This morning, I decided to drive up to PDX just for the heck of it. I've gone the entire month without any major updates and zero photography. I figured since I'm off work for Thanksgiving and most of the holiday travelers are already where they need to be (i.e. very little traffic on the road!), this would be a great opportunity to go out and enjoy something I always love to and to practice up on photographing the movement of airplanes. As always, here's the link:
Portland (PDX) 11
The main reason I wanted to get a spotting trip in is because of all the mainline carriers I've photographed here in the U.S. and particularly in Portland, I still haven't gotten a photo of a Hawaiian Airlines livery (that, plus Sun Country Airlines, but that'll have to wait for another day...). That all changed today when I finally got my shot of a Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330, plus a few other things I haven't seen before!
Preview:
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| Something new since the last time I was at PDX was the expansion of Delta Air Line's regional arm, with Compass Airlines doing daily flights connecting PDX with Los Angeles. A Compass Airlines Embraer E-175LR (N608CZ) in Delta Connection colors taxis out for departure to LAX. |
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| Say 'Aloha' to the main reason why I drove up to PDX! Hawaiian Air's Airbus A330-243 (N382HA) taxiing out for departure as the daily flight to Honolulu. |
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| Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-890 (N527AS) beginning its taxi for departure. Note the new Boeing/Aviation Partners Split Scimitar Winglets. |
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| Another one I've been waiting a long time to photograph: Horizon Air's Bombardier DHC-8-402 Dash 8 Q400 (N437QX) in Boise State University Broncos colors on push-back. |
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| Another highlight about this trip was catching a few other heavies in addition to the Hawaiian Air A330: Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-332/ER (N191DN) taxiing out for departure to Tokyo-Narita (NRT). |
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| Though I would've LOVED to see the new American Airlines livery this trip, I just have to appreciate the old, soon to be retro paint job on an MD-80 while they still last because these "Mad Dogs" are not going to be around much longer... American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (N70504) arriving from Dallas-Fort Worth. |
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| SkyWest Airlines Bombardier CRJ-702 (N219AG) in Alaska colors taxiing to the gate after arrival. Though a fairly common sight here in the Pacific Northwest, there are only nine of these CRJs flying the Alaska Airlines colors so any opportunity to photograph them is a coveted one! |
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| This one caught me by surprise but appreciated the sight of it nonetheless! Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-890 (N560AS) bearing the beautiful and special Hawaiian theme "Spirit of the Islands" taxiing out for departure. To think I got a double-dosage of Hawaiian-themed airplanes in one spotting trip is just awesome! Makes me wanna go to Hawaii now... Also note the split scimitar winglet. |
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| When I first saw this, I thought it might be the Oregon Ducks-themed Q400 because of the yellow on the engine cowlings. Much to my surprise, I was wrong! Slowing down upon arrival is Horizon Air's Bombardier DHC-8-402 Dash 8 Q400 (N443QX) in the colors of the University of Alaska at Anchorage Seawolves. Turns out there are TWO Alaska college colors now... |
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| The longest variant of the "Baby Boeing" series, the Boeing 737-990 (N320AS) operated by Alaska Airlines taxiing for departure. Alaska Airlines was the launch customer for the Boeing 737-900 and this variant is proof of such an incredible legacy of the 737 type. While the Boeing 747, the "Queen of the Skies" may get all the glory as one of Boeing's most iconic aircraft, the 737 is no doubt the true workhorse thanks to its many variants and great versatility. |
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| SkyWest Airlines Bombardier CRJ-200LR (N951SW) parked at the ramp. SkyWest house colors have become a rarity at PDX ever since the airline ceased Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia feeder flights for the Pacific Northwest via United Express on September 1, 2014. |
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| This photo tells it all: No more SkyWest EMB-120s. On past spotting trips, there was always at least one Brasilia sitting on the ramp to be seen from the parking garage vantage point I always photograph from. But that all changed when United Airlines started facing stiffer competition at PDX and decided to cease all feeder flights around the Pacific Northwest. EMB-120s that were dedicated for use out of PDX been sent down to LAX and SFO for feeder flights down there and will eventually be phased out of the SkyWest fleet. |
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| SeaPort Airlines Cessna 208B Caravan (N1026V) occupies part of the ramp once utilized by SkyWest's EMB-120s. |
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| Another heavy by a Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-332/ER (N1602). This is the daily Delta flight from Amsterdam. I was totally expecting an Airbus A330 for this arrival but as it turns out, Delta switches equipment on the PDX-AMS route depending on the season. In this case, the Boeing 767 is used during the cold winter months. |
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| Compass Airlines Embraer E-175LR (N637CZ) in Delta Connection colors slowing down upon arrival from LAX. I got two Compass Airlines E-Jets in one spotting trip! |
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| A Gulfstream Aerospace G-V (N83CW) departing PDX. |
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