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Sunset Ethiopian Cargo Return

Shortly before we left the Pacific Northwest, I made one of my final visits to Paine Field at the end of a day. Boeing was testing a 777F that was due to go to Ethiopian Cargo and the jet was due back at the end of the day shortly before sunset. I was hoping that I might get some stunning colours at that time of day but, by the time the jet came on to approach, the sun had slipped below the low cloud on the horizon.

Even so, the remaining light did provide some nice illumination on the jet as it was on short final and touching down. I was about to pack up and head home when I heard the sound of the engines coming back our way and, sure enough, they were taxiing back for a high-speed taxi and abort. There was a fair bit of moisture on the runway surface and, as they powered up, they were spraying clouds behind them. This time they were done and headed back to the ramp. I shall miss seeing the interesting variety of operators that you get from the factory.

Maersk Delivery Day

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The dire situation with Boeings 777X programme means that Boeing hasn’t delivered a passenger 777 for a very long time. The only jets getting delivered from the line are freighters. The good news about freighters is that you get some different operators to the norm. Maersk is a shipping company that has taken some 777Fs and, while I missed the first one that they took, I was able to catch the next one although only just. I was there on the day it was delivered. It was heading in a northerly direction which isn’t my preference for Paine Field departures but, because it was a delivery flight, you had the advantage of it being pretty heavy with a decent fuel load to take it home. That blue paint scheme is a cool one to catch. Maybe I will see one in service at some point.

The New Jamming Pods Make an Appearance

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When the EA-18G Growler came into service, it made use of the same pods that had been fitted to the EA-6B Prowler. The Navy has had a long running plan to replace the different pod types over time and this is a slow process. The first of the new pods to arrive is the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band which is built by Raytheon. These have gradually been delivered to fleet squadrons and, while I had seen images of them that local photographers had taken, I hadn’t seen one.

Then, one afternoon, while sitting up at Paine Field, a Growler rolled out after landing and came all the way to the north end of the runway. I had no idea it was coming in and missed the landing completely. It taxied off and I grabbed some shots because it was a color bird. Then I realized it had the new pods fitted. The light was so nice, and I was hoping they would just gas a go but sadly they didn’t and I didn’t get to see them depart. At least I have seen the pods fitted before I left.

Royal Air Maroc 787 Delivery

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After some time in Seattle with Nancy, I persuaded her to allow a brief detour to Paine Field. Royal Air Maroc was taking delivery of a 787-9 and I wanted to see it go. That assumed it was on time which is never guaranteed with delivery flights. Two of their jets were parked up at the delivery center although I was only hoping to get one moving. I don’t think the other was leaving but, if it was, I didn’t want to test patience by finding out. The conditions were a bit gloomy and the jet would be airborne a long way from me so I decided to go with video instead. The results are below.

Honeywell’s Testbed Takes a Diversion Which Really Ends Up Helping

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Honeywell has a 757 testbed that I have seen a number of times but it was die back to Paine Field late last year and I was keen to see it again. I headed up there for its arrival and it was getting close to Everett while I was nervously looking at the sky. The weather was a bit crummy and I feared it would come in when the light was awful. Then the jet headed off in a totally different direction.

I don’t know what was going on but they turned off towards Puget Sound and ended up maneuvering in the area to the northwest of the airfield. Meanwhile, the conditions started to improve. Now I started to welcome the time they were spending doing something unknown out over the water. As the sun started to poke out from behind the clouds, I was willing them to wait a little longer. Not too long, of course. It’s the Pacific Northwest and things can change again rapidly.

Finally they turned back towards Everett and it was clear that, this time, they meant it. The light was now really nice and I could see the jet turn in to the approach from a long way out. As they came down the approach, I realized that my initial impatience with them disappearing off into he distance was misplaced and that I was going to get some better shots as a result. Before long, they were on short final and we had some shots. I did then head around to the ramp overlook at the FBO to see if I could get a good shot of the jet which I could!

A Vietnam Airlines 787-10 Might Catch the Sun

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The run up to the end of the year can be handy if you want to see jets on test flights because Boeing is looking to get as many sales completed as possible before the end of the financial year. While it wasn’t built at Everett, a Vietnam Airlines 787-10 was there for rework/modification and then delivery. I love Vietnam Airlines because they have an interesting livery in a time of white planes with limited color.

I was able to catch it taking off one Saturday morning. The light was great as it rotated and climbed away. Later in the afternoon, Nancy and I had been out to see the salmon run and she was fine with a small diversion to Paine Field to catch the return. The light had faded a little compared to the lovely morning conditions, but it was good to catch the returning jet. I think it was delivered not long after this.

Do Whales Look Better in the Rain?

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A rainy weekend and not much going on but I saw that Alaska Airlines’ West Coast Wonders jet was coming into Paine Field and, with nothing else going on, I figured I would swing by. The weather was far worse than I expected. It was pouring as the jet was on approach. I had gone so might as well try. At the last moment, I wondered whether I should have gone with video but too late. The jet’s lights were appearing out of the gloom. Streaming vortices from the flaps, it was soon by me and touching down. I was pessimistic but, as Nancy pointed out, the dark blue of the paint kind of suits a gloomy day and it didn’t look so bad!

Gloomy Day for a National Arrival

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It was a wet and gloomy weekend morning up in Everett and so might not have been worth heading out. However, National Airlines was bringing a 747-400 into the Boeing facility and that was worth a trip. The plane emerged from the gloom as it came down the approach and, as it came across the threshold, the vortices could be seen streaming off the flaps. A grey jet on a gloomy day is always a tough one but I think this was definitely a result.

Once More for the Sunset Avanti Shots

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A local Lynk Air Avanti coming into Paine Field might attract my interest, but I would probably skip it. However, if it is going to show up about ten minutes before sunset and the conditions are lovely, that is enough to tempt me out in the evening. (It doesn’t hurt that the journey time is really short at that time of day.) I got myself in position and waited for the arrival from the north.

I could just about make out the plane as it approached from over the sound, and it flew a quite tight base leg which meant it was clearly visible above the trees. Then the buzz became apparent as it lined up on final. I was being brave with shutter speeds since the Avanti deserves shots that make it look fast. A rapid burst of activity and it was down. It didn’t hang around on the ground too long continuing on its way about forty minutes later, but the light was done by then, so I headed home instead of waiting for it.

Vistara Flying at Last

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With so many stored 787s at Everett in recent years, I have seen a bunch of Vistara jets on the ground. However, I hadn’t really done very well in catching them moving. Not very well is generous – I hadn’t got anything worthwhile. Then I was up at Paine Field earlier in the day for something else and a Vistara jet taxied out for a test flight. Thankfully it ran reasonably long on its takeoff roll and I was able to get some good shots of it.