urbanSTL

Here is the list of active. 400+ still active, mostly cargo

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of ... _operators

A few more to be produced before they quit making them next year (only Cargo versions are built now)

I've flown them a few times from different airlines. TWA, AA, Korean, and United I believe it was. But always in the rear cabin. Wasn't even an E+ flyer then. Always thought they gave a good ride. Man, was it weird getting off and not seeing the cockpit door at the front of the aircraft. (I seem to recall I always boarded via the rear boarding door, but they always seem to parade you through the nice seats when you get off.) The blank wall where the door should go was almost unsettling. Neat. Spacey.

It's been a while since I went and watched at the airport. But I finally got back the other day chasing an unknown military jet I'd heard fly over my house on its way out to a training area. The pattern recently has been about two house, so I figured if I showed up at the airport about an hour and a half in I'd stand a good chance of catching the (Murder-hornet) returning to the nest. Sadly, I missed the hornet. (Most likely a growler, actually, but I got enough of a glimpse I can at least confirm it was an 18 of some kind.)

But even if I didn't catch what was bugging me I did see some lovely aircraft.

At first it was a case of the usual suspects:


N434YX - RPA4946 from Reagan National


N337PJ - AA2629 from O'Hare

It was about three, so I watched most of the mid-afternoon bank arrive and depart.

N453WN - WN5971 to Pittsburgh

There are definitely moments you could think this was an important AA base. It passes quickly, but there are moments.

N760US - AA1104 from LaGuardia

The Atlas arrival du jour was fun. They've been coming and going for a while now, but I hadn't previously caught the Bezos contract in action. I'd probably enjoy them more if they had an extra engine or two, but . . . you can't win 'em all.

N1409A - GTI3830 from San Bernadino



Here's my personal first A220. Not a great photo, as it was departing away from me, but still . . .

N112DU - DL1230 to Salt Lake

Apart from the blue wave, the biggest theme of the day was private flyers.

N451CK - KFS87 from Houston-Hobby

I confess, I actually like the little RJs. They proved some relief from the 737s.

N553NN - JIA5473 from Philadelphia

Oh, did I mention the blue wave?

N414WN - WN4072 from Sarasota


N8321D  -WN2317 from LIT (I'm a child, but I enjoy that Clinton National is LIT. Or KLIT, if you're in more of an ICAO mood.)


N919WN - WN5048 from PIT


N8553W - WN5233 from Columbus

And then it was a steady stream of private iron for a bit.

N994BB


N778AR. This and her sister, which I caught a little later, appear to be local.


N418FX


N40PC

Here's one that was genuinely interesting: an IAI Westwind 1124 in use as an air ambulance.

C-FXDP from Toronto-Pearson. (I don't know how you work out customs if the passenger isn't conscious, but . . . I expect there's a way. No idea who was aboard, honestly, but the company that owns it is an air ambulance service. They operate the only two Westwinds in Canada. Maybe they use them to shuttle organs back and forth or something like that. Or fancy doctors. Who knows?)

Here's the other St. Louis based Gulfstream I caught. Sequential registration and all.

N779AR

After I'd basically wrapped it up for the day and started heading home I was surprised to see a bright yellow 737 floating in. Turns out iAero, formerly Swift and also occasionally Eastern, picked up some DHL runs. This is just a split second grab shot where I had to fish for my camera, so it's unusually messy, but still . . . I do like a bright yellow aircraft.

N737KT  -SWQ1585 from Cincinnati

^My pleasure Trolozilla. I think I've been a bit depressed about the prospects of travel, and so I haven't gotten out that way much over the last couple of years. I'm sincerely looking forward to once again being on the inside of the perimeter fence.

^It is quite a lovely contrail.

Hope you don't mind me dropping this in here, SP, but I found this classic pic on Facebook, and didn't know where else to share it:

^The number of big red signs missing from our skyline is . . . uncomfortable. I used to love the trio of Nooter, Monstanto, and Budweiser visible form the riverfront. The Mickey D sign at the airport's loss was especially disheartening. And that building looks so forlorn these days.

Go ahead and hijack my thread. I'll take it back later.

I recognize the F-4, F-15, F-18 and the AV-8B. What are the ones at 11:00 (A-4?), 4:00 and 8:00?

Black02AltimaSE wrote: ↑

Dec 20, 2021

I recognize the F-4, F-15, F-18 and the AV-8B. What are the ones at 11:00 (A-4?), 4:00 and 8:00?

I believe they're an FH Phantom and an F2H Banshee. The two types are pretty closely related and almost indistinguishable to my untrained eye, but the F2H had a more powerful engine. The FH is the reason the F4 is officially the Phantom II. The FH was, I believe, the Navy's first jet fighter ever.

Hey, airplane nerds: NASA's Super Guppy will be making it's first St. Louis appearance at this year's Spirit of St. Louis Airshow!  





https://spirit-airshow.com/one-of-a-kin ... stem-expo/

^Nice catch! I'll see if I can't get that on the schedule. It's nice to see it back. (The airshow, that is. Not the Super Guppy. Seeing the Super Guppy will be nothing short of awesome!)

Figured you made it up there, SP. Nice shots!

Guessing from your positioning that you were unable to see the LH bird while it was parked at the gate? I'd love to see a pic of it surrounded by WN 737s on either side.

Water salutes are really cool. I had the privilege of escorting my dad on an Honor Flight to DC a few years ago. The water salute upon our return was one of the more memorable events.  

^ Just guessing but I'd bet they deadheaded in a day or two earlier on another carrier from a current LH US destination. 

pdm_ad wrote: ↑

Jun 02, 2022

Figured you made it up there, SP. Nice shots!

Guessing from your positioning that you were unable to see the LH bird while it was parked at the gate? I'd love to see a pic of it surrounded by WN 737s on either side.

Thanks! I could have stuck around and gotten a shot, but I was far enough from the gate that it's really hard to get a clear shot. The heat distortion makes it look like I've smeared baby oil on the lens or something. (Or maybe I just can't focus, but I like the heat distortion explanation.) Here's a shot something like what you're describing. After that I headed out to scout around a little and grab a snack before heading to the other end of the airport to watch the departure.

framer wrote:Water salutes are really cool. I had the privilege of escorting my dad on an Honor Flight to DC a few years ago. The water salute upon our return was one of the more memorable events.  

They are pretty cool, I confess. I think they're beginning to see some pushback, much like fireworks (though for quite different reasons), but I hope they weather the storm. It's a tradition I'd hate to loose.

^ Still a nice shot! Lots of heat and moisture between you and that plane.

I love seeing the contrast when a heavy is parked next to a bunch of narrows. Outside of an oddball flight here and there, does anyone remember the last time that we had regular widebody passenger service (not counting the cargo side, obviously)? Did that end with LGW in '03?

pdm_ad wrote: ↑

Jun 02, 2022

Did that end with LGW in '03?

^^ yep!