting it as the 200th ERJ-145 built by Embraer.

^When the winds are from the north, departing American Eagle ATR-72s will turn almost immediately to the west which brings them right over Founders' Plaza. This shot won't get on Airliners.net because it's not a perfect profile shot and no one can see the tail number, yada-yada-yada, but here's a different look than what's on most airliner photo websites.

DFW | April 2009 | Founders Plaza

2009-09-21T22:28:00.000-05:00

I've found that now that I'm visiting Founders' Plaza regularly and paying more attention to tail numbers in true planespotting style, I notice the comings and goings of certain aircraft...or in this case, the not going anywhere.

^This was in the afternoon of April 6, I noticed this UPS MD-11F getting some attention on its starboard engine. This aircraft is N285UP- originally built and delivered to Swissair (and its successor, Swiss International) in all-passenger configuration in 1992, she then went to Varig Brasil and flew in the special "Star Alliance" colors. From there she was converted to a freighter by Aeronavili in Italy and entered service with UPS as N285UP around 2007 or so.

^Two days later on April 8 I make an early morning swing by Founders' Plaza and notice that N285UP is still there, nacelle cowlings were still open (though you can't tell from this shot) on the starboard engine. I thought the condensation pattern on the other MD-11F was something I hadn't seen before on a parked aircraft 'round these parts.

^April 9 I'm on my way home with the kids and passing by I notice three MD-11 tails on the UPS ramp from the freeway. I had been spotting earlier that day so I had the camera with me, so I told the Chicklets we're doing some spottin' (they got off early from school) and snapped this shot of something I haven't seen at DFW in ages, three MD-11s parked together...and the furthest one? N285UP. I suppose it's possible that it got fixed up, flew out and flew back, but having seen that aircraft two previous days of having not gone anyway, it piqued my interest if it was still grounded.

^Oh, and here's a nice catch for that morning spotting session- N752AX a 767-200F flying for ABX Air in DHL colors. Looks good in the early morning light.

Originally delivered to All Nippon Airways (ANA) in 1987, she was leased out for a time to another Japanese carrier, Skymark Airlines. In 2005 IAI in Tel Aviv converted her to a freighter and she's been flying for ABX ever since.

DFW | April 2009 | 31L Arrivals | Part 4

2009-09-21T22:20:00.000-05:00

Here's the last set from this past April's crazy crosswind day:

^Right after lunch there's about three UPS flights that come in in rapid succession. This is N301UP, a 767-300F that was built in 1995 and has been flying with UPS since then.

^It took a lot of tweaking in Photoshop to make this shot somewhat presentable....but I like the angles and set up of a UPS A300-600F on short final as the China Airlines Cargo 747-400F awaits its turn for takeoff. The sun angles were less favorable after lunchtime and the parking lot area of the Minters Chapel Cemetery would have been better, but you can't see the touchdown and rollouts on 31L and the just as nice taxi-back.

^N129HQ is an ERJ-175 flying with Republic Airlines under the US Airways Express banner. The fuselage stretch of the 175 is barely perceptible over that of the 170 to my eye.

^*Finally* got a picture of the American Astrojet 737-800 at DFW....the flagship schemed 757 has long been since repainted, it's always nice to see that N951AA still wears the Astrojet retro colors. This particular aircraft was built in 2000 and initially didn't have winglets. Those were retrofitted just in the last two years.

^American's 777-200ER N752AN prepares for departure. This 777 was built and delivered to American in 2001. I seem to never get tired of seeing American's 777s and 757s.

^I always enjoy seeing Frontier's wildlife-themed aircraft. This A319, N918FR, features "Jake" the White-Tail Deer.

^N566AN is a relatively young 737-800, having only joined Alaska's fleet in 2007. After what seemed like a flawless touchdown in gusty winds, the aircraft bounced twice.

^If they were going to plant both mains on the runway, they usually came down a bit hard and threw up quite a cloud of burnt rubber in the process. This American 757-200, N968AN, was no exception and it made for some interesting shots in the process. This aircraft was built and delivered to American in 1994 and retrofitted with winglets just in the last year and a half.

^This aircraft, XA-UBX, is a four year old A318 flying for Mexicana. I don't really care for this particular color scheme as it's bland and uninspring, but regardless of colors, any aircraft taxiing this close to me is a-okay in my book. For that moment, at least.

^Last shot of the day before I had to jet off and pick up the kids from school, the Alaska 737-800 here taxiing back and headed to the terminal complex. Notice the Alaska Airlines' 75th Anniversary marking by the passenger door.

DFW | April 2009 | 31L Arrivals | Part 3

2009-09-21T22:12:00.001-05:00

More goodness from last April's DFW crosswind day:

^The great thing about getting a big chunk of the day to sit out and watch 31L ops is that some planes passed me three times- once to land, once to taxi back, and a third time for departure. This particular aircraft, B-16109, was a purpose-built MD-11F for EVA Air that first took to the air in 1997 that I had shot on its arrival.

^I love this scheme. Green is a color that you don't see very often in the airline world and definitely you don't see this much green on aircraft. It suits the MD-11F's lines well. Here she is taking position on the end of 31L for departure.

^That's how she rolls, baby! Off and running, I *think* our EVA Air Cargo service stops in Seattle on its way to Taipei. We also get EVA's 747-400Fs here at DFW as well. But I like the MD-11F's look, even if the plane's got a truckload of design issues.

^N817SK is a two year old CRJ-900 flying for Skywest under the Delta Connection banner. This one made one hell of a landing in some atrocious wind gusts- if I were on this flight or operating this flight, I'd have to change my underwear.

^Duo shot of an American Eagle ERJ-145 taxiing by while one of the uber-ubiquitous American MD-80s lands. Notice the bank angle on the American MD-80, there was a lot of landings on one main first this particular day.

^Case in point that illustrates the challenges of that day, N466UA, an eight and a half year old A320 for United, just seconds away from a less-than-ideal landing on 31L.

^China Airlines Cargo 747-400F heads out for departure while a UPS 767-300F is on short final. The sun angles by this time of the day weren't ideal for photography, but no one there spotting or shooting pictures moved to the Minters Chapel Cemetery as the landings were too interesting to watch from our current vantage point.

^The same United A320 that I photographed landing now taxis past our vantage point. Time for a wash, she's lookin' a bit grimy.

^I kinda like this shot of the United A320 taxiing to the gate while the China Airlines Cargo 747-400F is heading out.

^Here's the China Airlines Cargo 747-400F rolling onto 31L to take it's position for takeoff.

DFW | April 2009 | 31L Arrivals | Part 2

2009-09-20T17:17:00.001-05:00

^N398AN is a 767-300 that's ten years old and flying for American all its life. Here it is taking 31L after receiving its takeoff clearance. About this point some spotty rain showers moved through the area, but even light rain feels like sandblasting when it's driven by 40+mph winds. One spotter was crouched down using his car as a wind/rain break while he continued to shoot pictures!

^US Airways 737-300 crosses the threshold while an American Eagle ATR-72 waits its turn for takeoff. N166AW was built in 1986 and flew for America West before the merger with US Airways. It was even leased out for a time to Ansett Australia.

^That UPS A300-600F that I previously posted (N133UP) that had to go-around due to wind shear finally landed and here it is headed past our vantage point to the West Cargo complex.

^Chautauqua Airlines ERJ-145 operating as Continental Express- prior to 2007, Chautauqua operated N286SK under the US Airways Express banner.

^Bit of a hairy landing for this NWA Airlink CRJ-900 (N922XJ is flown by Mesaba for Northwest) as it lands on one main. Landings like this weren't all that unusual this particular day. At one point the wind got so bad that flights were electing to hold in hopes of the wind dissipating. It wasn't unusual to see 15+ aircraft all in line waiting to take off on 31L.

^N638RW flies for Shuttle America under the United Express banner. I was surprised at the number of ERJ-170 flights we get at DFW- there was a time when the first ERJ-170 service got a lot of attention from the local spotting community. That was when Founders' Plaza was still located on the SE side of DFW.

^N690AE is another one of American Eagle's Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness jets...this one taking its position short of 31L to await its turn. Listening in on the scanner, while this aircraft was #6 in line, the winds were gusting to near 50mph and this aircraft's flight crew were discussing with the tower a return to the gate as the conditions were beyond their comfort level.

^US Airways' N166AW that I had already posted on its arrival heads back out for the return trip to Phoenix. The building complex in the background is the Simuflite center on the corner of West Airfield Drive and Glade Rd.

^The same United Express ERJ-170 I posted earlier also heads back out, taking position next to an American MD-82 at the hold line to 31L.

^N589SW is an early vintage CRJ-100 (it was built in 1995) that has been flying for Comair for Delta Connection. Prior to that it flew with Skywest, but still under the Delta Connection banner.

DFW | April 2009 | 31L Arrivals | Part 1

2009-09-20T11:03:00.001-05:00

I then headed over to Minters Chapel Cemetery to see if the crosswind ops had started yet and while early mornings aren't great for spotting from there, it does put you practically under short final for 31L. I noticed the long conga line of about 12 American and American Eagle jets forming for takeoff on 31L and I hauled arse over to the China Air Cargo lot as there's a nice knoll there that overlooks the end of 31L...and already found two spotters there.

^This particular ERJ-170 was supposed to be PT-SZO (Embraer test bird?) but it wasn't taken up and instead the aircraft went to Chautauqua flying as Delta Connection. Since about 2007 or so it's been flying in this ad hoc scheme that has traces of the Delta Connection livery, only now it's flown by Shuttle America.

^How close was I? This close. The neat thing about crosswind ops off 31L is that anything that lands there has to pass back in front of you on Taxiway B to get to the ramp. So you get twice the fun- a landing and a close taxi-by. I was shooting well under 200mm for this shot. Even at 55mm an American 757 like this one was still bigger than the frame.

^Here was some of the supreme awesomeness that made that Thursday epic spotting. This EVA Air Cargo MD-11F is just seconds from touchdown (you can see the American MD-82 holding short for takeoff) and look how it's banked as it fights the gusty west winds.

^Of course if it's going to land on 31L it's gonna taxi right in front of this geek's face and oh did it in its three-engined glory. This particular aircraft, B-16109, was a purpose-built MD-11F for EVA Air that first took to the air in 1997. In the background, one of the uber-many American MD-80s heading down Taxiway A to the hold short point.

^United's 757-200 in the new color scheme takes position at the hold point to await its turn for takeoff. Built in 1990, N532UA has flown its entire life to date for United Airlines.

^I didn't realize that American Eagle has several ERJ-145s in the special Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer scheme. This one, N909AE, was the first one of the flock, unveiled at a special ceremony in August of last year.

^Check out the bank on this UPS 767-300F! This was during a particularly gusty part of the morning when there were several go-arounds. This freighter was literally bucking its way down the glideslope and there was a UPS employee watching the show who was muttering "[I]Holy crap, go-around![/I]" N318UP has been flying with UPS since it first took to the air in 1997. In the background are two fire trainers the DFW fire department uses.

^More E-Jet action! This ERJ-170 belongs to Republic Airways flying as US Airways Express. Prior to that, M801MA flew for Mid-Atlantic but still as a US Airways Express bird.

^This is that UPS 767-300F that I pictured above as it taxis by on its way to the West Cargo complex.

^Last shot in this set (but not from this day), this was one of several go-arounds I'd seen. N133UP is an Airbus A300-600F that's been flying for UPS as a new build coming up on eight years now. There were multiple windshear alerts being issued at the tower by this point in the morning and it was going to get crazier........

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza

2009-09-20T01:38:00.000-05:00

It was suggested to me that I put some of my spotting shots in a blog, so if you'll bear with me, I'll add my shots going back from April of this year to now to get this blog up to speed.

First we'll start off with the first week of April this year. This was one of those rare days at DFW when gusty winds from the west limit landings to just 31L and 31R. It causes quite a bit of flight delays, but it's a spotters' delight as the China Air Cargo parking lot has a small grassy hill that overlooks the approach end of 31L.

Since I had already been planning to spot the crosswind ops at DFW that day off Runway 31L, I thought I'd see how things were shaping up at Founders' Plaza as the airport was about to gear up for the crosswind operations. The winds were already starting to pick up out of the west after being southwesterly most of the early hours of the morning after the front passed through.

^Nice early morning shot of an MD-11F freighter at the UPS ramp with the American Airlines line maintenance hangars in the background as well as the West Tower.

^I've been trying to catch a silhouette shot of a landing at DFW with sunlight coming through the aircraft cabin windows, this one is the closest I've gotten so far, the morning Sun Country 737-800 arrival from Minneapolis.

^A few seconds later, here she is about to touch down with International Terminal D in the background. After the Sun Country 737-800 landed, a Cessna Citation VII was the last arrival from the north to get in before the airport got turned around for departures to the north for a brief period before crosswind operations would begin. Both the Sun Country flight and the Citation that followed it were already crabbing sharply into the wind to land on 18R.

^Only a handful of departures were able to make it out on the 36s and 35s before the crosswinds from west kicked in. This is a Northwest DC-9-30 outbound, there was a lot of noise in the shot but I really liked the angle as the flights came off 36R, they veered off to the west and came right over Founders' Plaza making for some unusual photographic angles.

^US Airways 737-300 departing for Phoenix. I was trying to get the rising sun glinting off the fuselage, I sort of got it. Kinda.

^This American 767-300 was one of the last off the 36s and 35s before the long conga lines started forming to use both 31L and 31R as the westerly winds started to kick up.

Founders' Plaza

DFW | October 2010 | Founders' Plaza | I'm alive dammit.....

DAL | June 2010 | 13-Left Ops | Dammit, it's HOT!

DFW | Passenger 747s returning to Dallas/Fort Worth...

Jumbo jets return to D/FW

DFW | January 2010 | East Side & West Cargo | Some over there, some over here...

DFW | January 2010 | Founders' Plaza | Storm Front

DFW | March 2010 | Overheard

DFW | February 2010 | Founders' Plaza | What the hell is ALL this white stuff?

DAL | Love Field Terminal Modernization Project

DFW | January 2010 | Founders' Plaza | It's IMC below 1000' AGL......

DFW | January 2010 | Founders' Plaza | A few more from the first spotting day of the new year....

DFW | January 2010 | Founders' Plaza | The first spotting session of the year....

DFW | January 2010 | Founders' Plaza | Shooting in the suck.....

DFW | January 2010 | Founders' Plaza | It was *so* cold.......

DFW | December 2009 | Two Midwest E-Jets..in a row?

DFW | December 2009 | Overheard

BHM | November 2009 | On Turkey Day, sometimes the turkeys aren't what's at the dinner table...

DFW | November 2009 | Founders' Plaza | 'Nuther one of them nice mornin's....

FTW | April 2009 | Cowtown Warbird Roundup | Sharp point of the spear...

DFW | November 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Heavy departures...

airLINK | Totally Jacked Up Aircraft Photos

DFW | November 2009 | Founders' Plaza | HOLY SH*T! A DC-3!

GKY | Spotter Alert | B-17 "Aluminum Overcast"

NTx airNEWS: AirTran to add D/FW-Milwaukee flights

NTx airNEWS: Arlington airport lands fans on Cowboys game days

Arlington airport lands fans on Cowboys game days

12:00 AM CST on Monday, November 2, 2009

AFW | October 2009 | Fort Worth Alliance Air Show | Mo' Blues.....

DAL | April 2009 | Frontiers of Flight | Collings Foundation warbirds....

AFW | October 2009 | Fort Worth Alliance Air Show

2009 Blue Angels Frequencies

AFW | October 2009 | Fort Worth Alliance Air Show

Google Earth + Aeronautical Charts + 3D Airspace = Uber Coolness

DFW | October 2009 | Overheard

DFW | September 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Mo' sunset spotting...

DFW | September 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Ubiquitous-80s...

DFW | September 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Sunset and the blue tails...

DAL | August 2009 | Arrivals on 31R | Gettin' some LUV and more.....

DFW | September 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Spot-n'-roast....

DFW | September 2009 | Arrivals on the 17s | Love that mornin' Texas sun...

DFW | August 2009 | Founders' Plaza | S'more from August...

DFW | August 2009 | 13R Arrivals | Two Asian heavies...

DFW | August 2009 | Founders' Plaza | One early morning...

NTx airNEWS: Denton Municipal Airport Master Plan (2003)

DFW | August 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Heavy iron...

DFW | August 2009 | 13R Arrivals | Standard stuff...

DFW | August 2009 | 17R Arrivals | The Angry Widget

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DFW | July 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Mixed assortment

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

DFW | May 2009 | Founders' Plaza | At least it's not raining

DFW | May 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Areas of convective interest....

DAL | July 2009 | Frontiers of Flight

DAL | July 2009 | Bachman Lake

DFW | May 2009 | Founders' Plaza | VFR, what's that?

DFW | May 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Mo' bad weather...

DFW | May 2009 | Founders' Plaza | 36R Departures

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Saying goodbye to a grand old lady...

DFW | April 2009 | Arrivals on the 17s

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza

FTW | April 2009 | Cowtown Warbird Roundup | CV-22 Osprey

DFW | April 2009 | Arrivals on the 17s

DFW | April 2009 | 13R Arrivals

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza

DFW | April 2009 | 17C Arrivals

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza | Thunderstorm!

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza | 36R Departures

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza

DFW | April 2009 | Founders' Plaza

DFW | April 2009 | Arrivals on the 17s

DAL | April 2009 | 13L/13R Depatures

DAL | April 2009 | Collings Foundation B-17G

DFW | January 2010 | Founders' Plaza | It was so cold.......