Author Archives: Rob

They Continue to Fly the Max10 But it Is Going to Be a While

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The 737 Max program continues to be a total bear for Boeing.  As I write this, they are just recovering from the Max9 door plug incident.  Prior to that, it was issues with rudder components not rigged properly and then it was rear bulkhead production issues.  All of these follow on from the disaster that was MCAS.  The Max7 and Max10 have both been flying for ages but still haven’t achieved certification.  The Max7 was thought to be close, but it needed an exemption for inlet heating which Boeing had applied for.  In the aftermath of the door plug incident, that exemption application has been withdrawn and now the Max 7 might be a year away from approval.

The Max10 is behind the Max7 so it is possible that it might get approval by 2025 but, at this point, who knows when it will actually be.  Meanwhile, there is still testing underway.  The first Max 10 jet is active at the moment undertaking testing work.  It was due out from Boeing Field on another test heading off to Texas.  I figured it would run a little longer given that it would be heavier so chose my spot for the shots.  However, I did still use a longer lens to get a tighter shot for rotation.  The light came out nicely as they rolled and the rotation was ideal for where I was.  It is going to be a while before I see these in service but at least I get to see them on test periodically.

The Marines Show Up

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I could easily have missed this, but my friend messaged me that a Herc was coming in.  I was working on some other stuff and would have been unaware until too late.  It was not where I was, and I wasn’t moving but the roll out and taxiing back was in lovely light so I wasn’t missing out.  They taxied to the terminal and kept the engines running so I wondered if they were going straight back out but it wasn’t to be.  They then taxied to a parking spot and shut down.  Maybe they were clearing customs?  Apparently they stayed for the night but were gone when I came by the following day.

Did These Geese Get Cleared Through the Zone?

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This big flock of geese flew right by Boeing Field one afternoon.  There were tons of them, and their route brought them right across the approach path before skirting to one side of the airfield.  I didn’t hear them talking to air traffic and I don’t believe they had a clearance.  Maybe they will get a visit from the FAA at some point!

How Long Can a Falcon 50 Remain in Reverse?

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The Falcon 50 only has a single thrust reverser, and it is fitted to the centerline engine.  The nacelles on each side are not fitted with reversers.  I was quite a way down the runway from this Falcon when it landed, and I could hear the reverser kick in.  I was not expecting it to stay in reverse for very long, but they kept it in all the way through the roll out and even as they exited to the taxiway.  Is that normal procedure?

LA Coliseum

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I have been to Los Angeles on many occasions over the years, but I had never previously been anywhere near the Coliseum.  I had seen it in the distance from the highway but that was it.  My first memories of the Coliseum were from 1984 when the Olympics were held there.  In four years, the Olympics will be back in Los Angeles, but I don’t know whether the Coliseum will play a role again.  The image of a guy with a jetpack flying into the stadium is one of the strongest ones from that event.

After that, I knew it as the home of the Raiders since they were LA based before returning to Oakland.  I think it might have hosted some other NFL games at some point before SoFi was opened but that might not be an accurate recollection.  Since the Coliseum is near the California Science Center, I turned out to be right next to it when I made my morning trek down to see the Space Shuttle.  The entrance is at the east end, so the morning light was on it.  The sculptures of some athletic looking individuals guard the entrance although the large fence was also doing a good job.  I couldn’t resist getting a few photos before continuing my shuttle photo hunt.

I Should Just Enjoy the Old Pods

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I have seen some pictures recently of Growlers bouncing at Coupeville with the latest jamming pods on the underwing pylons.  I was hoping that the jets I saw from the Rooks might be carrying the new pods.  Instead, they were using the older pods.  At first, I was disappointed by this but then I realized that this was the wrong way to look at things.  The new pods will be around for a long time and the chances are I will see them a lot in the future.  Making sure I have some shots of the older pods on jets as the bounce is something to make the most of before they are gone.  We only miss stuff when it is going away so time to think ahead.

What is This Going to Be?

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As I walked across Expo Park, there was a large and unusual structure which looked to be in an advanced stage of construction.  It had a very futuristic look to it and, while sections of it were clad in the final layers, there were other areas where the underlying structure was still exposed.  I had no idea what it could be but figured I would be able to look it up later.  It turns out that this is going to be the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.  Not sure when it is due to open, but it is quite an architectural addition to the area.  I would certainly be interested to see it when it is complete.  Maybe I’ll be back to see the final shuttle installation and will have the chance to check it out.

A Rapid Turnaround for a G700

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I managed to get some shots of one of the Gulfstream G700 test aircraft earlier in the test program.  Certification (at time of writing – not sure when this post goes live) is still not complete but they have built a lot of jets.  One of the test fleet (I think, based on the registration and the Experimental markings) filed to fly in and out of Boeing Field.  It was coming up from Monterey in California and then turning around quickly to go to Portland.  It was a quiet Saturday so I headed out. I had also seen some shots of this jet and it looked like it had a nice livery compared to the average bizjet.

The conditions were not great with a lack of light and some washed out skies, but I still managed to get some okay shots of it landing.  I then headed down the field to be ready for the departure.  Normally, I see a scheduled time and figure it will be a bit later.  Not this time.  By the time I got there, someone was already doing the walk around checks.  It was not long before they fired up and taxied.  Unfortunately, I had chosen a location quite a way down the runway.  The performance of these jets is good, and Portland is a short hop, so the jet was light.  They rotated very early compared to where I was.  I still got okay shots but a little less dramatic than I was hoping for.  Certification can’t be too far off so we might start seeing a lot more of these jets soon.

Kingfisher Fishing Successfully

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When we visited Seattle not long after moving back to the US, I got a shot of a kingfisher as it sat on a cable at the locks in Ballard.  I guess this must be a good spot for kingfishers because, when we went down to see the boats, I found another kingfisher hanging out near where we parked.  The sound that they make is pretty distinctive and I heard it before I saw it.  It was sitting on a branch for quite a while before it dived down, grabbed something out of the water and landed on one of the wooden guides along the water to enjoy its snack.  I will have to spend more time down there and see if I can get some better shots of these speedy little critters.