[cactuswings 3034] LOG: USA trip (March) - Marana Log

Hi folks, again a couple of weeks till the last post and apologies: this time summer break and another 3 week USA family holiday (+spotting) came in the way.

If i get the reports out at that "speed" it will be next year and already the next trip until i finish... will try to make the text still useful despite the dated logs.

Again for recap, here is the itinerary of this Airliner Hub & Storage tour and i promised to send a separate Log for Marana this round.

Day 1 - Hamburg-Amsterdam-Atlanta
Day 2 - Atlanta-San Diego-Tucson (via Southwest)
Day 3 - Tucson/Marana/Davis Monthan/AMARG/Pima
Day 4 - Phoenix-Goodyear
Day 5 - Kingman-Las Vegas
Day 6 - Las Vegas-Victorville
Day 7 - Mojave-Palmdale-Van Nuys-Los Angeles
Day 8 - Los Angeles
Day 9 - Los Angeles-Chicago (via United)
Day 10 - Chicago-Toronto
Day 11 - Toronto-Amsterdam
Day 12 - Amsterdam-Hamburg - (for myself only)
whereas the rest of the crew went:
Day 11 - Toronto-Fort Lauderdale
Day 12 - Miami/Opa Locka
Day 13 - Ft.Lauderdale/Miami
Day 14 - Ft.Lauderdale/Miami-Paris
Day 15 - Paris-Hamburg

For some more info on booking the overflight and surrounding area as well as Davis Monthan/AMARG please refer to the lengthy message in the Archives

"USA Trip (March) - Tucson - Davis Monthan (+Pima) - Marana - Ryan - Avra Valley"

For the MARANA PINAL AIR PARK overflight the only practical way to identify the registrations of stored aircraft is to make a couple of circuits and read off the registrations from the photos later. (Using binoculars may be much more cumbersome, and driving along the fence at Marana i have no first hand info but seems very cumbersome and not all can be seen.)

Obviously, there are photographers using overflights to simply get the best photo of a rare frame and their instructions to the pilot on where to go and how to circle may be different from the reg-spotter. So while all of the companies doing overflights and their pilots are aware of our hobby and interest, it is very worthwhile to speak up and give them clear instructions. Or best, get the outline discussed beforehand as during the flight it is certainly noisy and ATC ommunication and yourself looking out the window/photographing it can get all very busy at times.

You also need to ensure that you keep well i.e. if you have never flown in a small airplane like a Cessna 172 it is certainly more bumpy than an airliner, and with yourself turning your head in all directions and peeking thorugh the camera viewfinder you may be bound to get airsick - even if you usually don't have issues onboard planes or trains. Better be safe than sorry - i always take an airsickness bag or two from the transatlantic flight with me onboard the Cessna overflight.

Marana has a single active runway and the place can be busy with parachuting flights. There is also an active helicopter base on the north of the field. Interestingly, as you approach Pinal Air Park the pilot will radio the tower and let them know where they intend to fly - and there was NEVER a reply given to us. Our pilot explained that they will usually only reply when they object any of the plans :-)

Wind directions may dictate approach/lading direction we had rwy 12 approach but even with 30 in use my advise is to make one overpass of the runway at around ~300 ft - that way you get the best angle and as aircraft are parked sometimes in narrow rows you are able to read off registrations from, say, a 30 degree angle. If you dont think you got all covered, ask for another circuit or even a third one. For a first visit, two circuits should be expctedto cover all.

On the downwind, you can then photograph the scrap areas and active ramp as well as make some wide angle overview shots. I usually leave the camera at 70mm and do not zoom in further as with today's sensors and pixel quality you can do the zoom in on your PC or laptop. And the further you zoom in with your lens the higher the chance that the pictures are not sharp as you are in motion and not on a steady base, resulting in blurry pictures.

That being said i also found that photographing through the airplane window is possible, but due to sometimes scratched windows and/or glare the pictures can certainly get more blurry. You will still be able to read off most registrations but they do not make much use of cropping out certain frames to put them in a picture gallery, even if it is your own. Most Cessna's will allow you to open the window - discuss this with your pilot beforehand and both times i was advised it is OK. The airflow shall keep the window open and like i said the results were much better that way. Opted not to open the window this time as the mechanism looked more complicated and the wind is noisy (and be careful when sticking the camera out that the airflow does affect you, even you only fly at low speed). So on the next oveflight, i will open the window again!

Flying lower or even land and taxi will only yield you the first aircraft of each storage row. The only advantage for taxiing is that you are more steady, and you can get a slower pass by the active ramp - those aircraft are a bit more difficult to ID as they park nose/tail on to the runway and downwind flight. You can get them during a low pass by making sure you photograph forward as well as turning back over your shoulder. But don't forget that Marana is an active place, and entry through the front door isn't possible - for whatever reasons. So there are reports of photographers having got in trouble when spotted by security while taxiing on the ground and photograping out of the window.

Finally, i advise to make a circle around the entire field - if possible by ATC. As aircraft are parked in a triangle formation, owing to what seemed to have been the standard runway layout for many airfields in the 1940/50s etc, you can only get the "back rows" as well as the area where a few frames seem to be parked for long term purpose by circling around the entire field.

Have had the luck of having reports at hand prior and shortly after our visit. It shows quite some movement of frames around the field. Be aware - it always looks pretty quiet but it doesn't take much time to tow an aircraft from one position to another. And with almost 200 frames, this certainly makes lots of changes over a couple of days and weeks.

(The current Google Maps pic is in fact very close to our March 2014 visit and must be dated just a bit later, as the ABX/DHL DC-9s and N24089 B732 have already been moved from the side row to the midfield storage area)

Here is a complete log of all airframes present - any reference to other airframes for that date stamp can safely be deleted from the databases. Aircraft are identified from my own photos. Others were taken from other reports and photos. Those are marked with *

For other non-readable aircraft that are more sketchy to ID, a further confirmation would be welcome. Those aircraft are marked with **

MARANA 27 MAR 2014

Open sand area (before hangars at runway 30 end)
N112FB* HU16 - Chalks
N113FB HU16 - Chalks
N116FB* HU16 - Chalks
N118FB HU16 - Chalks
N119FB* HU16 - Chalks
N122FB HU16 - Chalks
N125FB HU16 - Chalks

Hangar / Ramp line-up
**CC-CQF A340 (442)- LAN Airlines n/t, n/l, -parts, no visible markings
**JA353K B735 (26104)- ANA n/t, n/l, -parts, no visible markings (btw Hangars)
N670MC DC-9 (47259)- Delta n/t, n/l, -parts (btw Hangars)
D-ABVF B744 - Lufthansa
N974BA* B748 37501- all white
ET-AQW B763 (24476)- all white small reg on wings only
SX-ASO B742F (23919)- all white Aerospace One logo/titles
N376MS MD80 (49941)- Austral n/t
N801BA* B744 (26393)- Korean Air n/t, n/l
N630DL* B757 - Delta f/c
**N276CS MD80 (49951)- all silver Meridiana ruddder?,no visible markings, n/e
**C-GHPD B763 (24999)- Air Canada 2004 c/s, n/t, n/l, -parts, no-reg painted
N676AC B763 (25076)- Aeroflot f/c but no u/c, no left wing (2nd round: no wings!)
**C-GAUE B762 - Air Canada 1993 c/s, n/t, n/l, -parts, no-reg painted (N743JM ?)
N916F* DC-9 - Evergreen International complete, n/e
CS-TKI A310 - White n/e, -parts

Scrap area (on sand) - all no undercarriage
N292MX A320 (292)- Mexicana n/e, -parts
N591SC B733 (24905)- Air Asia n/t, n/l, -parts
N394UA B733 (24669)- PAL Airlines n/e, -parts, reg on sb/side only
PT-MZR A320 334- TAM n/t, n/l, n/e, -parts
N260BV B733 26068- China Southern n/e, -parts
N293CS A320 (294)- BH Holidays n/e, -parts
PT-MZQ A320 335- TAM n/t, n/l, n/e, -parts
N617SC B763 24948- GMG airlines n/e, -parts
N659CS A320 (220)- Ural Airlines n/e, -parts
N8921E DC-9 (45836)- Northwest Airlines n/t, n/l, front fuselage missing
N292CS A320 (301)- a/w n/t, n/l, n/e, -parts
TC-APR B734 (24685)- Pegasus flypgs.com, n/e, -parts
N486EV B742 - Evergreen International
N471EV B742 - Evergreen International
N470EV B742 - Evergreen International
N487AE B735 24877- Air Austral n/t, n/l, n/e, -parts
N915F DC-9 - Evergreen International

Back row 2 (from runway end)
VH-OJJ B747 (24974)- Qantas n/t, n/l, n/e, -parts
N576SH DC10 - Variglog 'MT' in tail
N578SH DC10 (47842)- Variglog 'MU' in tail
N1856U DC10 - United Airlines 1993 c/s, n/t, n/l
N68043 DC10 - Emery Worldwide
N383WA MD11 - World Cargo white, titles, blue tail w/logo
N489EV B742 - Evergreen International
N487EV B742 - Evergreen International
PZ-TCM B743 - Surinam Airways
D-ABZD** B742 - Hellenic Imperial no titles, no-reg painted (not SX-TIE !)
N479EV B742 - Evergreen International #979
N217RJ B742F (23735)- white, grey belly n/t, n/l
N216TX B742F (23711)- white, grey belly n/t, n/l
N429MC B742 - Atlas Air

Back row 1 (from runway end)
N382WA MD11 - World AW n/c
N141WE DC10 (46661)- white, grey belly
N852V DC10 - Global Airtanker Service
N1857U DC10 - United Airlines 1993 c/s, n/t, n/l
N853VV DC10 - white, grey belly n/t, n/l
N824VV DC10 - white, grey belly n/t, n/l
N826VV DC10 - white, grey belly n/t, n/l
N135DL B763 - Delta 2007 c/s
N288SC* B763 (26200)- Air Madagascar
N764RD B763 (26204)- all white n/t, n/l
N637TW B763 - all white Ryan tail swoosh, n/t
N381WA MD11 - World AW old white c/s
N131DN B763 - Delta Air Lines 2000 c/s

Next to runway - row 1 (from runway xx end)
N61CX DC-8 - Air Transport Intl Kuwait c/s
N781AL DC-8 - Air Transport Intl
N870BX DC-8 - BAX global
N105NT MD80 - Spanair a/w, n/t, n/e, rudder c/s
N515HC MD80 - China Eastern
N932RD MD80 (49233)- Ryan Intl n/e
N375MS MD80 (49943)- Austral -parts LV-BDE on wings
N419MT MD80 - Lion Air a/w, n/t, rudder c/s (PK-LMH on wings)
N245BA B742 - ANA n/t, n/l, n/e
N129TW B742 - Trans World non-standard c/s
**? B741 ? all white n/t, n/l, no-reg painted
N513HC MD80 - China Eastern

Next to runway - row 2 (from runway 12 end)
N633US B742 - Northwest 1989 c/s, n/t, n/l
B-2456 B744BCF (24346)- Air China n/t, n/l, no-reg painted
N1798U DC-9 - Northwest complete w/engines, 1989 c/s
N243BA B742 - ANA n/t, n/l
N618US B742 - Northwest Cargo n/t, n/l, n/e
N617US B742 - Northwest Cargo n/t, n/l, n/e

Next to runway - row 3 (from runway 12 end)
N216AW MD11 48428- Cargoitalia no engines, -parts
N632DL B757 (23613)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l, -parts
N503US B757 (23192)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l, -parts
N501US B757 (23190)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l, -parts
N624DL B757 (22914)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l, -parts

Next to runway - row 4 (from runway 12 end)
N959N DC-9 - Northwest 1989 c/s, n/t, n/l
N9330 DC-9 - Northwest 1989 c/s, n/t, n/l, #9966
N956N DC-9 - Northwest 1989 c/s, n/t, n/l, #9906
N958N DC-9 - Northwest 1989 c/s, n/t, n/l, #9908
N957N DC-9 - Northwest 1989 c/s, n/t, n/l, #9907
N9340 DC-9 - Northwest 1989 c/s, n/t, n/l
N9335 DC-9 - Northwest 2003 c/s, n/t, n/l
N3322L DC-9 - Northwest 2003 c/s, n/t, n/l
N3439F B743 - all white n/t, n/l, -parts
N529US* B757 (23844)- Northwest 2003 c/s, n/t, n/l, n/e, -parts
N629DL* B757 (22919)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l, -parts
N294AL B733 (27047)- Air China n/t, n/l
N295AL B733 (27216)- Air China n/t, n/l
N293AL B733 27046- Air China n/t, n/l
N14810 MD80 - Continental n/t, n/l
B-2931 B733 27276- China Southern

Row 1 (parallel to runway) - most right
N502US B757 - Delta 2007 c/s
N602DL B757 - Delta 2007 c/s

Row 2 (parallel to runway)
N517US B757 (23205)- Northwest 2003 c/s, n/t, n/l
N526US B757 - Northwest 2003 c/s, n/t, n/l
N520US B757 (23208)- Northwest 2003 c/s, n/t, n/l
N604DL B757 (22811)- Delta 2007 c/s
N603DL B757 - Delta 2007 c/s

Row 3 (parallel to runway)
N527US B757 (23842)- Delta 2007 c/s
N656DL B757 - Delta 2007 c/s
N516US B757 (23204)- Northwest 2003 c/s, n/t, n/l
N634DL B757 - Delta 2007 c/s
N646DL B757 (24217)- Delta 2007 c/s
N677DL B757 (25982)- Delta 2007 c/s
N653DL B757 - Delta 2007 c/s
N628DL B757 (22918)- Delta 2007 c/s
N625DL B757 (22915)- Delta 2007 c/s
N626DL B757 - Delta 2007 c/s
N528US B757 - Delta 2007 c/s
N631DL B757 (23612)- Delta 2007 c/s
N657DL B757 - Delta 2007 c/s

Row 4 (parallel to runway)
N778NC DC-9 (48100)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N776NC DC-9 (47786)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N761NC DC-9 (47709)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N781NC DC-9 48121- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N769NC DC-9 (47757)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N783NC DC-9 (48108)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N765NC DC-9 (47718)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N772NC DC-9 47774- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N677MC DC-9 (47756)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N676MC DC-9 (47652)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N401EA DC-9 (47682)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N600TR DC-9 (47783)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N777NC DC-9 (47787)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N774NC DC-9 (47776)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l
N762NC DC-9 (47710)- Delta 2007 c/s, n/t, n/l

Row 4 (parallel to runway)
N971PG B744 (25422)- AeroSur white, titles, solid blue tail
N402KZ B744 (34017)- Nippon Cargo Airlines
B-HUQ B744 - Cathay Pacific Cargo
B-HUK B744 - Cathay Pacific Cargo
N496BC B744 (26396)- Korean Air n/t, n/l
B-HKX B744 - Cathay Pacific Cargo
B-HUH B744 - Cathay Pacific Cargo
N491EV B744 (26561)- Evergreen Intl a/w, n/t, n/l
N779BA B744 (24199)- Korean Air n/t, n/l

Row 5 (parallel to runway)
N784BA B744 (25205)- Korean Air n/t, n/l
N938BA B744 (24227)- all white n/t, n/l
N785BA B744 (25068)- all white n/t, n/l
N976BA B744 (25275)- Korean Air n/t, n/l
N925BA B744 (24621)- Korean Air n/t, n/l
N923BA B744 (26547)- all white n/t, n/l
N926BA B744 (27217)- all white n/t, n/l
N808BA B748 37393- Nippon Cargo '16' on nwd JA16KZ on wings
N803BA B748 38077- Cargolux 'VCJ' nwd
N469AC B744 (27602)- Southern Air n/c

Row 6 (parallel to runway)
N908AX DC-9 - Airborne Express no engines
N941AX DC-9 - Airborne Express no engines
N982AX DC-9 - Airborne Express DHL c/s, no engines
N24089 B732 - all white n/t, n/l
B-2927 B733 - China Southern
N728FV B727 - Allegro Air a/w, n/t, n/l
N727FV B727 - Allegro Air n/t
N313SC A320 (349)- BH Airlines white, airlines.com titles only
N296SC A320 (203)- Ural Airlines

Back corner - taxiway/storage
P4-MDG MD90 - Pro Air n/e, no u/c, -parts, cockpit and tail section missing! Reg on wings
P4-MDF MD90 - Pro Air red c/s, n/e, no u/c, -parts, reg on wings, N90xxx (N901PR) visible on side!
N709MD* MD80 - Spanair white, n/t, n/l, n/e, -parts, rudder only, no-reg painted
N792BA B743 - Ansett white, n/t, n/l, n/e, -parts, fainted tail c/s, no-reg painted
**N B757 ? Northwest 2003 c/s, n/t, n/l, n/e, -parts, no-reg painted
C-GPWB B762 - Air Canada 1993 c/s, n/t, n/l, no-reg painted, tail #672
**N DC-10 ? Northwest 1989 c/s, n/t, n/l, n/e, -parts, no-reg painted
**N B742 ? Northwest 1989 c/s, n/t, n/l, n/e, -parts, no-reg painted
**N DC-9 ? Northwest 1989 c/s, n/e, -parts, no-reg painted
**N308US A320 - Northwest 1989 c/s, n/t, n/l, n/e, -parts, no-reg painted
N990UA* B732 - United Airlines 1993 c/s, n/t, n/l, n/e, -parts, no-reg painted

The only sad part is that i just had 13 frames out of this bunch - but of course all very nice ones including my 4th last MD11 frame!

Best Regards

Stefan