San Francisco International Airport (KSFO)

[Joe Copalman]

"Le Big Mac"

[Jay Beckman]

Nice one Joe!  Good to see another airport added to our collection!

[Joe Copalman]

Thanks, Jay!  Bit of a last-minute thing, but had the opportunity to kill some time before a late (and delayed even further because SFO) flight home shooting from the shadow tower where most of the gate/alley control is done on the east side.  Amazing how many "exotic" carriers come in there, with many of them flying different types in as well.

[Jay Beckman]

The whole SFO / LAX thing makes PHX look like a farmer's grass strip at times...

[Joe Copalman]

The whole SFO / LAX thing makes PHX look like a farmer's grass strip at times...

Even San Diego and Vegas have a tendency to do that.  Even seeing some domestic carriers like Virgin American or JetBlue that we either don't get or don't get much of at PHX was refreshing.  And many people would probably bitch about the weather, but I've got to admit that the marine layer stuff was a welcome change as well.

[Joe Copalman]

EUROPEAN ELEGANCE

[Tower Guy]

Great head-on shot of this 340, you found a great place to shoot from Joe. Not always easy to do if you are only passing through. The subdued light due to clouds helps with detail on the shiny, mostly white airliners.

[Joe Copalman]

Great head-on shot of this 340, you found a great place to shoot from Joe. Not always easy to do if you are only passing through. The subdued light due to clouds helps with detail on the shiny, mostly white airliners.

Thanks Harvey!  Location is thanks to a friend I met through Flickr years ago, he's a gate controller in the shadow tower there, and when he heard I was going to be in town, he graciously extended an invitation to check out his office.  I had built in some wiggle room on my last day in SF to do some touristy stuff after my conference, very glad I had that extra time to do this.  The A340 is hands-down my favorite airliner, and SFO gets a lot of them, so I was a happy camper.   

[Joe Copalman]

FROM GLEN TO GLEN, AND UP THE MOUNTAINSIDE

[Scott Youmans]

Great series Joe. This last looks like an A2A shot!

[Joe Copalman]

Thanks Scott.  Quirky atmospherics there for sure, and it made for some neat shots. 

[Joe Copalman]

ASTROJET

[Scott Youmans]

Ah, I remember that paint job well. Mostly 707s, 727's and Electras.  Wish they'd fly it to Phoenix.  Great catch!  Hope they keep it that way.

[Joe Copalman]

Ah, I remember that paint job well. Mostly 707s, 727's and Electras.  Wish they'd fly it to Phoenix.  Great catch!  Hope they keep it that way.

I've caught it at PHX once, I think back in 2008.  It was under similarly gray skies. 

[Joe Copalman]

LADY P

Virgin's 'Lady Penelope.'  She's now parked at Goodyear, awaiting scrapping.