Gallery Update: Dornier 328JET Sighting in Corvallis!

Another unique opportunity presented itself after seeing something that caught my eye on FlightRadar24, so I decided to drive down to Corvallis to go see it. I was after another one of Advanced Air's Dornier 328JETs working a college sports charter! You'll recall, I've photographed one towards the end of 2020 when I unexpectedly saw it in Salem; that particular airframe was flying on the behalf of virtual airline Taos Air. This time, the 328JET I was after was a completely different airframe and sporting Advanced Air's own livery (if you want to call it that!)! Let the photos speak for themselves:

Corvallis (CVO)

Preview:

Advanced Air Dornier 328-310 328JET (N395MS) taxiing to the ramp after arriving on 35 as WSN95 from Pullman on a college sports charter.

My first time seeing something with the standard Advanced Air logo!

Unlike the other two 328JETs Advanced Air utilized on the behalf of Taos Air, this airframe is the third in the airline's fleet intended for use for independent operations.

Note the name "Mammoth" on the engine cowling. This denotes Advanced Air's independent scheduled charter services from Los Angeles/Hawthorne and San Diego/Carlsbad to Mammoth Lakes via Mammoth Yosemite Airport in Mammoth Lakes, California.

Like with the Taos, New Mexico ski resort, Advanced Air began independent service to the Mammoth Lakes area on a seasonal basis to capitalize on the ski resort there starting with the 2021-2022 ski season.

WSN95 pulling up to the ramp.

When not flying to Mammoth outside the ski season, Advanced Air keeps their independently branded 328JETs busy with charter work as well as scheduled services elsewhere.

WSN95 parked on the ramp.

Unlike to the two Taos Air branded airframes Advanced Air operates, which all started life with U.S. operators, this airframe started its service life in Europe; it was first delivered in October 2002 to now-defunct Austrian carrier Welcome Air as OE-LJR. Denmark-based regional carrier SUN-AIR of Scandinavia took on this airframe in September 2011 and operated it on behalf of its charter subsidiary JoinJet.

It was a quick turnaround for this airframe as they didn't stay long and kept the APU running after shutting down.

N395MS taxiing back out for departure carrying the same flight number WSN95 for the empty ferry leg back to homebase, Los Angeles/Hawthorne.

In October 2021, this airframe was withdrawn from service due to ongoing pandemic repercussions at the time and went into storage in December that same year. 

That same month, it was ferried across the Atlantic after Advanced Air took on the airframe with the current N-number.

WSN95 airborne off 35 for the trip home down in Hawthorne.

It was certainly a treat to see another one of these rare regional jets here close to home!

Gallery Update: Chasing a 787-9 at PDX!

Today was the day I completed my British Airways Dreamliner collection at PDX by chasing down one of their 787-9s, the only variant I haven't photographed yet; you'll recall I've photographed one of their 787-10s last November, in addition to a couple of 787-8s last summer after inaugurating the new service between Portland and London. Like the occasional -10, British Airways has occasionally substituted in the 787-9 on the PDX route, likely dependent on passenger load demands.

While this wasn't my first time seeing a 787-9 (my first time was nearly six years ago now, when I spotted one of KLM's Dreamliners in Salt Lake City, which also happened to be my first time seeing a 787 ever!), it was good I ticked this one off my list because last year's rumors about British Airways up-gauging aircraft types on this route are now confirmed, with airline slated to send Boeing 777-200s in PDX later this summer, something else to look forward to in terms of plane-spotting!

Portland (PDX)

Preview:

Jazz Air (d/b/a Air Canada Express) Bombardier DHC-8-402 Dash 8 Q400 (C-GGOK) departing on 10L as JZA654 for Vancouver.

United Airlines Airbus A319-131 (N809UA) taxiing for departure as UAL2254 for Denver.

Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-323 (N817NW) departing on 10L as DAL178 for Amsterdam.

UAL2254 departing on 10L for Denver.

SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Delta Connection) Embraer ERJ-170-200LR E-175LR (N262SY) arriving on 10L as SKW4131 from Seattle-Tacoma.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 (N933AK) departing on 10L as ASA646 for Phoenix-Sky Harbor.

SKW4131 taxiing to the gate.

SkyWest Airlines (d/b/a Alaska Airlines) Embraer ERJ-170-200LR E-175LR (N183SY) departing on 10L as SKW3333 for Santa Rosa.

Delta Air Lines Airbus A319-114 (N371NB) arriving on 10L as DAL2631 from Salt Lake City.

DAL2631 taxiing to the gate.

Horizon Air (d/b/a Alaska Airlines) Embraer ERJ-170-200LR E-175LR (N628QX) departing on 10L as QXE2436 for Boise.

British Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (G-ZBKP) arriving on 10L as BAW26PV from London-Heathrow. My second time seeing a 787-9 overall, but my first time seeing a 787-9 in the British Airways livery!

After introducing the 787-8 to their fleet in 2013, British Airways took delivery of their first 787-9 two years later in September 2015.

This particular airframe was delivered to the airline in December 2016.

Seeing British Airways send all three variants of the 787 just goes to show how versatile the type really is when serving markets like Portland where the point-to-point model works.

Considering that British Airways is up-gauging to the Triple 7 later this summer, the route must be doing fairly well to justify it!

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-890 (N530AS) departing on 10L as ASA1320 for Ontario, California.

BAW26PV taxiing to the gate to be processed by customs.

The 787-9 first flew on September 17, 2013 and is 20 feet longer in fuselage length than the base model 787-8.

The 787-9 also retains the same wingspan as the 787-8.

Note that the flight number BAW26PV (and the return leg BAW26VP) using an alphanumeric call-sign. Flight numbers used to be BAW267 and BAW266. This apparently has been done avoid confusion in the ATC system with similar-sounding airline call-signs and even flight numbers.

Scheduled depart later this evening as BAW26VP for the return-trip to London-Heathrow.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 (N282WN) taxiing to the gate after arriving on 28R as SWA2729 from Oakland. Departure/Arrival flows changed after the winds shifted.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-790 (N622AS) arriving on 28L as ASA1089 from Sacramento.

This is a sad sight. The Alaska Air Group officially retired their Dash 8 fleet last month on January 26, 2023. Many airframes (which likely still have some life left in them!) are currently stored in various locations including PDX. Hopefully, many of these airframes will find new homes. Portland used to be a "Dash 8 mecca" on the west coast thanks to Horizon Air's Dash 8s. Once again, people here in the states disavowed the turboprop...

Spirit Airlines Airbus A320-271N (N938NK) taxiing for departure as NKS2234 for Las Vegas.

NKS2234 departing on 28L for Las Vegas.

FedEx Express Boeing 767-300F (N277FE) arriving on 28L as FDX781 from Memphis. Note the decal commemorating the 100th 767 freighter to join FedEx's fleet!

I don't what's harder believe; the fact that Boeing is still producing 767s (freighter variants only) in 2023, or FedEx now having 100 767-300Fs in their fleet. The cargo giant expects to take delivery of new 767-300Fs until 2025 and is currently the world's largest operator of the type.

Gallery Update: Some Interesting Sights at Scappoose

We've been enjoying a few nice days at the start of this month and I've been able to take advantage of them by getting some flights in as I continue building up flight time. I've been flying up to Scappoose often to log cross-country hours and I've taken notice of some eye-catching aircraft, so I decided to extend my stop today to get some quick ramp spotting. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Scappoose (SPB) 

Preview:

Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer (N5789D) arriving on 15 working the traffic pattern.

Piper PA-60-601P Aerostar (N601NG) parked on the ramp. My first time seeing an Aerostar and unfortunately, the first I see sadly was involved in a landing incident when this airframe apparently experienced a gear-up landing last summer...

The Aerostar was not originally designed by Piper, but by Ted R. Smith of the the Ted Smith Aircraft Company in 1967. Afterwards, Piper took on the design in 1978 and was given the PA-60 designation. Smith himself flew the prototype Aerostar in 1967 was the design was fitted with luxury accommodations for six.

Viper Aircraft ViperJet Mk II (N583BB) parked on the ramp. My second time photographing a ViperJet and my first time photographing one that's actually registered!

Note the bent propeller blades as a result of the gear-up landing this Aerostar suffered. During the years of production, the Aerostar held some respectable speed records for twin piston general aviation aircraft.

Two ViperJets together! The all-white one in the background is the same one I saw here at Scappoose back in 2021 and clearly still not registered. The new one in the foreground is number 18 of the lot out of the approximately 21 or so kits manufactured.

The Aerostar design changed hands several times during its production years. Originally built by Ted Smith Aircraft Company in Van Nuys, the company was bought by the American Cement Company, which eventually fell through and the original company was sold again to Butler Aviation, a division of Mooney; the new company was named Aerostar Aircraft Corporation and it was intended to move production to a Mooney plant at Kerrville, Texas. In 1971, Ted R. Smith attempted to purchase the rights to the Aerostar design but wasn't successful until 1972. From then on, Aerostars continued to be produced in Santa Maria, California. In 1976, the company name was changed to the Ted Smith Aerostar Corporation. Following Smith's death in 1976, Piper acquired the Aerostar design in 1978 and continued building certain variants until 1984.

The type certificate for the Aerostar was eventually sold in 1991 to Jim Christy and Steve Speer, who had been part of the Ted Smith Aerostar operation, and now operate Aerostar Aircraft Corporation in Hayden Lake, Idaho, providing maintenance and support of the aircraft and new R&D of its family of aircraft.