Gallery Update: Morning Spotting at Grove Field

After getting off work this morning, my uncle and I flew up from Salem to Grove Field in Camas, Washington so he could celebrate one of his granddaughter's birthday by taking her flying. While he did that, I stayed on the ground and took some photos around the ramp of Grove Field, a quaint little airport on the Washington-side of the Columbia River just outside the Portland metro area. There wasn't much to see, but it was an airport I've never been to before so it still made for an interesting morning. Plus getting actions shots of family members flying makes for an interesting side project!

Camas (1W1) 1

Preview:

Cessna 172N Skyhawk II (N5174E) departing on 25 with my uncle at the controls. On board with him is his daughter in-law and his two granddaughters.

Piper J3C-65 Cub (NC21667) on the ramp. Plane belongs to the Cascadia Cubs flight club based at Grove Field.

Cessna 150M Commuter II (N3240V) parked on the ramp.

Cessna 150L Commuter (N7274G) parked on the ramp.

My uncle on short-final for 25 in N5174E.

N5174E just moments from touchdown on 25 at the conclusion of the local flight he took his relatives on.

Gallery Update: Chasing a Saab 2000 in Corvallis!

About a year ago, I chased after a Saab 2000 operated by on-demand charter carrier, Meregrass, Inc./Wildcat Touring, one of three currently flown by the operator. Well once again, I find myself back in Corvallis chasing another one of these rare twin turboprops operated by Meregrass thanks to the tip-off received from FlightAware and FlightRadar24. I was actually flying around the same time, so I landed in Corvallis ahead of the Saab 2000's arrival and got some prime shots as it arrived and parked on the ramp near my plane. As of today, I got two out of the three Saab 2000s currently flown by Meregrass, Inc. doing business as Wildcat Touring!

Corvallis (CVO) 5

Preview:

Meregrass, Inc. (d/b/a Wildcat Touring) Saab 2000 (N814BB) arriving on 35 from San Jose on a charter. My third Saab 2000 photographed overall!

Taxiing in to the ramp. First delivered as an airliner in March 1996 as F-GMVD to Regional Airlines operating on the behalf of Air France before being transferred in March 2001 to Régional following the merger between Regional Airlines, Flandre Air, and Proteus Airlines; the airframe continued to fly on the behalf of Air France. Returned to Saab Aircraft and re-registered as SE-034 in March 2006. 

Turning in towards the ramp. After it's stint as an airliner, this airframe was converted for corporate use for stock car race teams; re-registered as N512RH in September 2006 for Rick Hendrick's Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR team. Re-registered again in March 2007 to N166GC, this time flying for Bobby and Thomas Ginns' NASCAR team, Ginn Racing.

Pulling in to the ramp. Meregrass, Inc. acquired this airframe in August 2010 and has been one of three Saab 2000s in their fleet ever since.

N814BB parked on the ramp following engine shut-down. After dropping off the charter passengers, plane was scheduled to make a quick hop over to Eugene for an overnight stay. Always a pleasure catching a rare bird such as this!