Gallery Update: K-MAX Helicopter Sighting at Salem

After getting back from a quick local flight, I decided to chase down and photograph a unique visitor to Salem, namely, a Kaman K-1200 K-MAX helicopter, which was parked on the ramp. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Salem (SLE)

Preview:

Kaman K-1200 K-MAX (N161KA) parked on the ramp. Arrived earlier this afternoon from somewhere down south, likely Roseburg.

Previously flew as HB-XHJ for Helog in Switzerland. Currently registered to Superior Helicopter/Leasing LLC, which currently does business as Swanson Group Aviation, a private aerospace company that specializes in aerial construction, logging, aerial firefighting, and unmanned aircraft support based out of Glendale, Oregon. Superior Helicopters and later Swanson Aviation is one of the launch customers of the K-MAX and is considered to be one of the most experienced operators of the type. Fulfilling the aforementioned roles, it makes sense that this company would utilize the K-MAX.

Gallery Update: Chasing Aha! Airlines at Eugene

Happy week of Thanksgiving.

After ExpressJet inaugurated their "aha!" branded service to Eugene earlier this month, I've been keeping an eye on them and their fleet development. What I was after in particular was another one of their (as of right now) three ERJ-145s, preferably one that's actually painted in the "aha!" livery. Well, today happened to be that occasion after confirming which airframe it was via FlightRadar 24, so off I went to Eugene Airport for another spotting trip. And unlike my last outing to Eugene, the weather was actually nice!

Eugene (EUG) 8

Preview:

American Airlines Airbus A319-132 (N832AW) taxiing to the terminal after arriving on 16R as AAL1467 from Dallas-Fort Worth.

United States Navy Lockheed P-3C Orion (161339) airborne off 16R as "Totem 85" following a touch-and-go. This is actually my first time seeing a standard P-3 Orion! The first time I saw a Navy P-3 was actually a modified variant, the EP-3E Aries II back at the 2015 Oregon International Air Show.

Allegiant Air Airbus A319-112 (N324NV) taxiing to the gate after arriving on 16R as AAY514 from Oakland. I last saw this airframe back in my schooling days in Provo, Utah five years ago.

"Totem 85" airborne off 16R following another touch-and-go. Based at NAS Whidbey Island with Maritime Patrol Squadron 69 (VP-69), the "Fighting Totems."

"Totem 85 executing a low-pass over 16R. VP-69 is a Naval Reserve Squadron and is one of two squadrons based at NAS Whidbey Island to still have the P-3 Orion on hand (the other being VQ-1 and their EP-3E Aries IIs).

"Totem 85" executing a missed-approach after shooting an instrument approach for 16R.

"Totem 85" doing a full-stop landing on 16R.

Face-to-face with the Orion!

"Totem 85" clearing 16R and about to taxi-back for departure.

Of course, the Navy is using airports like Eugene to fly cross-country and practice instrument approaches and landings for proficiency all while trying not to anger locals near their home base.

SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Delta Connection) Embraer ERJ-170-200LL E-175SC (N300SY) taxiing for departure as SKW3912 for Seattle-Tacoma. Arrived this morning from Salt Lake City as SKW4069.

SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a United Express) Bombardier CL-600-2B19 CRJ-200ER (N937EV) on push-back for departure as SKW5474 for Denver. Arrived an hour prior as SKW5289 from San Francisco.

SKW3912 airborne off 16R for Seattle-Tacoma.

"Totem 85" airborne off 16R back to NAS Whidbey Island.

N832AW parked at the gate. Scheduled to return to Dallas-Fort Worth as AAL1238.

ExpressJet Airlines (d/b/a aha!) Embraer EMB-145LR ERJ-145LR (N846HK) arriving on 16R as ASQ7062 from Reno/Tahoe. Glad to finally catch the actual "aha!" livery!

ASQ7062 clearing the runway. Like all the other ERJ-145s currently in the fleet, this airframe first flew for Trans States Airlines in United Express colors, first delivered in September 2004.

Airframe was then withdrawn from use and stored in St. Louis in March 2016 until June 2018, when it was returned to revenue service. It was also stripped of the United Express livery and instead wore a simple Trans States house livery, used interchangeably between United Express and American Eagle routes as needed.

Of course, when Trans States ceased operations in 2020 as a result of the pandemic repercussions, airframe went back into storage in April of that year.

Aircraft was taken up by ExpressJet just a few months ago as part of their resumption as an independent regional carrier.

ExpressJet officially took delivery of this airframe just last month.

Of the three ERJ-145s currently in ExpressJet's fleet, this is the only airframe to bear the complete "aha!" livery as shown on advertisement renderings. There is another airframe that also has the same logos, but still have remnants of the United Express livery on the lower half (which I hope to photograph!). However N846HK is what "aha!" branded ERJs are supposed to look like!

ASQ7062 pulling up to the gate. Scheduled to depart back to Reno as ASQ7063.

Horizon Air (d/b/a Alaska Airlines) Embraer ERJ-170-200LR E-175LR (N644QX) airborne off 16R as QXE2097 for Seattle-Tacoma. Alaska Airlines E-jets are also a new sight at Eugene this year, as they've started rotating in along with the Q400s. The E-175s flown by both Horizon and SkyWest are primarily being used between Eugene and Los Angeles, which Alaska started flying out of Eugene this year in order to compete with the likes of Allegiant, Avelo (indirectly with their Burbank hub), as well as United. The other reason is in conjunction with Alaska joining the OneWorld alliance and to provide feed to American Airlines.

SKW5474 airborne off 16R for Denver. Airframe formerly flew for ExpressJet under the Delta Connection brand.

Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2 (N295) airborne off 16R.

SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Delta Connection) Embraer ERJ-170-200LL E-175SC (N289SY) taxiing to the gate after arriving on 16R as SKW4117 from Seattle-Tacoma. Scheduled to depart later in the day as SKW3576 to Salt Lake City.

Cessna 550 Citation II Bravo (N79DA) getting towed on the FBO ramp. Arrived two days ago from Bend.

Gallery Update: Mid-Afternoon Spotting at PDX

My sister was coming home for a few months for the duration of the upcoming holiday season and was flying into PDX today. I was the one picking her up from the airport, so I made a spotting trip out of it. There really wasn't much in the ways of spotting highlights on this trip other than the fact weather (especially for this time of year) was pretty decent. I did get to see an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III depart as well as a Delta Air Lines A321 in a special livery. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Portland (PDX) 66

Preview:

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-8H4 (N8612K) arriving on 28R as SWA5019 from Denver.

United States Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III (06-6154) "Spirit of Solano" airborne off 28R as "BLINR89" for McChord Air Force Base up in Tacoma, Washington. Based at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California with the 60th Air Mobility Wing (60 AMW).

Jazz Air (d/b/a Air Canada Express) Bombardier DHC-8-402Q Dash 8 Q400 (C-GJZF) airborne off 28R as JZA8653 for Vancouver.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-332/ER (N179DN) arriving on 28R as DAL713 from Atlanta.

It's been so long since I saw a Delta 767-300. With reduced international travel demand, these long-haul workhorses have stayed busy doing domestic hops.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 (N217JC) arriving on 28R as SWA6046 from Phoenix Sky Harbor.

SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Delta Connection) Embraer ERJ-170-200LR E-175LR (N297SY) taxiing for departure as SKW4053 for Seattle-Tacoma.

SKW4053 airborne off 28R for Seattle-Tacoma.

Beechcraft C90GTI King Air (N12) airborne off 28R and immediately banking to the north. Registered to the FAA.

United Airlines Airbus A319-132 (N876UA) taxiing for departure as UAL2051 for Denver.

Gulfstream Aerospace G200 (N403SL) arriving on 28R from San Diego.

UAL2051 airborne off 28R for Denver. Previously flew for China Southern Airlines as B-6040.

Cessna 750 Citation X (N777KT) airborne off 28R.

United Airlines Airbus A320-232 (N410UA) arriving on 28R as UAL2226 from Chicago O'Hare.

United Airlines Boeing 737-824 (N76508) arriving on 28R as UAL2633 from Houston-Intercontinental.

UAL2633 clearing 28R. This is only my second time catching a 737-800 in United's "evo-blue" livery.

UAL2633 pulling up to the gate.

N8612K airborne off 28R following a quick turn-around as SWA4077 for Chicago Midway.

Boutique Air Pilatus PC-12/45 (N7YR) airborne off 28R as BTQ904 for Sacramento. No, Boutique Air did not start regularly-scheduled service between PDX and Sacramento! This is a ferry flight as part of the airline's aircraft rotations between their different Essential Air Service (EAS) route networks.

Delta Air Lines Airbus A321-211 (N391DN) sporting their "THANK YOU" livery arriving on 28R as DAL729 from Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Delta dedicated this airframe to all 90,000 of their employees in early 2020 following a $1.6B profit sharing payout, which was a record.

The words "THANK YOU" are composed of the names of the 90,000 employees stenciled in. 

On the nose of the A321 reads, "Dedicated the world's best employees & customers."

DAL729 clearing 28R and taxiing to the gate. Definitely a nice touch by Delta to their employees.

N217JC airborne off 28R after a quick turn-around as SWA153 to Sacramento.

Spirit Airlines Airbus A320-232 (N606NK) arriving on 28R as NKS1689 from Las Vegas.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-832 (N3769L) arriving on 28R as DAL2725 from Seattle-Tacoma.

United Airlines Boeing 737-824 (N24211) pulling up to the gate arriving from San Francisco as UAL1942.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-932/ER (N838DN) arriving on 28R as DAL1369 from Salt Lake City. My sister was on this flight!