This morning, I immediately left work when I was able and made the commute up to Portland International Airport (in rush hour, of all times!). Why would I go to Portland while braving the morning rush hour traffic in the middle of the week after a long, tiring night of work to go planespotting?! Well, planespotting was not among my agenda this week but when I had to go pick up my Dad, who was flying home from Salt Lake City via Las Vegas this morning, I took the opportunity to do so. I mentioned it before but if I'm taking people to/from the airport, arriving a little early to squeeze in some planespotting is an opportunity I will never pass up! Thus the reason for going...
I got about a good two hours of spotting in this morning and I spent most of my spotting time facing the south runway because I have found that the north side is extremely back-lit due to the sun rising from the northeast during the spring time, not to mention all that sunlight reflecting from the adjacent Columbia River. But the time spent spotting mostly on the south side paid off because I got to see a PenAir Saab 340 in the airline's previous livery (which I have seen many times on TV shows such as Deadliest Catch!), which I was really glad to catch. I also saw for the first time a DHL-liveried cargo 757 operated by Air Transport International which makes runs all along the west coast on weekdays during the morning rush. In addition to that, I got to see a few special liveries I've been waiting to catch again and I even got some "American sounds of freedom" in form of Oregon Air National Guard F-15C Eagles from the Portland Air National Guard Base's Redhawks of the 142nd Fighter Wing! It's been a few years since I've seen F-15s in action so this spotting trip was worth losing sleep over! Here's the link:
Portland (PDX) 22
Photo preview and highlights:
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| Peninsula Airways (PenAir) Saab 340B (N677PA) arriving on 28L as PEN160 from Crescent City. |
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| JetBlue Airways Airbus A320-232 (N595JB) "Rhythym & Blue" departing on 28L as JBU1621 for Long Beach. |
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| PEN160 pulling up to the gate. Note the left engine already shut down. |
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| American Airlines Boeing 737-823 (N892NN) departing on 28L as AAL2472 for Dallas/Ft. Worth. I caught me an old American "chrome" colors again! |
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| Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-490 (N706AS) "The Spirit of Make-A-Wish" special taxiing from the remote stands back to the terminal after overnighting to be put back into service. First flight of the day was to San Francisco as ASA382. I'm glad I caught this livery on this airframe because Alaska Airlines is planning to retire their 737-400 fleet some time next year. |
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| A view of Horizon Air's maintenance facilities at PDX. My time could not have been better with TWO college special liveries parked on the ramp! On the right is N402QX in University of Montana Grizzlies colors and to the left is N443QX in University of Alaska at Anchorage Seawolves colors. |
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| Flexjet Bombardier BD-100-1A10 Challenger 300 after departing 28R as LXJ535 for San Jose. |
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| Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-990/ER (N431AS) departing on 28L as ASA30 for Boston. |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-401 Q400 (N439QX) arriving on 28L on a re-positioning flight. |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-402 Q400 (N444QX) just getting airborne after departure from 28L. |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-402 Q400 (N448QX) arriving on 28L. |
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| When opportunities like this emerge, one would be wise to snap a photo because chances of this kind of opportunity repeating itself is pretty slim! I was on a roll today Horizon Air college colors! N440QX in Oregon State University Beavers colors emerged from the Horizon Maintenance base as it taxied back to the terminal to be put back into service. |
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| Photographing Horizon's college-themed Q400s never gets old! Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-402 Q400 (N440QX) taxiing to be put back into service prior to its first flight of the day which would be Seattle. |
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| Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-990 (N320AS) departing 28L as ASA626 for Las Vegas. |
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| SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Alaska Airlines) Embraer ERJ-170-200LR E-175LR (N175SY) arriving on 28L as SKW3387 from Omaha. |
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| Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-3H4 (N394SW) departing on 28L as SWA2989 for Oakland. |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-402 Q400 (N405QX) departing on 28L. |
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| American Airlines Boeing 737-823 (N990NN) taxiing for departure as AAL86 for Chicago O' Hare. |
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| Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-332/ER (N169DZ) arriving on 28L as DAL622 from Tokyo-Narita. |
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| Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-890 (N526AS) arriving on 28R as ASA575 from Los Angeles. As you might be able to tell, the lighting on this side is not the best during this time of day. |
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| Air Transport International-ATI (d/b/a DHL Aviation) Boeing 757-222PCF (N531UA) arriving on 28L as ATN1917 from Boeing Field. Using the same flight number, ATI runs a daily weekday cargo run between Los Angeles and Portland with stop at Seattle-Boeing Field. As part of the larger Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) as a subsidiary, Air Transport International operates worldwide cargo and combi charters for the express package industry and freight forwarders, as well as for the United States Department of Defense and the automotive industry. It also wet-leases aircraft. Airframe is formerly with United Airlines and then to Capital Cargo International Airlines before consolidation into Air Transport International. Photographing this was a first for me so naturally, it was thrilling to catch. The pilots applied full-reverse thrust in order to make the first convenient turn-off towards the cargo ramp. Freighter pilots here are kind of notorious for applying heavy braking on 28L because they want make that first turn-off. |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-402 Q400 (N414QX) in San Diego State University Aztecs colors rotating from 28L. |
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| SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Alaska Airlines) Embraer ERJ-170-200LR E-175LR (N173SY) arriving on 28L as SKW3464 from Boise. |
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| All of Alaska Airlines' regional affiliate partners in one picture! Horizon Air, PenAir, and SkyWest Airlines! |
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| SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a) Bombardier CL-600-2C10 CRJ-701ER (N227AG) arriving on 28L. |
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| N677PA taxiing for departure as PEN8808 for nearby Aurora-State Airport (UAO) on a re-positioning flight. PenAir rotates their Saabs in and out of Aurora in order to save gate space during schedule gaps where they're not flying passengers. |
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| Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 (N968WN) arriving on 28L as SWA2544 from Phoenix-Sky Harbor. |
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| PEN8808 airborne just after rotating from 28L for the short hop to Aurora. |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-402 Q400 (N417QX) arriving on 28L. |
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| THE SOUND OF FREEDOM! United States Air Force/Oregon Air National Guard McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle (82-0016) departing on 28L. This was the first of a flight of four. |
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| Second to depart on 28L was the second F-15C Eagle (84-0026). |
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| The third F-15C Eagle to depart on 28L was "Balls 7" (84-0007). Formerly with with the 53rd Fighter Squadron out of Bitburg, Germany. |
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| The fourth F-15C Eagle to depart (84-0021). It's been a couple years since I've seen the mighty Eagle fly because they haven't been performing at any of the recent air shows I've been to... |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-401 Q400 (N404QX) arriving on 28L as QXE2480 from Medford. |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-402 Q400 (N435QX) in University of Washington Huskies special colors departing 28L. |
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| American Airlines Airbus A321-211 (N153UW) taxiing for depart as AAL895 for Phoenix-Sky Harbor. Former US Airways airframe inherited from the recent merger. This is also my first time seeing an A321 in the new American Airlines livery! |
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| United States Department of Energy Beechcraft B200GT Super King Air (N792BP) airborne after departing 28L for Richland, WA. |
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| Cessna 680A Citation Latitude (N996UA) airborne after departin 28R. Aircraft is registered to sports clothing and accessories company Under Armour, Inc. |
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| AAL895 departing on 28L for Phoenix-Sky Harbor. |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-402 Q400 (N452QX) "Employee Powered" special just airborne after departing 28L. I am thrilled to finally catch this special livery! |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-401 Q400 (N439QX) departing on 28L. |
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| Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-990/ER (N477AS) in last year's interim-revised livery arriving on 28L as ASA573 from San Diego. This is my first time seeing this livery on a 737-900. |
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| Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-790 (N619AS) in the interim livery arriving on 28L as ASA629 from Las Vegas. |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-402 Q400 (N426QX) arriving on 28L as QXE2127 from Seattle-Tacoma. |
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| Peninsula Airways (PenAir) Saab 340B (N365PX) in the old livery, the "Spirit of Unalakleet" taxiing out for departure as PEN181 for Eureka/Arcata. I never thought I'd get an opportunity to photograph PenAir's previous livery as I initially thought all their aircraft were repainted. I'm glad I was wrong! Formerly with Mesaba Airlines in Northwest Airlink colors. |
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| N440QX departing on 28L. |
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| PEN181 rotating on 28L for Eureka/Arcata. |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-401 Q400 (N408QX) arriving on 28L as QXE2029 from Spokane. |
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| Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-890 (N508AS) arriving on 28L as ASA663 from Phoenix-Sky Harbor. |
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| SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Alaska Airlines) Embraer ERJ-170-200LR E-175LR (N176SY) arriving on 28L as SKW3419 from Salt Lake City. |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-402 Q400 (N402QX) in University of Montana Grizzlies special livery taxiing from the maintenance ramp back to the terminal to be put back into service. |
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| Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-76N (N7818L) arriving on 28L as SWA1576 from Las Vegas. This was my Dad's flight! Airframe formerly with LAPA Lineas Aereas as LV-ZSJ, then to Jet Airways as VT-JNT and then to Jetairfly-TUI Airlines Belgium as OO-JAN. Boeing customer code "6N" indicates this aircraft is leased to Southwest by GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS). |
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| N968WN taxiing for departure to Denver as SWA1861. |
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| N404QX departing 28L as QXE2200 for Spokane. |
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| SWA1861 departing on 28L for Denver. |
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| United States Department of Energy Beechcraft B300 Super King Air (N791BP) departing 28L for Renton, WA. |
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| SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Delta Connection) Bombardier CL-600-2C10 CRJ-701ER (N762SK) holding position on the taxiway. Flight was departing as SKW3546 for Seattle-Tacoma. Airframe formerly operated on the behalf of United Express. |
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| United Airlines Boeing 737-924/ER (N62889) arriving on 28R as UAL1546 from San Francisco. |
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| SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Alaska Airlines) Embraer ERJ-170-200LR E-175LR (N170SY) arriving on 28L. This airframe is the very first SkyWest E-jet in the Alaska Airlines livery. |
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| N173SY departing on 28L as SKW3382 for Kansas City. |
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| Horizon Air Bombardier DHC-8-401 Q400 (N419QX) arriving on 28L as QXE2473 from Seattle-Tacoma. |
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| Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-890 (N566AS) in the new livery taxiing for departure as ASA764 for Washington-Reagan National. |
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| Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-790 (N613AS) taxiing for departure as ASA550 for Los Angeles. |
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| Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 (N710SW) arriving on 28L as SWA3020 from San Jose. |
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| ASA746 departing on 28L for Washington-National. Check out the double red beacon lights! |
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| SeaPort Airlines Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (N932SP) arriving on 28L from Pendleton as SQH3323. N-number formerly registered to a Pilatus PC-12 that was also once operated by SeaPort Airlines! |
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| ASA550 departing on 28L for Los Angeles. |
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| SQH3323 parallel parking to the terminal. SeaPort Airlines has a bad reputation with several communities they used to serve as they are constantly accused of only serving such communities just for the monetary incentives and federal subsidies to fly to major hubs and destinations. Once those financial resources were dried up, SeaPort pulled out of those markets. I can see why many communities would a dislike for this airline... SeaPort was also supposed to start service between Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, WA with flights to Portland and Seattle-Tacoma but the airline entered Chapter 11 Bankruptcy before those service could start and those plans were put on hold indefinitely. Not the kind of reputation a small commuter airline that thrives on Essential Air Service wants... |
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| Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-8H4 (N8655D) arriving on 28L as SWA3149 from Denver. |
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| N619AS taxiing for departure as ASA131 to Anchorage. |
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| Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-890 (N562AS) in the new livery arriving on 28L as ASA383 from San Francisco. |
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| N175SY taxiing for departure as SKW3442 to Austin-Bergstrom International. |
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