Sunday, 22 December 2024

[cactuswings 4690] LOG - ORD/DEN/Phoenix Area (December 2024)

ORD (12/12/2024)
-----------------
There were some foreigners of interest (and a few locals) on a quick stop at O'Hare.

Air Canada             7M8          #532
Air Canada             CS3  CGVUN
Air Canada express     E75  CFEKS   #534
Air China Cargo        74F  B2409
Air France             359  FHUVG
Alaska                 739  N303AS  my ride that day!
ANA                    77W  JA794A
Atlas                  74F  N438GT
British Airways        772          #IC
Cathay Pacific         35K  BLXG
Contour                CRJ  N438SW
Contour                ERD  N808AE
Denver Air Connection  ER4  N973DC
Emirates               77W  A6EQI
Iberia                 333  ECLUK
Southern               CNA  N750Z   "The Paul Tashie"
Southern               CNA  N958SP  Purdue University c/s


DEN (12/18/2024)
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There was just the standard fare over a two-part visit to DIA.  I stayed in a B concourse mostly and didn't get to see anything more exotic (Copa, THY, Air France).  Oh well.

Air Canada           CS3  CGJXW
Air Canada           CS3  CGMZN
Air Canada           CS3  CGTZH
British Airways      35K  GXWBB
Icelandair           7M8  TFICT   daystopper
Lufthansa            346  DAIHV
Lufthansa            359  DAIVD
Sun Country          73H  N835SY  40 years of flight markings
United               772          #2021
United Express       E75  N626SY  Skywest's newest(?)
Volaris              320  XAVLK

…plus an Atlas 747, a lot of Denver Air Connection aircraft (Do.328s, Embraer 145s, and Metros) at concourse C but too distant to note, and an untitled Embraer 145 that's a regular.


PHX (12/18/2024)
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In the darkness a few aircraft went into the book with only one of note.

Mesa             CR9  N329MS  operating for United (a -900!?)

…and a NAC 737-800 freighter.

 
GYR (12/19/2024)
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It'd been almost two years since my last visit to Goodyear and in that report I rued the construction of warehouses in the immediate vicinity of the airport.  In a word I was Rong.

The warehouses have resulted in parking lots that allow easy driving access to sightlines from which almost the entire field can be soaked up with ease.  My visit at dawn (or possibly it was just the lack of occupancy?) meant that these parking lots were completely empty and, well, I feasted. 

Also, the new (new on my 2023 visit at least) segment of South Bullard Avenue between the baseball facilities and the airfield has also helped immensely.

This was my best visit to Goodyear ever, in my >10 years visiting this airfield.  There are still bits of the field and the hangars which are tough but wow.  Below is my full log, brought to you by the color yellow.

@Scrap Pad
----------
ex-Aer Lingus        752  N726WN  just a hulk
ex-Pacific Airlines  320  N340CG
ex-Singapore         772  N772BC
Ural                 320  VQBCZ
viva air             320  N631AG

@Hangar
-------
7Air Cargo           73U  N260AC
ex-Spirit            320  N640NK  old c/s
ex-Spirit            320  N649NK
ex-Spirit            320  N692NK
ex-Spirit            320  N693NK
ex-Spirit            320  N696NK
ex-Spirit            321  N675NK
ex-Spirit            321  N676NK
Spirit               32N  N908NK
United               73J  N39423
                     320  N158AS  exact location not noted (or recalled!)


On Field
--------
Air Astana           752  N489BR
Air Ivoire           319  ____RC
Air Transat          32Q  CGOIH   #703
Air Transat          32Q  CGOIS   #709
Air Transat          32Q  CGOIW   #708
ex-American          M80  N451AA  long-term resident
ex-Aruba             320  N676AG  "Edecio"
Cargologic Germany   73P  N468VX
Caribbean            73H  N2823   many parts missing
Compass Air Cargo    73U  N245AC
Corsair              743          #SKY; what's the story with this one anyway?!
DHL                  73U  N708MB
DHL                  73U  N859AM
iAero                73H  N277EA
JetAirFly            73U  VPCLQ   #AA, "Victory"
LATAM                320  N315MQ
Royal Flight         752  N835AS
Royal Flight         763  VPBLG
ex-Singapore         772  N509BC
ex-Singapore         772  N749BC
ex-Singapore         772  N784BC
ex-Singapore         772  N785BC
ex-Southwest         73G          #554, many parts missing
ex-Spirit            320  N638NK
ex-Spirit            320  N694NK
ex-Spirit            321  N657NK
Spirit               32N  N907NK
Spirit               32N  N913NK
Spirit               32N  N932NK
Spirit               32N  N936NK
Spirit               32N  N937NK
Spirit               32N  N940NK
Spirit               32N  N941NK
Spirit               32N  N942NK
Spirit               32N  N944NK
Spirit               32N  N950NK
West Atlantic        73U  N290BR  Swiftair (of Spain) c/s
                     73P  N775SJ  all-white c/s
                     73U  N308BR  all-white c/s
                     73U  N314BR  all-white c/s
                     73U  N916BR  all-white c/s
                     73U  N986AS  all-white c/s
                     73U  VPCBV   all-white c/s
                     75F  N175AA  all-white c/s
                     75F  N194AA  all-white c/s
                     75F  N195AN  all-white c/s
                     75F  N225NZ  all-white c/s
                     75F  N607AM  all-white c/s
                     75F  VQBGG   all-white c/s
                     772          "msn28688" visible
                     DC7  ____EA  long-term resident
                     321  N919NX  all-white c/s
                     333  N920AE  all-white c/s

Missed
------
- 1x Hop! E170 on the scrap pad
- 1x Caribbean 737-800 on the field (also in scrap condition)
- 1x ex-US Airways 757 on the field
- multiple additional Spirit aircraft on the field and at the hangar (name painted out on A320 Classics)
- hangar occupants (though I've noted the aircraft parked close by)


AZA (12/19/2024)
----------------
After lunch, and while working from my mobile command post, I headed east to check out Mesa Gateway Airport.  There was nothing quite so dramatic out there but the place is always worth visiting.  Thursday must be a peak day for Allegiant because I never recall seeing so many movements there in the past…the landside was bursting at the seams.

The Intel parking lot was full but there were no aircraft outside – perhaps there's still some time left before their shuttle closes?  The small observation area proved a good place to observe movements and the distant, anonymous ramp for deportation flights…now a GlobalX franchise.  Oh, and Allegiant has taken over the hangar previously used by the mystery C-130 operator.  And there were no commercial-grade aircraft at Embraer's now-much-harder-to-see ramp.

Warehouses are popping up all over the Gateway area as well and the mapping program directed me to the airport by roads that I don't recall ever using.  The Valley of the Sun is booming!

Noted below are my non-Allegiant sightings.

Aeronaves TSM     CRJ  XAADS   freighter
GlobalX           320  N630VA
                  320  N289GX  white with Alaska rudder
 

PHX (12/19/2024)
----------------
The Sky Train (sorry Freddie!) remains a great way to see things, as do the huge airside windows in Terminal 3.  There were no major surprises in the failing daylight and I took an early flight home.  The interesting bits are noted below.

Ameriflight        SWM  N370AE  active, Texas flag fin c/s
Ameriflight        SWM  N578AF  missing an engine
Arizona Cardinals  772  N777AZ
Contour            ER3  N16501  at FBO
Westwind           CNA  N786WW  at cargo ramp
                   752  MRISE   at FBO
                   772  N865DA

…plus another Ameriflight Metro missing an engine in the small scrapping area slash hangar, the standard 757/E170 at the Honeywell facility, nothing at the distant Mesa hangar, and at the FBO a mostly-white BBJ2 that defied my attempts to read it off.

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