Saturday, September 28, 2013

The Trials And Tribulations Of A Lear 24. N888FA Finally Finds A Home.


What was originally going to be titled, "The First Scramjet Powered Learjet," actually turned into a little bit of a story worth mentioning.

Born in 1972, she apparently overran the runway at BMC in 2005.  Subsequently, the engines were sold off, and the complete airframe, cockpit, and interior sat "For Sale" for some time (I recall it was $70,000 USD - Negotiable).

Aircraft was sold in 2012 to, of all parties, one of my Alma Mater's, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (SIUC).  Being SIUC has excellent Aviation Management, Flight, and Maintenance degree programs, N888FA has indeed found a good home.

What makes the story even more interesting, is that I was originally offered the airframe back in 2010.  However, though I still wished I had purchased it, I am certainly glad the plane ended up at SIUC.

Shot location: BMC  (Photos by Dave Birkley)

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Remember the Movie "Airport 1975?"

So do we, but in this case, this was how we cleaned the cockpit glass on Boeing 737's.

Shot location: ONT

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

09/11/2001 - We Will Never Forget The Fallen. We Will Never Surrender Our Freedom.

 Shot location: LAX (Photo by CaptainVector)

New York City World Trade Center, Twin Towers

The Pentagon, Washington D.C.

United Flight 93 National Memorial Site, Shanksville, Pennsylvania


Monday, September 9, 2013

C-17 Gear Up Landing: A Teachable Moment.

"You know the landing gear is up and locked when it takes full thrust just to taxi to the ramp."

Shot location: OAIX (Photo courtesy of the United States Army). 

Monday, September 2, 2013

It's Late Monday Night. Time To Take A Dump.

A fuel dump, that is, as an unidentified 747-8 was caught "Losing some weight."

Shot location: North of MWH (Photo by Joe "The G" Walker)