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

[Matt Ottosen]

Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules
146th Airlift Wing (146 AW)
Modular Airborne FireFighting System (MAFFS)

[cpasley]

FA-18A+ Hornet VFA-204 BuNo 163113 by Pasley Aviation Photography, on Flickr

[Jeff D. Welker]

A haboob engulfed KIWA a little before 1:00 PM today causing three Hornets from VFA-97 to abort their takeoff and return to the ramp. As you can see, it got fairly intense and dark enough to turn on the taxiway/runway lights.

HABOOB WARHAWKS

[Scott Youmans]

Hope your camera is ok!

[Jeff D. Welker]

Hope your camera is ok!

Let's just say I did not change lenses during this festival of dirt; nor did I face my lens into the wind. I did spend 45-minutes de-sanding my 5D3 when I got home 

Here is one I took of the Hornets jockeying for position on the ramp. I'm not sure if these pilots ever flew missions from land bases in Afghanistan or Iraq, but they sure got a dose of similar conditions today.

[Matt Ottosen]

HABOOB WARHAWKS

Very nice shot, Mr. Welker!

[Tower Guy]

Never thought that a Haboob would enhance a photo but these are outstanding Jeff. Looks like they are operating in the middle east instead of E. Mesa.

[azspyder]

[Jeff D. Welker]

Never thought that a Haboob would enhance a photo but these are outstanding Jeff. Looks like they are operating in the middle east instead of E. Mesa.

Very nice shot, Mr. Welker!

Thanks Harvey & Matt. I just got plain lucky with the weather and photography yesterday. I had intended to visit Yuma for the 513's farewell; however, a client wanted a meeting Friday morning that killed the trip. My visit to Willie was a last minute decision. After the dust and rain passed, a C-130 from the Wyoming ANG departed with all their MAFFS support gear and headed for Cheyenne. There was still tons of cloud cover and the light was marginal at best. Because of the storm the Herc departed 12R and I took a few obligatory images to practice my slow shutter speed panning as it rolled past my position. When I was processing some of the images today, low and behold I found vapor coming off the props - something I simply did not expect to ever see at Willie      

[Scott Youmans]

Nice...Very nice!

[azspyder]

[cpasley]

Raytheon Hawker 800 N25BB by Pasley Aviation Photography, on Flickr

[Matt Ottosen]

Northrop F-5F Franken-Tiger
Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 (VMFT-401) "Snipers"

[azspyder]

[azspyder]