Gallery Update: Rocky Mountain Access

Took a vacation to Idaho and Utah recently. Of course, I would get some spotting in! Here are the following:

Salt Lake City (SLC) 1

St. Anthony (U12) 1

Off-Airport 1

And now, the preview:

Sino Swearingen SJ30-2 (N7SJ). Salt Lake City, Utah (SLC).

Mooney M20 Bravo (N794RS). St. Anthony, Idaho (U12).

Also, stay tuned for another article. I'm gonna write about one these aircraft featured in one of these galleries.

Gallery Update: Aviation Weekend Part 2 of 2

Let's just say I got my "Air Show Buzz" back with some photos from the 2012 Oregon International Air Show, featuring the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. Here are the following links:

Oregon Air Show 2012 - Civil

Oregon Air Show 2012 - Military

Oregon Air Show 2012 - Static Display

Oregon Air Show 2012 - Flight Ramp

And the preview:

PZL-Mielec Lim-5 (MiG-17F). This aircraft served in the Polish Air Force and as such, was built under license in Poland.

Boeing AV-8B(R) Harrier II of the USMC demonstrates hovering capabilities.

US Army Golden Knights Fokker C-31A Troopship (Military verson of the F-27-400M).

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21UM.

Hope you enjoy these photos. This concludes my "Aviation Weekend".

Gallery Update: Aviation Weekend Part 1 of 2

On my previous post, you'll recall I mentioned a local event that's held in Salem each year. Well it's that time of year again:

Hot August Flights 2012

Special thanks to the organizers of the event for making all this possible. Plus, I got some spotting done at SLE while I was at it. The gallery is on the following link:

Salem (SLE) 2

As always, here's a preview:

Cessna 550 Citation II (N458N).

Rutan 33 VariEze (N2077W) taxiing for departure.

As the title suggests, I declare it "Aviation Weekend". Today was the local event for me here in Salem. Tomorrow my dad and I will be heading up to Hillsboro for the Oregon International Airshow. This will be my first airshow to attend since my return from Japan. And though I was there in 2009, this time I got a bigger camera to take photos for the event so stay tuned both here and on Facebook for the conclusion of "Aviation Weekend". Enjoy!

Spotters Location Critique Volume II: Oregon

Yes, you can do aircraft spotting in Oregon! Just keep it to a seasonal basis and make sure you don't ruin your camera when the rain starts falling! My dad was on a flight to Portland from Reno on Southwest Airlines one time; he reported the flight being less than half full. He was flying back after attending the Reno Air Races. And usually around the time when the air races happen, airline staff ask passengers if they're willing to give up their seats because flights get overbooked often. When this happens, passengers who volunteer to give up their seats usually get compensated with things such as free tickets for future travel or hotel accommodations if there are no more flights for the intended destination. My dad being the opportunist, hoped that would be the case but it wasn't and he had a theory why; a good percentage of those who attend the Reno Air Races are fellow aviation enthusiasts and general aviation pilots. The event occurs in September and in Oregon, it rains A LOT during the fall and winter months. And WHO would would want to fly in crappy conditions anyway? So usually no general aviation pilot would wanna fly in such poor weather Oregon is occasionally known for. So the theory is these type of attendees don't even live in Oregon (and for good reason) and that's why flights even on Southwest Airlines between Portland and Reno are half empty when other flights are overbooked for just one weekend in September.

Needless to say, I have done pretty much half my spotting since officially starting here in Oregon. But with the weather, Oregon does get to become Boregon every once in a while. I would like to pick apart three different airports here around the Willamette Valley:

1.) Portland International Airport (PDX) 4/5

Serving as a hub for Alaska Airlines, its sister carrier Horizon Air, as well as the small commuter SeaPort Airlines, Portland International Airport is the largest airport in the state of Oregon. Various U.S. carriers offer direct connections to other major hubs in the country as well as Canada, Japan, and the Netherlands. PDX is also a joint civil-military airport so the Oregon Air National Guard is present with the 142nd Fighter Wing's F-15 Eagle. The first time I spotted at PDX was when it was by a chain link fence next to the business aviation terminal. Didn't get the greatest results but I kept trying; otherwise I wouldn't have spotted here five times until present day. Second all the way to my fifth time was done on the top level of the short-term parking garage (which is $3.00 an hour) and let me tell you the view was great. You can see the entire length of Runway 10L/28R and a portion of 10R/28L despite the rest of it being obstructed by the main terminal building; at least one can get a good view of the Horizon Air ramp. Despite a good view and a decent place to do some spotting, I give PDX a 4/5 because the spotting gets bland. The majority of the air traffic are U.S. carriers with the only non-U.S. airline to serve PDX at present is Air Canada. There was a time however when a couple other international carriers flew to PDX on their routes; German carrier Lufthansa offered daily flights to Frankfurt for six years before the route was indefinitely suspended due to a lack of profitability. Then there was Mexicana Airlines with services to Guadalajara and Mexico City for five years until high fuel prices and changes in demand ended it in 2008. But if you the spotter are a fan of the Bombardier Dash 8, welcome to the "Dash 8 Mecca" of the west coast! And if you're lucky, you might catch the occasional "delivery flights" of new and used aircraft of foreign carriers as well as other "out of the ordinary" traffic come through PDX. Since there's no state sales tax in Oregon, aircraft companies such as Seattle-based Boeing can conduct "tax free sales" of aircraft when changing ownership. Boeing also has a paint facility at PDX for their aircraft prior to delivery.

Overall, I give PDX a 4/5 for a not-too-shabby place to go spotting but the airport sure could use a little more variety and a little more frequency. But I'll come back here because it's the major airport I usually frequent and if your timing is good, it'll be worth spotting here.

2.) McNary Field (SLE) 3/5

Located in Oregon's State Capital, Salem's McNary Field serves as a general aviation airport, an Army Aviation Support Facility for the Oregon Army National Guard, as well as home base of the Oregon Department of Aviation. The airport currently offers no commercial air service but has a history of airlines serving at some point in the past. Regional carrier Horizon Air offered commuter service to Portland and Seattle in the 1980s. United Airlines served SLE with Boeing 737 services to San Fransisco until 1993. The most recent services SLE had until recently was by Delta Airline's Delta Connection operated by SkyWest with flights to Salt Lake City from summer of 2007 until fall of 2008, and then again from April to July 2011 when commuter SeaPort Airlines started Salem-Portland-Seattle routes. Delta suspended the service and disappointed many nearby residents due to rising fuel prices despite the fact flights were up to 80% full. The airline released a statement that in order to make a profit from the route, flights needed to be 85% full. Local experts countered by stating that the only reason why Delta/SkyWest never got to that 85% capacity is due to the airlines' failure to compete more fiercely with the nearby Portland market. SeaPort Airlines tiny fleet consists of general aviation-sized aircraft (the Pilatus PC-12 and the Cessna 208 Caravan) capable of carrying at least nine passengers. The service ended after a little over four months due to fuel costs and the lack of ridership, which is just sad for aircraft that only seats nine. Other reasons were also cited such as lack of advertisement among other things.

Despite SLE coming up short on airline service, I give the airport a 3/5 for an okay view and the events that it may host. There's a restaurant located on the general aviation side called Flight Deck Restaurant & Lounge which offers views of the ramp and the entire length of the runway so anyone dining in can catch planes coming in and out, but air traffic at SLE can be next to nothing. The restaurant also hosts a static display/car show event called Hot August Flights which is held for one day when else? In August! It's usually a small fly-in event but it's an opportunity to go on rides and check out the things that are on display. Another event that usually occurs annually would be the Wings of Freedom Tour conducted by the Collings Foundation where they bring in World War II-era aircraft (usually a B-17 at least) and take people up for rides and put the aircraft on display for one weekend out of the year (usually in the summer). Overall, Salem is not the best but if you're there at the right time, you might be able to catch a few events held at the airport.

3.) Albany Municipal Airport (S12) 2/5

My uncle keeps his Cessna 172 in a hangar at this airport. Albany Municipal Airport is the oldest known operating airfield in Oregon (the airport opened in 1920). Because of this history, Albany Municipal Airport became the first airport in Oregon to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 as the Albany Municipal Airport Historic District. It also serves as the location for the aeronautics portion of the annual Northwest Art and Air Festival. Not much to really be seen at this airport since there's only an average of 68 aircraft operations a day. But spotting is possible if you have the right connections and timing. Plus, if you're a fan of light-sport aircraft and kit aircraft, there are plenty to be seen and kept in hangars at this airport. In fact, in a hangar across from my uncle's Cessna is a man restoring an ERCO Ercoupe. So unless you're really interested in light-sport or kit aircraft or that annual festival, I don't really recommend spending time spotting not just in Albany but any other small general aviation airport that only sees an average of under 100 aircraft operations. Remember, these airports only exist in order to accommodate private pilots and their personal aircraft.

Without being biased, I give Albany Municipal a 2/5 for it's history, events, and the slight uniqueness in terms of what aircraft are seen here.

Spotters Location Critique Volume I: Japan

Believe it or not, it is very encouraging for an aircraft spotter/photographer to be doing this sort of hobby in Japan. Most commercial airports in Japan have an official 'observation deck' open to the public (and usually located pre-security). I remember while living in Japan as a kid, my dad took me to the Tokyo Haneda Airports observation deck to watch airplanes and even have lunch at the ramen shops right there on the deck. During my most recent visit to Japan, I got to do aircraft spotting at four different airports. And here, I talk about and rate (on a scale of 1 to 5) each location:

1.) Toyama Airport (TOY) 3/5

One of four airports located in the Hokuriku region, Toyama Airport has an observation deck making it real easy to do some spotting. The downside is the amount of air traffic is next to nothing. The airport exists mainly due to the distance from major cities in Japan such as Tokyo or Nagoya so domestic flights to Tokyo and Sapporo are available. Given the size of the city this airport is located at, I suppose it's a decent location if one was hoping to spot airlines that serve mainland Asia... Actually, I went in the hopes of spotting a Vladivostok Air Yakovlev Yak-40, which is to me a rare aircraft and not many are flying these days. In fact, Vladivostok Air are in the process of replacing them which is of great significance due to the fact the Yak-40 is the world's first regional jet transport aircraft. When I went, I didn't see one as it turns out it was a seasonal service at the time. The Toyama-Vladivostok service was terminated not too long afterwards.

I give the location a 3/5 for the spotter-friendly observation deck and lack of traffic. Overall, Toyama Airport is decent for a spotter but there are better places.

2.) Komatsu Airport (KMQ) 4/5

The largest airport in the Hokuriku region would be in the city of Komatsu serving much of Ishikawa Prefecture as well as parts of Fukui Prefecture. Komatsu Airport is a joint civil/military airport so the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force has a presence there. Like Toyama, Komatsu Airport has an observation deck suitable for aircraft spotting and only exists to connect travellers to major Japanese cities. However unlike Toyama, Komatsu offers more destinations in the domestic market in addition to the international flights. Although not much better than Toyama in terms of air traffic, the area around Komatsu Airport has a bit to offer to enthusiasts. Across the street is the Ishikawa Aviation Plaza, a small air museum containing small static displays of retired aircraft that played a role in Japanese aviation, photographs taken and donated by past spotters, simulators and glass cases full of model aircraft displays. Also every September, the Air Self-Defense Force hosts the Kōkū-sai Air Festival where demo flights and acrobatics of Blue Impulse are displayed. However, cancellations of such events can occur as was the case for the 2011 Kōkū-sai; a Japanese-built F-15 was involved in an incident when the external fuel drop tank suddenly separated from the aircraft, causing the 6th Air Wing based at Komatsu to make the investigation to the incident priority over the scheduled airshow. Despite those factors, at least Komatsu is just as decent and spotter-friendly with a few extra accomodations.

I give Komatsu Airport a 4/5 for the spotter-friendly observation deck, slightly better variation but a lack of frequent air traffic, and for having an aviation museum nearby.

3.) Nagoya Airfield (NKM) 2/5

Currently the 'Secondary Hub' for the Shizuoka based Fuji Dream Airlines, Nagoya Airfield served as the primary airport for the city of Nagoya until Chūbu Centrair International Airport opened in February 2005. Like Komatsu, the airport is jointly operated with the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force. Despite the Air Self-Defense Force base having unique aircraft such as blue colored C-130s and the Boeing KC-767 stationed there, Nagoya Airfield is less than ideal for spotters. Back when it was serving as Nagoya's primary airport, the terminal did have an observation deck according to spotters who have previously spotted at the location a few years prior to the opening of Centrair. But the observation deck seems like it was no more some time around when air traffic transferred to Centrair. The best place I could come up with when I went was a parking lot for the nearby movie theater and shopping complex adjacent to the general aviation parking along some chain link fences. But, given the fact one can see unique and rare aircraft such as the KC-767 here as well as Fuji Dream's tiny fleet of E-Jets bearing their simple yet varying color schemes, the location is as good as it gets. And given that Fuji Dream serves only a few destinations with a tiny fleet to begin with, one can't afford to be picky when spotting these cute little planes and their one-of-a-kind paint jobs. But if you aren't picky about what you're spotting in Nagoya, then doing so in Centrair is a lot more recommendable. Centrair has an observation deck as well as the 4th Floor Sky Town Shopping Center open to the general public.

I give Nagoya Airfield a 2/5 for unique traffic spotted at the airport despite a lack of frequency and for being a little less spotter-friendly.

4.) Narita International Airport (NRT) 5/5

Handling the majority of international flights in and out of Japan, Narita International Airport is the second-busiest commercial airport in the island nation. Opened on May 20, 1978, Narita was constructed in order to relieve Tokyo's Haneda Airport, which was becoming overcrowded by the early 1960s. Despite the reasonable intention and purpose of the airport, the building of Narita was met by fierce protests from much of the nearby residents, tainting the major airport with a history of violence and a small number of fatalities. These conflicts led to making Narita among one of the most secure passenger airports in the world despite the history of protests and violence not much of an issue present day. Despite that though, Narita Airport has an observation deck surprisingly. Although the last time I was travelling through Narita I didn't get too much of a chance to go spotting, the observation deck is there and it's a really good location. One of the current issues that plague the busy airport is the arguements among so many airlines that want to use Narita. The "issue" at hand offers spotters a variety to see at Narita since so many airliners from around the world serve the airport. It's probably safe to say that a spotter can spot different things each day if one were to go spotting at Narita every day for a week. The only downside to spotting at Narita would be the price tag; because of the competitive arguments at the airport, Japanese aviation authorities have put strict limits on the number of flights each airline can operate from the airport. That has made the airport expensive for both the airlines and the passengers they fly. So if you're planning a vacation to Japan, arriving via Narita International Airport with some spotting time set aside, you better be ready to pay a little extra for using the airport! 

But overall, 5/5 for having spotter-friendly locations, great choices of restaurants, constant air traffic flow and varying airliners to spot. I will definitely be spotting again at Narita next time I have the chance.

Aircraft Spotting 101

Whether you call it Plane Spotting or Aircraft Spotting, either way it's a fun hobby! So what exactly is aircraft spotting you might ask? Simply put it, the hobby or profession of observation and logging registration numbers of aircraft. This includes photography. Think of it as a photographer creating his own collection of photos of aircraft. More is explained when you look it up on Wikipedia. And that's what this blogger does!


Now I said profession in the paragraph above because this hobby has a little history of its own dating back to the early 20th Century. Far back as 1925 with British Royal Observer Corps, it was during the times of World War II and the following Cold War when several countries encouraged citizens to become "plane spotters" of sorts for public security reasons; simply put it, teaching/encouraging people to identify aircraft whether it is a friendly or hostile.


All sorts of spotting styles are used by fellow enthusiast, making the hobby that much more interesting. For example, one would be spotting for a specific type of aircraft to see/photograph (ie. a Boeing 747, easily distinguishable by its size), or even a specific airline, group/company, or even a military squadron. Some spotters learned from previous experiences to just photograph everything that flies in or out of spotter-friendly airports. Reasons being because one can never know what kind of aircraft can show up; it can be an airliner in standard company colors or a special livery commemorating something. Spotters thrive on special or rare color schemes and paint jobs of today's commercial aircraft. That's especially the case when certain paint jobs aren't around anymore due to an airline ceasing to operate because of bankruptcy or mergers.


But by far the most spotter-friendly places to spot are at airshows and other fly-in events. Notable places great for aviation photography are EAA Oshkosh, National Championship Air Races (Reno, NV), as well as various military bases that may hold annual airshows and displays throughout the world. Certain local airports also have various events as well. For example Salem, OR has Hot August Flights.


Of course, there also certain codes of conduct that would be wise to follow as well since we live in a post 9/11 world where airport security is tight. In the wake of all this, spotters and enthusiasts in UK co-operated with law enforcement agencies to pioneer the codes of conduct. This allows spotters to continue their hobby while increasing security at airports by reporting any suspicious activity to the authorities. Such co-operation amongst organizations have become the model for similar agreements among groups in North America.


What else is there to say? Aircraft spotting is fun and enjoyable as well as a benefit in providing security for our worldwide air travel!

Gallery Update: Busy Morning in PDX

The title speaks for itself. I dropped my sister off and decided to take 30 minutes to do a little spotting and it was one after another and I enjoyed every minute of it! Here the link for the morning rush photos of PDX:

Portland (PDX) 5

The first for this photographer has to be the siting of Virgin America ever since they started flying to PDX earlier this June:

Virgin America Airbus A320-214 (N835VA)

Interesting to note that Portland is A LOT busier in the morning than mid-day or evening hours. Also caught this new paint job:

Horizon Air De Havilland Dash 8 DHC-8-Q400 (N414QX) in San Diego State Aztecs livery.