Tag Archives: turboprop

Just Missed My First Skycourier

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Cessna recently received certification for their new twin turboprop, the Cessna 408 Skycourier.  The aircraft can be either a passenger or a freighter configured type with the initial orders being for FedEx to replace their Cessna Caravan fleet.  It won’t be too long before there are tons of them around but, right now, FedEx has only just taken delivery of their first.  I was driving to Boeing Field to catch another arrival and, as I came down the hill towards the field, I saw an unusual shape fly down the approach.  I thought it looked like a Skycourier and it turns out it was.

I was super annoyed that I could have got a shot of it on approach if I had been about two minutes earlier than I was.  It had arrived from Alaska and I hoped it was going to continue on but, unfortunately, it was parking for the night.  I could just about get a shot of it across the field but the heat haze was not good.  I did see that it filed a flight plan for the following morning which, since it was the weekend, meant I could get out to see it.

The following morning was dull and rainy – of course!  The departure time had slipped 20 minutes but I wasn’t trusting anything so headed out early.  I got to the terminal area and discovered that it had already taxied and was at the hold short.  Having missed the taxi shot, I was pretty annoyed but at least I was able to get the departure.  It rotated level with me and climbed away heading for Casper as its next stop – presumably with Wichita being the final destination.

Puppy Spot SAAB

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The Puppy Spot SAAB 340 is a regular visitor to the Pacific Northwest but I had never shot it.  As I was leaving SEA after the arrival facility trial, I saw that the SAAB was due in to Boeing Field in less than half an hour.  It is not far between the two places but arrival time was going to put the sun right on the nose.  No good options to shoot it – assuming the sun stayed out.  I headed for Ruby Chow Park and was there in time to get it arriving.  Light wasn’t great but I did finally check it off the list.  Not sure what the story with the name is but I think they transport puppies across the country.  Must be a lot of cash in the puppy business if air freighting them around the country is cost effective.

A Turbo DC-3 From Oshkosh

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My cloudy Sunday afternoon included a bonus visitor.  I saw that a turbo DC-3 was heading this way.  Initial estimates had it coming in quite late but they were making good progress and would be in while I was there.  The turboprop conversion means a better cruise speed on a long cross country and, since this flight was direct from Oshkosh, it was a pretty long trip.

I have shot plenty of DC-3s over the years but I don’t think too many of them have been turbine conversions.  This was a nice surprise.  It didn’t hurt that the weather was steadily improving during the afternoon and a hint of sun was showing up by the time it arrived.  That hint wasn’t quite as strong as I would have liked but it was okay.  I also got to see it on the ramp when it parked up near the Museum of Flight.  I think Basler has a base at Oshkosh and, since they do the conversions of DC-3s to turbine power (along with a small fuselage stretch I think), I guess this must be one of theirs.

Spot the Shed

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Sometimes, when in Nevada for Red Flag, I will head down to McCarran in the morning to shoot some of the airliners prior to heading back to Nellis.  This time, I barely went down that way.  However, I did see a movement that caught my attention.  There is a daily rotation of a Shorts 360 freighter from Phoenix up to Las Vegas.  I haven’t shot a Shed for a while and figured this was worth a look.

There is a viewing area along the south runway at McCarran but it was closed for COVID and hasn’t been reopened yet.  Short staffing means it is low on the airport’s priorities which kind of makes sense.  Consequently, I ended up scoping out a parking lot that would give me an alternative.  It was pretty hot and heat haze is always a concern plus I didn’t know whether to use the long lens or the zoom.  I used a couple of jets coming in before to decide what to do and also stuck the polarizer on to cut the light down to get better shutter speeds for the props.  Then the box on wings came on to the approach and I grabbed some shots.  If you had told me 30 years ago I would make an excursion to photograph a 360, I would have laughed.  Now they are rare enough that is exactly what I do!

Development Epic E1000

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The Epic E1000 is a development of a kit built turboprop aircraft called the Epic LT.  It has been around for a while and the development from kit built to certificated production aircraft has been very drawn out.  While many similar projects falter, this one seems to have hung in there.  I think there are a only one or two of the production E1000 aircraft at the moment and one came to BFI.  I caught it rolling out after landing and then taxiing to the Modern ramp.  It is a curious looking airframe.

It later departed but it was hard to get a good shot.  It got airborne early and there was quite a crosswind so they nosed in to that and towards my position.  I effectively got head on and underside shots only so barely identifiable.  Still, it was good to see it.  I have seen some of the earlier airframes in California and at Oshkosh but not for a while!

Hurricane Hunters Back In Town

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I was heading back from south of Seattle when I was surprised to find out that the NOAA WP-3D Orion, Kermit, was at Boeing Field.  It had come in the day before but I hadn’t heard about it.  I was planning to stop for lunch so why not go to BFI?  Just after I got there, I saw a prop start turning on the number one engine.  However, after running it up, they shut down again.  I was dreading that they were going to go tech and the plane wouldn’t move.

Fortunately, whatever they were concerned about wasn’t too much of an issue.  A little while later, while I was still eating my lunch, I looked up to see two engines running.  This looked more promising.  Sure enough they taxied shortly afterwards.  The nice news was that they crossed the runway to taxiway bravo so we got a good look at them.  A while later it was their turn for departure and they came my way.  The nice thing about a four engined prop is that they didn’t climb too rapidly so a good angle on them.  It was pretty overcast so not ideal light but the dark colors show up better without too contrasty light.

Formation Arrivals

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Not really a formation I’m afraid.  I was shooting this PC-12 as it came in to BFI in nice light and a light aircraft was on the approach for the parallel runway.  I almost got both of them in frame but not quite.  However, I liked the shot so here it is.

Down in the Slough at Kenmore

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It has taken a while for this post from the 75th anniversary celebrations at Kenmore Air.  They operated one of the planes from the slough that runs alongside the base.  They had back taxied one of the Otters to start its takeoff run from earlier to mean it was taking off close to the spectators.  Then, when landing, they brought it down in the slough again.  It made for a great view of the plane compared to the normal departures and arrivals way out in Lake Washington.

Mokulele Flight Services Caravan

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When in Hawaii a few years ago I saw Mokulele Flight Services operating a Cessna Caravan.  More recently, a Caravan has been flying out of BFI in Mokulele colors.  I am assuming that Mokulele has sold the aircraft to another operator.  I am not aware of them providing service around here but that doesn’t mean they aren’t.  If it has been sold, I wonder how long before it gets repainted.