Random aviation photos

a reply to: FredT

Bagged an RAF C-17 yesterday. I'm hoping he's still in town tomorrow going back through. The 17th and 18th Doc will be in Phoenix.

a reply to: pigsy2400
I've been to Mildenhall. Didn't get to stay long. I was in the Navy then. My ship was in Portsmouth and I took some leave because I was getting out soon. I was asked to leave when a Tomcat off the Saratoga shot down an RF-4C that was based there.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: FredT

Bagged an RAF C-17 yesterday. I'm hoping he's still in town tomorrow going back through. The 17th and 18th Doc will be in Phoenix.

Very cool. Can't wait to see the shots!

Some kind of exercise today. Multi ship formations of Pave hawks flying low over the Peninsula from Moffett Field to SFO with troops sitting with their feet out the door and Combat King support. Its a crappy day to shoot

a reply to: FredT

I had to chuckle at the picture of the American Airlines terminal I got going by. There was a 777 hiding amongst the A320s and A321s. So all the tails were the same height until there was suddenly one like twice the size poking up.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: FredT

I had to chuckle at the picture of the American Airlines terminal I got going by. There was a 777 hiding amongst the A320s and A321s. So all the tails were the same height until there was suddenly one like twice the size poking up.

LOL you see that as San Jose too with the 787's but not as dramatic

Urgh talk about a dilemma right now. I keep saying it but if I'm free on Monday I'm stuck as to where I want to visit for some plane action it's either Lakenheath/Mildenhall or Fairford for a military fix or do I snap some civilian and head for Heathrow

a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

Fairford. The B-2s, and now two B-52s are there. The one from Mildenhall moved there today.

Doc over Phoenix today. I wasn't expecting to see her so my camera was still packed up. All I could get was a cell phone shot.



No idea why it rotated but I'm going to try for better pics tomorrow.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I prefer the narrative that he went vertical

We spent a good part of Sunday in the air trying to pick up a trauma. Too unstable to fly so we went home without the patient. But it made for great pics there and back. The referring hospital did not have pad and we had to land at a park. Another crew was there as well. The chopper in the background belongs to Reach and is an EC-135, we fly the slightly bigger 145

Safest point to cross an airport is right over the top: In this case SFO

Part II

View out the back:

The park landing

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

Fairford. The B-2s, and now two B-52s are there. The one from Mildenhall moved there today.

It's a two and half hour drive to get there though and I'm doubting my 300mm lens would do any justice but then again if I set up on the approach path it should be ok. Maybe I'll do some research on where to park and set up this week

a reply to: Zaphod58

She's out at Cutter at DVT if you want static pics. They are only flying in the mornings, from what I was told. I'm sure you can call and ask nicely and someone will tell you where to get the best look -- or pay/donate $10 and get the flight deck tour. Unless you still think flying rare antiques is a moral abomination...

a reply to: FredT
Those pictures are awesome, just the whole scene of the airport looks fantastic. Really like the BA 747 shot. Out of curiousity you say you were picking up a patient, without asking too much and feel free not to say much but are you a part of a crew helicopter as a first responder/medic

I often to see what we call air ambulances landing in some amazing places you wouldn't expect in my area. In fact I had one almost land in my back yard a few years back I've got a picture somewhere.

What are you using to upload the pics ?

a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

I have a rather fancy title actually Pediatric Transport Nurse Specialist. So I lead the team and we move pediatric patients back to our chilrens hospital. We have a catch basin that is basically the West Coast of the US. I have been from Mexico to Alaska North to South and Hawaii to say Mississippi River East to pick up a patient. You never know where the day will take you. We are an inter facility transport team which means hospital to hospital. We seldom do not land anywhere but another hospital airport etc so for us this was novel. For our adult Lifeflight crews they get to land all over the place from the beach to the side of the road.

Sometime back there were several storms from the DC area up to the New York city area. Newark, JFK, LaGuardia and Dulles were completely stopped for a few hours. No planes in or out. International flights were inbound and no place to go. So I was watching them circle in North East PA on the apps. Eventually they started towards south western PA and I knew where they were going. Pittsburgh International Airport was first up to receive what they could have room for. Then the rest went to Cleveland and Detroit. Pittsburgh looked like a parking lot of 757s 737s a couple 787s and the 2 I was praying for.

Another A380 Air France and a British Airways 747. Can't get the A380 pic to load so British Airways it is!

Always wanted to see a British Airways 747 specifically. And thanks to mother nature, I now can say I have.
Took a lot of pictures that day.

In conclusion I have a pic here of a C-17 flying low on the fourth of July. The pilot had a full hour to bank and buzz the Pittsburgh area. Again I took tons of pics, but I'll leave my favorite here.

I call it
"Into the Sun"

a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

It's worth it though. From what I've seen of the pics, you can get right under the approach path, and have them go right over your head.

a reply to: Zaphod58
Well crap I hear the B2s have flown home today

a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

Yep, I was just going to tell you that. I just heard that too.