Federal Government Aviation (NASA, FAA, DHS/Customs, JPATS, etc).

[Paul Dumm]

That's has got to be the shortest DC-9 every.

[Jay Beckman]

"...and we're here to help!"

[Bubak]

[Daniel DeSart]

Finally coming back for some T-38s. Thanks to the wind blowing the dust around, they came out a bit hazy.

[Brian Lockett]

NASA Aero Spacelines 377SGT Super Guppy Turbine departing from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base with a load of Northrop T-38 Talons bound for Holloman Air Force Base on March 8, 2011.  It finally took off at 12:42 in the afternoon.








I have more Guppy photos on my web site at Air-and-Space.com

[Daniel DeSart]

Nice take off shots!

[Brian Lockett]

Nice take off shots!

Thanks Daniel! It took patience.  It was three hours later than the originally scheduled departure.  At least three other photographers showed up at the scheduled departure time, but they were gone by the time it took off.

[John B.]

Nice work on the Super Guppy guys.  Guppy Week has been really good so far.


DSC_7711 by John Bezosky Jr., on Flickr

[Dave S.]

Brian,

I was one of those three guys that was out there Tuesday morning.  I also skidded up back to that same vantage point as it was lifting off, around 12:40'ish.  Grabbing my camera and blindly firing away, only to realize that: a) my zoom was locked at 100mm, b) my zoom ring was blocked by my lens hood in its reversed 'travel' position, and c) my camera was in Av (aperture priority) - from catching those A-10's earlier in the morning.

Sooooooo, I may be back there soon to exact my (photographic) revenge and grab a decent departure shot!

By the way, where were you positioned?  In the museum's parking lot?

- Dave

[Brian Lockett]

Brian,

I was one of those three guys that was out there Tuesday morning.  I also skidded up back to that same vantage point as it was lifting off, around 12:40'ish.  Grabbing my camera and blindly firing away, only to realize that: a) my zoom was locked at 100mm, b) my zoom ring was blocked by my lens hood in its reversed 'travel' position, and c) my camera was in Av (aperture priority) - from catching those A-10's earlier in the morning.

Sooooooo, I may be back there soon to exact my (photographic) revenge and grab a decent departure shot!

By the way, where were you positioned?  In the museum's parking lot?

- Dave

Hi Dave,

I was in the white 4runner.  I was moving to a new position a little closer to Wilmot when you arrived.  I was about 100 yards west of Wilmot.

Brian

[jslugman]

I was doing a little digging on this Guppy and she's one of the Airbus built aircraft. Different shaped upper nose (compare with N940NS at PASM) so she's really a 377SGT-F s/n 4 which means I get to go back and change all my caption information... GAH!!!!

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=941NA&x=0&y=0

[John B.]

Sooooooo, I may be back there soon to exact my (photographic) revenge and grab a decent departure shot!
- Dave

For departures from runway one-two, anywhere from the Pima Air and Space Museum parking lot and as far east as the corner of Wilmot Road and Valencia are good spots--especially for something as large as the Super Guppy.

For whatever it is worth, it looks like they are pretty much back to the original schedule again.  So I am crossing my fingers for a 9:30AM departure Friday morning--hopefully down runway one-two, as well.  Good luck!

[bilwor]

I am hoping for a delay to let the sun move over more, like Tuesday. Any news on more  flights?
bill

[Brian Lockett]

I am hoping for a delay to let the sun move over more, like Tuesday. Any news on more  flights?
bill

The long delay on Tuesday really improved the lighting.  At 9:30 the azimuth of the sun is the same as the runway heading.

[bilwor]

Bell UH-1H "Iroquois/Huey" (USA 68-16295)(Homeland Security) D-MAFB 03/11/11