First JASDF KC-46 Pegasus

Leave a Reply

The Japanese (JASDF) were a customer for the tanker version of the Boeing 767 when Boeing was offering it in the early days.  Japan and Italy were the only customers that I am aware of for that aircraft.  Therefore, it was not a massive surprise that Japan ordered the KC-46 when Boeing developed it for the USAF.  The first aircraft is now being completed and has been parked on the ramp up at Everett recently.  Here it is undergoing some testing.  Hopefully we shall get to see it flying soon.

London Buses in the Strangest Locations

Leave a Reply

In the center of Fairhaven, I was surprised to see an old London bus.  This wasn’t a Routemaster but an older vintage of bus.  It was tucked in a shady area next to a building on a sunny day so it was a touch tricky to get a shot of.  It was also surrounded by various stuff so I maneuvered to get a reasonably clear shot of it.  It still has its UK registration plates so anyone that is familiar with London Transport history, can probably advise what it is.  No doubt there is a website for this sort of thing somewhere if I looked hard enough.

Turbine Beaver

Leave a Reply

There is no shortage of DHC Beavers in the PNW, even of the turbine variety.  Plenty of them are on floats, too, so even that doesn’t make it particularly special.  However, when you haven’t been able to shoot much aviation for a long time, one is a welcome sight.  Even better when it switches to the closer runway when on approach.

Mist Over The Water at Orcas

Leave a Reply

First thing in the morning on Orcas Island made from some beautiful conditions.  We were staying in a place looking out over the water towards Shaw Island but, in the morning, we got some low fog and mist that could obscure our neighbor so close by.  As the sun came up, the fog would burn off and then roll back in.  It was a constantly changing view with the land and smaller islands appearing and disappearing frequently.  You could sit and watch it for ages.  Best done from inside the house, though, since it was rather chilly.

F-15E Strike Eagle

Leave a Reply

A recent anniversary of the first flight of the F-15E Strike Eagle was commemorated on a Facebook group and it got me looking through a variety of old shots I have of the jet.  Having found a bunch of them that I liked, I figured I might share a few of them on the blog too.  Here are a few of my favorites from over the years.

Mt Adams in the Distance

Leave a Reply

The Cascades range has a few volcanos.  One of the less frequently discussed is Mt Adams.  I know of it as a result of something work related but have never thought much about it or where it was.  However, from Mt St Helens, you have a good view of Mt Adams off to the east.  I wasn’t planning on heading that way but it was hard to miss it from up there.

The Max 737s Are On the Move

Leave a Reply

Boeing has been building and testing 737 Max jets throughout the grounding so having them flying is not a great surprise.  However, with the grounding order lifted by the FAA, things are moving into a higher gear.  United took delivery of a jet and American Airlines has indicated it will start service before the end of the year.  Two jets were up on the same day which leads me to think that they have already undergone the mod programs and are being tested prior to delivery to the airline.

Bonus Santa Blog Post

Leave a Reply

Christmas Eve and I was down by the water in Mukilteo.  My timing couldn’t have been better.  I made a discovery that will come as a surprise to many of you.  You may have thought that Santa rode in a sleigh on Christmas Eve (at night too), flying through the air pulled by his reindeer.  I have news for you all.  That isn’t true!  Everyone has been lying to you all these years.  How do I know?  Because I saw Santa.

Turns out Santa’s preferred mode of transport is a paddle board.  The reindeer do pull him along on his board but they do so from a small boat and they might look a bit like people wearing reindeer antlers.  Santa did spend a bit of time getting ready.  I’m sure it wasn’t because he was putting on appropriate clothing for being out on the water in December.  He just wanted to make sure he looked the part.  A mask was also in order so he might have trimmed the beard.

He got on to the board prior to the reindeer being ready.  A bit of paddling around until it was time to hook the tow line on from the boat the reindeer were using.  With everyone aboard, they headed out in to the water and started motoring around near the lighthouse.  The ferries were crossing in the background but Santa was not going to tangle with them.  I had to head off after they made a couple of passes along the waterfront but I assume they were off around the world to start delivering presents.

Cattle Point

Leave a Reply

We made a couple of visits to Cattle Point on San Juan Island during our visit there.  It is a lovely spot for a stroll along the cliff tops.  The lighthouse is not quite what you might hope for.  It is functional but not elegant.  However, the rest of the area is just lovely.  Not only is it a great place to walk but the road running down to the point provides a beautiful overlook of the point with the water around it and the mountains in the background including Mt Baker looking imposing covered in snow.  We had great weather both times were were there on this trip.

Balloon Deflation Video

Leave a Reply

The arrival of the balloon in Woodinville resulted in a previous post of the balloon flying in and another of the crew once the balloon was on the ground.  I didn’t just shoot stills during the post landing time, though.  I also decided to get a little video of the process of deflating the balloon.  I was surprised how long it took but, while there is a large vent on the top of the balloon, once the envelope is lying on its side, the vent is no longer at the top and the air needs to be squeezed out.  Here is the video I put together.