Category Archives: Pacific Northwest

Rainy Sunday for the National Queen

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Given that National Airlines has a better than average livery, I will always be happy to get a shot of their planes.  The 747s are a favorite given that they are less common post the pandemic.  I was therefore really pleased that one was due into Paine Field one weekend.  Of course, this is the Pacific Northwest and that means no guarantee of good weather.  Sure enough, it was a bit overcast, and the air was damp.  I wasn’t going to get gleaming illumination of the airframe, but I might get some vapor.

Things weren’t that great but there were some vortices streaming from the flaps as they came across the threshold at the north end of the airport.  The grey of the livery was blending a bit with the clouds behind it, but the blues did still have a bit of punch to them.  It could have been better, but it was still something I was pleased to get.

Elwha Looks Rough in Storage

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After a trip out one weekend, we were heading home and waiting for the ferry at Kingston.  We had a bit of time before our ferry was due in, so I was stretching my legs around the terminal.  To one side of the main loading ramps, an old ferry was in storage.  This is the Elwha.  Apparently, after a large amount of corrosion issues were identified, it was decided to retire the ferry rather than repair it.  It was laid up in Kingston and I don’t know what the future holds for it.

I think it must have been sitting there for a while now.  The name has been painted over but far more conspicuously, the sides of the ship are looking really scruffy.  One end of the upper superstructure must be in the shade most of the time as it has developed a lot of lichen growth.  It looks like it could have quite an ecosystem developing there.  I imagine there will be a plan for disposal at some point but, until that time, I wonder just how it will end up looking.

Falcon 10s Aren’t Too Common These Days

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The Dassault bizjets line continues to flourish but it all goes back to an earlier generation.  Interestingly, The Falcon 10 came after the Falcon 20 despite the numbering and is not related in anything other than name to the Falcon 10X which is the latest development from Dassault.  It is still a popular jet but there just aren’t that many of them around anymore.  However, they aren’t extinct and catching one is a nice result.

I have actually caught two of them in recent(ish) times.  The first came into Boeing Field and I have to say the weather was playing ball for a change.  Lovely winter light as it showed up and I was quite happy with the results.  Indeed, I thought this might be my last encounter with one for some time, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that one was coming into Phoenix Sky Harbor the day I flew down there.  Just before sunset it showed up.  It is a small plane so was a bit distant on the northern runway but still a result!

Building a Bridge One Bit at a Time

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One of our work projects includes the construction of a long span bridge for the light rail line to run over.  I have been down on many occasions since the construction started on this section but much of the early work was the preparation of the ground and the creation of the foundations for the final bridge.  We now have the piers in place and the construction of the bridge itself is underway.

This type of construction involves casting the bridge in sections in place rather than offsite and then bringing them in.  Steel supporters called travelers, hold the formwork in place as each section is cast.  When it is cured, the traveler moves out onto the new section and the process is repeated.  This happens symmetrically about the pier, so the bridge grows out in both directions at once keeping everything balanced.

The process moves quite quickly so, each time I go down, the bridge has got noticeably larger.  There are actually to sections happening at once to make the two halves of the bridge.  They grow towards each other, and the final casting will connect the two cantilevered spans to complete the bridge.  That will happen later in 2024.  The section of the bridge is hollow so it will be possible to access the insides of it in the future.  If I get a chance to go inside at some point, expect more images here.

RCAF Hornet Tests High ISO Performance

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The later stages of the Abbotsford Air Show included a performance by the RCAF CF-188A Hornet.  By the time it was performing, the light was pretty much gone.  The late performance has some benefits in that the burners are more striking against a darker sky, but the RCAF display often ends with a landing with the hook lowered.  I had seen this before at Chino and the same problem as happened there occurred here.  The touchdown point was a long way away from the spectator line, so it was too far away to get a decent shot.

However, there was the rest of the display to go for.  My current cameras seem very able to handle low light conditions.  The focus might be a touch slower or less accurate as the light diminishes but I wasn’t noticing a significant problem.  Also, the high ISO capabilities of current generation cameras are really impressive so shooting in such conditions is not necessarily a problem.  The camera will be able to perform although that won’t compensate for a jet just not looking that good with so little light.  You still have to pick your shots.

The Hornet is a good display jet with the ability to point the nose in different directions rapidly and to pull a decent amount of vapor from the air.  It can turn and it can blast through, so it makes for a good show.  Original generation Hornets are starting to become a rarity.  It won’t be long before the Canadian jets have been replaced by F-35s.  Other operators have already transitioned and more will follow.  Catch the legacy Hornets while you can and, preferably, in interesting lighting conditions.

Flicker in the Backyard

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I have mentioned before the difficulty I have had when trying to photograph flickers.  They are so easily spooked.  When one showed up in the back yard recently, I knew there was no way I would be able to go outside and try for a shot.  Through the windows was my only option.  Two layers of glass are not ideal for photographic clarity, but it is better than nothing.  Even then I have to be cautious since even the movement within the house is enough to scare them off.  Some careful positioning and very slow movements meant I was able to get a few reasonable shots.  It wasn’t long before they were off, though.  Whether it was me or just time to go to the next spot, I don’t know.

At Last, a Japanese Pegasus Airborne

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Japan is one of the few countries to order the KC-46 Pegasus tankers for its Air Force.  Their initial four jets have been coming through the production line at Everett and I had seen the occasional one when it was on the ground being prepared.  However, I had never seen one fly.  I finally broke that duck a while back.  I was at Everett not only for the departure but the return of a Japanese jet.  I thought I was going to miss it taking off because it was lined up when I was getting close to the airfield.

Fortunately, it was doing a high-speed taxi first and then backtracked for the real departure by which time I had arrived.  The return was a lot more relaxed from my point of view and I was pleased to finally get one airborne.  I doubt I shall have many opportunities to see them once they are delivered.

Kestrel on a Post

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Kestrels are so small, getting a good shot of them is going to be tricky at the best of times and, unless they come nice and close, you are always working to see what you can get.  This little fella landed on a post near the road and was clearly having a snack.  Looking very closely at the images, I still can’t work out what it is eating.  I then waited for it to fly away and, of course, once I put the camera down for a bit, off it went.  I did get another shot of it as it flew to a post but nothing special.

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.