Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA, KIWA, IWA) "Willie"

[azspyder]

Nice catch Bill...great shots!

[Joe Copalman]

DESERT TIGER


Agreed with Steve, Bill.  Awesome set of Hornet shots.  Congrats on not missing them.

[Paul Dumm]

Wing dips are always nice, But can you do it the other way next time please.

[Joe Copalman]

CATMS IN THE CRADLE

VFA-122 Supers at Willie today.

[Jeff D. Welker]

^^^^^ Most Excellent Joe!

As some may know, we had an interesting visitor to Willie yesterday. A potentate from UAE in a very nice charter. The livery is part of "Royal Jet" (http://www.royaljetgroup.com/en); Saudi-based. A photographer friend of Jay and me is the official shooter for these folks. Not a bad gig if you can get it.

Based upon the number of armored black Suburbans, police escort, private security and the Boeing CL-600 that chased after the BBJ, someone wrote a large check 

[Jeff D. Welker]

From the dumb lucky department; NASA's Super Guppy arriving RWY 12R in some terrific evening light 

[azspyder]

Beautiful shot Jeff! Nice angle.

[Joe Copalman]

NIGHTFISH

[Anna M. Wood]

Lots of Guppy action at Gateway....

[Anna M. Wood]

Allegiant All Tucked In For The Night....

[Jeff D. Welker]

I FEEL DIFFERENT & I DON'T KNOW WHY

[Anna M. Wood]

Great shots Jeff....

Wonder what was in the Guppy?  It used a lot of runway, from the video I saw, taking off this morning.

[Jeff D. Welker]

Great shots Jeff....

Wonder what was in the Guppy?  It used a lot of runway, from the video I saw, taking off this morning.

Thanks Anna. I wish I could intelligently opine on this question, but like most anything else, I'm clueless. And yes, it did launch like it was heavy this morning.

[Dave S.]

Anna,

I had read somewhere that it was delivering some part(s) of a Shuttle flight simulator to a museum up in Seattle.  I'm sure someone can provide some more accurate info.  I don't believe it was heavily loaded on this return leg, I just don't think they like to launch it like a 757.  A few years ago, the Smithsonian Air & Space magazine had a really cool article on this aircraft, I should try to dig it out.

It did launch early this morning.  After taking a look at the weather in/around Austin, I can see why the pilots wanted to get there.

[Jeff D. Welker]

Anna,

I had read somewhere that it was delivering some part(s) of a Shuttle flight simulator to a museum up in Seattle.  I'm sure someone can provide some more accurate info.  I don't believe it was heavily loaded on this return leg, I just don't think they like to launch it like a 757.  A few years ago, the Smithsonian Air & Space magazine had a really cool article on this aircraft, I should try to dig it out.

It did launch early this morning.  After taking a look at the weather in/around Austin, I can see why the pilots wanted to get there.

Let me clarify a few of Brother Dave's statements. First, I just received a call from a reliable source that SG landed at KIWA to purchase a load of delicious jerky (beef, elk, buffalo, etc) from that guy that sells it out of his car on the south side of Brown Road; just west of Meridian Road. Second, while I appreciate Dave's opinion on how heavily loaded SG was or was not, you must remember Dave's never been heavily loaded in his life; he runs triathlons for goodness sakes. Third; take it from someone that launches heavy every morning (yours truly), SG was was full-up when she rotated this morning