Thursday, July 18, 2013

Boeing Rollout Of The First 787-9, Update: Our First Cease And Desist Order!


We at Totally Jacked Up Aircraft Photos have continuously strived to bring you the absolute finest in "The Best of The Rest" aircraft photography.  We have also been known to keep an ear to the ground for breaking aviation news.  And, we have also been steadfast from day-one to give credit where credit is due, however, in some cases that is not enough.

Thus, we were contacted by the owner of the previous 787-9 photo on this site and politely asked to take it down.  No problem, we say.

While we at Totally Jacked Up Aircraft Photos have been known to steal beer and other people’s girlfriends, we will not steal a photographer’s work.

We, therefore, offer up a photo of a reasonable facsimile in place of the actual aircraft.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Friday's Five: A San Bernadino Extravaganza!





Interesting notes about these pics.  The publicly accessible USFS Tanker Base is a beehive of activity right now.  In addition to the usual P-2 Neptune's, currently there is a not too common BAe-146 tanker, along with "10 Tanker" (McDonnell Douglas DC-10) at the base.

The last two pics show an Allegiant MD-83 and the "World Famous" Fry's Electronics Boeing 747SP, N747A, both at the local MRO for service.

Shot location: SBD (Photos by Inland Empire reporter, H.B.) 

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Finally, We Hear From UAL 885, Which Was RIGHT THERE Waiting To Depart From RWY 28L When Asiana Flt 214 Crashed At SFO.

Many were wondering (myself included) when someone would get around to asking the crew of United Flt 885, holding short of RWY 28L at SFO, what they saw, since they had a front row seat to the entire event.  Well, wonder no further.

While we make to no claims to being the FAA or NTSB, we do know people who know people, thus we can get the inside scoop, sometimes.  Here, in its totality, is a statement from a crewman of UAL 885 (a Boeing 747-400).

"On July 6, 2013 at approximately 1827Z I was the 747-400 relief F/O on flt 885, ID326/06 SFO-KIX. I was a witness to the Asiana Flt 214 accident. We had taxied to hold short of runway 28L at SFO on taxiway F, and were waiting to rectify a HAZMAT cargo issue as well as our final weights before we could run our before takeoff checklist and depart. As we waited on taxiway F heading East, just prior to the perpendicular holding area, all three pilots took notice of the Asiana 777 on short final. I noticed the aircraft looked low on glidepath and had a very high deck angle compared to what seemed normal. I then noticed at the apparent descent rate and closure to the runway environment the aircraft looked as though it was going to impact the approach lights mounted on piers in the SF Bay. The aircraft made a fairly drastic looking pull up in the last few feet and it appeared and sounded as if they had applied maximum thrust. However the descent path they were on continued and the thrust applied didn't appear to come soon enough to prevent impact. The tail cone and empennage of the 777 impacted the bulkhead seawall and departed the airplane and the main landing gear sheared off instantly. This created a long debris field along the arrival end of 28L, mostly along the right side of 28L. We saw the fuselage, largely intact, slide down the runway and out of view of our cockpit. We heard much confusion and quick instructions from SFO Tower and a few moments later heard an aircraft go around over the runway 28 complex. We realized within a few moments that we were apparently unharmed so I got on the PA and instructed everyone to remain seated and that we were safe.

We all acknowledged if we had been located between Runways 28R and 28L on taxiway F we would have likely suffered damage to the right side aft section of our aircraft from the 777.

Approximately two minutes later I was looking out the left side cockpit windows and noticed movement on the right side of Runway 28L. Two survivors were stumbling but moving abeam the Runway 28L marking on the North side of the runway. I saw one survivor stand up, walk a few feet, then appear to squat down. The other appeared to be a woman and was walking, then fell off to her side and remained on the ground until rescue personnel arrived. The Captain was on the radio and I told him to tell tower what I had seen, but I ended up taking the microphone instead of relaying through him. I told SFO tower that there appeared to be survivors on the right side of the runway and they needed to send assistance immediately. It seemed to take a very long time for vehicles and assistance to arrive for these victims. The survivors I saw were approximately 1000-1500' away from the fuselage and had apparently been ejected from the fuselage.

We made numerous PAs to the passengers telling them any information we had, which we acknowledged was going to change rapidly, and I left the cockpit to check on the flight attendants and the overall mood of the passengers, as I was the third pilot and not in a control seat. A couple of our flight attendants were shaken up but ALL were doing an outstanding and extremely professional job of handling the passenger's needs and providing calm comfort to them. One of the flight attendants contacted unaccompanied minors' parents to ensure them their children were safe and would be taken care of by our crew. Their demeanor and professionalism during this horrific event was noteworthy. I went to each cabin and spoke to the passengers asking if everyone was OK and if they needed any assistance, and gave them information personally, to include telling them what I saw from the cockpit. I also provided encouragement that we would be OK, we'd tell them everything we learn and to please relax and be patient and expect this is going to be a long wait. The passenger mood was concerned but generally calm. A few individuals were emotional as nearly every passenger on the left side of the aircraft saw the fuselage and debris field going over 100 knots past our aircraft only 300' away. By this point everyone had looked out the windows and could see the smoke plume from the 777. A number of passengers also noticed what I had seen with the survivors out near the end of 28L expressing concern that the rescue effort appeared slow for those individuals that had been separated from the airplane wreckage.

We ultimately had a tug come out and tow us back to the gate, doing a 3 point turn in the hold short area of 28L. We were towed to gate 101 where the passengers deplaned."

Interesting Perspective Of Asiana Flight #214 Crash Site At San Francisco International Airport

Associated Press Photo

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy Birthday, America. Give Me Liberty, Or Give Me Death. Or Both.

Where it all began: Pledging their lives, fortunes and sacred honor.

Where we are today: Totally Jacked Up Aircraft Photo at LAX.  And, we still have a responsibility to pledge all of our lives, fortunes and sacred honor.  LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC!

Photo courtesy of CaptainVector