Gallery Update: PDX in the Rain

I NEVER go spotting in lousy weather, especially when its raining like it does in western Oregon for nearly half the year; otherwise, I risk damage to my photography gear. Of course, I do have to make exceptions every once in a while whether it be a special aircraft making a rare appearance or I'm just going to be in the neighborhood anyways. In today's case, it's the latter. My aunt was visiting for the past several days and today I had to drive her to the airport so she could catch her flight back home. Even though it was raining, I took about an hour after dropping my aunt off and got a little planespotting in at my usual spot. I didn't take as many pictures compared to previous spotting trips but there was one or two things from today that made the trip worthwhile. Also with regards to the rainy weather, the one cool thing about spotting in the rain is watching jets kick up water on the runway and tarmac with their engine thrust. Here's the link:

Portland (PDX) 20

Preview:

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 (N784SW) arriving on 28R from Chicago-Midway as SWA2332.

United Airlines Boeing 737-924/ER (N37437) arriving on 28R as UAL569 from Chicago O' Hare.

Delta Air Lines Airbus A320-211 (N349NW) departing 28R as DAL1073 for Minneapolis/St Paul.

Saab 2000 (N92225) airborne after departure from 28R. It's been years since I've seen a Saab 2000 and this is the first one I've photographed since getting into planespotting. Based off of the shorter Saab 340, Saab 2000s are pretty rare considering that only 63 airframes were built and only about half that number are still in service. Reasons why they were built in limited numbers is because they were introduced around the time when regional jets, which provided better performance and passenger comfort for the same initial price (at the time), were starting to become the norm for regional airlines so that really killed sales. Now that we're in a time where fuel prices are a factor and turboprop regional airliners are starting to look good again, who knows how the Saab 2000 would've fared... This discreet, all-white airframe is registered to the United States Department of Justice.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-790 (N619AS) arriving on 28L as ASA587 from Santa Ana-John Wayne Airport.

American Airlines Boeing 737-823 (N803NN) taxiing for departure as AAL1525 to Dallas/Fort Worth.

SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Alaska Airlines) Bombardier CL-600-2C10 CRJ-701ER (N227AG) arriving on 28L from Fresno-Yosemite as SKW3449. Unlike most Alaska-SkyWest CRJs, this particular airframe is not a former-Horizon Air, rather this is former D-ACPD of Lufthansa Regional/Lufthansa CityLine.

Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-401 Dash 8 Q400 (N410QX) arriving on 28L from Sacramento as QXE2618.

Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-402 Dash 8 Q400 arriving on 28L from Medford as QXE2328.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 717-2BD (N977AT) arriving on 28R from Los Angeles as DAL638.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-832 (N399DA) rotating off 28R for Atlanta as DAL1711.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-832 (N37700) arriving on 28R from Salt Lake City as DAL623.

United Airlines Airbus A320-232 (N469UA) arriving on 28R from San Francisco as UAL550.

Frontier Airlines Airbus A320-214 (N213FR) "Montana the Elk" departing on 28L for Denver as FFT788. After getting Frontier's new livery style the last two times, I'm glad I got another shot of Frontier's previous livery once more!

SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Alaska Airlines) Bombardier CL-600-2C10 CRJ-702 (N219AG) departing 28L for Burbank-Bob Hope as SKW3454. Airframe is former Horizon Air N619QX.

Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-402 Dash 8 Q400 (N434MK) departing on 28L. Unlike all Horizon Air planes, this aircraft's registration does not contain QX (Horizon Air's IATA code). Instead, it's got MK because this aircraft is named Milton G. Kuolt II, dedicated to honor the founder of Horizon Air; Kuolt founded Horizon Air in 1981.

SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Alaska Airlines) Bombardier CL-600-2C10 CRJ-700 (N216AG) taxiing for departure after push-back. Check out that reflection on the tarmac! I should try spotting in rainy weather a little more often!