Taxiway Alpha

Golden Anniversary of LAX's 'Jet Age' Airport

2011-06-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the 'Jet Age' Airport at LAX. Dedicated by Vice President Lyndon Johnson on June 25, 1961 the new satellite terminals and central terminal complex were built in a contemporary style, incorporated the latest technology, and ushered in a new era of comfort and convenience for passengers traveling through LAX. To mark this historic occasion, two events were held at the airport. The public relations department held its second ever 'Sunday Spotter Brunch" on the observation deck of the Theme Building, where Singapore A380 models were raffled out and a commemorative coin marking the anniversary was handed out. The day before, the Flight Path Museum held a multimedia presentation where archival photographs and video showcased the airport over the last 50 years. With the museum's permission, I uploaded a small portion of that video to this blog. The full version can be seen at Flight Path, as well as additional information learned about the airport and the events depicted in the video.

Below, a salute to the Golden Anniversary of LAX's 'Jet Age' Airport!

¡Olé!

2011-03-29T12:44:00.000-07:00

On March 28, after a 14 year absence, Iberia Airlines of Spain resumed service to LAX. Utilizing Airbus A340-300 aircraft, the airline provides direct nonstop service from Madrid to Los Angeles on Monday's, Wednesday's and Saturday's. An additional flight on Friday's will be offered between July and September. These flights are the only direct nonstops between the US West Coast and the Iberian Peninsula.

Nearly 70,000 passengers are projected to board the new flights, which are hoped to generate in excess of $300 million in economic output for Los Angeles. For spotters and photographers alike, it's just one more airline to enjoy over the skies of LA. I myself had never seen an Iberia airplane before the 28th, and look forward to many years of making up for that!

Below are a few pictures of Iberia's return to LAX. I wish the airline, and the new flights, much success!

Beginning of the End

2010-12-27T20:25:00.001-08:00

Another year is fast coming to an end for LAX, and we eagerly await what 2011 has in store for us. For Air New Zealand, 2011 marks the beginning of the end for its Boeing 747-400 fleet. After 20 years of continuous service flying its most important long haul routes, the -400 fleet will soon be replaced with brand new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The first of these 77W's was delivered to ANZ just last week, and will go into service in two weeks time. Within the next two years, 4 additional aircraft will replace the 747's on a one-by-one basis. With this, Air New Zealand joins the growing list of airlines replacing 747-400's with more modern and more fuel efficient 77W's.

We in Los Angeles see two ANZ 747's daily, and while we're excited to soon be receiving the new 77W aircraft on the Auckland-Los Angeles-London route, we're also a bit sad to see the 747's slowly go. The 747 is a beautiful aircraft, and the Air New Zealand livery gives it a classy look. With New Years just around the corner, and this my last post of 2010, I wanted to offer the first of many farewells to the ANZ 747 fleet. The aircraft have been a wonderful sight to see at LAX for spotters and photographers alike, and will come to be sorely missed. There's no word yet on what will become of the aircraft after their retirement by the airline, but they'll hopefully find a home and additional use elsewhere.

Below, one smart looking Air New Zealand 747-400 to close out the year. Happy New Year to everyone!

Grounded

2010-11-10T18:34:00.001-08:00

If you've been following the aviation world lately, you've undoubtedly heard about an engine failure that recently occurred on a Qantas Airways A380 flight from Singapore to Sydney. The extent of damage caused by the failure to the engine and airframe required an emergency landing in Singapore, and led Qantas to temporarily ground their A380 fleet. As of this post the fleet remains grounded at three locations around the world, as the airline and engine manufacturer continue engine safety inspections, and try to get a better understanding of the exact cause of the failure.

We at LAX have had a front row seat to the proceedings. Because of the immediacy of the grounding, Qantas currently has three A380's at LAX in various stages of inspection and repair work. Additional engineers have been flown in from Australia to help accelerate the work the aircraft are currently undergoing, while Qantas works hard to maintain daily service to its four destinations offered from LAX, two of them being served nearly exclusively by the A380's. The inspections here and elsewhere have uncovered minor issues with a few of the Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines that power the Airbus, and out of an abundance of caution, the airline is forwarding replacement engines where needed. This includes LAX, where two of the three A380's will undergo an engine replacement.

It looks to be a few more days before the entire fleet is cleared to resume flights. I wish the airline and its staff my best in sorting out all of the work that still lies ahead. Qantas A380's are a magnificent sight to see in the air, and I for one can't wait to see this particular episode behind everyone involved.

Return To Glory

2010-11-01T20:24:00.001-07:00

After 3 years and more than $12 million dollars, the renovation and seismic retrofit of LAX's icon Theme Building has finally been completed. I had mentioned in a previous blog post how structural problems with the building necessitated the closure of the Encounter Restaurant, the building's primary tenant, and the erection of scaffolding around the exterior of the structure. That has since all come to pass, and since this summer the Theme Building is once again visible to locals and visitors alike in all her glory.

The necessary repair work included the replacement of structural steel in the building's spider-like arches, the installation of a mass tuned damper in the structure's central core, and the replacement of stucco on its exterior facade. The building, while externally looking identical to the building that existed before the repair work, is now a much safer and secure structure.

For spotters and photographers alike, the completion of repairs also included much welcome news. The building's observation deck, which since 9/11 had been closed to the public, was finally reopened after nearly 9 years. The deck, which sits on top of Encounter, is free for the public to visit from 8am till 5pm on Saturday's and Sunday's, and provides a fantastic 360' view of the airport.

If transiting through the airport with time to spare, why not stop by the Encounter for a quick drink or meal, and if visiting on the weekends, pay a visit to the obseravation deck. The building is a wonderful place to kill some time at the airport, and offers a view unlike any other of LAX.

Heavenly Body

2010-10-13T21:02:00.001-07:00

Last week, LAX saw a familiar visitor fly in. N8195H, better known as "Heavenly Body" flew into the airport to participate in Flight Path's annual fundraising gala. This particular B-25 Mitchell bomber had visited LAX before, last appearing on our tarmacs and runways in October of 2006, also for a fundraiser. Today, N8195H looks as good as new and is maintained in excellent flying condition by a group of dedicated volunteers, who use the aircraft to further education on the historic B-25 Mitchell to communities it visits around the US as part of its air show circuit participation.

This particular B-25 was produced near the end of World War II, and did not see combat abroad. After its withdrawl from the military's inventory, it went through several ownership changes before coming to call Southern California home. Its current owner purchased the aircraft in 1972, and undertook an extensive restoration on the aircraft from its current home at Van Nuys Airport. When not participating in an air show away from Van Nuys, the aircraft is available for tour as part of its local outreach program. Additional information on Heavenly Body can be found here.

Below, a few pictures of one magnificent B-25J on the ground at LAX.

The DC-2

2010-10-08T13:09:00.000-07:00

We've been very fortunate over the last few years to have seen a large variety of aircraft come and go through LAX, but none have been as classic or as rare as a Douglas DC-2. That changed recently when one of only two examples of the type still in flying condition, visited LAX to serve as a static display during a recent fund raising gala held by the Flight Path Learning Center Museum. The DC-2 was the first mass-produced all-metal commercial aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Corporation at the request of Transcontinental and Western Air, better known later as TWA, to offer that airline a more competitive product against United Airlines and its then fleet of Boeing 247's. The DC-2 seated 14 people and had a range of about 1000 miles, and laid the groundwork for the development of its legendary successor, the Douglas DC-3.

Only 156 DC-2's were ever built and, when looking back at the history of commercial aircraft, it sometimes tends to be overlooked for its more successful younger sibling. It didn't carry as many people or fly as far as later Douglas models, but the DC-2 helped to show the airlines and the traveling public that air travel could be both comfortable and reliable, and helped push Douglas to the forefront of aircraft design. Whereas previous Douglas aircraft had been built to satisfy military or air mail service requirements, the DC-2 firmly steered Douglas in the direction of building airplanes meant to primarily carry passengers, a change which lead to it becoming a giant in the aerospace industry for decades to come.

This DC-2, today registered as NC1934D, was originally delivered to Pan American World Airways in March 1935. When the airplane's restoration efforts got underway, the decision was made to restore the aircraft both internally and externally to the classic TWA red and gray scheme of "The Lindbergh Line," TWA being the initial customer for the airplane. Without that initially order, the DC-2 and subsequent DC aircraft might never have been.

Below, one magnificently restored TWA DC-2.

100th Anniversary

2010-10-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

2010 marks the 100th anniversary of the 1910 Los Angeles International Air Meet, which was held at Dominguez Field just down the road from the present LAX. The meet was the first of its kind in the United States, and set many foundations for the development of the giant aerospace industry that subsequently grew in our region. The Flight Path Learning Center Museum choose to celebrate this historic event and the 100 years of aviation in Southern California since, during its annual fund raising Gala at LAX this year. As part of the evening's program, the museum produced a short 15 minute video from the airport's media archives celebrating aviation. With their permission, I was able to upload a portion of that video to this blog. The full version can be seen at the museum, as well as additional information learned about the aviation personalities, the aerospace manufactures and their aircraft, and the airlines depicted in the tribute video.

Below, a salute to 100 years of aviation in Southern California!

Russian Surprise

2010-09-28T12:22:00.001-07:00

Aircraft movements at LAX are primarily dominated by Airbus and Boeing jets. Occasionally though we're treated to rare sights, and one such occasion occurred a few months ago when a Russian-built Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft visited LAX for the first time in over a decade, stopping en-route to a Southeast Asia destination. While the aircraft is categorized as a medium-range transporter, it cannot operate transpacific flights safely without fuel stops along the way. LAX just happened to be the first of three for this aircraft, on this particular assignment.

LAX is not a total stranger to Russian-built aircraft. Every year, we see a number of Antonov AN-124's transporting oversized cargo in and out of this airport. I've posted about one such visit before. IL-76's are another matter however. The last recorded visit that I could find online occurred in 1995. This aircraft, while there have been nearly 1000 produced in over 36 years of availability, just doesn't visit our airport. For those lucky enough to be around LAX that day, myself included, seeing the IL-76 was a truly amazing experience.

The bulk of the IL-76 fleet built over the years does not have engines efficient enough to meet current and future regulatory noise and emissions requirements in the United States, and as such are not cleared to fly inside US airspace. The aircraft that visited LAX is one of only a handful of newer built aircraft incorporating new PS-90A-76 engines that do. While there is an effort underway to retrofit more aircraft with the newer engine, it's a modest one at the moment and it might be a while before we get to see an airplane like this at LAX again.

Below, a few "Candid" shots of one great looking IL-76.

Cathay Delight

2010-09-22T16:56:00.001-07:00

Cathay Pacific Airways is widely regarded as one of the best airlines in the world. They are currently ranked one of only six 5 Star Airlines by Skytrax, a UK based independent consultancy and research company. A 5 star ranking designates the airline as a trend setter in product and service standards, and from my personal experience, is a ranking much deserved. From its hub at Hong Kong International Airport, and in tandem with sister airline Dragonair, Cathay offers direct and connecting passenger services to 111 worldwide destinations. We in Los Angeles see them twice daily to Hong Kong, with certain days in the summer seeing an additional third flight, all with brand new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Recently, a select few were given an opportunity to experience first hand Cathay's excellent in-flight service offerings, as well as tour one of its new Boeing 777's at LAX. I was fortune enough to be invited along with them. Having recently flown one of their Boeing 747-400's to Europe, stepping aboard their aircraft brought back fantastic memories of a great flight. Their product offerings and service are top-notch, and consistent on their long-haul fleets, something you can't always say about other airlines. If your destination is served by Cathay Pacific Airways, and you have an opportunity to fly them in the future, I highly recommend them and can vouch for a delightful experience awaiting you onboard.

Below are pictures of Cathay's fantastic long-haul product offerings on their 777-300ER aircraft, as well as of the view from a business class seat on a recent Hong Kong to Amsterdam flight. First and Business Class passengers are invited to premium lounges before and after flights, and included below are pictures of Cathay's magnificent The Pier business class lounge in Hong Kong, a perk definitely not to be missed.

Wax on...

2010-08-03T13:12:00.001-07:00

How do you keep a multimillion dollar aircraft looking like new? If you're V Australia, the answer is... wax. Just like you would for a car, the airline regularly waxes its aircraft to maintain the luster of its fantastic livery, but also to offer the livery a layer of protection to the extreme heat, cold and UV rays that all airliners are subjected to on a typical flight cycle. Airline liveries are usually only fully reapplied during heavy maintenance checks, on average every 4 to 5 years. That leaves for a lot of wear and tear on its appearance, so V Australia takes a very proactive approaching in extending the livery's "face time."

All V Australia aircraft have a break of several hours at LAX in-between flights. The airline takes that opportunity do to minor maintenance work on the airplane, but also as shown below, to wax the livery when necessary. The process is nearly identical to that used for a car. A special wax is applied to the aircraft and given time to dry. Afterward, a small army of technicians rub the wax off. Special care is taken to cover and protect flight instrumentation during this work, as any wax on their surfaces could pose a safety of flight hazard.

Below, one beautiful V Australia airliner receiving a little tender loving care.

Golden Jubilee

2010-07-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

On January 3rd, 1936 Compañía Mexicana de Aviación became the first foreign airline to operate flights to Los Angeles. Since that day, the airline has become the largest airline in Mexico and operates the most flights by a foreign carrier at LAX. The airline offers direct service to seven Mexican destinations from Los Angeles, and hundreds of connecting opportunities to other global destinations, utilizing a fleet of 70 jet aircraft.

This month marks 50 years of continuous jet service to LAX by Mexicana. On July 4th, 1960 Mexicana operated a De Havilland DH-106 Comet 4C to Los Angeles from Mexico City. Today, the carrier operates multiple modern Airbus A320 series aircraft into LAX, and continues to excel in offering a high standard of service to its passengers, just recently earning the World Travel Award for 'Mexico and & Central America's Leading Airline' in 2009.

I sometimes forget about the impact that foreign carriers have played in the success of LAX. As a tribute to all that Mexicana has done for LAX, and to do my part in celebrating its recent milestone, below I offer a look back at just some of the jet aircraft Mexicana has flown to LAX over the years. Here's to another 60 years of MX jets to LAX...

Return of the Clipper

2010-07-22T19:12:00.001-07:00

For nearly 20 years, the Boeing 707 formed the backbone of the Pan American World Airways long haul fleet. The airline operated more than 140 of the various Boeing 707's models, fifty-nine of which were of the -321B series. One particular -321B aircraft was registered N892PA. Delivered to Pan Am in 1969, it was christened as Clipper Star King and carried passengers and crews around the world. In 1980, the aircraft was sold as part of Pan Am’s efforts to update and modernize its fleet. As of this post, very few ex-Pan Am 707's remain intact and even fewer still are found in active service, but we at LAX were treated to one such 707 a number of months ago when the aerial refueling tanker company Omega Air paid us a special visit.

It’s been a very long time since N892PA last touched down at LAX, and the occasion was an event held by the Flight Path Learning Center Museum celebrating the 50th anniversary of jet service from LAX. N892PA is now registered as N707AR, and for the last 14 years has served as one of two 707's in Omega Air's aerial refueling fleet. The aircraft served as a static display for the event, a celebration of jet service not complete without a 707 taking part. The fact that it previously served with such a historic airline was simply icing on the cake for everyone in attendance.

Tremendous thanks go out to the Omega Air team for their participation in the event. Their crew was extremely generous in answering questions about their work, as well as in allowing photography of their magnificent plane. When viewed from up-close, N707AR looks as good as new, a testament to the care Omega has taken of the plane.

Below, one magnificent ex-Pan American Clipper.

Oneworld Lounge - TBIT

2010-07-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

Oneworld is one of the three largest global airline alliances in the world. Comprised of 11 full member airlines and 19 affiliates, the alliance offers service to 819 airports in 142 countries. Out of its 11 full member airlines, 7 currently serve LAX and 6 fly out from the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). If you are a first or business class passenger flying out of LAX on British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, LAN, Mexicana or Qantas then you have access to the Oneworld Lounge at TBIT.

The lounge is a wonderful respite from the loudness and crowdedness of the TBIT gate areas. Broken up into two sections, one each for first and business class passengers respectively, the facility includes 9 showers, a bar, several lounge areas with plasma tv's, and an internet-cafe style area with PC's. Passengers are treated to complimentary drinks and a buffet, free wifi access throughout, and a large variety of magazines and newspapers. The first class lounge offers the same amenities as the business class one, but in a more personalize service.

If you're every flying in a premium class on a Oneworld airline that utilizes TBIT at LAX, don't forget to drop by the lounge. It's a nice place to spend some time before your flight, and a perk not to be missed. Below, a few pictures taken during a recent evening in the business class section of the lounge.

Salute To The Jet Age

2009-10-07T23:22:00.001-07:00

On January 25, 1959 American Airlines Flight# 2 inaugurated jet service from Los Angeles International Airport with a star-studded and VIP-filled transcontinental flight to New York's Idlewild Airport. 2009 marks 50 years since that first flight and the Flight Path Learning Center Museum chose to salute this event, as well as celebrate the Jet Age that's followed, during its annual fund raising gala in October of this year.

As part of that evenings program, the museum explored the media archives of the airport and produced a short 12 minute video saluting the Jet Age. With their permission, I was able to upload a portion of that video to this blog. The full version can be seen at the museum, as well as additional information learned about the airport, the airlines and the aircraft depicted in the tribute video.

American still operates Flight# 2 between Los Angeles and New York City. Long since gone are the smokey 707's that operated the route, but you can still catch a ride to New York's Idlewild (Er.. John F. Kennedy) Airport on a 3-class Boeing 767-200 jet.

Below, a salute to the Jet Age!

The Last Of The Trijets

2009-08-04T13:16:00.000-07:00

In 1990, the McDonnell Douglas company began delivering to commercial airline customers the MD-11. Building on the successes of the DC-10, McDonnell Douglas had hoped to capture the lions share of medium-size widebody fleet replacements then occurring by introducing a technologically improved stretch of the “-10” , before Boeing or Airbus could introduce competing products. Unfortunately, the MD-11 has turned out to be the last new commercial widebody trijet airplane flown by airlines. Launched with much fanfare in 1986, the MD-11 fell short of delivering on promised range and operating economics when initially introduced. Although McDonnell Douglas did eventually incorporate improvements that recovered the aircraft's range, the damage had been done to the program and it never sold as originally projected.

Only 200 MD-11's were ever produced as airlines instead chose more efficient and readily available Boeing 777 and Airbus A340 models. While not considered a success from its sales figures, the MD-11 continues to fly around the world and has found new life as a cargo carrier. A very popular aircraft with cargo haulers, we'll luckily be able to see beautiful MD-11's grace the skies over Los Angeles for many years to come.

This past week, we at LAX were treated to three rare sights. Not only did the Spanish football powerhouse FC Barcelona fly a chartered aircraft into LAX, they flew on one of the very last MD-11's still configured for passenger use by Finnair. I believe this trip marked the first time FC Barcelona had ever played in Los Angeles. Finnair hasn't flown into LAX for many years, and passenger MD-11's are an extremely rare sight. Seeing all three at once was an amazing experience.

Below, a few pictures of one magnificent looking McDonnell Douglas (Er...Boeing) MD-11.

Volaris

2009-07-27T18:38:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday June 30th, the airline Volaris held a celebratory news conference in Los Angeles welcoming its first inaugural flight into LAX. Volaris is primarily a Mexican domestic carrier. The June 30th flight was the first time the airline had flown to an international destination. With Los Angeles' large Mexican-American community, LAX was an easy first choice. Utilizing a fleet of Airbus A319's and A320's, the airline is a low-cost carrier in the tradition of Southwest Airlines, and will attempt to be the first successful Mexican airline to offer budget fares across the US-Mexico border.

Despite the difficult economic times currently affecting the airline industry, Volaris is expanding aggressively. As of this post, the airline now offers daily flights from Los Angeles to Toluca and Guadalajara, Mexico and has added Oakland to its US destination list. While eyeing additional cities in the US for expansion, the airline is also working on having a code share agreement with Southwest Airlines up and running sometime next year. One thing that makes Volaris stand out from all of its competitors, is the Volaris On-Time Guarantee:

"If your flight arrives 30 minutes later than the published scheduled time of arrival or your documented baggage does not arrive on the same flight, we will provide you with an electronic credit valid for the amount you paid for that single trip, including taxes, fees and surcharges..."
Outstanding.

For the inaugural festivities, the airline flew one of its Airbus A319's to LAX adorned with special stickers showcasing the city of LA, carrying airline support staff, media and a few celebrities. It's always exciting welcoming a new entrant into the Los Angeles market, and I wish the airline much success!

Below, a few pictures from the inaugural event:

The Ultimate Private Jet

2009-05-28T21:42:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles International Airport is a lucky place. This airport has seen every President since Harry S. Truman fly-in via its towers and tarmacs to functions and events throughout Southern California. From Truman's VC-118 Liftmaster transport plane to today's specially configured VC-25's, we have also seen every aircraft specifically acquired for presidential transport pass through. Those traditions were continued this week when President Barack Obama, and one of two "Flying White House's" known famously by the call sign Air Force One, flew into LAX.

Coordination of a presidential visit is a fascinating thing to behold. Because of the power and importance the President holds, nothing with regards to his comfort or safety is left to chance. A virtual ballet unfolds behind the scenes and before your eyes as different entities and agencies work together to make his transit through an airport seem effortless. In reality, it is the result of dozens of hours worth of preparatory work and continuous monitoring.

The President landed at LAX, transited through the airport grounds, and commuted by other means to meetings and a banquet held at an off-airport location, all of it within minutes and like clockwork. Before all of that occurred however, those of us who were lucky enough to be at the airport got to see a fantastic symbol of the American presidency touch town on LA soil. VC-25's and the President are not all too frequent visitors to LAX, but they are certainly very welcome ones.

Vista Del Mar

2009-05-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

Location: 12001 Vista Del Mar,
Los Angeles, CA 90293
Useful Radio Frequencies:
ATIS - 133.8
Clearance Delivery - 121.4 , 327.0

LAX Tower North - 133.9 , 239.3
Ground Control North - 121.65 , 327.0

LAX Tower South - 120.95 , 379.1
Ground Control South - 121.75 . 327.0
For plane photography at LAX, Vista Del Mar is one of the least utilized spotting locations around the airport. It's the most beautiful spot to work from, but also the most frustrating. The section of it that runs perpendicular to LAX has an unobstructed beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean, and not much else. There's no place to eat, hardly a place to sit down, and to make matters worse you can't even see the aircraft you're about to try photographing until they're just about to go over your head. If you come to Vista Del Mar, come with a purpose or come with a lot of patience. Bring both and you'll be richly rewarded.

Below is one view from Vista Del Mar. Please double-click for a close-up and enlarged look.

Vista Del Mar is strictly departure territory. There is no arrival photography here unless wind conditions dictate a reverse pattern, something that happens very rarely. When photographing departures here, unlike Imperial Hill, you don't really need a large lens focal length to begin with. Unless you're trying to photograph commuter aircraft, or aircraft from the rear, 100mm to 200mm will usually do. Depending on the type of shot you're trying to get, you can simple move closer to the departure pattern or farther away as need be. When parked on the western side of Vista Del Mar, do pay attention to where you're walking as the "sidewalk" is narrow and rocky and potentially dangerous if you should lose your balance. Below are examples of what you can expect to see thru your lens, pre-edit. These pictures were only scaled down to "0" quality in Photoshop for faster download speed, and have otherwise not been touched. They're only examples of the image size and relatively closeness you can expect to work with at each focal length, taken from a randomly chosen stationary position on the beach. Your results may vary. They were taken on a full frame body, using a Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM lens.

100mm

200mm

300mm

Post-editing with a little skill and luck, these popular shots provide examples of just what can be achieved from here.

Vista Del Mar's greatest attribute is that, unlike most other spotting locations at LAX, you can photograph from here year round. You can photograph departures from both runway complexes with very little effort. If you don't like the aircraft you're getting on the northern runways, not a problem. Just walk a little to the south and you've got the southern runways to work with, and vice versa. If you're in town to capture registrations and have strong binoculars, take a position along Dockweiler State Beach (the beach that runs parallel to Vista Del Mar) either in your car or along the beach in between the two patterns of departing aircraft, and you should be able to catch all aircraft whether prop or jet leaving LAX. You'll need strong binoculars though. The separation between runways 24L and 25R, the standard departure runways, is approximately 3/4 of a mile long. For this location, if you have access to a radio scanner, it is HIGHLY recommended that you bring it here. Because of the terrain just to the east of the street, you cannot see the aircraft about to depart in front of you. A scanner tuned to the tower frequencies is a tremendous help. If you're not paying attention, and you're aiming for a head-on or underbelly shot, you can very well miss it here. Bring a scanner if you have it, or print out some departure information before you come so you know ahead of time what to expect.

Single-aisle domestic flights account for the bulk of LAX traffic, but we do see a fairly large amount of wide-body international movements here. As noted before, Vista Del Mar is usually only good for photographing departing aircraft. Flights get delayed or canceled, planes are substituted for, and on some days certain flights are not flown at all, but below I've aimed at providing part-guide/part-example of just what kind of activity one can hope to photograph when visiting Vista Del Mar during DAYLIGHT hours. To keep the list down, I've only listed TWIN-isle INTERNATIONAL flights. The list was composed through publicly available airline flight information.

***(Updated July 23, 2010)***
DEPARTURES:
Qantas 09:00AM New York-JFK (A332)
Avianca 11:30AM Bogota (762)
Korean Air 11:40AM Tokyo-Narita (772)
Air Canada 12:25PM Toronto (763)
Korean Air 12:30PM Seoul-Incheon (77W)
Air Tahiti Nui 12:30PM Paris-CDG (A343)
Delta Air Lines 12:40PM Tokyo (A332)
American Airlines 12:45PM Tokyo-Narita (772)
United Airlines 12:45PM London-Heathrow (772)
ANA 12:55PM Tokyo-Narita (77W)
Air Tahiti Nui 01:00PM Papeete (A343)
United Airlines 01:10PM Tokyo-Narita (744)
LAN 01:20PM Lima (763)
Japan Airlines 01:20PM Tokyo-Narita (77W)
China Eastern Airlines 01:30PM Shanghai (A346)
Asiana Airlines 01:40PM Seoul (744)
Cathay Pacific 01:40PM Hong Kong (77W)
El Al 01:45PM Tel Aviv (772)
Singapore Airlines 02:45PM Tokyo-Narita (744)
Lufthansa 02:50PM Frankfurt (744)
Alitalia 03:25PM Rome (772)
Air France 03:30PM Paris-CDG (77W)
China Airlines 03:55PM Taipei (744)
British Airways 04:00PM London-Heathrow (744)
Air Tahiti Nui 04:10PM Papeete (A343)
KLM 04:30PM Amsterdam (74M / 744)
Air New Zealand 04:30PM London-Heathrow (744)
Emirates 04:45PM Dubai (77L)
British Airways 05:35PM London-Heathrow (744)
Virgin Atlantic 05:35PM London-Heathrow (A346)
EVA Air 05:40PM Taipei (77W)
Air Berlin 05:45PM Düsseldorf (A332)
Air France 06:45PM Paris-CDG (772)
Korean Air 06:50PM Sao Paulo (772)
Lufthansa 07:00PM Frankfurt (A346)
Swiss 07:25PM Zurich (A343)
Aeroflot 07:35PM Moscow (A332)
American Airlines 07:55PM London-Heathrow (772)

All runways at LAX see mixed takeoff and departure use. Airborne traffic levels rather than gate location determine which runways will be used by each aircraft. It is not uncommon to see a particular flight number cycle through the multiple runways at LAX for takeoff operations over a span of several days. It is therefore not possible to provide a more accurate listing of what will depart from each runway complex.

I consider Vista Del Mar a sort of "secondary" spotting location at LAX. If its your first time vising the area, this is a location that should be done in conjunction with another, Imperial Hill for example which is just up Imperial Highway, and not by itself. If you're short on time, and want to capture as many aircraft as you can, you'll probably do better focusing on arrivals rather than departures, especially if you're after international airlines. Not all arriving international flights depart during daylight hours, Qantas Airways being one example. All of its flights depart close to midnight. Because of this disparity in flight activities, this is a place you come to with a purpose or a lot of patience. For a first introduction to airplane spotting and photography at LAX, you'll have a much more productive and enjoyable time using one of the other top 4 locations listed on my spotting guide. Try this location if you have a few days to play with, and/or you want a different experience. With that said, I'm not going to provide a hotel recommendation to this location as I don't think it warrants it alone.

Running parallel to Dockweiler State Beach, Vista Del Mar offers a beautiful 180' unobstructed view of the Pacific Ocean as far as the eye can see. On clear days you can make out Malibu to the north, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula to the south, with all the coastal landmarks like the Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach piers along the way. It's a great location to go for a jog or a bike ride, or to see a sunset. Getting down to the beach is easy to do. Spaced approximately half a mile apart, there are dual paved walkways that provide easy access to it. DO NOT climb or jump down the rocky embankments. No shot is worth risking personal injury.

As noted before, there is not much else on the street aside from the beach. If you're looking for somewhere to grab a bite to eat, you won't find one here. Bring something with you, or you'll have to head off site. Options include the Subway and 7-Eleven located a few minutes' drive to the east on Imperial Highway, the In-N-Out burger on Sepulveda Blvd, or countless other restaurants in the surrounding area. You'll need to do a little bit of research, or ask one of the locals, if you have a particular craving. For those needing access to quick cash, the 7-Eleven has a Citibank automated teller machine just to the left of the entrance, or a quick drive to Sepulveda Boulevard will yield branches for all the major US banks including Bank of America, Citibank, Wachovia, Chase and Wells Fargo amongst others.

Going to the restrooms can be a tricky problem here. The beach does have restroom facilities located approximately half a mile apart from each other that are easy to find and free to use. During the day, the beach is constantly patrolled by police and life guard personnel, and the restrooms are safe places to go if you need. However, I STRONGLY urge you to use caution if you need to use these facilities in the late evening, or at night. Because of the location, illegal criminal activities have been known to occur here very late in the day. If it's late and you need to go, exercise caution. If you can hold it in, I recommend you go somewhere else. Alternatives include the Embassy Suites, the Flight Path Learning Center Museum or the In-N-Out Burger just to the east of the hill. The restrooms are just to the east of the check-in counters, just to the right of the entrance and just to the east of the cashiers respectively. Public restrooms are not available at Subway or 7-Eleven. It's possible one of the other restaurants in the area will have restrooms readily available, but most places encourage a purchase before use.

Getting to Vista Del Mar is easiest with a car. It is possible to walk to it using Imperial Highway or Westchester Parkway from the hotels that line Century Boulevard, which both run east to west along the perimeter of the airport, but that walk is going to take you almost 45 minutes to complete. A car is strongly recommended. This location is easiest and best to use during the weekdays. Avoid the weekends if possible, as finding parking along the street can be next to impossible with the large amounts of people that head to the beach. There is parking down on the beach, but it carries a fee and is not really necessary during the weekdays. Just find a spot along the street from where you'd like to photograph from, or park somewhere and walk to where you'd like to be. Once again, exercise caution when walking on the narrow western side of the street. During the weekdays, the somewhat remoteness of the location assures you a small amount of traffic to deal with and a pristine enjoyment of the environment. Be sure to park close to the shoulder however as this particular long stretch of street does see large amounts of speeding motorist, and you don't want any accidental damage to your car. Always use EXTREME CAUTION if crossing the street from one side to the other. There is no limit to how long you can park along the street during the day, just be sure to pay attention to the street signs as not all stretches are marked for parking.

I personally do not recommend going into the water at Dockweiler State Beach. Just to the south of Imperial Highway lies the Hyperion Sewage Disposal Plant, and a Chevron Oil Refinery. Just to the north lies the Westchester Storm Drain. While the water won't make you sick, it's just not the cleanest you can find in LA. If you're looking for some fun in the sun, most other beaches along the coast will do.

One last note to the locals, if you have small children and would like a nice park to take them to, Vista Del Mar has just the answer. On the eastern side of the street lies a small park that sits just underneath the departure pattern for runway 24L. While the location is a bit awkward to do photography from (you're too far from the south runways and right underneath the north's), its got benches and tables and offers a nice view of the sea. All in all, it's a nice place for both kids and parents to go.

Airside at LAX

2009-04-23T09:11:00.001-07:00

Figuratively speaking, LAX is its own city within Los Angeles. It's a massive place that occupies an area more than 5 square miles, and is approximately the size of the city of Lawndale, CA. The vast majority of the airport is never seen by the general public. Passenger terminal facilities actually make up a very small percentage of the total airport area. What makes up the rest of this area is the focus of this post.

Recently I was offered an opportunity to ride along on an airside tour of the airport, and it was a fascinating experience worth trying to share. You don't really appreciate the scale of the airport until you've driven on the many service roads, seen the multiple cargo ramps, the taxiways, the many maintenance areas, the remote parking stands and much more. There is just too much that can be discussed on one post about what makes up the airport beyond the terminal facilities, so what I've opted to do instead is to try and share a few views from multiple areas around the airfield. Unfortunately this airfield tour is not open to the general public, and I was only included in it because of the tremendous generosity of a few outstanding people.

Shown below is a map of the airport with a few pictures taken on the airside tour. Each picture has been numbered to correspond with a specific area on the map where it was taken. Shown in order is: (1) the view from the eastern end of taxiway Bravo, (2) the United Airlines maintenance area, (3) Terminal 8, (4) the eastern side of Terminal 4, (5) the view from the western end of taxiway Delta, (6) the view from the northern end of taxiway Sierra, (7) an aircraft stand at the QANTAS Airways maintenance area, (8) the remote parking stands used for the Bradley Terminal, (9) the western end of taxiway Bravo, (10) an eastern view of taxiway Charlie just past the Charlie-13 intersection, (11) the Atlantic Aviation ramp, (12) two FedEx parking stands at their cargo facility, (13) a view of the Imperial Cargo Complex and last but not least (14) a view of the runway 25L threshold.

I hope that all made sense. Thanks for looking!

The Way It Once Was

2009-04-15T20:34:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to see LAX as you've never seen it before, or would just like a stroll down memory lane, then I highly recommend Los Angeles International Airport (Images of Aviation) by William A. Schoneberger, Lee Nichols and Ethel Pattison. The book is a fantastic collection of pictures chronicling the development of LAX from a simple bean and barley field, into the largest origin & destination airport in the world. This book is the real deal. The images were pulled directly from Los Angeles World Airport's extensive photo archive, and cover the entire 80 years of flight history that LAX just recently celebrated. The book is chaptered by major aviation era's, and each picture is annotated with insightful fun facts.

I've never been one to plug any products on this blog, but I'd like to make this book my one and only exception. It is simply fantastic. If you love aviation history and LAX as much as I do, or even if you just have a general interest in aviation, then I highly recommend you check this book out. It should be available for purchase at all the major book sellers, or even more fun, it can also be purchased while paying a visit to the Flight Path Learning Center Museum where you just might run into the actual authors!

Below, a few images from the rich collection to be found inside this awesome book showing LAX the way it once was. All images are copyright of Los Angeles World Airports.

Breakdown

2009-04-06T17:48:00.000-07:00

Ask any mechanic and they'll all agree; the number 2 engine on a widebody trijet can be a nightmare to service. While the engine is identical to the other two hanging off the wings, because of its location, you spend a great deal of time and energy first trying to reach the darn thing. Throw in some bad weather and a stubborn mechanical problem, and you've got a bad day ahead of you. Usually the only way to reach the engine is through the use of a boom lift or scaffolding if you happen to be inside a hanger, but as I was able to witness recently, there is also a third way to service the engine.

Located on the underside of the fuselage, near the Auxiluary Power Unit, is a small access panel than opens down to reveal a small ladder. You can pull the latter down and actually climb up a very narrow passageway that takes you to the top of the fuselage. Its not a very large passageway, only one person can climb through it at a time, but once at the top of it a mechanic can open four additional panels, stand on a small platform just underneath the engine and actually be able to reach up and service the engine. The engine is large, and you've got components all around it. If your problem lies on the upper areas of the engine, you'll still need the boom lift. If one isn't readily available though, and you need a quick way to reach the engine, this hidden passageway provides just the answer you've been looking for.

I'm not a mechanic and know very little about servicing engines, but this was something I had never seen or heard about before. The problem this particular MD-11 had required that a part be flown in on a sister ship, and as you can see below, also required all the cowlings be opened and the engine fully exposed. While servicing the number 2 engine through this particular manner may be old news to veteran mechanics, it's one of the most impressive things I've ever seen in person and something I thought might be interesting to share online.

Below, a few more pics.

Game On

2009-03-31T21:39:00.000-07:00

February 27th was an exciting day for LAX spotters. V Australia Airlines, a new long haul international airline owned by the parent company of Virgin Blue, started service with flights to Los Angeles from Sydney, Australia using brand new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Pending government approval, Delta Air Lines will also begin offering flights to Sydney from LAX this summer. Arguably the most lucrative route for Qantas Airways, LAX-Sydney just got a bit more competitive.

Since the start of service, V Australia has also announced flights from Brisbane to LA starting April 6th and from Melbourne starting September 15th, attacking Qantas' dominance on the Oz-US market head on. Qantas promptly struck back by starting a fare war. For those of us on the outside looking in, this is going to get very interesting to watch. It's exciting to see more choices for those wishing to visit the Land Down Under, but also for the opportunity to see shiny new aircraft over the skies of LA just begging to be photographed! With all the difficulties the aviation industry is currently facing in these harsh economic times, it's nice to see some energetic new faces giving it a go.

I was able to attend a media preview event at LAX shortly before the start of revenue service for V Australia, but due to a boneheaded accident I lost most of the photography I took at that event. A few pictures did survive however, and I've attached them below for your viewing pleasure. The Boeing 777-300ER is a beautiful plane, and the V Australia livery fits her well. I wish everyone involved much success!

**UPDATE**
Since this was posted, Delta Air Lines has indeed started service to Sydney from Los Angeles using Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.

Flying Cacti

2008-12-10T09:27:00.000-08:00

If you've been to an airport lately and have listened to air traffic control communications, you've undoubtedly noticed that the call sign "US Air" is no longer heard. Starting September 1st, almost a year after both companies began solely operating under the "new" US Airways operating certificate, that of the "old" US Airways and its America West Airlines takeover partner, all flights have now started to use the old AWA "cactus" call sign. This was a hotbed issue. Despite the fact that the companies have been merging for years and now operate as one, to this day there still remain labor issues regarding the integration of both work forces. Something as trivial as a call sign saw lawsuits filed by both pilot groups. In the end, the "cactus" call sign won out.

Its been 3 months now, but seeing a US Airways liveried plane announce and respond to the "cactus" call sign is still a fun but unusual sight to see. The vast majority of the American West Airlines fleet has by this time now been repainted to the "new" US Airways livery. The AWA logo however still flies on. If you're ever near a US Airways plane, and see that its registration ends in "AW", take a very close look at the nose landing gear doors. Colored in orange, towards the rear of the doors, you might just notice something familiar.

Below, a "cactus" 757 that recently operated a charter flight out of LAX.

La orana ite matahiti api Air Tahiti Nui!

2008-11-25T17:56:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Air Tahiti Nui! On November 10th, Air Tahiti Nui threw a special celebration at LAX to commemorate a successful 10 years of scheduled passenger service. It was a great coming together for the airline's staff, travel agents, and VIP clients to gather, mingle and reminisce about the incredible journey the airline has taken to profitability and success. Few could have imagined back in 1996, when the airline was founded, that an airline based in a beautiful but extremely remote destination like Papeete, Tahiti could survive much less thrive in today's commercial aviation environment. But Air Tahiti Nui has done just that. With a current fleet of 5 Airbus A340-300 aircraft, today the airline serves 4 destinations throughout the Pacific Rim plus 1 in Europe, and countless more through codeshare partners.

The flagship of the Air Tahiti Nui fleet, the Airbus A340, offers three classes of service, Poerava First, Poerava Business and Moana Class (Coach) with 6, 24 and 264 seats respectively. The premium classes are configured in a 2-2-2 seating arrangement, with coach being 2-4-2. All passengers have access to seatback video screens for in-flight entertainment which includes movies, music and gaming. Artwork by the celebrated French painter, and once Tahitian resident, Paul Gauguin adds to the interior decor of the aircraft. In addition to beautiful planes, Air Tahiti Nui has consistently been recognized for its suburb in-flight service. There is just no better way to fly to paradise.

Luckily for us in Los Angeles, we get to see the beautiful aircraft of Air Tahiti Nui multiple times on a daily basis. Below is a close-up look at their aircraft "Bora Bora", registry F-OJTN, which took part in the celebratory festivities.

LAX Reimagined

2008-11-17T21:50:00.001-08:00

For the third time in the last decade, concept drawings and models were unveiled concerning the future of LAX. Since the opening of the Tom Bradley International Terminal in 1984, just in time for the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, LAX has not undergone substantial remodeling. An airport designed to handle 40 million passengers a year, served 68 million at its peak in 2000. The Bradley terminal today presents a wonderful microcosm of the problems facing the rest of the airport. The terminal is served by 34 airlines, and handles approximately 10 million passengers a year. At 24 years old, "TBIT" is no longer big enough nor modern enough to handle the ever growing volumes of passenger traffic passing through its jetways. It is literally bursting at the seams, having necessitated the building of remote gates at the far west of the airport to help handle part of its overflowing passenger traffic. Those gates however are not the solution. Like other measures taken throughout the airport, they present a temporary solution to an ever growing permanent problem. Many ideas have been presented over the years about how best to bring LAX up to international standards, so called "Master Plans". None of them have ever fully taken root. What was offered today presents renewed hope that something may finally be done.

The main focal point in the re-imagining of LAX presented today concerns the Bradley terminal. Under todays plan, TBIT would increase by 1 million square feet of space. The number of A380-ready gates would increase from 2 to 6. Taxiway and ramp improvements would lay the groundwork for a future midfield satellite concourse, a new international passenger processing facility where parking structures currently exist, a skybridge which would expedite and ease passenger movement throughout, and a rail system around the terminals which would connect to a previously proposed consolidated car rental facility and the Metro Green Line.

It's still too early to tell if any or all of the concept ideas presented today will pan out, but its exciting and comforting to know that there is renewed energy and determination to finally fix some of LAX's problems. In the meantime, the airport has finally started to undergoing extensive renovations to facelift some of its facilities. These are also only temporary fixes. Hopefully the interest and excitement shown in today's presentation will help push the much needed changes proposed.

**UPDATE**
Since this was posted, change has commenced. The airport has begun airfield construction improvements that lay the groundwork for the expansion and remodeling of TBIT. Terminal expansion as envisioned in this post has been green lighted, and actual construction is now tentatively scheduled for Spring 2010. More information will be posted in the days and months to come.

Jett Clipper Ella Redux

2008-11-12T08:36:00.001-08:00

As part of the inaugural Qantas A380 festivities at LAX on October 20th, a grand old lady paid the airport yet another visit. John Travolta's beautifully maintained Boeing 707-138B, his "Jett Clipper Ella", was flown into LAX to be a static counterpart to the new A380 on display. A fantastic joining of the past and future were on display for all of us lucky enough to be in attendance to enjoy.

Mr. Travolta actually flew in a day before the big event, and so his plane enjoyed a day with all the ramp attention to itself. Though I've previously written about and photographed this special plane, it's one you just can't pass up doing so over and over again.

Below is a graciously offered opportunity to get reacquainted with one grand old dame.

First Flight pt. 4

2008-10-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

Following from parts 1, 2, and 3 this 4th and final post on Qantas Airways' new Airbus A380 flagship looks at the last area not yet covered, their new International First Class. Whereas Singapore Airlines and Emirates Airline introduced new fully-enclosable suites on their inaugural A380 flights, Qantas moved in a slightly different direction. The First Class cabin is now also comprised of suites, but Qantas went with an expanded "cocoon" style arrangement that doesn't include doors. The design doesn't feel as private as the SQ and EK ones, but it also doesn't feel as claustrophobic.

The First Class suites feature a rather large massage armchair which converts into a 83.5" bed, a 17" PTV with touchscreen controller, and two storage drawers for your use. An ottoman allows you to dine with another guest in the same suite. Tasteful wood and leather accents, and redesigned cutlery and glassware all add to a more premium experience. First Class passengers are also provided a more exclusive designer amenity kit after boarding.

Below, the new First Class.

First Flight pt. 3

2008-10-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

Continuing from pt.'s 1 and 2, this post focuses on the new International Business class being offered by Qantas Airways on their Airbus A380 flagship. Qantas and Australian designer Marc Newson worked together to refine his previous "Skybed" seat design to offer a fully flat 180-degrees bed (instead of being angled 8-degrees downward as previously), a larger 12.1" (PTV) personal television display unit (up from 10.2"), and a greater sense of space and privacy through a 2-2-2 seat configuration (instead of 2-3-2 on the 747).

Everything about the previous Business Class experience was open to examination and perfection. From new cutlery and glassware, to new pillows and blankets, Qantas spared no expense. Business class passengers also have an onboard lounge to call their own, located on the starboard side of the upper deck. It features leather seating, a refreshment bar, and a large 23" LCD. It's a great place for people to mingle or work during the longhaul flights the A380 is slated to be scheduled on.

Below, a new level of International Business.

First Flight pt. 2

2008-10-26T20:50:00.001-07:00

Continuing from pt. 1, this post focuses on the new International Economy and International Premium Economy class sections of Qantas Airways' new Airbus A380. Of the 450 seats located throughout this new airplane, 332 comprise 3 International Economy sections located in the middle and rear of the lower passenger cabin, while 32 seats make up the airlines first International Premium Economy offering located at the rear of the upper deck. The odds are that as a fare-paying passenger, you'll be sitting in one of these sections.

Qantas hired Australian designer Marc Newson to design and perfect every aspect of the passenger experience. He designed the all-new Economy and Premium Economy seats manufactured by the German company Recaro, costing $10,000 each. Each passenger has a (PTV) personal television display unit with (AVOD) audio and video programs on demand, a footrest, and economy passengers have access to three self-service bars at their disposal, continually stocked throughout the flight. Premium Economy passengers are treated to a much larger seat, increased legroom, and priority servicing over standard Economy. All passengers are provided with an amenity kit after boarding.

Below, the new International Economy and International Premium Economy.

First Flight pt. 1

2008-10-25T21:28:00.000-07:00

After years of preparation, including practice runs, LAX finally welcomed its first regularly scheduled commercial Airbus A380 flight. On October 20th, Qantas Airways made history by operating flight 93, from Melbourne to Los Angeles, with 450 fare-paying passengers onboard. With this flight, Qantas became the 3rd A380 operator in the world, and LAX the second airport in the Americas to see scheduled A380 service.

Registered VH-OQA, Qantas' new flagship was christened "Nancy-Bird Walton" after the well known and respected Australian aviation pioneer. Its arrival in Los Angeles was met by celebrities including John Travolta, who also serves as the airline's global goodwill ambassador, Australian singer/actress Olivia Newton-John, and scores of Los Angeles public officials including Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Much was made about the economic impact a single A380 flight will have on Los Angeles, the benefit to the environment and passengers that will result from the technologies and amenities to be found on this new model of airplane, but as usual I will leave those discussions to other people. I was there for the plane, and the opportunity to witness a part of aviation and LAX history.

As with previous A380 posts, I've broken this experience into several parts. Pt.1 will be a photo overview of the exterior of this shiny new plane, while pt. 2 will focus on the new International Economy and International Premium Economy sections. Pt. 3 will look at the new International Business Class product, while pt. 4 will round-out the product offerings of this new Qantas flagship by providing an inside look at the new First Class Suites.

Below, one very impressive looking "Nancy-Bird Walton."

Pocket Rocket

2008-10-16T20:07:00.001-07:00

As you read these words, there are approximately 1,250 Boeing 737's currently in the air around the world. By some accounts, a 737 lands or takes off every 5 seconds. As of October 2008, more than 6,000 737's have been ordered by customers, more than the combined totals of all Boeing 707's, 717's, 727's, 747's and 757's ever produced.

Since the very first 737 rolled off the assembly line on January 17, 1967 newer flight control technology, more efficient engines and more varients for customer to choose from have been born. Older generation 737 "Classics", of which the 737-400 series airplane pictured below belongs to, are too costly to upgrade and retrofit with the newer technology and have instead found themselves largly confined to the scrap yards of the desert, or flying for third world operators overseas. N752MA pictured below however is one that has avoided this fate. Originally delivered to the South Korean airline Asiana Airlines in July of 1996, she was acquired by Miami Air in 2006 and has been flying for the company ever since. Now configured as a charter VIP aircraft, it recently flew into LAX with a college football team that was scheduled to play in the area.

For a variety of reason, the 737-400 series was not a great seller. Only 486 were ever produced as airlines moved toward newer technology Airbus A320, and "Next Generation" 737's. Large numbers still remain flying however. Below, I present one very pristine looking "Classic" machine.

The Little One

2008-10-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

It's hard to understand why anyone would call the Russian and Ukrainian built Antonov AN-124 "little", or Ruslan, that is until you compare it to its larger Antonov AN-225 sibling. On its own, the AN-124 is massive. Its cargo deck is nearly 6 and a half meters wide and, with its loading ramps fully extended, stretches more than 36 meters long. With a maximum lifting capability of 150 tons, its able to take more weight and fly it farther than the Lockheed C5-Galaxy, currently the largest American-produced strategic heavy airlifter. Unlike the C-5, and to the delight of LAX spotters, An-124's are available commercially for lease and purchase.

It's one of these commercial AN-124's that visited LAX on Sunday, October 5th. Operated by the Russian carrier Polet Airlines, an AN-124 was charted to deliver turbines to a company here in Southern California. AN-124's are infrequent visitors to LAX. We see them once to twice a year, and usually with little to no warning beforehand. They always draw a crowd no matter where they go, and did so again in Los Angeles.

The Ruslan was designed with special features that allow it to be operated in a near self-sufficient capacity, but I'll save that discussion for another visit. In the meantime, I present below a few close-up pictures of one giant "little" airplane.

Luxury Liner pt. 4

2008-10-03T07:40:00.000-07:00

Continuing from parts 1, 2 and 3, this final part of the photo-series takes a look at the last area not yet covered on Emirates Airline's new double decker Airbus A380; First Class. Emirates Airline was the first to offer a fully enclosed private suite for first class passengers in late 2003, when they introduced the ultra long range Airbus A340-500 into their fleet. For the A380, Emirates choose to stick with what works, offering a refined version of the popular and exclusive suite they previously introduced. Each suite has two electrically controlled sliding doors, a mini bar, a vanity table with mini lamp, and a plush leather seat that can be converted into a fully flat bed. Entertainment offerings are the same as in Business Class, with a touchscreen entertainment controller, similar in-seat massage functions, but a much larger personal television screen.

In addition to being served by an award winning staff, First Class passengers are now offered an added perk: the use of two exclusive on-board shower spa's, the very first time an airline has offered such facilities on a commercial jet. Passengers sign-up for 30min blocks of time for use of the planes spa's, 5 of those minutes dedicated specifically for shower use, which are stocked with exclusive luxury personal care items and separate amenity kits which passengers are free to keep.

As noted in a previous post, we in Los Angeles will not be able to see or fly on Emirates A380's from LAX for a few more years, but its exciting to see whats in store once we are. Below is a look at Emirates' First Class section.

Luxury Liner pt. 3

2008-08-06T21:00:00.001-07:00

Following parts 1 and 2, part 3 of this photo-series takes a brief look at the Business Class offering on Emirates Airline's new double decker Airbus A380, registry A6-EDA. Emirates has taken the opportunity with the introduction of A380 services to offer a new and improved Business Class offering. In addition to now offering a seat configurable into a truly flat 79" bed, each seat has expanded entertainment selections through Emirates' ICE AVOD system, an in-seat massage function, a touch-screen wireless seat controller, and a redesigned and repositioned minibar.

Business class now also offers the largest onboard lounge I have ever seen, an awesome space to relax, mingle and enjoy your flight! Five expanded restrooms with gold accents and tasteful wood trim complete the experience.

Below, a level of service I will probably never be able to afford!

Luxury Liner pt. 2

2008-08-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

Continuing from part 1, this post in the photo-series focuses on the lower level of the passenger double decker Airbus A380, registry A6-EDA, now in revenue service with Emirates Airline. Emirates has gone to great lengths to promote the premium classes found on this plane, but 399 of the 489 seats onboard are actually in the four Economy Class sections located on the lower passenger floor. If you ever fly on this plane, odds are that you'll be in one of these lower level seats.

The innovative lounges and showers of the upper level are unfortunately not to be found here. Instead, you have the look and feel of standard Economy cabins. There are 5 galley's and 10 washrooms, and seats are in a 3-4-3 configuration. At the rear of the plane you'll find a boxed-in area containing the crew rest facilities, and as in the front, you'll find stairs leading up to the upper level which is off-limits to Economy passengers while in-flight.

Below, a brief look at the lower level Economy Classes found on Emirates' A6-EDA.

Luxury Liner pt. 1

2008-08-06T10:22:00.001-07:00

The future of air travel has arrived, or at least a version of it that Emirates Airline hopes you'll enjoy. On Tuesday August 5th, LAX was treated to a first hand look at Emirates' new Airbus A380 flagship, registry A6-EDA, and the products and services that Emirates passengers can expect to enjoy on future select routes. Emirates has gone all-out in creating an impressive experience for its premium passengers, inside a true luxury liner of the air.

We in Los Angeles have already been treated to not one, but two Airbus A380 visits in just over the past year. This however was the first to showcase a properly fitted airline interior already operating in revenue service. There were no concepts or mock-ups here. What you saw is what you got. While Emirates is not scheduled to begin services to LA from Dubai until October 26th using Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, the airline wanted to take the opportunity to increase brand awareness and familiarization with its services by showing off its new flagship with a tour of New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The airline hopes to fly the A380 to Los Angeles by 2012.

As with previous posts, I'll leave the routing, pricing, and the airline's overall expansion strategy to other more knowledgeable people. Instead, I'm sticking to the eye candy. I've broken this visit into a 4-part photo series. There's a lot to see so this post will focus on exterior views of A6-EDA, part 2 will showcase the economy cabins on the lower level, part 3 will offer a peak into the new and improved Business Class offering, while part 4 will finish with Emirates' First Class Suites.

On to the pictures! Below, one pristine looking Emirates flagship.

Hannover

2008-07-22T15:43:00.000-07:00

Between 1958 and 1979, the Boeing Company built over 1000 707's in several variants. Most have by now been broken up. Only approximately 60 aircraft remain in flight use and of those 60 a few, such as N88ZL pictured below, operate as charter VIP aircraft. Spared the wrecking ball, they've found a second career carrying celebrities, business persons, and even heads of state to destinations around the world.

N88ZL is a member of this exclusive air fleet. Built in 1965, she first flew for Lufthansa, where she was christened "Hannover" in honor of the German city, and later for its then-subsidiary Condor Airlines before being purchased and converted for charter work in the mid 1980's. She flew into LAX last thursday for a quick FAA ground check before flying off for reentry into charter service, and I was offered an opportunity to photograph this beautiful luxury liner.

707's are a rare treat to see. The interior was not available for photography, so instead I present exterior shots of one plush and very pristine looking Boeing 707-330B.

The Globemaster

2008-07-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

All summer at LAX we've been treated to unusual visitors at unusual times. In and out they go, sometimes for a few hours and sometimes for a few days. We don't usually know who's visiting until the day just before they arrive, but the United Kingdom one up'd us on Saturday, July 5th. Not only was the arrival of one of its military transports not made public on the several websites that tract and record airport movements, LAX Airport Operations itself didn't know of its arrival until just minutes before touchdown.

The visitor today was ZZ173, one of six C-17 Globemaster III's in the UK's Royal Air Force. C-17's are not entirely unusual to see at LAX. They're known to visit once or twice a year, usually to provide material support to the President or other high ranking officials visiting Los Angeles. Visits by other countries are a diffirent story however. Aside from the US and UK, only the militaries of Canada and Australia operate C-17's, and then only a handful each. This particular flight arrived from an unknown destination, was on the ground just long enough to offload personnel and equipment, and departed for another unknown destination in no time.

To record the occasion, below are a few pictures I was allowed to take thanks to the generosity of a few amazing people, ZZ173 a particular aircraft we in Los Angeles might never see again.

As an added bonus, a short time before the C-17 landed at LAX, we were treated to another unexpected visitor, A6-MMM, a VIP Boeing 747-400 for the United Arab Emirates (Dubai Air Wing). No word on what type of business its occupants were in town for, but it no doubt involved important individuals, and most importantly, large amounts of money!

Stadium Visual

2008-06-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

After having shown one of LAX's departure procedures, I thought it only appropriate to also show one of the airport's arrival procedures, in this case the Stadium Visual approach. This particular procedure is specific to the northern runway complex, and works for either 24R or 24L. The pilot makes the necessary runway heading changes after turning onto the final leg. This procedure is ONLY for the northern runways. A similar procedure for the southern runways is known as Harbor Visual.

Below, the Stadium Visual approach plate.

The procedure is simple. Aircraft are directed to cross the Santa Monica (SMO) VOR/DME on a heading of 068' degrees at approximately 7000 feet. After crossing SMO, they begin a gentle 3' degree descent on the same heading until they reach the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. They want to be at, or just above, 3500 feet when they reach The Coliseum and use it as a visual marker to turn south onto the base leg while continuing the decent. As the name suggests, this is a "visual" approach. You need to be able to see The Coliseum, and the Harbor Freeway while turning base, or this particular procedure doesn't work and must be abandoned in favor of an instrument approach. Aircraft fly right over, or just to the east, of the Harbor Freeway for a minimum of 1 mile before they begin a 45' degree turn on the "dog leg" that will take them towards their designated landing runway. While on the dog leg, the last altitude restriction is that they must be at, or just slightly above, 2000 feet just to the east of the Hollywood Park race track while turning onto the final leg.

In its entirety, this procedure is a blast to see. From Imperial Hill, you can usually see aircraft crossing SMO while heading towards downtown LA on the 068' heading, but the farther they get from SMO (and you), the harder they are to see. On a clear day however, you can see most if not all of this procedure with your bare eyes. As a general note, the clearer you can see the Hollywood Sign from the Hill, the more of this procedure and the similar Harbor Visual approach for the southern runways you'll be able to see. Because of all the buildings that surround the In-N-Out and the Flight Path Learning Center Museum, this procedure is not usually entirely visible from either of those locations. Imperial Hill is the only spot around the airport that I recommend.

On a very clear day from just a few weeks ago, below are a few pictures I took showing the procedure from the Hill, with a map showing where in the procedure the plane was approximately at each particular moment.

Once again, you need clear skies, or at least little-to-no haze/fog/smog in the air surrounding the airport to see the procedure as pictured above. It does happen, usually the day after a rain shower or when the Santa Ana wind condition exists. When so, and if you're around the airport, drop by the Hill, kick back and enjoy the show!

Loop Four

2008-06-02T16:13:00.000-07:00

Its one of the neatest things you can see from Imperial Hill; The Loop Four Departure.

Below, the departure plate.

The procedure is simple. After takoff on a heading of 250 degrees East from any of the northern or southern runways, at a distance of 15 DME after takeoff, aircraft are instructed to perform a 180+ degree turn to return and fly over the LAX VORTAC, located right on the airport grounds, at approximately 10,000 feet. On a clear day from the Hill, you might have to walk a few steps to the West to get around the houses lined behind the hill from blocking your view, you can witness the entire procedure happen right in front of you. Below are a few pictures I took showing the procedure from the Hill, with a map showing where in the procedure the plane was at each particular moment.

You will see this procedure used throughout the day, especially for Europe-bound flights such as the Aer Lingus aircraft pictured above. With June Gloom approaching, watching the planes through the "marine layer" as they climb up to 10,000 feet is not going be easy. You need a clear sky around you, and a little bit of patience. But next time you're at the airport, and you see a plane turning out over the pacific, keep an eye on it, and see if it doesn't try to sneak up behind you in a few minutes time.

One For The History Books

2008-05-27T18:01:00.000-07:00

Such turned out to be the fate of Champion Air. Though by no means unexpected, it had been hoped by many in the airline world, myself included, that they'd succeed in finding additional financing and clients to allow them to fly beyond the May 31st shutdown date the airline had announced earlier in the year. In the end however it was not to be, and in only a few days Champion Air will officially cease to exist, yet another airline left to the pages of history.

Today saw Los Angeles' final chapter in the matter as the very last Champion Air flight departed LAX. With it most likely also went the very last passenger Boeing 727 flight out of LAX. Once upon a time, this airport was overrun with tri-holers from all the major airlines. It was a favorite of pilots, the airlines, and the traveling public. Today they are hard to find outside of cargo operations, with those flights becoming rare themselves. A well respected airline and a special plane, Champion Air and their 727's will be sorely missed.

N686CA, the plane photographed below, has beat the odds and after a short stay in the Arizona desert will join a South American airline for many more years in scheduled service. The rest of the Champion Air fleet will probably not be so lucky. Below are just a few pictures of the last Champion Air flight out of LAX, my very first and most likely last time aboard a Boeing 727-200.

All my best to the employee's and families of Champion Air. Thank you for the memories!

airberlin

2008-05-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

What better way to start off a new month of blogging than with a new airline, in this case airberlin. Starting May 1st, airberlin began flying into Los Angeles from Düsseldorf, Germany 5 times a week. The route, operated only in the summer, was previously run by LTU International. airberlin acquired LTU in March of last year and slowly began taking over the latters long-haul flights, limiting LTU to only leisure destinations. May 1st officially saw airberlin takeover LTU's previous LAX run.

As in the case of the very first Shanghai Airlines Cargo flight into LAX, I once again found myself in the right place at the right time, completely by accident. Below are pictures of the very first beautiful airberlin plane which graced our skies during its inaugural LAX rotation, and who's A330 fleet will continue to do so until October of this year. For LAX spotters, there's no better way to start off May!

In-N-Out

2008-04-08T18:51:00.001-07:00

Location: 9149 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Useful Radio Frequencies:
ATIS - 133.8
LAX Tower North - 133.9 , 239.3
Ground Control North - 121.65 , 327.0
Clearance Delivery - 121.4 , 327.0
Whereas the Imperial Hill spotting location is calm and peaceful, the In-N-Out is loud and in your face. There are benches to sit down, and tables to eat and snack, but the similarities between the two end there. If you're coming to the In-N-Out location, be ready for a different experience.

Just one view of the In-N-Out spotting location. Please double-click for a close-up and enlarged look.

The bulk of the photographs taken at the In-N-Out are approach shots for runway 24R. Unless weather conditions require operations on a reverse pattern (rare), this site is almost useless for capturing departures. You can also capture approach shots for 24L, but the clutter of hotels, billboards and airport facilities as a background make those pictures less popular. Because of the proximity of the In-N-Out to the 24R threshold, all planes passing over you are only between 200 and 400 feet above you. The location is excellent for those wishing to take down registrations, as binoculars are not needed. Long lens focal lengths are not required here, or recommended. Anything above 100mm will usually be overkill. From one outdoor bench at the In-N-Out, an example to illustrate:

28mm

50mm

75mm

100mm

The only exception to the 100mm rule is if you're taking sunset approach shots of planes crossing the 24R runway threshold, such as shown below. Those might require longer focal lengths if you're aiming for tight crops, depending on where you stand.

For almost all other shots however, the smaller the focal length the better the result.

Most of the photography on the hill is shot from one location, but the In-N-Out's greatest attribute is in the variety of angles you can take from here. Now granted, almost all of the photography is of planes on final approach, but you're able to play with angles on a ridiculous level. There is no one standard location that you're supposed to shoot from, or one standard look you're trying to achieve. You can, and really should, move around to capture as many looks as you can before you decide on how you'd like to photograph here. Below are examples to illustrate this. Shots were taken from multiple locations around the area that sits nearly directly underneath the approach center lights for runway 24R. Rather than show you some of my weak photography skills, I'm letting the professionals show you how its done.

The best time of year to photograph at this location is during the summer months. During that time of year, the sun sits to the north and you get beautifully lit planes on their starboard sides, the side most photographed here. The "F" location is best useful during winter months when the sun is to the south. My earlier focal length examples shown above were taken in early April, not yet summer, and as you can see the aircraft appear backlit. Other than that, there is no other real advice for this location other than to encourage you to grab your camera, and enjoy the show. Move around, try different angels, and see what you can capture. The most popular Airliners.net photos from this location came through the use of feet, and a little imagination.

This location, more than Imperial Hill, is baby Boeing and baby Airbus central. Because of the location's close proximity to the terminal operations for US Airways, Frontier Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Southwest Airlines in particular, the bulk of the traffic to be seen handled on this side of the airport is short-bodied single-isled domestic airliners. B737-300's, -700's, -800's, A319's, A320's and A321's movements dominate 24R use. However the location of the Bradley Terminal at the center of the airport loop, and of Terminal 2's international handling, guarantees that you'll split the wide bodied international traffic arriving at LAX. Runway 24R is the primary landing runway used on the north complex.

Below is a part-guide/part-example of just what kind of arrival activity one can hope to photograph when visiting the In-N-Out location during DAYLIGHT hours. As I noted earlier, this site is almost useless for photographing departures, so only arrivals are listed. Please Note: This is just an example of what you MIGHT be able to photograph here. Not visible from this location, there are 2 additional runways on the south side of the airport that handle their fair share of the movements listed below. To keep the list down, I've only listed TWIN-isle INTERNATIONAL flights. The list was composed through publicly available airline flight information.

***(Updated December 01, 2011)***
ARRIVALS:
LAN 600 - 06:50AM Lima (763)
Virgin Australia 7 - 06:10AM Brisbane (77W)
Qantas 107 - 06:25AM Sydney (744)
Qantas 25 - 06:30AM Auckland (A332)
El Al 1 - 06:40AM Tel Aviv (772)
Qantas 93 - 06:40AM Melbourne (744 / A380)
Delta Air Lines 16 - 06:50AM Sydney (77L)
Qantas 15 - 06:50AM Brisbane (744)
Emirates 217 - 07:45AM Dubai (77W)
Korean Air 1 - 07:45AM Tokyo-Narita (A332)
Virgin Australia 11 - 07:50AM Melbourne (77W)
Air Tahiti Nui 2 - 08:15AM Papeete (A343)
American Airlines 170 - 08:30AM Tokyo-Narita (772)
Korean Air 17 – 08:40AM Seoul (A380)
Delta Air Lines 284 - 8:45AM Tokyo-Narita (A332)
Air Tahiti Nui 8 - 09:05AM Papeete (A343)
China Eastern Airlines 583 - 09:05AM Shanghai (A346)
Air Tahiti Nui 408 - 09:05AM Papeete (A343)
Virgin Australia 1 - 09:30AM Sydney (77W)
Air China 987 - 09:30AM Beijing (744)
Cathay Pacific 884 - 09:40AM Hong Kong (77W)
United Airlines 890 - 09:40AM Tokyo-Narita (772)
ANA 6 - 09:45AM Tokyo-Narita (77W)
United Airlines 840 - 09:48AM Sydney (744)
Qantas 11 - 09:50AM Sydney (A380)
Japan Airlines 62 - 09:55AM Tokyo-Narita (77W)
Air Tahiti Nui 18 - 10:05AM Papeete (A343)
Asiana Airlines 202 - 10:10AM Seoul (744)
Air Tahiti Nui 102 - 10:10AM Papeete (A343)
Air New Zealand 6 - 10:15AM Auckland (774 / 77W)
Air Canada 791 - 10:40AM Toronto (763)
Air New Zealand 18 - 11:30AM Rarotonga (763)
Singapore Airlines 12 - 11:50AM Tokyo-Narita (A380)
KLM 601 - 11:50AM Amsterdam (74M/744)
China Airlines 6 - 12:05PM Taipei (744)
Air Pacific 810 - 12:05PM Nadi (744)
Emirates 215 - 12:50PM Dubai (77L)
Lufthansa 456 - 12:55PM Frankfurt (744)
Cathay Pacific 882 - 12:55PM Hong Kong (77W)
Air France 66 - 01:25PM Paris (77W)
Korean Air 11 - 01:30PM Seoul (77W)
British Airways 283 - 01:30PM London (744)
Asiana Airlines 204 - 01:40PM Seoul (772)
United Airlines 935 - 01:44PM London (772)
Air New Zealand 2 - 02:00PM Auckland (77W)
EVA Air 12 - 02:00PM Taipei (77W)
Aeroflot 321 - 02:10PM Moscow (A332)
Air Tahiti Nui 7 - 02:30PM Paris (A343)
EVA Air 2 - 02:55PM Taipei (77W)
British Airways 269 - 03:00PM London (744)
Virgin Atlantic 7 - 03:05PM London (A346)
Turkish Airlines 9 - 03:25PM Istanbul (77W)
Korean Air 61 - 03:25PM Seoul (772)
American Airlines 137 - 03:30PM London (772)
United Airlines 878 - 03:35PM Shanghai (772)
Air France 72 - 04:15PM Paris (772/77W)
Singapore Airlines 38 - 04:15PM Singapore (A345)
Iberia 6171 - 04:15PM Madrid (A343)
Swiss 40 - 04:50PM Zurich (A343)
ANA 1006 - 04:55PM Tokyo-Haneda (772)
Air China 983 - 05:00PM Beijing (744)
Malaysia Airlines 94 - 05:05PM Taipei (772)
Philippine Airlines 112 - 05:15PM Manila (A343)
American Airlines 182 - 05:25PM Shanghai (772)
Delta Air Lines 636 - 05:35PM Tokyo-Haneda (A332)
China Southern 327 - 05:50PM Guangzhou (772)
British Airways 269 - 06:05PM London (744)
Air France 673 - 06:20PM Papeete (772)
LAN 2604 - 06:25PM Lima (763)
Virgin Atlantic 23 - 06:30PM London (A346)
Philippine Airlines 102 - 06:30PM Manila (744)
China Airlines 8 - 07:05PM Taipei (744)
Air France 74 - 07:10PM Paris (772/77W)
Air New Zealand 1 - 07:15PM London (77W)
Lufthansa 452 - 07:20PM Munich (A346)
Korean Air 15 - 07:20PM Seoul (772)
EVA Air 16 - 07:30PM Taipei (77W)

Airborne traffic levels rather than gate location determine which runways will be used by each aircraft. It is not uncommon to see a particular flight number cycle through the multiple runways at LAX for takeoff and landing operations over a span of several days. It is therefore not possible to provide a more accurate listing of what activity you will see on each side with regards to the list above.

Whereas the Imperial Hill location sits in a quiet residential area, the In-N-Out marks the start of a large commercial zone. In addition to burgers and fries, a few minutes walk up Sepulveda Boulevard will yield multiple eating alternatives including El Tarasco Mexican Food, Hometown Buffet, IHOP, Thai Dishes, Starbucks and Cold Stone Creamery amongst other things. However, In-N-Out Burger is where you'll be. Founded in the Los Angeles area, they only make burgers and fries, and they make them well, for nearly 60 years now. Its a popular location for photography, but you'll always be outnumbered by the number of people there looking to eat. Its a small one, but the In-N-Out has the closest restroom open to the general public, just to the east of the cashiers. One traffic tip: try to avoid the noon lunch rush during the week. Traffic is a steady constant here, but noon in particular sees obscene levels. West 92nd street, in front of In-N-Out, sees a lot of vehicular traffic so do exercise caution when crossing the street.

There is street parking on West 92nd street and in the In-N-Out lot itself, however be careful. This area does see a much larger enforcement of the 1 hour parking rule than Imperial Hill, though it sees it VERY erratically. An office will occasionally sit in his vehicle just out of sight to monitor vehicular traffic. Keep a steady eye on your car and the time if you should see such an officer. Also, the In-N-Out lot is mainly for paying customers. Try not to park inside unless you're eating there. They do otherwise reserve the right to ask you to move your car. The Parking Spot situated right next to the In-N-Out is mainly for travelers needing long term parking, and is therefore not really an option. Photography from atop the parking structure is not allowed. This area sees a much more steady police presence, though spotters around the park are mostly left alone. Your risk of a run-in with police increases exponentially however the farther you wonder away from the park, and onto Sepulveda Boulevard.

Located on a major thoroughfare, the In-N-Out is very easy to reach from the airport and the hotels that line Century Boulevard. A car is not necessary, and if you plan on spending a lot of time here, not recommended either. From the airport, simply walk East till you exit the airport, turn left on Sepulveda, and a few minutes walk to the North will lead you straight to it. From the Century Boulevard hotels, simply walk West towards Sepulveda Boulevard, and turn right. A few minutes walk to the North and you're there once again. While the closest hotel to the In-N-Out is the Radisson Hotel at Los Angeles Airport, all of the major hotels on Century Boulevard are only approximately a 15 minute walk away. Check around for the best deal. For those needing access to quick cash some hotels offer 3rd party automated teller machines that charge a premium fee, but if you hold an account with a US based bank you should avoid those machines. A few minutes walk up Sepulveda Boulevard will yield branches for all the major US banks including Bank of America, Citibank, Wachovia, Chase and Wells Fargo amongst others.

Because of current security regulations, you might need to buy additional personal care items once you arrive here. Some hotels offer complimentary items for your use, but those wanting additional or different brands can visit Longs Drugs store. Its a good place to buy cheap snacks, and if your camera brakes down, its also a good place to buy a cheap disposable replacement!

Imperial Hill

2008-04-01T07:59:00.000-07:00

Location: Corner of E. Imperial Avenue & Sheldon Street
El Segundo, CA 90245
Useful Radio Frequencies:
ATIS - 133.8
LAX Tower South - 120.95 , 379.1
Ground Control South - 121.75 . 327.0
Clearance Delivery - 121.4 , 327.0
Whereas some airports around the world seem to go out of their way to discourage aviation photography, Imperial Hill seems almost tailor made for it. It provides a brilliantly placed commanding view of the southern half of LAX, excellent for witnessing take-off and landing operations on runways 25R/7L and 25L/7R. There you will find tree's providing some welcome shade, a few benches for a place to sit and relax, and even tables to play a game of chess and checkers or for eating a meal and snack.

Below is a look at the Imperial Hill spotting location. Please double-click for a close-up and enlarged look.

The vast majority of take-off and taxi pictures from LAX are taken at Imperial Hill. Ideally, you'll want to have a lens focal length of at least 200mm and above. Below are examples of what you can expect to see thru your lens, pre-edit. These pictures were only scaled down to "0" quality in Photoshop for faster download speeds, and have otherwise not been touched. They're only examples of the image size and relatively closeness you can expect to work with at each focal length. They were taken with a Canon 40D digital SLR, using a Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM lens.

100mm

200mm

300mm

400mm

Post-editing with a little skill and luck, these popular Airliners.net shots provide an example of just what can be achieved from here.

The best time of year to photograph at this location is during the winter months. The sun shifts to the south, and beautifully illuminates the port side of aircraft and the airfield. Heat haze can be a problem though. Spotter Miguel Claudio advises:

"Light is very good almost all day during winter. Heat haze can be a problem during the mid-day, but not until mid-morning and later in the afternoon."

After May, the sun sits to the north and photography can get very tough on the hill. You can still take decent shots of aircraft taxiing on the runways and taxiways that make up the south complex, but takeoff shots will mostly appear backlit, such as the photograph taken below on May 1st, 2008.

Single-isle domestic flights account for the bulk of LAX traffic, but we do see a fairly large amount of wide-body international movements here. While you are able to photograph aircraft on taxi after landing, the Hill is best known for take-off photography. Flights get delayed or cancelled, planes are substituted for, and on some days certain flights are not flown at all, but below I've aimed at providing part-guide/part-example of just what kind of activity one can hope to photograph when visiting the hill during DAYLIGHT hours. Please Note: This is just an example of what you MIGHT be able to photograph here. Largely obscured from the hill, there are 2 additional runways on the north side of the airport that handle their fair share of the movements listed below. To keep the list down, I've only listed TWIN-isle INTERNATIONAL flights. The list was composed through publicly available airline flight information.

***(Updated December 01, 2011)***
ARRIVALS:
LAN 600 - 06:50AM Lima (763)
Virgin Australia 7 - 06:10AM Brisbane (77W)
Qantas 107 - 06:25AM Sydney (744)
Qantas 25 - 06:30AM Auckland (A332)
El Al 1 - 06:40AM Tel Aviv (772)
Qantas 93 - 06:40AM Melbourne (744 / A380)
Delta Air Lines 16 - 06:50AM Sydney (77L)
Qantas 15 - 06:50AM Brisbane (744)
Emirates 217 - 07:45AM Dubai (77W)
Korean Air 1 - 07:45AM Tokyo-Narita (A332)
Virgin Australia 11 - 07:50AM Melbourne (77W)
Air Tahiti Nui 2 - 08:15AM Papeete (A343)
American Airlines 170 - 08:30AM Tokyo-Narita (772)
Korean Air 17 – 08:40AM Seoul (A380)
Delta Air Lines 284 - 8:45AM Tokyo-Narita (A332)
Air Tahiti Nui 8 - 09:05AM Papeete (A343)
China Eastern Airlines 583 - 09:05AM Shanghai (A346)
Air Tahiti Nui 408 - 09:05AM Papeete (A343)
Virgin Australia 1 - 09:30AM Sydney (77W)
Air China 987 - 09:30AM Beijing (744)
Cathay Pacific 884 - 09:40AM Hong Kong (77W)
United Airlines 890 - 09:40AM Tokyo-Narita (772)
ANA 6 - 09:45AM Tokyo-Narita (77W)
United Airlines 840 - 09:48AM Sydney (744)
Qantas 11 - 09:50AM Sydney (A380)
Japan Airlines 62 - 09:55AM Tokyo-Narita (77W)
Air Tahiti Nui 18 - 10:05AM Papeete (A343)
Asiana Airlines 202 - 10:10AM Seoul (744)
Air Tahiti Nui 102 - 10:10AM Papeete (A343)
Air New Zealand 6 - 10:15AM Auckland (774 / 77W)
Air Canada 791 - 10:40AM Toronto (763)
Air New Zealand 18 - 11:30AM Rarotonga (763)
Singapore Airlines 12 - 11:50AM Tokyo-Narita (A380)
KLM 601 - 11:50AM Amsterdam (74M/744)
China Airlines 6 - 12:05PM Taipei (744)
Air Pacific 810 - 12:05PM Nadi (744)
Emirates 215 - 12:50PM Dubai (77L)
Lufthansa 456 - 12:55PM Frankfurt (744)
Cathay Pacific 882 - 12:55PM Hong Kong (77W)
Air France 66 - 01:25PM Paris (77W)
Korean Air 11 - 01:30PM Seoul (77W)
British Airways 283 - 01:30PM London (744)
Asiana Airlines 204 - 01:40PM Seoul (772)
United Airlines 935 - 01:44PM London (772)
Air New Zealand 2 - 02:00PM Auckland (77W)
EVA Air 12 - 02:00PM Taipei (77W)
Aeroflot 321 - 02:10PM Moscow (A332)
Air Tahiti Nui 7 - 02:30PM Paris (A343)
EVA Air 2 - 02:55PM Taipei (77W)
British Airways 269 - 03:00PM London (744)
Virgin Atlantic 7 - 03:05PM London (A346)
Turkish Airlines 9 - 03:25PM Istanbul (77W)
Korean Air 61 - 03:25PM Seoul (772)
American Airlines 137 - 03:30PM London (772)
United Airlines 878 - 03:35PM Shanghai (772)
Air France 72 - 04:15PM Paris (772/77W)
Singapore Airlines 38 - 04:15PM Singapore (A345)
Iberia 6171 - 04:15PM Madrid (A343)
Swiss 40 - 04:50PM Zurich (A343)
ANA 1006 - 04:55PM Tokyo-Haneda (772)
Air China 983 - 05:00PM Beijing (744)
Malaysia Airlines 94 - 05:05PM Taipei (772)
Philippine Airlines 112 - 05:15PM Manila (A343)
American Airlines 182 - 05:25PM Shanghai (772)
Delta Air Lines 636 - 05:35PM Tokyo-Haneda (A332)
China Southern 327 - 05:50PM Guangzhou (772)
British Airways 269 - 06:05PM London (744)
Air France 673 - 06:20PM Papeete (772)
LAN 2604 - 06:25PM Lima (763)
Virgin Atlantic 23 - 06:30PM London (A346)
Philippine Airlines 102 - 06:30PM Manila (744)
China Airlines 8 - 07:05PM Taipei (744)
Air France 74 - 07:10PM Paris (772/77W)
Air New Zealand 1 - 07:15PM London (77W)
Lufthansa 452 - 07:20PM Munich (A346)
Korean Air 15 - 07:20PM Seoul (772)
EVA Air 16 - 07:30PM Taipei (77W)

***(Updated July 23, 2010)***
DEPARTURES:
Qantas 09:00AM New York-JFK (A332)
Avianca 11:30AM Bogota (762)
Korean Air 11:40AM Tokyo-Narita (772)
Air Canada 12:25PM Toronto (763)
Korean Air 12:30PM Seoul-Incheon (77W)
Air Tahiti Nui 12:30PM Paris-CDG (A343)
Delta Air Lines 12:40PM Tokyo (A332)
American Airlines 12:45PM Tokyo-Narita (772)
United Airlines 12:45PM London-Heathrow (772)
ANA 12:55PM Tokyo-Narita (77W)
Air Tahiti Nui 01:00PM Papeete (A343)
United Airlines 01:10PM Tokyo-Narita (744)
LAN 01:20PM Lima (763)
Japan Airlines 01:20PM Tokyo-Narita (77W)
China Eastern Airlines 01:30PM Shanghai (A346)
Asiana Airlines 01:40PM Seoul (744)
Cathay Pacific 01:40PM Hong Kong (77W)
El Al 01:45PM Tel Aviv (772)
Singapore Airlines 02:45PM Tokyo-Narita (744)
Lufthansa 02:50PM Frankfurt (744)
Alitalia 03:25PM Rome (772)
Air France 03:30PM Paris-CDG (77W)
China Airlines 03:55PM Taipei (744)
British Airways 04:00PM London-Heathrow (744)
Air Tahiti Nui 04:10PM Papeete (A343)
KLM 04:30PM Amsterdam (74M / 744)
Air New Zealand 04:30PM London-Heathrow (744)
Emirates 04:45PM Dubai (77L)
British Airways 05:35PM London-Heathrow (744)
Virgin Atlantic 05:35PM London-Heathrow (A346)
EVA Air 05:40PM Taipei (77W)
Air Berlin 05:45PM Düsseldorf (A332)
Air France 06:45PM Paris-CDG (772)
Korean Air 06:50PM Sao Paulo (772)
Lufthansa 07:00PM Frankfurt (A346)
Swiss 07:25PM Zurich (A343)
Aeroflot 07:35PM Moscow (A332)
American Airlines 07:55PM London-Heathrow (772)

Runway 25R is primarily used for take-offs, while 25L is primarily used for arrivals. Both runways see mixed use however. A large amount of international departures to Europe and Asia occur after the sun has set at LAX, so as to arrive during morning daylight hours at their destinations. Hence the above discrepency between the number of arrival and departure movements listed.

The spotting location sits on a residential street. When it comes to where to eat from the hill, your options include the in-house restaurant at the Embassy Suites($$$), or a Subway($) and 7-Eleven($) located a few minutes walk to the west. A few mom-and-pop restaurants offering Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Hawaiian, pizza and burgers amongst other things are also in the area around the Subway/7-Eleven, but you'll need some time to search those out according to your cravings. For those needing access to quick cash, the 7-Eleven has a Citibank automated teller machine just to the left of the entrance.

The closest hotel to the Imperial Hill is the Embassy Suites Los Angeles - International Airport/South. The hotel sits on the same street as the hill, and is only about a 7 minute walk to the east. There are dozens of hotels surrounding the LAX area however, and each spotter's best decision on where to stay merits a little research and an honest look at one's budget.

Going to the restroom can be a problem. Your closest options are the Embassy Suites, or the Flight Path Learning Center Museum just to the east of the hill. The restrooms are just to the east of the check-in counters, and just to the right of the entrance respectively. Public restrooms are not available at Subway or 7-Eleven. Its possible one of the other restaurants in the area will have restrooms readily available, but most places encourage a purchase before use.

The public is allowed to park on the street directly adjacent to the spotting location. While the signs on the street try to limit you to 1 hour, enforcement is relatively lax. Do stay alert however if you should notice a parking enforcement agent. The police on occasion park on the opposite side of the street to observe the area and enforce the stop sign located at the corner, but spotters are usually left alone. Unless you're staying at the Embassy Suites, a car is recommended for getting to the hill. Public transportation does not offer a direct route to the hill from the hotels on Century Boulevard. A cab ride from the hotels to the hill is approximately $6 each way.

With summer approaching, wear loose clothing, a hat, and if possible some sunscreen!

The World On Time

2008-03-27T07:48:00.001-07:00

From one man's idea for an economic term paper in 1962, to a multi-billion dollar logistics enterprise, FedEx Corporation has come a long way. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee the company has developed over the years the ability to deliver parcel to virtually any point on the face of the earth overnight. With three super-hubs in Memphis, Paris, and soon Guangzhou, FedEx has streamlined world operations on a level unmatched by any of its competitors.

The FedEx fleet, currently comprised of approximately 671 aircraft, is one of the world's largest airlines. It operates using A300 and A310 freighters from Airbus, and 727, DC-10 and MD-11 freighters from Boeing. Starting this year, more efficient Boeing 757 freighter's will begin replacing the 727 fleet, and in 2009 Boeing 777 freighter's will begin replacing all DC-10's not undergoing the MD-10 retrofit, the 777's also providing increased cargo lift capacity.

This year's ACI-NA 2008 Air Cargo Conference was hosted by Los Angeles World Airports. As part of the festivities, attendees were offered an opportunity to board and explore one of FedEx's own A300 aircraft, N681FE. Delivered to FedEx in May of 1999, she is the 799th A300 produced by Airbus, and is named Kaci after a FedEx employee's child. She has served her entire career with FedEx, and can carry a maximum payload of approximately 80 tons of freight a distance of nearly 2650 nautical miles.

More information on FedEx can be found at this link. Below, I present a close-up look at the FedEx A300-600 freighter.

Diesel-10

2008-03-17T13:25:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, March 15th LAX handled a very special visitor. N702TZ, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 then a fleet member of the now defunct ATA Airlines, flew into Los Angeles to be fueled, cleaned and provisioned for a troop-carrying flight out of LAX. In addition to having operated as a low cost carrier with scheduled service based out of Indianapolis, ATA also did charter flights such as that photographed below for the US Air Force's Air Mobility Command.

This particular plane was the 181st DC-10 produced, and first flew on Christmas Eve 1974. She flew a spotless record for Korean Air for more than 20 years, before she was acquired by Northwest Airlines in the mid-1990's. Sold as part of NWA's DC-10 fleet renewal plans with more efficient Airbus A330 aircraft, it found a third home with ATA in 2007, and flew with a hybrid ATA/NWA color scheme illustrating its very recent acquisition and push into service.

There is no longer regularly scheduled DC-10 passenger domestic or international service in the United States, so below I present pictures of a very special and much welcomed surprise for LAX spotters.

Delta Worldliner

2008-03-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

LAX, and Mines Field before it, has had the honor of hosting many First's throughout its operational history. From air races to first flights and beyond, that tradition was continued on March 8th, 2008 when Delta Airlines inaugurated Boeing 777-200LR service with a special Atlanta-LAX-Atlanta rotation. Delta, which is the first US airline to order and take delivery of a -200LR, plans to primarily deploy its coming -200LR fleet for its farthest international ultra long haul destinations, but for its inaugural revenue flight LAX was the chosen city.

The -200LR, dubbed the "Worldliner" by Boeing, is an incredible plane. A variant of the -200 series, the plane sports increased fuel and carrying capacities, and can connect virtually any two points on the face of the earth. The -200LR series currently holds the record for the longest non-stop flight by a passenger airliner when it flew 11,664 nautical miles on November 10,2005 a flight that kept the plane aloft for nearly 23 hours. Currently, only the US Air Force's KC-10 Extender air-to-air tanker has greater flight-time endurance and range capabilities than the planes Delta is taking delivery on.

Below are pictures of the newest plane in Delta's fleet during its arrival and takeoff from LAX, as well as of a 757 go-around and 747-400 freighter that wanted inclusion on the occasion.

**UPDATE**
Delta 777-200LR's are now a regular sight at LAX. The airline deploys the aircraft on Atlanta-LAX-Sydney rotations daily from Terminal 5.

Special Performance

2008-03-06T21:51:00.000-08:00

The Boeing 747SP. Developed largely at the request of Pan American World Airways, the SP is in many ways the grandfather of today's ultra long haul airliners. It flew faster, higher, and farther than any other commercial airplane in service at the time of its introduction in 1976. Of the 45 SP's produced, Pan Am took the most at 10, primarily deploying them to their farthest destinations in Asia and Oceania, continuing the image and reputation that the airline had for flying passengers and crews to exotic and far-reaching destinations.

Its differences to the 747-100 model, of which it is a derivative, are immediately visible. The SP not only has a fuselage that is 48 feet shorter than the -100, but also a more simplified single-slotted flap system, and a taller vertical fin with accompanying larger horizontal stabilizers. The center fuselage and wing box had to be redesigned to carry more fuel and heavier wings. These differences and others allowed the SP to have unrivalled speed and range until 1987, when the introduction and performance characteristics of the 747-400 series surpassed it.

Luckily for spotters, the SP is still being flown today. Of the original 45 produced, 17 are still found in active service as VIP planes, as scheduled commercial aircraft for Iran Air, and even as a flying laboratory. Below are two recently examples we had at LAX. The first, VP-BLK is owned by the Las Vegas Sands Corporation and is used to shuttle VIP's to their Las Vegas gaming operations. The second is a fleet member of the Saudi Arabian Royal Flight.

Eye In The Sky

2008-02-26T17:59:00.001-08:00

Its not just a working institution, its also a work of art. Designed by a team of four women, two architects, an artist and a landscape architect, the LAX control tower is an example of the current trend in airport design towards creating more local and "indigenous" designs. In much the same spirit that the tensile-roofed tenting at Denver International Airport echo's the Rocky Mountains, so too does LAX's tower resemble a giant palm tree. Kate Diamond, the design architect, once explained: "Los Angeles is a landscape of palm trees. On some level, this is the ultimate high-stress treehouse." The tower hosts a three story atrium within its walls, and has a five-story administrative building adjacent to it. For a bit of fun, the airports code letters "LAX" were incorporated into the structural design of the tower.

Artistic considerations aside, the tower serves an important purpose. Made fully operational in April of 1996, at a then-cost of 19 million dollars, the current LAX control tower stands 22 stories tall. It is nearly three times as large, and stands 100 feet taller than the tower it replaced, that old tower now used for administrative purposes. The new tower offers a commanding and fully unobstructed view of the airport runways, and most of the facilities on site. Sometimes taken for granted by the traveling public; the managers, supervisors and controllers who work in her facilities day-in and day-out are just as responsible for assuring the safety of passengers and crews as the pilots whom they coordinate with in the air.

I was recently honored with an opportunity to see first hand inside the facility, and meet some of the people dedicated to assuring the steady and safe flow of air traffic around LAX. Below is a 360' panorama shot of LAX as observed from two observation decks just below the main control cab, as well as a view of aircraft traffic from an angle not usually seen.

A Little Blue Will Do

2008-02-12T19:04:00.001-08:00

Today saw a major event at LAX. jetBlue Airways announced expanded service from San Diego, Burbank and its West Coast hub of Long Beach, but also entry from Boston and New York's JFK Airport into LAX starting May 21st. With this newly announced start of jetBlue LAX operations, LAX can now lay claim to being the only airport in the United States to host all major Legacy carrier's and LLC's. The amount of choice from LAX is now truly without rival.

For the special event, jetBlue ferried in N639JB from Long Beach, perviously christened by the airline as "A Little Blue Will Do". On board was a virtual jetBlue army of employee's accompanied by the airline's Chief Executive Officer David Barger. They were met on the ground by Los Angeles Major Antonio Villaraigosa, Executive Director of Los Angeles World Airports Gina Marie Lindsey, and City Councilman Bill Rosenthal. After a brief press event where the airline outlined its reasoning and strategy for growth in the L.A. Basin, and the airport chronicaled some of its past efforts to attract jetBlue to LAX, the brief event ended with a promise to do it all again in May at the airline's inaugural flights.

Below are a few pictures from the event, jetBlue at LAX soon to become a very familiar, and very welcome sight to L.A. spotters.

**UPDATE**
After a delay of more than a year, jetBlue Airways has finally begun scheduled service out of LAX, utilizing Terminal 6.

The Stretch

2008-02-07T20:00:00.000-08:00

The popular Boeing 757 first flew on February 12th, 1982. Developed as a Boeing 727 replacement, the plane went on to win over 1000 orders over its production life. Incorporating then state-of-the art technology, it developed a reputation for great versatility, low operating costs and increased passenger comfort. Today, more than 25 years after its first flight, of the 1,050 planes produced and delivered by Boeing, 1,019 are still found in active service. Most of its major operators such as Delta Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines show no inclination or urgency in acquiring replacement aircraft.

The 757-300 grew out of the reputation and popularity developed by its older and original 757-200 series sibling. To date, the -300 is the largest single-aisle twinjet ever produced, but it suffers from a Boeing lack of imagination or innovation that marked the original -200. Despite being 16 years younger and 23 feet longer than the original, the -300 did not see an increase in fuel capacity or flying range over is sibling. In order to keep development costs low, Boeing did not strengthen the undercarriage and other areas needed to increase the plane's maximum take-off weight or "MTOW". It became a poorly timed and concieved niche aircraft, Boeing at the time having instead focused the bulk of its enginerring prowess on the 777 and 737-Next Generation programs.

The -300 did go on to sell 55 frames however. It's become a very popular plane with charter operators because of its large high-density configurability, and has found a small place in the domestic fleets of Northwest Airlines and Continental Airlines.

Below are a few pictures of a "stretch" 757 operating a charter flight at LAX, from the recently shut down operator ATA Airlines.

Pattern Reverse

2008-01-28T07:32:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles spotters have been living in paradise these last few days. In-between wild weather has come brief opportunities to photograph reverse pattern take-offs and landings at LAX. The normal direction of traffic flows from East to West, but on rare occasions when weather dictates such as that experienced these last few days, the opposite instead occurs. It takes approximately 50 minutes for air traffic control to properly resequence flights in the opposite direction, so its a decision not taken lightly.

It's also one not necessarily favored by pilots. The topography on the final approach from a westerly direction is such that pilots can momentary lose sight of the runway threshold. Sudden terrain warnings are not uncommon.

Its quite a sight to see. This only happens a few days a year, and even rarer is a break offered by the weather to allow decent opportunities to photograph it. Below are a few shots taken by myself availing myself of one such opportunity!

Champion Air

2008-01-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

Created in 1995 from the remains of MGM Grand Air, Champion Air is a charter operation based in Bloomington, Minnesota. Flying sixteen specially configured Boeing 727's doing contract work for the government, big business, and sports teams, the bulk of its current flying has been for MLT Vacations, a Northwest Airlines Corporation subsidiary, and the NBA. With MLT recently announcing they were pulling their flights from Champion by the end of 2008, and the NBA actively seeking other competitors for its charter contract maturing on August 31, Champion Air is in trouble. It no longer foresees itself acquiring enough business to keep itself afloat, and has set a May 31 shutdown date for is operations.

When Champion Air does cease operations, from the skies will go the last passenger 727 operator based in the United States. Approximately 650 727 aircraft were still being used throughout the world as of August 2007, but they've almost all been relegated to cargo flying. The 727, which for decades formed the bulk of many US domestic fleets, is no longer efficient in the world of two-pilot operated fly-by-wire control systems, and higher efficient twinjet planes.

May is rapidly approaching. Below are pictures of the venerable Boeing 727 while it awaited a recent flight out of LAX, a sight which Los Angeles spotters will will not be able to enjoy for much longer.

**UPDATE**
Champion Air has since gone out of business. Information about the final flight out of LAX can be found here.

Flight Path

2008-01-10T18:17:00.001-08:00

Location: 6661 W. Imperial Highway
Los Angeles, CA 90009
Useful Radio Frequencies:
ATIS - 133.8
LAX Tower South - 120.95 , 379.1
Ground Control South - 121.75 . 327.0
Clearance Delivery - 121.4 , 327.0
There is no other place like it in the world; part museum, part living exhibit right in the middle of a major international airport.

The Flight Path Learning Center Museum has called the old Imperial Terminal at LAX home for the last 5 years, but few people still truly know about it. Situated on actual airport grounds, the facility pays tribute to pioneers in the field of aviation, tells the story of the development of aviation (and LAX in particular) in Southern California, and tries to encourage youths to pursue education and careers in aviation-related fields.

Half the fun of spending time at Flight Path comes in seeing the exhibits and artifacts on display, which continue to grow as display
space and donations increase, and the other in talking and sharing with the people that staff and volunteer there. American Airlines, Mexicana de Aviacion, Pan American World Airways, Trans World Airlines and United Airlines are all well represented by ex-employees that saw and lived aviation as it grew and changed in ways that will never be seen again.

Accessible to the public is also a beautify-maintained DC-3 built in 1941, which children and adults alike are able to go aboard. I previously posted about that particular plane on this blog.

But this is not just a museum. With a glorious unobstructed view outside its windows sits an active world gateway; LAX. No other museum in the world provides such an in-depth view at such an important airport, encouraging you to listen in on airport communications, while providing an up-close view of the multifaceted operations required to keep an airport like this running. Everything happens right in front of you.

Below is a look at the view. Please double-click for a close-up and enlarged look.

It is impossible on a blog such as this one to tell and share all things Flight Path, but hopefully with the help of the pictures attached you've developed enough curiosity and encouragement to pay a visit to a truly hidden gem. It will be time truly well spent.

Flight Path is open from 10am till 3pm, Tuesday thur Saturday. Admission and parking are free, and donations are graciously accepted!

Flying Into History

2008-01-05T15:57:00.000-08:00

With the festive holidays came sad news to the aviation world. Maxjet Airways, the all-Business Class airline founded in 2003, ceased operations on December 24, 2007. Operating 5 specially configured Boeing 767-200's, the airline had only recently started services from Los Angeles International to London's Stansted Airport on August 30th, 2007. Low load factors, the high price of fuel and brutal competition were too much for the airline to continue to withstand. With its demise goes one less airline for enthusiasts and spotters alike to enjoy in the skies over Los Angeles.

All-premium class flying has recently become a very trendy, and very difficult niche to fly. Besides Maxjet, EOS Airlines, Silverjet, L'Avion and PrivatAir all offer all-premium transatlantic service, however none are known to be running profitable stand-alone operations. The demise of Maxjet might provide a financial boast to the other remaining airlines, but there is no immediate indication that long-term positive growth and profit will be achieved by any.

After suspending operations, Maxjet parked two of its 767's at LAX, N253MY and N252MY. Below are close-up pictures of the former while it awaits a decision on its future, while further down are pictures of the latter on its flight into long-term or permanent storage in the Southwestern desert.

**UPDATE**
Since this post was written, in addition to Maxjet, EOS Airlines, Silverjet and L'Avion have all gone out of business. Only PrivatAir remains flying dedicated all-business service.

The Captain's Chair

2007-12-06T15:44:00.000-08:00

There is one glaring omission from my previous two posts on the A380, the cockpit. While the cockpit is not normally included in Airbus's presentation of the A380, and was not so initially to myself and others, thanks to the tremendous enthusiasm and generosity of one Airbus captain in particular, I was able to get an exclusive look into the systems and instruments that make the A380 the best Airbus plane made to date. Words are not enough to express my gratitude in having been allowed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience, learn firsthand, and photograph the flight control systems that comprise the A380 cockpit.

Once again captain, thank you so much!

Super Jumbo pt. 2

2007-12-02T18:39:00.001-08:00

Continuing from pt. 1, this post focuses on the interior of Airbus' A380 demonstrator aircraft msn 007. While the A380 is certified to carry over 850 passengers in a dense economy configuration, Airbus has outfitted this plane with a more airline-realistic 519 seats. The plane has 12 First Class pods on the forward main deck, 64 Business Class seats on the forward upper deck, and 443 Economy Class seats filling out the remaining areas. There are two galley elevator lifts, and 15 lavatories. There is a bar located immediately behind First Class on the main deck, and two sofa lounges just in front of Business on the upper deck.

The pictures below are organized as the A380 is presented by Airbus to potential and existing clients, and invited guests. All visitors begin by entering the plane at the forward main cabin, immediately entering the First Class section. We move aft and are shown the First Class bar area followed by the Economy Class section on the lower deck, it comprising 3 areas. After climbing the spiral staircase located at the rear of the plane, we move forward through the upper deck's 2 Economy sections, before entering Business Class. After seeing its 2 areas, the tour ends after a brief view of the 2 sofa lounges located in front of Business, and a walk down the main staircase.

Below, a look inside the A380.

Super Jumbo pt. 1

2007-11-30T16:41:00.000-08:00

As part of its continuing world tour for 2007, Airbus 380-800 msn 007 visited Los Angeles on November 28th for a 3 day, 2 night stay. The visit was a follow-on to the previous visit in March of this year of msn 001, which performed airport compatibility tests for the benefit of Qantas Airways. When 001 visited Los Angeles in March very little in terms of a cabin interior tour was possible to the public and potential clients, as in place of seats and potential passenger amenities one only found test equipment and instrumentation. Airbus' only properly fitted A380 had instead been simultaneously flown to New York for similar airport compatibility tests there. The visit of 007 to LAX was the fulfillment of a promise by Airbus to correct the discrepancy in presentations made to those two US airports, and Airbus and its staff marvelously delivered.

There's very little I can add to the multitude of information already available on the web regarding the plane's specifications and capabilities, so instead I present Part 1 of a 2-Part photo series. Below are just a few of the exterior pictures of the plane accumulated during its function as a static display at the Flight Path Learning Center Museum, as well as of the take-off and landing performed on a scenic flight of California on November 29th with 150 VIP's. Part 2 will showcase the interior of the plane as Airbus has configured it for showcase to existing and potential airline clients.

**UPDATE**
Qantas Airways has taken delivery of and now flies the A380 regularly to Sydney and Melbourne, Australia from Los Angeles. Pictures of the inaugural flight can be found here.

Room With A View

2007-11-26T22:04:00.000-08:00

The Theme Building is without question THE signature structure at LAX. Completed in August of 1961, it's design was a glorious statement to the world that Los Angeles had
fully embraced and marched head-on into the Jet Age. For decades it has spurred the imagination of the traveling public,
and welcomed millions of people from throughout the world to the restaurants and bars which have occupied its spaces.

Lately however, the building has seen better days. Long-needed repairs to its stucco facade finally came to the forefront when water damaged caused large chunks of it to fall to
earth. Luckily, no one was injured. Further investigation deemed the situation too hazardous to allow the
general public near the structure, a beautiful icon rendered off-limits. While repairs still continue to the exterior of the Theme Building, The Encounter Restaurant & Bar, which is the building's primary tenant, was finally allowed to reopen its doors on November 12th, 2007.

The interior of the restaurant remains largely unchanged. From the ceiling to the carpeting,
the restaurant retains the retro-70's / Space
Age look it debuted at the Encounter's original opening in 1997. Despite all the lattice-work currently surrounding the building, the views from Encounter are still outstanding, and will slowly return to their fully unobstructed ways over the next year as the building's facade is restored onto the structural steel of its spanning arches.

Lunch is served daily at the Encounter from 11am till 4pm, with dinner on offer Thursday's,
Friday's, Saturday's and Sunday's from 4pm till 9:30pm. For the more budget conscious eater, the City Deli on the ground floor of the building offers a hearty alternative, open from 6am until 3pm, Monday through Friday.

If you're at the airport and have some time, why not take the opportunity to stop by for your own encounter with one of aviation's most famous landmarks.

Runway Angel

2007-11-13T16:07:00.000-08:00

If anyone needed a reminder that LA is the land of Hollywood, Monday November 12th served a nice one. LAX was host to the latest christening of a Virgin America plane, this time N627VA. With the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show being filmed at the Kodak Theatre for the first time this coming Thursday, and the Victoria's Secret Angels
scheduled to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday, LAX saw witness to all seven of the current Victoria's Secret Angels live and in person. Six of them flew in from New York on the special plane with normal Virgin America insignia on the starboard side, but new special Victoria's Secret "HERE COME THE ANGELS!" stickers on the port. The six were met by lead Victoria's spokesperson, and LA resident, Heidi Klum. After some photo ops, filmed interviews of all the women on the tarmac and in the cockpit with Ms. Klum, the plane was champagne christened "Runway Angel". The party boarded buses for Hollywood & Highland, and the plane was then towed to Terminal 6 for reentry into scheduled service, the fun event over much too soon.

Currently, the seven Victoria Secret Angels are Marisa Miller, Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima, Selita Ebanks, Heidi Klum, Miranda Kerr, Karolina Kurkova and Izabel Goulart. Below are pictures of the beautiful skies, the beautiful women, and a beautiful newly christened airplane. I love LA!

Final Flight

2007-11-06T19:19:00.000-08:00

Monday, November 5th was a special day at LAX. N963NA, the very first production-configured Northrop T-38 Talon first delivered and flown by the US Air Force in 1961, flew its final flight wearing NASA colors to KLAX. The T-38 holds the distinction of being the very first and most produced supersonic trainer in the world. Between 1961 and 1972 almost 1,200 were produced for several entities, including foreign countries. Even today, more than 560 continue to be used by the US Air Force alone for training and operational flights. Advances in technology, and an earnest upgrade program well underway, will see that the T-38 continues in its variable roles well into the 2020's.

Built by Northrop in Hawthorne, CA N963NA flew more than 46 years for the US Air Force, the US Navy, and finally for NASA. While still technically the property of NASA, the now Northrop Grumman Corporation was offered the honor of permanently displaying the historic plane at its Integrated Systems campus in El Segundo, California. The oldest flying T-38 Talon is now one for the history books.

Below, pictures of the historic Talon coming home.

Cargo City

2007-10-30T14:36:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for cargo traffic destinations, LAX is one of the busiest in the world. The Airports Counsel International organization ranked LAX #11 in the world for 2006 in terms of cargo traffic destinations by tonnage. Forbes ranked LAX #6 for 2005. No matter which source you reference, LAX's position as a top cargo destination is remarkable when you look at the airports that rank above it. Aside from Anchorage, LAX is usually the only airport on the lists that does not serve as a primary hub for a cargo airline. Its popularity is a testament to its technology, business, and commercial industries as well as its geographical location, Los Angeles being a perfect gateway to the Pacific.

Below are just a few of the dozens of cargo airlines that serve LAX.

Jett Clipper Ella

2007-10-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

There are a handful of VIP aircraft that are known throughout the aviation world for their beauty and elegance. One of those planes is John Travolta's beautifully maintained Boeing 707-138B "Jett Clipper Ella". Named after his children Jett and Ella Bleu Travolta, this particular plane was originally a member of Qantas Airways' 707 "V-Jet" long-haul fleet. The plane was originally christened "City of Launceston" and was registered as VH-EBM, but was re-registered N707JT, was renamed after his children, and was repainted in its original Qantas delivery scheme by John Travolta in 2002 shortly after he took possession of the plane.

The 707 introduced Australia to the Jet Age in 1959. It reduced the flying time from Sydney to London from 27 hours in a Lockheed Constellation to just 8 in the 707, and formed the backbone of Qantas' fleet for the next 12 years. The 138B variant was approximately 10 feet shorter than the standard 146' 707-100 model, and illustrates Boeing's occasional tendency to almost literally "custom build" planes for important airline customers, future examples being the 747-SP for Pan Am, the 767-400 for Delta and Continental, and the 747-400ER for Qantas again.

John Travolta now calls Florida home, but because of his career and business dealings in Hollywood, he and his 707 are frequent visitors to LAX. Below are a few pictures I was able to take of his magnificent-looking plane, the grey skies and smoke the unfortunate result of devastating fires that were ravaging Southern California at the time.

**UPDATE**
As mentioned earlier, Mr. Travolta and his plane are regular visitors to LAX. Additional pictures of his plane can be seen following this link.

Best In Show

2007-10-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

She wasn't the oldest, nor the most historic, or even the prettiest of the aircraft on display at the Flightpath Gala, but for me personally she was the most spectacular. N717CK is one of a slowly dwindling number of Boeing 747-100 airplanes still being flown throughout the world. Manufactured and delivered to American Airlines in the first half of 1971 as N9673, she flew as a passenger plane for five years before being converted to freighter use in 1976, a role which she still serves today. After serving in UPS' air cargo fleet for nearly twenty years, she has been with Kalitta Air since 2003, and while there is talk of replacing her in the fleet with a more modern 747-400 model, her schedule shows no signs of let up in the immediate future.

You don't get a true appreciation for her cargo hauling capacity until you're standing right in the middle of her main deck floor. It feels like a cavern. Locks and rollers blanket her floor, and if you don't pay attention to where you are stepping, you're liable to fall over. Despite being over 36 years old, some of her flight instruments have been upgraded to more modern standards, as her original steam powered flight and navigational displays are now computer "glass" ones.

Below, pictures of the venerable 747-100.

Mainliner O'Connor

2007-10-11T16:09:00.001-07:00

Yet another special visitor to the Flight Path Gala was Mainliner O'Connor, the pride and joy of the Clay Lacy Aviation fleet. Mr. Lacy flew in for the Gala to bestow two scholarships on some very deserving students, as well as partake in the Gala festivities. His beautifully maintained DC-3 was built in 1945 and flew mainly in corporate service, but was restored in vintage United Airlines livery because of Mr. Lacy's record breaking history with the airline.

Named in honor of one of United's first flight attendants, Mary O'Connor, she's a beautiful plane and her inclusion in the Gala a wonderful follow-on to Flight Path's recent visit from Flagship Detroit.

Terrific Texan

2007-10-10T21:57:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, October 10th the Flight Path Learning Center and Museum hosted its 7th annual Gala fundraising event at KLAX. One of the special attendees was a beautifully maintained North American Aviation SNJ-6 "Texan". The AT-6, SNJ being the navy designation for the plane, was a popular scout/trainer for the US Navy and Marines, in production from 1939 until 1948. Over 17,000 were built, and many examples continue to be flown today.

Below are a few pictures of the beautiful Texan all those in attendance at the Gala were able to see.

Flagship Detroit

2007-09-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the tremendous restoration efforts from the folks over at the Flagship Detroit Foundation, the oldest flying Douglas DC-3 in the
world, NC17334 is able to be shared with the people of the world. Since its purchase and restoration in 2004, it has traveled North America visiting American Airlines stations, and air-shows around the country. Monday, September 24th was LAX's turn. The occasion was AA's
Employee Appreciation Day and employees from the airline, LAX, and the general public were invited for an up-close look at this fabulous plane.

NC17334 was built in 1937, and was delivered new to American as its 24th Flagship on March 2 of that year. Thanks to the tireless work of the foundation, the 70 year old plane looks as good as new. It's a true beauty. While the cockpit has seen upgrades to its flight instrumentation, the cabin and exterior harken to AA's glorious past.

Below are a few pictures of the plane in all her glory, as well as the takeoff and landing of a sightseeing flight of Los Angeles for some very lucky passengers!

Shanghai Surprise

2007-09-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

On Friday, September 14th, Shanghai Airlines Cargo began operating scheduled cargo service to LAX via Anchorage, Alaska, with McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft, of which the airline currently has two. I don't regularly follow cargo news, so its arrival this Saturday the 15th was a rather startling sight for me. However, it was a very much welcomed surprise. The cargo airline is a joint venture between Shanghai Airlines of China and EVA Air of Taiwan, and has plans to include follow-on cargo services to Dallas/Ft. Worth from Los Angeles in April of next year. The parent company Shanghai Airlines is currently awaiting permission to being passenger flights to LAX in 2009.

As I was unwittingly on hand for its second flight to LAX, I was able to take a few pictures of the cargo operation displayed below.

Jeddah Jets

2007-09-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

If you're ever in the mood to see unusual visitors in unusual places, LAX will usually come through for you. There always seem to be VIP aircraft from throughout the world parked alongside Imperial Highway on the southern pads. On a recent visit to LAX last week, I was able to take pictures of 3 Saudi Arabian registered aircraft alone parked visiting at the same time. Below are pictures of the larger of the four, a pristine looking Boeing 747-400.

To borrow the remarks of a colleague, You usually only ever see them this shiny when they're brand new!

No word on why the aircraft were here on that particular day, but they're visitors we'll undoubtly see yet again.

Wunala Dreaming

2007-08-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

Out of all the airliner liveries out there, without a doubt, one of the most spectacular is Balarinji Designs-created Wunala Dreaming for Qantas Airways. If you've ever been fortunate enough to see it in person, its a plane that stands out. Inspired by the rich history of the Aboriginal people of Australia, Wunala Dreaming is a beautiful flying work of art depicting Aboriginal inspired motifs around its entire exterior.

Because of the large operation that Qantas runs to LAX, Wunala Dreaming is a frequent visitor to Los Angeles. This particular plane is an Extended Range version of the popular Boeing 747-400 model, the ER version created largely for Qantas, for utilization on its Australia/US flights. The ER model of the 747 is primarily aimed for use on longer range flights, such as to Los Angeles, where additional weight-carrying capacity is required for cargo and/or passengers.

I was fortunate enough to see this plane up close today. Below are a few pictures of my experience with one of aviation's most famous and most recognizable planes.

Qantas Countdown

2007-08-25T23:22:00.000-07:00

With the end of August quickly approaching, Qantas Airways quietly begins a final countdown to its first delivery of the Airbus 380-800 superjumbo jet. Scheduled for first delivery to QF in August of 2008, indications have been that its first regularly scheduled flight will be from Melbourne, Australia to LAX.

Los Angeles is an important city for Qantas. It is speculated that anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of Qantas's annual profits come from its Australia/US operations, of which LAX forms the backbone of. With promises of greater fuel efficiency, and lower operating costs, it makes perfect sense to inaugurate the plane to this important city.

As we await first delivery and introduction into service, below is a quick look back at the A380's first visit into LAX in March of earlier this year.

**UPDATE 1**
Later in the year, another Airbus A380 visited LAX. Additional information and photos of that visit can now be found here.

**UPDATE 2**
Qantas Airways has taken delivery of and now flies the A380 regularly to Sydney and Melbourne, Australia from Los Angeles. Pictures of the inaugural flight can be found here.

Spirit of Seventy Six

2007-08-20T08:25:00.000-07:00

One of the real gems on display at the Flight Path Learning Center Museum is N760, the "Spirit of Seventy Six". The Douglas DC-3 has called Flight Path home since September 2006 when it was towed over from its previous home at the Western Museum of Flight, previously located at Hawthorne Airport.

N760 is the real thing. Built in 1941 and originally registered as NC1944, it flew for Trans World Airlines acquiring over 34,000 flight hours. It was later acquired by Union Oil in 1950 and was used as their executive VIP transport up until 1982. It ended its career with over 47,000 flight hours and no accidents or incidents to her record.

Since then, its survived the scrapyard by serving as a static display, first at the now California Science Center in Exposition Park, followed by the Western Museum of Flight, and now at Flight Path here at LAX. Visitors to Flight Path are able to go on board, sit in the cabin and pilot seats, and enjoy up close views of one of aviation's trailblazing planes, the DC-3.

**UPDATE**
Additional information on Flight Path can be found at this link.

Jungle Jets

2007-08-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

Last month, ExpressJet Airlines began operations to western ski resorts and cities within Mexico, on behalf of Delta Air Lines in 10 newly DL branded aircraft. Before the start of operations, ExpressJet parked 5 aircraft at LAX for a quick overnight repositioning stay.

If you've ever wanted to see an Embraer-145 Regional Jet up close, below are a few pictures of the new aircraft as they awaited service introduction.

Since the start of operations, the agreement between Delta and ExpressJet has grown to include 18 aircraft. Good luck to all involved!

Quite An Encounter

2007-08-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

The above picture from Airliners.net shows the iconic LAX Theme Building in all her glory. However if you've been to LAX lately, you've doubtless seen the
building completely enclosed in scaffolding. Because of recent events, the building has been closed to the public since early March while it's been undergoing inspections and repairs to its upper ache stucco facade. The building as a whole hasn't seen so much activity since the original days of its construction back in 1961. Interior renovation work was carried out on the structure in 1997, but not on this scale.

As of this post, the repair work is still underway. Early on, there was hope that all of the necessary repairs could be completed in 6 months, and the Encounter Restaurant, the primary attraction at the facility, reopened in September so that travelers and visitors alike could once again enjoy its dining options and spectacular views. However, on further inspection its come to light that water and stucco damage was far more extensive than previously thought, and that in addition, some of the steel support beams that frame the building's signature arches needed more careful attention and possible replacement. It's been a long time coming since the building's received such thorough attention. Repairs are now expected to last at least a year with no re-open date for the restaurant available, or an end date for the repairs predictable.

**UPDATE**
Since this post was first published, the Encounter Restaurant and Bar has reopened to the public. Further information can now be found at this link.

Eye On The Sky

2007-08-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

Out of all the major airports in the United States, few provide greater opportunities for plane spotting and photography than KLAX. Below, an area map shows the six most popular locations for aviation photography in the immediate vicinity surrounding the airport. Additional information for each photo location can be found by clicking on the provided links below.

(1) In-N-Out. Probably the most popular location out of the six to be mentioned for aviation photography, this site has become legendary for the dramatic shots photographers can get of jetliners on final approach for runway 24R/6L, the In-N-Out site being just a few hundred feet away from the runway threshold. Slightly obstructed views are also provided for landings on 24L/6R, and when winds dictate, takeoff's in the opposite direction.

(2) Imperial Hill. The most popular spot at KLAX for acquiring aircraft registrations and the second most popular for aviation photography, Imperial Hill provides a commanding view of the southern half of the airport, excellent for witnessing take-off and landing operations on runways 25R/7L and 25L/7R. Several tables and benches are provided for the general public to enjoy the view, as well as two telescopes.

(3) The Flight Path Learning Center Museum provides a close up view of the southern runways, runway 25L/7R itself being only a few hundred feet away. The museum is adjacent to the Qantas and NCA cargo operations at LAX, and itself has auxiliary parking positions just outside its main gallery windows for use by the airport. On occasion, some of LAX’s more unusual visitors can be found parked at these positions. A multi-frequency radio scanner inside the museum provides an opportunity to listen in on ground operations as they happen in front of you.

4) The Proud Bird. Similar to the In-N-Out but providing a more "proper" restaurant setting, the Proud Bird is situated a few hundred feet from the runway threshold hold for runway 25L/7R, and provides good views of planes on final approach, or take-offs in the opposite direction when needed, for both southern runways. Themed after the Second World War, the restaurant has several vintage fighters on static display in an outdoor patio area.

5)Vista Del Mar. Paralleling the Pacific Ocean, the Vista Del Mar drive can be a difficult location to photograph from, as only climb and belly shots are practical from along the coast. However, a setting sun can provide a most dramatic backdrop to planes heading out towards the Pacific Ocean.

6) Westchester Parkway. My last location and also the most difficult to photograph from, Westchester Parkway runs parallel to runway 24R/6L and is an excellent location from which to see landing operations for that runway. Loitering in the surrounding areas is prohibited, but only a few minutes time is needed for spectacular shots. An unobstructed view of operations for the parallel runway 24L/6R can also viewed from here.

Cleared For Take-off!

2007-08-01T17:09:00.000-07:00

I not only refer to the creation of this blog and its first post, but also to its first subject: Virgin America.

Having just recently been granted permission to begin regularly scheduled flights within the United
States, on Tuesday July 31 Virgin America held a preview event in Los Angeles at the Flightpath Learning Center Museum for Virgin America employees, Los Angeles World Airports employees, and travel industry partners. The event was not open to the public, but I was able to participate in the festivities. It was an opportunity for people to mingle, see some of the modern features passengers can expect on upcoming VX flights, and learn first hand how the airline plans to take on the fierce competition in the US domestic market.

I'm not an airline analyst so their route and pricing plans were not of immediate interest to me. I was there foremost to see just how awesome VX had outfitted their passanger planes from the information they have posted online, and they did not dissapoint.

First impression? WOW. The cabins
are crisp and modern with polished plastic and leather in dark purple, red, and white colors throughout. The airline is the first in the US to offer interior mood lighting, slowly becoming a standard feature on some of the more prominent international airlines, and it definitely added to the "cool" factor the airline was attempting to impress upon all. Standard uniforms were
all black with red sweaters for both CRS and FA's. Seat pitch in coach was average, but recline was slightly better than expected. All seats offer touchscreen PTV's, with the interface having only taken a minute or two to get a handle on. First class offered wider seats with increased pitch but the same PTV and dinning options. At the back of the plane there was a small mini-bar for snacks located in the rear bulkhead. While not providing more concrete details, VX staff hinted at their onboard dinning options being far superior to current buy-on-board offerings by other carriers.

Weirdest/Funniest/Neatest feature on display? As far as I know, Virgin America is the only US airline to have music playing in the lavatories. Definitely brought a smile to everyone who noticed.

Virgin America beings operations from LAX this Wednesday,
August 8 with first flight scheduled for an 11:40am departure to San Francisco. The inaugural flight will depart from Flightpath, preceded by a small ceremony with the governor of California and mayor of Los Angeles possibly in attendance. At least for the inaugural flight, passengers were to be comprised of VX staff and friends. All subsequent revenue passenger flights will depart from two VX gates at Terminal 6, an additional third gate already allocated to the airline once their growth requires it.