What in the World?!

February 14, 2020 / niffer90 / 2 Comments

I’m not a big fan of surprises. Surprise party? No, thanks. Surprise audit? Yikes! What about surprise airplanes? Ah! That’s the one kind of surprise I actually DO like! Over the last few years I’ve gotten to see some pretty unusual and unlikely airplanes lurking outside the office. Tracking down these rare and different visitors takes a lot of practice, skill and a keen eye for… OK, fine – mostly it just takes luck. And a knack for being in the right place at the right time. However, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances.

If commercial aviation is your thing, I recommend JetTip.net. For a long time I resisted the urge to add yet another tracking service to my already large collection. But after a friend gave it a try and got a lot of useful alerts about unusual liveries and charter aircraft, I gave in. Now my problem is trying to schedule my lunch break to catch the planes I most want to see and hoping I’m not in a meeting when they arrive.

If you are interested in non-commercial planes then you really MUST listen to a scanner. There have been several instances where I’ve been watching traffic on one runway when an exchange with ATC alerted me to something interesting on approach to the other. Also, make sure you really look around carefully. I pull out my camera and zoom in on the hard-to-see places at the far end of the airfield. More than once what I thought at first glance to be just another plane turned out to be something special when I took a closer look.

So, what kind of unusual and unlikely airplanes have I spotted hiding out on the airfield? Well, my favorite catches lean towards the military, but there are some good GA aircraft on the list as well.

CT-155 Hawk

I know I’ve found something fun when I have to stop what I’m doing and research the plane to figure out what the heck it is. Such was the case with the Hawk. Google tells me it is an advanced jet trainer – this particular one belongs to Canada. What was it doing flying around the Midwest? No clue but I’m so glad I got to see it!

Widgeon

I had heard from one of my friends that there is a Widgeon hangared at my airport. Wait… a what? I looked it up and discovered tbat it’s a type of amphibious aircraft first built in the 1940s. I was skeptical that such a special airplane would make its home here. Then one day I spotted it parked on the ramp. I really hoped I would get to see it take off, but it was eventually towed back into the hangar. Glad I got a glimpse of it at least.

NASA T-38

The T-38 is a fairly regular visitor to my airport, so I don’t consider them to be rare or unusual… unless it happens to have the NASA livery! Not sure how many Talons NASA has these days, but I had only seen one previously and it was at an air show. I definitely didn’t expect to see one at work!

Beechcraft Starship

I was scanning the area around the FBO one afternoon when I noticed an unusual shape being towed across the ramp. As it gradually emerged from behind the other airplanes I became and more and more perplexed. What in the heck is that? It was the most crazy and the most excellent general aviation airplane I’ve ever seen parked outside of the office. My friends on twitter informed me that it was a Starship, one of very few still flying. Definitely one of my most favorite catches!

Navy T-6 Trainer

As I mentioned, it isn’t unusual to see T-38 and other Air Force trainers around. But when a Navy trainer shows up you bet it caught my attention. A quick check of the map confirmed that there are no oceans in the area. No Navy bases either. That made this T-6 a special catch.

P-8 Poseidon

I was listening to the scanner one evening when I heard ATC clear someone for a practice approach. Curious, I headed over to the runway in question just in time to see a Poseidon doing a touch and go. Um… wait… a Poseidon? Here??? I’m really starting to wonder if the Navy has a secret ocean stashed nearby.

E-9A Widget

I almost didn’t notice this plane hanging out across the airfield until I zoomed in with my camera and saw the unusual markings. I did some digging online and discovered that this is one of only two Widgets owned by the USAF. Guess what they’re used for? That’s right – ocean surveillance!

OK, that does it. Clearly there’s an ocean hiding here in the Midwest. Thank goodness I love looking for unusual airplanes or I might never have known! Now I just need to find the hidden seaplane base – maybe then I’ll finally get to see the Widgeon fly!

The Numbers Behind the Passenger Numbers

April 12, 2019 / niffer90 / 7 Comments

According to a quick Google search, Pittsburgh International Airport saw around 9 million passengers in 2018. Chicago Midway had 22 million. Tampa had around 21 million. My airport saw just over 8 million passengers – the most ever. That’s great! Or is it? How does an airport know whether the number of passengers they are serving is good or not?

Load factors

One useful metric is the load factor. You may have seen this used to determine how well an airline is performing in general, but in this case airports are looking specifically at the load factors for flights into and out of their cities. In the simplest sense, the load factor is a measure of how full the flights are. It is calculated by comparing the number of paying passengers against the total number of seats that were available. For example, if ABC Airlines had 5 flights in and 5 flights out of the airport and used airplanes with 100 seats each, that’s a total of 1,000 seats available. If each plane had 75 paying passengers on board, then there were 750 passengers total, and the load factor is 75%.

I can’t speak to how other airports collect passenger data, but my airport does it via monthly reports that are submitted by the airlines. Each report includes the type of planes used, the number of landings for each, the number of passengers, etc. From that information we can determine the total number of seats and, in turn, calculate the load factors for each airline, as well as an average load factor for all flights during the month.

Higher load factors mean fuller airplanes which means better profit margins for the airlines. When flights aren’t profitable guess what usually happens? Yep – they go away. Not good! While the monthly load factors are useful, it is also important to look at trends over time. Comparing the numbers from the last few years I noticed that the average monthly load factor at my airport has increased more than 5% – and it was fairly strong to begin with. We definitely like to see that!

Photo by Jnpet, Creative Commons License

Heavier metal

Of course load factors are just one piece of the story. Another metric to look at is the types of planes that are being used, and how that usage shifts over time. A high load factor on a small plane is good. But when the number of passengers becomes strong enough to justify moving up to a bigger airplane, that’s better. And when the load factors start growing on the bigger airplane, that’s better still!

Let’s take the humble CRJ for example. To keep it simple I’ll combine the stats for the 200, 700 and 900 together. In February 2019 there were roughly 100 fewer CRJ landings than in February 2018. However, there were 100 more Airbus 319/320 landings, and 50 more Boeing 737 landings. Some of those increases were due to added flights and Mad Dogs being retired, but many were the result of a shift to bigger mainline planes and fewer regional ones. That comes out to several thousand more seats available in February 2019 vs 2018. At the same time, the load factors remained strong. Yes! That makes us very happy! (Don’t you worry – we still love the CRJ! Although the number of flights may have decreased, we still see PLENTY of them around.)

Max effect

You may be wondering what kind of impact the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max is having on all this. That’s a fairly complex matter. Certainly there have been some cancellations. Looking just at the airlines that fly the Max into my airport and comparing the number of flights that were scheduled against the number of flights that actually happened, there was a drop of about 3%. That may not seem like a high number, but then again, that was just for half the month. It remains to be seen what the long term implications will be. If you are curious to know how an airline copes when some of its planes are grounded, the Flying and Life Podcast gave a really good overview of what steps they have to take to re-book stranded passengers and rework their schedules. I strongly encourage you to check it out! 37507712_Unknown

Lies, Damn Lies and…

The numbers are, of course, just a snapshot in time and there are a whole lot of factors that the airlines consider when deciding which planes to fly on what routes. Things can change from month to month and season to season. That’s why the airport has people much smarter than myself who track and analyze all this data. But every now and then I like to take a peek and see how things are looking. Maybe one of these days I’ll see an A350 on the stats sheet. Or a 777! OK, so it’s not very likely. But, hey – an avgeek can dream!

Not an airliner. I just couldn’t resist adding a pic of this sweet bizjet!

Museum Mayhem (Part 1): Air Mobility Command Museum

March 8, 2019 / niffer90 / 2 Comments

9C8601B3-1F51-4CAF-9434-9C5D9F140320 In my part of the world, winter means lousy weather, cold temps and very little plane spotting. It also means I go through serious aviation withdrawals. Ugh! So how do I combat the winter doldrums? Aviation museums! They allow me to get my aviation fix and keep my camera from getting too dusty. Recently I got the opportunity to visit a museum I hadn’t been to before: the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover, Delaware.

I’ve been wanting to check it out for quite some time. As the name suggests, the museum focuses on military transport and aerial refueling airplanes. In other words, the big planes. And you know how much I love the big planes! As if that weren’t cool enough, the museum is located right next to Dover AFB, home to the 436th Airlift Wing which flies both the C-5 Galaxy and the C-17 Globemaster. From the moment I saw those tails in the distance I was already completely in love with the place… and I hadn’t even parked yet!

First thing to know if you plan to visit is that most of the airplanes are outside. It rained the morning that I went, but fortunately it had stopped before I got there. The gloomy weather meant that there weren’t many people around so I practically had the museum to myself! I started by exploring the indoor exhibits. Even though the space is somewhat small, there was still plenty to see, including an exhibit on the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots), a mock-up of a C-5 flight deck and a refueling boom from a KC-135. There are also several airplanes including a C-47A Skytrain and a B-17G “Sleepy Time Gal.”

Then I zipped up my jacket and headed outside. Oh my goodness they have some amazing airplanes! I was thrilled to see a few of my favorite heavy haulers including a C-5, a C-130, a KC-135 and TWO C-141 Starlifters – an A model and a B model. They also had several planes that I am less familiar with, including the C-119G Flying Boxcar and the C-124A Globemaster II. And there were a few planes I didn’t expect at all, like the F-101B Voodoo and the F-106A Delta Dart.

A Pakistan Air Force Ilyushin Il-78 parked at Dover AFB

The entire time I was outside enjoying the exhibits, I was also keeping an eye on the AFB on the other side of the fence. I have never seen so many C-5s and C-17s all in one place! I just couldn’t stop staring at them! Then much to my surprise another one of my favorite airplanes appeared – an Atlas 747! It taxied onto the apron, parked and began unloading cargo. Want to make a 747 look small? Park it next to a bunch of C-5s!

Next stop was a visit to the ATC tower. It used to be the active tower at Dover AFB. When a new tower was built they brought the old tower over to the museum. They lowered the height a bit to make it easier to climb up, but the view is still spectacular. Some of the old ATC equipment was left in place so you can get a feel for what it looked like when it was operational. The tower is definitely one of the best parts of the museum.

The only person in the tower while I was there was one of the museum volunteers. We chatted for at least half an hour about the various planes in the museum’s collection. I learned that the C-141B was originally destined to be scrapped. However, a hard landing at Dover AFB damaged the landing gear so rather than risk flying on to the boneyard, it was moved over to the museum instead. (Now that’s what I call a good bad landing!)

Saved from the boneyard! This is one lucky “Lizard.”

My time at the museum flew by and all too soon it was time to head home. I plan to return on one of the open cockpit days which are held the third Saturday of the month between April and October. Did I mention there is no charge for admission or parking? I put some money in the donation box, though, because the Air Mobility Command museum is definitely worth supporting. I hope you’ll go and see for yourself!

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Old Car, Older Airplane

September 26, 2018 / niffer90 / 5 Comments

35792000_Unknown Everyone knows how much I love airplanes. However, I’ve always liked classic cars too. A couple years ago I inherited a 1954 MG TF 1500 from my father. It’s not the kind of classic car I imagined I might have, but the more I’ve gotten to know it, the more I’ve come to love it. When I found out there was going to be a Cruise-In/Fly-In nearby I was super excited. Spend the day at an airport with airplanes AND classic cars? Oh heck yeah!

In a regular car on the highway it would take around 40 minutes to get to the Cruise-In/Fly-In location. However, the MG doesn’t go very fast. And it doesn’t go on major highways. It also doesn’t go if it is too cold. Or too hot. Or too wet. Or… You get the idea. Thankfully the weather was perfect for enjoying the back roads. Sure the drive took twice as long but it was totally worth it!

The first thing I noticed when we arrived at the airport was all the cars – they had a great turn-out for the cruise-in! There were plenty of American classics, of course, but there were some imports as well, including another old MG. There were also a lot of airplanes. The fly-in covered just about every aspect of aviation you can think of. There were drones and RC planes. There were flight simulators. The NASA “Journey to Tomorrow” traveling exhibit was there along with a shuttle astronaut who was signing autographs. Several university aviation programs had booths set up. And of course they had rides – a helicopter, a bi-plane and a C-47 were all coming and going with passengers on board. However, I was most excited about the Ford Tri Motor.

I’ve been wanting to fly on a Tri Motor ever since I first saw one parked at my airport several years ago. There have been Tri Motor rides offered at other nearby airports and it’s always on my list of things to do at Osh, but somehow I’ve never been able to make it happen. I was not about to miss out again. I headed straight for the registration table and got signed up for the very next flight.

Production of the Ford Tri Motor airplane began in 1925. This particular plane, the “City of Wichita/City of Port Clinton,” was built in 1929. That’s right – the Tri Motor is 25 years OLDER than my 64-year-old MG! I always breathe a sigh of relief when the MG successfully completes a road trip without breaking down. And yet here I was, cheerfully boarding a much older airplane. Was I nervous? No, not at all. Was I excited? Absolutely!

As I climbed up into the plane I was struck by how different the interior is compared to commercial aircraft today. For one thing, it has wood paneling. It also has cushy seats similar to what you might find in an old movie theater. No issues with legroom here! I especially loved the big square windows which provided an exceptional view of the world outside. The taxi out and take-off were much smoother than I expected and as we lifted off the ground I realized that it has been over two years since I was last flew. Oh my goodness it was WONDERFUL to be back in the air!

Me and my shadow…

We circled around the airport a few times and I was able to pick out many landmarks below. I was seated towards the tail so unfortunately I wasn’t able to see the cockpit very well. I did notice, however, that some of the gauges were out on the wing so the pilot had to look out the window to view them. This reminded me of the MG’s “side view” mirror, which is positioned up on the front fender. It seems odd, but it works! I spent most of the flight soaking up the thrill of being in the sky, and trying to imagine what it must have been like for the plane’s first passengers all those years ago.

Time flies (literally) when you are having fun and before I knew it we were back on the ground. Although the flight was over, the afternoon was just getting started – there was still so much to see and do! I spent the rest of the day checking out the various planes, enjoying the classic cars and chatting with people about the MG.

If you’ve ever wanted to go for a flight but have balked at the cost of riding on a B-17 or B-29, you really should check out the Tri Motor. At just $75 it is quite affordable and trust me, it is worth every penny! But watch out – once you do it, you’ll want more. After swearing I’d never fly in an open cockpit, I suddenly find myself keen to try a bi-plane ride. Stay tuned!

Authors Note: Check out the latest episode of Podcasting on a Plane! Host Brandon and I talk about my visit to the ATC tower at Oshkosh, my very first experience with an ATC simulator program and my adventures on the deice pad. We had a lot of fun so give it a listen!

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Aviation Day, Podcasts and So Many C-17s

August 30, 2018 / niffer90 / 6 Comments

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What? We’re coming up on the end of summer already? Noooo! Say it ain’t so! The month of August has just flown by… pun intended! Here’s a bit about what I’ve been up to.

Aviation Day

For the first time in a long time (and possibly ever) my airport celebrated National Aviation Day! I used to bring in cupcakes and host a little celebration just for my department. This year, however, the suggestion was made to scale it up and involve the entire airport. A team of employees planned the event, which included music, popcorn, a paper airplane contest, historical artifacts and more. I can’t begin to tell you how awesome it was to see so many people celebrating our industry and our history.

AAviation Day

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A week before my airport’s celebration, I had the pleasure of once again attending AAviation Day with American Airlines and the AirlineGeeks.com, this time at PHL. My very first flight ever was from PHL to JFK, so being able to revisit the airport all these years later was quite special. As part of the behind-the-scenes tour we visited the maintenance hangar, the ground equipment maintenance facility, the pharmaceutical cargo facility and we got to go on board an A330. The lie-flat seats in first class are pretty darn sweet! Along the way we met a number of American Airlines employees, including the VP of Hub Operations. It was great to get to interact with some of the hard-working people behind the scenes.

Podcasts

If you’d like to hear more about AAviation Day in PHL, as well as my latest adventures at the airport, then you don’t want to miss episode 517 of the Airplane Geeks Podcast! I had such a great time chatting with hosts Max, Max and David. We talked about everything from the impressive growth we are seeing at my cargo airport, to the importance of airport outreach, to my favorite subject… stairs trucks! It was so much fun! A big thanks to The Geeks for inviting me back!

I also had the tremendous pleasure of being a guest on the Podcasting on a Plane podcast. I spoke with host Brandon Gonzales (a private pilot and tower controller) about my adventures at Osh18, including an in-depth conversation about my visit to the ATC tower. Brandon and I are both passionate about encouraging others to pursue careers in aviation so we also discussed how I landed my airport job… again, pun intended! I really enjoy this podcast so if you aren’t familiar with it, give it a listen. The episode with my interview will be out in September – mark your calendar and keep an eye on your podcast app!

So Many C-17s

I love it when military planes stop by the airport. The sight of a KC-135 practicing approaches or a T-38 at the FBO never fails to make me smile. The C-17 is typically an infrequent guest – one or two visits each year is the most I can hope for. That is, until this year. I don’t know what the heck is going on but suddenly C-17s are everywhere!

It started with my trip to the USAF Museum in Dayton back in May. I was there to see the Memphis Belle exhibit but was thrilled to also see a C-17 practicing approaches into nearby Wright Patterson AFB. I had never seen a C-17 fly around like that before. So cool! At least that’s what I thought at the time.

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Another C-17 was waiting to greet me at the Udvar Hazy Center when I attended Innovations in Flight in June. This one was on static display so I was able to go inside and take a good look around. Fun! But then… I went to the Dayton Air Show and guess what was there? Yep. Another C-17. Well, OK – it’s normal to see C-17s at air shows, right? That being the case, I wasn’t surprised that there were multiple C-17s at Airventure Oshkosh. There was one on static display and one or two others that actually performed in the airshows. By the time Osh ended I have to admit I was starting to feel a bit of C-17 overload.

I returned to work thinking that finally I would get a break. WRONG! In the first couple weeks back I saw three of them. THREE! And then a week later there was another. Last week I decided to wander over and see what bizjets were parked at the FBO. Guess what I found sitting on the ramp? Yep! ANOTHER C-17! I love C-17s but this is getting out of hand. Look, C-17, you’re an amazing airplane with impressive capabilities and you can rock an airshow with the best of them, but enough is enough. Seriously. Just stop.

I think it got the message…

Or maybe not.

I see you back there! Nice try, but you aren’t fooling anyone!

(Av)Geeking Out

June 29, 2018 / niffer90 / 2 Comments

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Summer is finally here and that means it’s time to use some of those vacation days I’ve been hoarding. Hooray! As you know, I like to spend my vacation from the airport at other airports. This year I’ve added a new airport to my list of vacation destinations!

Smithsonian Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center//Dulles International Airport

34982400_Unknown A couple weeks ago I made my first ever trip to the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly VA for their annual Innovations in Flight Family Day. I had the tremendous honor of tagging along with my friends the Airplane Geeks who were there to record some interviews for their podcast. One of the best things about being with the Geeks was getting early access to the center, which means my first look at some of those amazing airplanes came when there was almost no one else around.

34982288_Unknown If aviation is a religion, then the Udvar-Hazy Center is the holy land. Spending a few quiet moments in the presence of some remarkable airplanes was pretty darn close to a religious experience. I got to see a Concorde for the first time. And a Space Shuttle. And so much more. But the one airplane I most wanted to see was an unassuming little Cessna 180. I located it hanging sedately over the much flashier Concorde. The name of the plane is The Spirit of Columbus. It was piloted by Jerrie Mock – the first woman to fly solo around the world. Such a big journey for such a small airplane!

As is so often the case, two of the most memorable moments I had at Innovations in Flight were completely unplanned. The first was getting a tour of a C-17 by a friend who is a C-17 pilot. There’s nothing like learning about an airplane from someone who flies it! I have a whole new appreciation for the plane and what it can do.

The second memorable moment was taxiing across Dulles in a Cherokee. I know some of you are thinking, “Big deal! You never left the ground!” Yes, that’s true. But hello… we taxied across DULLES!!! In a CHEROKEE!!! An Etihad Dreamliner landed right next to us. We passed a Lufthansa Boeing 747. We got a close look at the international terminal AND the cargo ramp. The airport nerd in me loved every second of the journey!

My day spent at Innovations in Flight was truly wonderful. I am making plans to go back and visit the Udvar-Hazy Center again soon. So how do you follow up such an amazing experience? With an air show, of course!

Vectren Dayton Air Show//Dayton International Airport

Coming soon: an internet campaign to get me this sign!

I have been to the Dayton airport and air show many times before. However, this was my first visit in several years. I was greeted by my most favorite airport sign in the history of airport signs. I NEED this sign! It would be PERFECT right next to my desk. Or in my front yard. Or my living room. Dear Dayton Airport: if you ever take this sign down PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE give it to me!

Once I entered the static display area I was greeted by some old friends: a C-17, a B-17 from the movie Memphis Belle, an A-10 and so much more! The air show itself was the first live-action test of my snazzy new camera. I still have some learning to do, but I think some of the pics turned out really well!

The Golden Knights were fun to watch, although I can’t imagine jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. The B-17 from the movie Memphis Belle made several passes and was lovely as always. This was my first time seeing Redline – a two-person aerobatic team who fly RV-8s. So cool!

Sean D Tucker put on a terrific performance. (Has anyone ever been able to refer to him and NOT use his middle initial? I sure can’t!) The F-22 Raptor is one of the best military demonstrations out there. I’ve seen it several times before and it always leaves me with my jaw hanging open.

Tora Tora Tora is a perennial air show favorite. So is the Screamin’ Sasquatch jet-powered Waco.

And of course, the Blue Angels were amazing, as they ALWAYS are!

What makes aviation vacations the best, however, are the people you share them with.

If you’d like to hear more about Innovations in Flight then you MUST check out The Airplane Geeks episode featuring interviews recorded at the event. Also check out the Flying and Life podcast episode in which Dispatcher Mike and the Airline Pilot Guy recount their adventures flying to Dulles in a 1963 Beechraft Musketeer! Special thanks to David Vanderhoof and the rest of the Geeks for allowing me to tag along with them, and to Hillel for being brave enough to allow me in his Cherokee!

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Stalking Airplanes

September 8, 2017May 9, 2020 / niffer90 / 7 Comments

Every aviation enthusiast has a list of airplanes that they really want to see. Sometimes it’s a certain type that we’re after. Or it can be a particular airline or livery (or both). Some hard-core spotters seek specific tail numbers. For me, it is a mix of these things.

I would dearly love to see an A380. It’s not going to happen at my airport – I’d have to go elsewhere. I would also love to see a B747-8 up close. They fly into the cargo airport but I just haven’t been able to coordinate my schedule to make it down there to see one. We do get lots of special liveries though. Both Southwest and American have several of them. Even Delta and United have a few.

With all the hours I spend at airports, you’d think that chasing down specific liveries wouldn’t be much of a challenge. Wrong! For one thing, I’ve got pretty strict rules. I have to see the plane where I work – another airport doesn’t count. The plane needs to be taxiing, taking off or landing, and I need to witness it either from the ramp or up on the garage. The bigger issue, however, is that certain airplanes are deliberately hiding from me.

Photo by Ryan Ewing, who gets to see some really awesome airplanes.

American Airlines TWA & Reno Air Liveries

To my great sadness, American has been retiring the mighty Mad Dog at a rapid pace. If there is any consolation, however, it’s that they are sending B737s (rather than more A319s) to replace them. This means that some special liveries which were previously out of my reach are now within the realm of possibility. Recently I happened to get lucky enough to catch American’s One World livery as it was landing. I figure at some point TWA and Reno Air will make an appearance. Hopefully I’ll be watching when they do!

Another photo by Ryan Ewing. I’m so jealous.

American Airlines America West Livery

I have seen this airplane a time or two… but always at the gate or hiding behind a fence. For some reason it doesn’t visit my airport very often. A few months ago it was scheduled to fly out just after I finished work for the day. Perfect! But then it delayed and delayed and delayed. It wasn’t until I gave up and headed for my car that it finally pushed back. It taunted me by taxiing onto the runway at the exact moment I happened to drive by.

You get one guess who took this. Yep, Ryan Ewing. I’m way beyond jealous at this point.

Delta SkyTeam livery

If the America West special livery plane is elusive, Delta SkyTeam is worse. I recently discovered that this wily plane has been sneaking in and out of my airport for quite some time. It flies in late at night then hurriedly takes off shortly before I arrive. I had no clue this was going on until a coworker told me about it. Sure, show up for the coworker but hide from me! Totally uncool, Delta SkyTeam!

Miami Air captured in the open by James Dingell.

Miami Air

This airline has been taunting me relentlessly for years. Like the Delta SkyTeam livery, it conveniently flies in when I’m not around. On the rare occasion that it shows up while I’m at work, it always parks at the one gate I can’t see. Or it parks at the FBO and positions itself in such a way that I can’t get a good look at it, no matter what vantage point I try.

Photo by Andrew Stricker. Because Miami Air apparently isn’t hiding from him.

A few months ago I noticed Miami Air on the scheduled charter list, and much to my joy it was supposed to arrive right around my lunch time. Hooray! Then the flight was delayed. So I delayed my lunch. But then it was delayed some more. And some more. And wouldn’t you know I had a meeting that afternoon? Clearly Miami Air knew. Not only did it land after the meeting started, but it performed the world’s fastest turn-around and departed before the meeting ended. Did I mention the meeting was only ONE HOUR long? Well played, Miami Air. You may have won this round but I’m not giving up!

Every once in a while I happen to stumble across a cool livery that almost (but not entirely) makes up for all those planes I haven’t been able to see (yet). Such was the case when United’s Star Alliance stopped by. Not only did it park at a gate where it was easy to see, but it taxied out on time and took off right in front of me. Thank you so much, Star Alliance!

As for the planes on my most wanted list, well I’m in meetings all day next Wednesday, so I’m sure they’ll pick that day to fly in. (OK, actually I don’t have any meetings. Don’t tell them that!)

Ten Things I Love About Airports

June 30, 2017 / niffer90 / 11 Comments

Let’s do a quick word association. When I say “commercial airport,” what are the first things that come to mind? Getting there and parking? (Ugh!) Going through security? (Double ugh!) Delays and cancellations? (Triple ugh!) The truth is, for most people, commercial airports do not conjure up very pleasant thoughts. Oh how I wish everyone could see the airport the way I see it! Here are some of my favorite things:

1. 05:00

I know what you’re thinking – that’s insanely early! Yes, I know. But there’s just something special about this time of day. I guess it has to do with the contrast between the stillness of the airfield and the hectic activity inside the terminal.

2. Sunrise

Sunrise is one of my favorite times at the airport. There’s something quite breathtaking about the sun peeking over the horizon and lighting up the sky. I’m blessed to have seen some truly amazing sunrises.

3. Sunset

Like sunrises, sunsets at the airfield can be pretty spectacular.

4. Deice Pad

The deice pad can be a hectic, crazy place for all involved. But there’s something about being out on the ramp, right next to the planes that makes it completely awesome. Plus there are so many cool photo opportunities!

5. Sunrise on the deice pad

Sunrise. Airplanes. Deice rigs. Airport. Need I say more?

6. ATC towers

I wish everyone could visit an ATC tower just once. Unfortunately, most travelers will never get the chance. It’s a shame because the activity that goes on there is critical. And the view is phenomenal!

7. Snow

I know that snow is a giant hassle for everyone involved – believe me, I get it. But at the same time there’s just something special about snow on the airfield. Perhaps it’s taking pride in all the hard work that goes into keeping things up and running, or maybe it’s the way it swirls around the jet engines.

8. K9s

Oh how I love my K-9 coworkers! I’m lucky because I get to see them when they aren’t working, which means I get to pet them and love on them. Recently, however, I got to watch a K-9 demonstrate his skills by searching for explosive materials that were planted for him to find. I was very impressed by his focus and determination – and all he asked for in return was play time with his squeaky ball!

9. Box of Chocolates

The airport is like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates – you just never know what is going to show up! If you read my last post then you know about the visit from the A-10s. A week later two Osprey flew in. Fan-freaking-tastic!!!

10. Possibilities

Airports represent the ability to get pretty much anywhere in the world in a matter of hours. Think about that for a moment. Consider what it took to go just 100 miles in 1817 (200 years ago). When I see airplanes at the gates, I see the ability to go anywhere and do anything. How cool is that?

11. Stairs trucks

Spinal Tap fans will immediately understand why this Top Ten list has to go all the way to 11. And what better way to wrap things up than with stairs trucks?

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Lies Plane Spotters Tell

June 8, 2017 / niffer90 / 15 Comments

It’s a sad truth and it pains me to say this but… plane spotters tell lies. Yes, we do. Anyone who says they don’t is… well, probably lying. We don’t mean to lie, it’s just that when you are hanging around the airfield and watching planes come and go, it is so easy to get completely sucked in and say things that you don’t really mean. For example:

I’m not going plane spotting today.

Since I work for an airport, the temptation is always there to stop upstairs and do a little plane spotting before I head home. It seems that no matter how firm my resolve to go straight to my car after work, by the time I get to the escalators I feel that irresistible urge to head on up. At that point I move on to lie number two…

I’m only going to stay for ten minutes.

Half an hour later and I’m still there. The problem is, there’s almost always something interesting to see. In the unlikely event that there’s nothing happening on the airfield, I listen to ATC communications on my scanner. I listen to some of the airline operations frequencies as well, which can often be quite entertaining.

It’s too wet/cold/snowy/stormy for plane spotting.

Photo by Andrew Stricker

To be fair, sometimes it really IS too miserable outside for plane spotting. But spotters learn quickly that airplanes can be very cool to watch in rainy/snowy/windy weather. Can you say crosswind landings? On a recent stormy Friday I was able to sneak outside for a few minutes between storms. Listening to the coordination between ATC and the pilots and watching flights navigate around the weather was quite fascinating.

I’ve already got several pictures of that airline/livery/aircraft type. I don’t need any more.

Except they’re landing from the opposite direction today… and on the other runway… and the sky is amazing… and the light conditions are just right…

I’m only going to wait a few more minutes for that flight to push back and then I’m giving up.

I have to thank my twitter friend Andrew for coming up with this one. It’s so true! An hour later I’m still there, still waiting for that plane to depart. Of course when I do give up and leave that’s when the plane decides to taxi out. Doh! I swear it does this on purpose just to taunt me! (I’m talking to you, American Airlines Airbus with the America West retro livery!)

I don’t need a better camera/lens/scanner.

Actually, yes I do! I really do! And once I get that new piece of spotting equipment, then of course I have to test it out! But don’t worry – I’m only going to stay ten minutes.

So why do we end up staying even though we swear we’re going to leave? Why do we make liars out of ourselves? Well…

For Moments Like This:

Earlier this week I decided to do a little plane spotting on my lunch break. It was hot and muggy so I told myself I’d only stay a few minutes. I was just about to (for once) head inside early when I heard a military flight contact the tower. I didn’t recognize the call sign but assumed it was probably a KC-135 practicing approaches. They often fly over from the nearby Air National Guard base. I’ve seen them several times before, however I figured I might as well stick around and watch them fly by.

FullSizeRender (70) Then I heard ATC clear the flight for the break. At that point I realized that it couldn’t be a tanker – it had to be fighters. Before I could even begin to speculate on what kind of fighters they might be, a flight of four A-10 Warthogs appeared. I calmly and patiently watched as they circled to land… OK, I’m lying again. The truth is, I completely lost my mind. I let out a shriek and sprinted across the parking garage (in high heels no less) while simultaneously attempting to take as many pictures as possible. I was overwhelmed with excitement, laughing, crying, jumping up and down…

Then I noticed that the group of construction workers who had been working nearby were slowly backing away. I must have looked like a complete lunatic. And guess what? I. DON’T. CARE. If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time then you know the A-10 is one of my all-time favorite airplanes. I’ve only seen them fly once before at AirVenture Oshkosh last summer. To see them at my airport was absolutely the most unexpected, amazing thing EVER.

So why do plane spotters tell themselves these terrible lies? Because magic moments happen without notice when you least expect them. We just don’t want to miss out. And that’s the truth.

Author’s note: In April I attended an event at the USAF Museum commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid. If you want to hear about it and see some pictures I took of the B-25s that participated in the flyover, please check out Episode 24 of the Flying and Life podcast.

Wings Over Avgeeks

May 19, 2017 / niffer90 / 9 Comments

Photo by Capt Nick Anderson www.nickandersonphoto.co.uk

They say the first time you attend an air show it’s about the airplanes, but after that it’s about the people. For a long time I really didn’t understand this. Hey – I’m here because I love things with wings! (And stairs trucks!) But the more you get into aviation the more you value being able to spend time with other people who love aviation too. And you find that being with them makes air shows and fly ins and other events even better than you ever thought they could be. Such was the case with Wings Over Pittsburgh.

Photo by Capt Nick Anderson www.nickandersonphoto.co.uk

Awesome: The F-22

Ah, the Raptor! It is one hell of a bad-ass airplane. I saw it at an airshow in 2009 and was completely blown away. I saw it again more recently but wasn’t as impressed. The performance that day had to be limited and it just wasn’t as spectacular as I remembered. At Wings Over Pittsburgh, however, the Raptor completely redeemed itself by being even more amazing than it was in 2009. That plane flies in ways and directions that defy all logic. Planes just can’t fly like that! Except somehow this one does!

Photo by Capt Nick Anderson www.nickandersonphoto.co.uk

Even More Awesome: Watching the F-22 with people who worked for Pratt & Whitney.

The F-22 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney F119 turbofan engines which have nozzles that incorporate 2D thrust vectoring. I have no idea what any of that means. What it does, however, is allow the Raptor to fly in ways that are, frankly, ridiculous. Max and his wife are retired Pratt & Whitney employees who were with the company during the development of these engines. Watching them watch the F-22 demo was a true highlight of the weekend for me. When I asked how it felt to see their hard work on display the answer was a single word: goosebumps. I couldn’t agree more!

Awesome: The F-18 Super Hornet

I have long been a fan of the F-18. Many years ago I had a friend who was a mechanic in the Marines who worked on F-18s. I was unfamiliar with the plane so I looked it up. Woah – what the heck is this? Sweeeeet! I was instantly smitten and have loved the plane ever since. Yes, the Super Hornet is a bit different from the original Hornet, but I don’t care. The F-18 display remains one of my very favorites.

Even More Awesome: Watching the F-18 demonstration with a former F-18 pilot.

I wasn’t standing close enough to hear what Nick had to say during the demo, but just watching his face was enough. It was very obvious that he still loves that plane. And who can blame him!

Awesome: C-130s and paratroopers

I have no desire to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. However, I think it is really cool to watch other people do it. And it’s even more cool when those people are paratroopers jumping out of C-130s. How the heck do so many of them manage to leap out all at once?

Even More Awesome: Watching paratroopers with a skydiver.

I wish I had been able to watch with Steph on Saturday when the weather was better. It was much windier on Sunday and she knew right away that they weren’t going to be able to make the jump. Still, it was interesting to get her take on their performance from the previous day.

Awesome: All the amazing airplanes on display.

The static displays at Wings Over Pittsburgh were impressive and quite varied. They included some of my old favorites like the C-5 and KC-135, as well as the iconic B-52, the way-cool F-35, an Embraer E175 and many, many more. I could have spent hours and hours examining them in detail and still not gotten a good look at everything.

Even More Awesome: Wandering through the displays with an aviation historian.

David has probably lost count of the number of airshows he has attended. He has spent countless hours on military bases and soaked up more information than anyone I know. All that knowledge was so much fun to be around! I could ask any question and he knew the answer. I learned a lot and I loved every moment!

Awesome: Spending three days surrounded by airplanes AND by people who are as passionate about them as I am.

Even More Awesome: Actually, I don’t think it gets more awesome than that!

Big bird, little birds. Photo by Dr. Stephanie Plummer

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Tales from the Terminal

adventures at the airport and other random musings

airplanes

What in the World?!

The Numbers Behind the Passenger Numbers

Museum Mayhem (Part 1): Air Mobility Command Museum

Old Car, Older Airplane

Aviation Day, Podcasts and So Many C-17s

(Av)Geeking Out

Stalking Airplanes

Ten Things I Love About Airports

Lies Plane Spotters Tell

Wings Over Avgeeks