Tag Archives: Boeing

Has the Catfish Escaped Me? NO!

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The first Boeing 757 built was kept by Boeing as a test aircraft and never went to an airline.  When Boeing became a partner in the F-22 Raptor program, a new use was found for the aircraft.  It was fitted out as a flying testbed for the avionics suite.  A test crew could ride in the cabin and they could try out a number of different configurations of software changing things as they go without having to have the software flight qualified.

To make the whole ensemble work appropriately, the aircraft was fitted with F-22 sensors.  This included a radome on the aircraft nose with the F-22’s radar.  In addition, because a number of sensors were embedded in the wings, a wing structure was added about the cockpit.  This unusual configuration resulted in the aircraft gaining the nickname “Catfish”.  It flew a lot during the development program but I only ever saw it on the ground at Boeing Field and then it was partially obscured.  I did also look down on it from an airliner approaching SeaTac.

I knew it didn’t fly often but I hoped that, in moving to the area, I would finally get to see it airborne.  Then I discovered that it had flown to St Louis.  The rumor was that it had been retired.  Indeed, on a flight across the country involving a plane change in St Louis, I did see it parked up in an open-ended hangar.  I figured that might be as close as I got.  Then I got a notification that it was heading west again.  Better yet, it wasn’t going direct to Boeing Field but to Everett first.  It is a short drive from the office to Everett and the flight plan meant it was coming in during lunch.

The harsh lunchtime light and the prospect of heat haze notwithstanding, I figured this was too good a chance to miss.  It showed up pretty much when expected so I was able to get some shots of it coming down the approach and across the threshold.  The heat haze was really bad as it was over the runway but actually slightly less of an issue further out.  I don’t care.  I finally got to see it fly and that is what I was after.  It headed back to St Louis from Boeing Field the following day.  I have no idea when it left Everett for Boeing Field though.  If it comes back again and I can see it, that will be a bonus.

Growlers Pop By

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The US Navy brought a couple of E/A-18G Growlers from Whidbey Island to the open day at Paine Field.  The pair showed up in the morning and were parked up on the ramp at Heritage Flight Museum before they left later in the day.  We got a good look at them as they landed and departed.  Hopes of a nice low approach and go around were sadly not fulfilled but it was still cool to see them visiting.

The Growlers Must Be Shy

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I have shot at quite a few Red Flags both on and off base.  On base of get such good access that you don’t see anything to make you think that the participants are camera shy.  However, off base I have become rather suspicious of the Growler community.  When you see something strange once, you figure it must be an oddity but, when you see something repeat, you start to think there is a pattern.  When you tell your friend that something happens and then they do it again for both of you, you really think something is going on.

The E/A-18G Growlers fly in a way that makes me think they are trying to be difficult for photographers. (Either that or they think they are doing something to help but are actually making it worse!).  During arrivals the Growlers often go left but, when they go right, they either fly incredibly tight patterns or they go so long as to make all shots rather dull.  However, it is on departure that I have got most suspicious.  When they come off the left runway heading towards us, they seem to sidestep to the left and then straighten up after a while.  This puts them almost directly overhead the awaiting photographers.  You get an underside shot but nothing more.  Not a great shot but you start wondering what you are missing from the profile or above that might be more interesting.  I am probably paranoid but I do see a pattern developing.

Zero G and, Ironically, It’s Not Raining

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I last saw this jet on approach to Oakland.  I blogged about that event here.  On that day, it was pouring with rain.  I got the shot but it was rather dreary.  This time I saw the jet parked up at Boeing Field in Seattle.  Ironically, the sun was out on a lovely day – not Seattle’s reputation.  Sadly, it wasn’t moving while I was there.  I don’t know why it was in town but I heard there was a big software conference underway so maybe it was a fun trip for some big cheeses in the software business.

Unloading the Wings

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The wings for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are not built in the US.  They come from Japan and they make the journey in the 747-400LCF Dreamlifter.  The process for unloading them is very well practiced.  The aircraft lands and is parked up.  The tail is then swung open to expose the cavernous hold.  A transporter pulls up behind the lane and elevates its deck to level with the aircraft.  The wings are in a cradle that then slides out of the plane and on to the transporter.  It then backs away and lowers down before driving the wings into a storage building.

While this was going on, other fuselage parts could be seen inside.  With production running at a high rate, this process is repeated every few days.  I have never yet seen the Belugas at work for Airbus doing the same sort of thing but I would like to some day.  Their new aircraft are currently being assembled so they will soon have more capacity.  I don’t know whether Boeing will need more of the Dreamlifters at some point but the current fleet seems to be kept busy.

Burner Love – Back of the B-1

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I’ve already shown the B-1s at Red Flag some love but here is a bit more about them because, well, why not?  The four afterburning engines produce a lot of noise, light and, I guess, thrust.  For a few of the departures, I focused the camera on the back end to try and show that energetic output.  Daylight is not the best time to show up the afterburner plume – night works well for that as does being more directly behind the jet – but it still is possible to see the jet against the dark airframe.  This is just something so impressive to see.

Zoomify the Boeing Flightline

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Everett is a busy production facility.  787s are being built at a fair rate while 777 production continues, albeit at a reducing pace.  There are some 747s and 767s coming out as well.  The flightline for their testing is consequently rather full.  I figured a panorama was a good idea but they are hard to put on the blog without making them too small.  Time for zoomify again.  You can pan around and zoom in to see what was on the line this day.

Southwest Scimitars and the Inaccuracy of Online Truths

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Online forums can be a great source of information.  They can also be full of rubbish.  With the introduction of the split scimitar tips on the 737 fleets, Southwest was an early adopter on their 800 series jets.  However, I read that they had not been happy with performance and had stopped adopting them.  They definitely weren’t going to have them on the 700 series.  Above is a 700 series with split scimitars.  A number of airframes have now been fitted including this one so I guess those people were not the most accurate source of info!

FedEx Sneak in But the Background is Good

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While on the hunt for a different aircraft, I was getting some shots of the aircraft coming in to SeaTac from the south.  I was pleased to see a FedEx jet showing up on FlightRadar24 but it seemed to be rather close to another plane.  It turns out they were scheduling them in on roughly parallel approaches and the FedEx was going to the center runway – not near me.  I was a bit annoyed and the view of the center was a bit obscured from where I was.  Haze was also going to be a problem – plus the odd power line.  However, there was one upside.  Mount Rainier is in that direction so, while the shot wasn’t what I wanted, it wasn’t a total loss.

Preserved KC-97

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A strange airfield means time for a trip around the perimeter to see what is around.  Medford didn’t disappoint.  A small museum included a nicely preserved Boeing KC-97 tanker aircraft.  Sadly, everything was closed up so I couldn’t take a closer look.  Meanwhile, the fencing around it was pretty close in so it was a bit of struggle to get a clean shot but there will still some options.  The boom was no longer fitted but, otherwise, it looked just like you would hope.