Gallery Update: Chasing a United 757-300 in Eugene!

I've wanting to chase down some college charter flights whenever the University of Oregon or Oregon State football teams were playing on a given weekend (I haven't actively chased down college football charters since my days in Provo!). Both Oregon teams have been chartering Alaska Airlines 737s, so I've been keeping an eye on what charters their opponents might've been flying in on. The Oregon Ducks had a home game today in Eugene against the UCLA Bruins and I saw that a United Airlines Boeing 757-300 was flying in to pick up the latter following the game. Considering that United 757s are a rare sight here in Oregon and cannot recall if I've photographed the "Flying Pencil" in the United livery before, I had to chase this one down!

In addition to the United 757-300 I was after, I also got to photograph a CRJ-900 in the house livery of Mesa Airlines for the first time today as well. There was also a ton of business jet traffic at Eugene today (including my first time seeing a Pilatus PC-24 in flight as well as a Gulfstream 650 with a unique and distinguishable tail number!), likely game-day traffic given that the game between Oregon and UCLA was a high-profile one. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Eugene (EUG)

Preview:

Western Aircraft, Inc. Pilatus PC-24 (N268PJ) airborne off 16R as STT38 for Oakland. I believe this is my first time seeing a PC-24 flying!

Mesa Airlines Bombardier CL-600-2D24 CRJ-900ER (N920FJ) airborne off 16R as ASH5781 for Phoenix-Sky Harbor on behalf of American Eagle. My first time seeing the Mesa Airlines house livery!

Arrived earlier in the afternoon as ASH5742 from Phoenix-Sky Harbor.

First delivered to Mesa Airlines in April 2004 and flew on behalf of America West Express.

Following the merger between America West Airlines and US Airways, this airframe was given the US Airways Express livery starting in September 2005.

Following the merger between US Airways and American Airlines, this CRJ then received the American Eagle livery in December 2013. Based on online sources, this airframe maintained the American Eagle livery well-into 2020 before going to the basic Mesa Airlines house livery.

American Airlines Airbus A319-112 (N776XF) taxiing to the gate after arriving on 16R as AAL2773 from Dallas-Fort Worth. This airframe previously flew for Frontier Airlines as N927FR as "Flip the Bottlenose Dolphin." Clever that all the former Frontier A319s American currently operate all have the "-XF" suffix in their tail numbers.

United Airlines Boeing 757-33N (N77865) arriving on 16R as UAL2547 from Los Angeles to pick up the UCLA Bruins football team. My first time photographing a United 757-300!

Airframe first delivered to American Trans Air - ATA Airlines in February 2002 as N555TZ. ATA Airlines was also the North American launch customer of the Boeing 757-300 and operated at least four airframes at the time of shutdown in 2008. Historically, ATA operated 12 757-300s total.

Continental Airlines acquired this airframe in January 2006.

Airframe acquired by United in October 2010 following the United/Continental merger.

The 757-300 was launched in September 1996 (13 years after the 757-200!) and a total of 55 airframes were built. Incredibly, all 55 airframes are still in service, owing to their slightly-younger average age compared to the 757-200.

United currently operates 21 757-300 airframes, all inherited from the merger with Continental Airlines.

Interestingly, the 757-300 was designed with the charter airline market in mind and serve as a low-cost replacement for the 767-200. It holds the distinction of being longest single-aisle twinjet ever built, hence the nickname, the "Flying Pencil." In terms of narrow-body aircraft length, only the Douglas DC-8-61 and -63 beats the 757-300 (but with the former being a quad-jet!).

Because of its length and ability to carry up to 295 passengers, the 757-300 on average takes 8 minutes longer to board passengers compared to the 757-200, hence the reason why a lot of passengers (who know their airplanes and value their time!) despise the type due to lengthened boarding and disembarking times.

As a result, Boeing and Condor airlines developed and pioneered the zone-based boarding procedures to expedite loading and unloading times for the lengthened, long-range narrow-body airliner. One can claim the 757-300 IS the reason why we board by boarding groups whenever we fly commercial!

Having only sold 55 airframes, the 757-300 certainly suffered due to poor sales attributed to poor timing. But the airlines that do fly them certainly found a niche for them and likely won't be letting go of their airframes at least for a few more years!

UAL2547 clearing 16R.

This airframe also brought the Bruins football team into Eugene yesterday afternoon as UAL2514.

After dropping off the Bruins yesterday, it departed empty back to Los Angeles as UAL2546 and sat there until being called back into action for today. So this airframe hasn't been entirely busy and strictly reserved for charter work.

With the exception of a few one-offs, United's 757s really are a rare sight here in Oregon. I haven't seen one since I started plane-spotting up in Portland and needless to say, the market conditions certainly have changed here in the Pacific Northwest to the point that they don't warrant United sending them out here on scheduled services. So I was glad to see this here in Eugene!

Typical of college charters, for visiting teams, the flight is taxiing to the south cargo apron.

N776XF airborne off 16R as AAL2756 for the return-trip to Dallas-Fort Worth after a quick turn-around. Probably for the best because both the inbound and outbound flights were behind schedule.

Caught the red beacon on this shot!

N77865 parked on the south cargo ramp. Scheduled to depart back to Los Angeles as UAL2514.

Bombardier BD-100-1A10 Challenger 300 (N772JS) airborne off 16R for Portland.

Bombardier BD-100-1A10 Challenger 300 (N228PK) airborne off 16R.

Cessna 525B Citation CJ3 (N420CH) airborne off 16R for Seattle-Boeing Field.

Learjet 45 (N217MJ) airborne off 16R for Aurora State Airport.

Cessna 525B Citation CJ3 (N41ND) airborne off 16R for Bend.

Hawker Beechcraft 900XP (N920PP) airborne off 16R for Portland.

Bombardier BD-700-1A11 Global 5000 (N912MT) airborne off 16R for Portland-Hillsboro.

Gulfstream Aerospace G650 G-VI (N1KE) airborne off 16R for Portland-Hillsboro. As the tail number suggests, this is the flagship of Nike's corporate fleet, with founder Phil Knight most-likely on board, as he's the "owner" of the Oregon Ducks football team!

Took me a while to photograph this G-VI!

Advanced Air Learjet 45 (N575AR) taxiing for departure as WSN41 for Tacoma Narrows.

Desert Jet Cessna 525B Citation CJ3 (N841AM) arriving on 16R as DJR841 from Boise.

DJR841 taxiing to the ramp.

Raytheon 390 Premier I (N88MM) airborne off 16R for Seattle-Tacoma. 

Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 (N562TM) airborne off 16R.

WSN41 airborne off 16R for Tacoma Narrows.

NetJets Cessna 680 Citation Sovereign (N389QS) airborne off 16R as EJA389 for Las Vegas.

Cessna 525C Citation CJ4 (N927TA) airborne off 16R.

SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Delta Connection) Embraer ERJ-170-200LL E-175SC (N267SY) airborne off 16R as SKW3553 for Seattle-Tacoma.

Gulfstream Aerospace G-IV (N450MB) airborne off 16R.

Learjet 45 (N75XP) airborne off 16R.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-76N (N7818L) airborne off 16R as SWA2182 for Oakland.

N77865 taxiing for departure as UAL2514 for the return trip to Los Angeles with the UCLA Bruins football team on board following their loss to the Oregon Ducks; Ducks won 45-30 this evening.

Lighting conditions got tough as it got dark, but I'm glad I stuck around and nailed a few decent shots!

UAL2514 airborne off 16R for Los Angeles. It was great to finally see a United 757-300!

Gallery Update: Air Force One in Portland AGAIN!!!

Six months ago, an aviation geek's dream came true for me when I had the opportunity to photograph the Boeing VC-25A operating as Air Force One when the president made a brief visit to Portland! For the second time this year, the president came back to Portland, this time on a little longer visit (likely to do something with the upcoming midterm elections, no doubt!). And this time, he brought the smaller Boeing C-32A, which he utilized on a multi-day, multi-stop tour around the west coast, particularly so he could fly into a few smaller airports where the VC-25A would've been too large to handle. The president was scheduled to depart Portland this afternoon and since I haven't photographed the C-32 before, I headed up to PDX to catch the departure. No doubt this year has been a particularly momentous year of plane-spotting for me! Allow the photos to speak for themselves:

Portland (PDX)

Preview:

United States Air Force Boeing C-32A (757-2G4) (09-0016) parked on the ORANG ramp. Arrived yesterday evening as "Air Force One" from Burbank. I'm thrilled to finally lay eyes on a C-32!

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 (N934AK) arriving on 10R as ASA857 from New York-JFK.

Cathay Pacific Cargo Boeing 747-867F/SCD (B-LJI) departing on 10L as CPA83 for Hong Kong via Anchorage. Only my second time seeing Cathay Pacific's new livery!

Delivered to Cathay Pacific's cargo division in September 2012 and received the currently livery some time in 2019.

It's also unusual to see Cathay Pacific use the north runway, but was likely necessary due to security reasons with Air Force One on the south side the field.

Always a joy to catch the Queen of the Skies!

CPA83 rotating on 10L.

Airborne and kicking up some dust!

Air Transport International - ATI (d/b/a Amazon Air) Boeing 767-323/ER/BDSF (N397AZ) arriving on 10R as ATN3594 from Fort Worth/Alliance.

The reason for the C-32A being used on this multi-day, multi-stop trip is because POTUS made an initial stop in Vail, Colorado via Eagle County Regional Airport, which is a little on the small side to handle the usual VC-25A. 

United States Coast Guard Sikorsky S-70B-5 MH-60T Jayhawk (C6035) making a high-speed pass over 10R. Definitely providing some "top cover" as part of the presidential security detail, no doubt. This is actually my first time photographing a Coast Guard Jayhawk!

6035 is currently assigned to CGAS Astoria.

Air Transport International - ATI (d/b/a Amazon Air) Boeing 767-323/ER/BDSF (N251AZ) clearing 10R after arriving as ATN3468 from Baltimore.

The Presidential motorcade is on scene!

Air Force One taxiing for departure. Destination is Wilmington, Delaware, where the president will spend the rest of the weekend at his home before eventually returning to D.C.

The C-32A is based off the Boeing 757-200 modified for government VIP transport use, capable of transporting up to 45 passengers and equipped with military grade avionics.

Boeing was awarded a contract for four C-32A airframes in August 1996 and makes up a segment of the presidential airlift fleet operated by the 89th Airlift Wing out of Joint Base Andrews, which is also supplemented by the Gulfstream C-37A and Boeing C-40B.

The first C-32A was delivered to the United States Air Force on June 1, 1998. With the other three arriving later. The C-32A also fully replaced the VC-137 Stratoliner, which was kept in reserve even after the arrival of the VC-25A to serve as presidential airlift platforms into smaller airports until enough C-32As were delivered.

The C-32A primarily serves as the main means of air transport for the Vice President of the United States under the "Air Force Two" call-sign, as well as for use by the First Lady and Secretary of State.

Air Force One airborne off of 10R for Wilmington.

On occasion, other members of the president's Cabinet and members of Congress have flown aboard the C-32A for various missions. The aircraft also occasionally serves as Air Force One in place of the larger VC-25A when the president is traveling to domestic destinations that cannot accommodate the larger Boeing 747-derived presidential plane (like this particular occasion!) or if the latter is simply unavailable.

Like the current VC-25As and the VC-137s before it, the C-32A wears and maintains the Kennedy-era blue and white legacy livery designed by Raymond Lowey.

All of the C-32A airframes are fitted with Pratt & Whitney PW2000 engines, which are also used on the C-17 Globemaster III. The planes are also fitted with winglets for added fuel economy.

While the replacement program for the VC-25As are well-underway with the VC-25Bs, the C-32A's replacement is still a topic that's up in the air as Boeing has neglected the middle-of-the market since ending production of the 757 and has repeatedly shelved plans for the "New Midsize Airplane" that's supposed to be the successor to the 757.

Without a successor officially lined up, the C-32A will be around for years to come, still slated to receive planned modifications and upgrades as the type isn't scheduled to leave Air Force service until 2040. It is still seen as a very-capable mobility platform for government VIPs.

Even with upgrades and upkeep, the C-32A has been involved in some high-profile reliability incidents in recent years, which has prompted discussions regarding the type's age.

Note the antennae and fairings on top of the fuselage. 

Instead of directing funding for a direct replacement for the C-32A, the government has instead is providing nominal funding towards research next-generation supersonic transports that are currently in the works by several different American start-up companies.

It was a great pleasure to have this rare opportunity to catch this smaller aircraft from the presidential airlift fleet today!

6035 landing back over on the FBO ramp following Air Force One's departure.

Delta Air Lines Airbus A220-300 (N304DU) smoking the mains arriving on 10L as DAL1471 from Los Angeles. I love this shot!

DAL1471 taxiing to the gate.

Believe it or not, this is only my second time photographing a Delta A220-300!