Summer is starting to set in......

Every year at this time of year, aviation photographers in South Florida seem to go into hiding.  The sun gets really high in the sky casting nasty shadows over a great deal of the aircraft we normally shoot and the dreaded heat haze from the runways and taxiways start to show on the pictures.  Not to say that there aren't some intrepid photographers that still just go out (me being one of them!!) to see what we still can get.  So, over the summer, there might not be a lot of shoots, but there are still some interesting things going on.

I have recently done two articles on the changes at Fort Lauderdale with the new runway construction.  The first was on the actual construction itself and the second was on the demolition of the Hilton Hotel.  As the completion of the runway nears, there will be more and more coming.  Hopefully in a couple of weeks, I'll be part of a tour of the elevated runway section itself.  The opening of the new runway is set for September 18, 2014 currently, so activity if very fevered there.

Of course, I couldn't let a post go without at least one picture.  This I got a few weeks ago - the first time I have seen a Delta Boeing 757-300 with winglets - good to know they are putting them on now - United (Continental) did them a few years ago.

So, some more time spent behind the camera lens, but - for some slightly different reasons :)

A Special Day - FedEx Boeing 727 arrives at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL)

Well, that doesn't seem to special does it - a Boeing 727-200 arriving at FLL - what does make it special though, it the fact that it has been donated by FedEx to FLL for training and this was the last flight of "Stephanie" N235FE.  Pictures below, but the full article from the event is available on NYCAviation.com.

Some more time spent behind the camera lens....

Very...inattentive to my blog...and - RIP MH370

I realize that I have been very inattentive to my blog of late.  So much has been going on - at work - otherwise - but - the planes have not stopped - and - I haven't stopped photographing them.  I need to get more posted - but - in the last week or so - there have been two very interesting rthings at Fort Lauderdale.

Delta has started fitting the Boeing 757-300's with winglets - and - they look stunning - this I caught this past week

And then - Varig has started to return some aircraft from lease.  This was the first of 3 that will come through Fort Lauderdale in the next few months.

Of course, this weekend has also seen the tragedy that is Malaysian flight MH370.  As of writing this blog entry, the wreckage has not been found and there is so much speculation on what has happened.  I am not going to speculate - to me, speculation breeds rumors and we don't need those.  Until the wreckage is found and the black boxes located, we will never know what happened.  I will reserve all judgements until those two things have happened.......

In the meantime though, more time spent behind the camera lens......

2014 Florida Aviation Photography Convention - Ramp Tours

Once a year, a large group of aviation photographers descend on South Florida for the annual Photography and Slide convention that has been going on for 20+ years!   Part of the convention thankfully includes tours on the ramps of both Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and Miami International Airport.  This year, the ramp tour at Fort Lauderdale was in absolutely perfect but cool weather.  A few of the subjects from that tour.

There was another special sighting on the Fort Lauderdale tour - what was an ex-American Eagle ERJ135 that is now adorned with South African Airlink colors, but no titles yet.  I can only guess it will be winging its (long) way to South Africa in the near future.

The ramp tour at Miami started off in beautiful weather, but unfortunately, an approaching cold front decided to present a layer of cloud that was frustrating to all the photographers, however, any time spent on the ramp of an airport in any weather is much better than time at work :) - unless you are a pilot that is.....  Here are some of the subjects from the Miami tour.

Hopefully, the tours next year will both be in perfect weather - we can only hope!

Some more time spent behind the camera lens......

A NICE welcome to the New Year!!

First of all - Happy New Year to everyone!!  May 2014 be all you would like it to be!

The first couple of days at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport have been different - on one, the temperature was in the 80s and humid.  Then, in came the cold front and with it some cooler temperatures.  And - with the cooler temperatures, can some hot equipment!

 The first was fashion executive Peter Nygård's Boeing 727-17 - what a beauty of a plane this is!

Following that, came this lovely Twin Otter float plane.  First time I have seen this at Fort Lauderdale as far as I can remember!

The year is starting off well!  I can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings!

In the meantime, some more time spent behind the camera lens....

Merry Christmas!!

Santa has already started his magical run across the world and his progress is always available here.  To all my readers and viewers, I wish you safest and happiest of holidays and peace and prosperity in 2014.  Just in case Santa has a problem with his sleigh, there is always the backup :)

Another year of moments behind the camera lens gone.....

Texas Special in Florida - 12/20/2013

Today was one of those days - the weather started out nasty - then got better.  During the morning however, I had seen that the new Spirit special scheme A320, N618NK, Greetings from Dallas, had arrived at Fort Lauderdale.  So, in the good weather, I decided with a couple of other spotters decided to go and see what was going on for the lunch hour.  Nothing moving - nothing special moving - we were just about to leave, when, I happened to see this blue tail with a S on it come out with a long orange stripe.  And - lo and behold - here came - N618NK...

Spotting highlight of the month so far!!!!  More (great) time spent behind the camera lens!!!