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Thread: LAX Spotting Trip Aftermath!

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    Administrator PhilDernerJr's Avatar
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    LAX Spotting Trip Aftermath!

    Ah, Los Angeles. What a trip it was.

    It started off for me spending Thursday night at Tommy's. We woke up early and made our way to Islip. Having checked-in online the previous day and having our boarding passes and not having any luggage to check-in, we went through the short security line and went right to the gate.

    We were one of the first people on and we managed to get the bulkhead on the left side. Lots of legroom….Phil is happy. The aircraft was N464WN. While we sat at the gate front window actually allowed me to look into the jet-bridge, seeing three flight attendants that were waiting for the next flight. One was Hispanic, mustache, and looked VERY angry. Another was a taller white gentleman and the third was a pretty black gal. I waved at them and the angry guy seemed so annoyed with me for some reason. He wouldn't return the wave, while the lady smiled, waved and laughed as I joked blowing kisses in a bon voyage manner.

    Leaving in rain, the flight was actually very smooth. We landed in BWI on time and went right to our next gate. Though there were a few pre-boards and A-group passengers in front of us, we still managed to get the bulkhead, on the right side this time. This one was N729SW. The flight was also very smooth the whole way.

    I don't get excited about trips or any events in advance. I always feel that something will **** it up and I don't feel like getting disappointed. My first hint of excitement was as I took this photo.



    I'm really here. Los Angeles. I've been waiting for this trip for a long time.

    We touched down, got to the gate and hot-footed it to Avis. We got our car and headed directly to In N Out. The car hardly stopped before I jumped out the passenger side and did a quasi-cartwheel and roll into the grass. I missed that grass. Normal height, but so thick and softer than any grass I've ever felt in my life.Almost fake feeling, it makes that little park one of my favorite places in the world.



    There we met up with Eric Dunetz, who got in the day before. We ate, myself getting a Double-Double. Amazing food while planes came in on 24R over our heads.

    We scarfed and went to Imperial Hill. I've never been there since the last time I was there was in July, not a good month for that location with sun position. I was pleased with the spot's height and vantage point, comfort and lack of police interruptions.

    It was a little cloudy on both mornings that we spent in LA, but it cleared up early in the afternoon.

    We had a good crowd out there and Tommy and I took a break to go to the bathroom and check into our hotel. I was hit with another blast of elatement when we pulled up to this.



    My favorite hotel. View of the airport, great layout, nice gym that's close to the pool, friendly staff, and beds that are so comfortable that I decided to sleep in Sunday morning (I was drunk) while Tommy went spotting.

    Spotting was spotting, so I'll spare you details. Here are some of the shots and traffic we got:











    My favorite shots came on Saturday at dusk from the In N Out area. Two dozen guys running around trying to get different angles, many of us went for the amazing sunset opportunities with these kind of shots.





    Although, the most fun shots came while we were taking those sunset shots. An airport police officer pulls over a car near us. Before I know it, there are 5 more cop cars on scene.

    These two guys get NYCAviation.com's 2005 "Sucks to be you" Award.



    Some non-aviation stories about the weekend for a moment if you will:

    I went out Saturday night with Andrew (He's the one that got that amazing JetBlue incident shot with the flame underneath) to Santa Monica. He took me first to Fin McCool's on Main Street. My old friend Dom met up with us there and the beer started.

    We went to a second bar not too far from there and I started to see what Cali women are like. It's funny how these girls all think they are the hottest thing alive…even the fat ones. I've never seen so many girls flatter themselves like this. Dom glanced at a girl that was barely a 4 on the scale with WAY too much makeup and she says "Stare all you want, nothing will happen." We laughed at her and a few minutes later as we decided to leave, I went up to her group of friends. They were taking a group pic with a digital camera. I snuck in and offered my best Kool-Aid smile. They looked at the back of the camera and saw my face. "Who is that?" When they turned to me, I said to too-much-makeup girl, "I just wanted to say I'm a big fan. I absolutely LOVED you in the Rocky Horror Picture Show." Before she could close her mouth from the shock, we were laughing on the sidewalk and moving onward.

    After a third bar, I had my first, and last, experience with Del Taco. I was very "affected" by the alcohol at this point, and though I'm usually a love-drunk, I started to get a little angry and some temper showed. We ordered our food and 15 minutes went by. The guy finally made our food, but no one was bagging it or bringing it to the counter. Another 4 minutes pass and I yell from the counter in front of about 40 patrons "Yo, when the **** is someone gonna get me my ****in food! It's been sitting there for eight years!" The guy who made it looks at me with a look of anger and I continue "What the **** are you looking at me for like you're gonna do something? I'll smack the ****in **** out of you." The whole place is quiet at this point and Dom pulls me away and I realize I brought it to a too-high level and I calmed down and went to my seat.

    It was a great night. Great seeing my boy Dom, and Andrew is a really fun guy to have some brew with. Here's and the Dom Mega and I throwin west coast:



    So back to planes.

    After spotting on Saturday, we went to Proud Bird. Tommy, Eric and I had eaten there the night before, and we were glad to have such great food for a second night. I ordered the lobster tail for a second time, but the waiter insisted that they nevered offered the potato soup that I KNOW I ate the night before. Weird.

    We sat there, 16 guys in all, eating in a nice restaurant covered with plane photos on one side, and a massive window on the other offering us a BIG view of 25R arrivals. The is when Michael Carter called out "Now THERE is an airplane." I turn around and for the first time ever, my eyes laid on an inbound 707. Lowa Ltd. Wow. What a beautiful bird.

    We had an amazing group of guys out there. Everyone is awesome. This is how cool they were: This was the first time that I ate with such a large group where no one stiffed the group on the bill. We didn't have to ask for a second collection of cash or fall short of the tip. In fact, we tipped damn well.

    This is the crowd, as taken from Imperial Hill:



    My return trip was on N724SW for both legs, with a stop at MDW. Amazing to see so many ATA birds like that, but it was too dark for photos. Though the weather sucked along the way on the East Coast, the flights were again very comfy.

    Tommy and I drove back from the airport looking back on our trip. Everything had fallen into place. The previous two days in LA were simply magical. How can you beat warm weather, great planes, nice photos, delicious food and lots of good friends in a great city like LA?

    I'd like to thank everyone that joined us. Each person contributed to the smiles I had and the memories that I'll never forget.





    If you were there, post your story and your pics!
    Email me anytime at [email protected].

  2. #2
    Senior Member fly.mcs's Avatar
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    Phil, I envy you and that AWESOME shot of the pink Song.
    I used to think she was pretty, but now that I see it in great weather, Song should have really lightened that pink. It looks more of a fuschia.
    Anyway, looks like you had a great time.
    I've never been to the west coast but it looks great!

    And for those people getting arrested..
    It's a shame; they give us a bad name. :cry:
    Christos

  3. #3
    Moderator Matt Molnar's Avatar
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    Re: LAX Spotting Trip Aftermath!

    Quote Originally Posted by Phil D.
    I said to too-much-makeup girl, "I just wanted to say I'm a big fan. I absolutely LOVED you in the Rocky Horror Picture Show." Before she could close her mouth from the shock, we were laughing on the sidewalk and moving onward.
    Damn I woulda gone if I had known Tucker Max was gonna be there.

    Quote Originally Posted by fly.mcs
    And for those people getting arrested.. It's a shame; they give us a bad name.
    I'm gonna go out on a limb and say they weren't arrested for photography. Unless by "us" you mean black people. :)
    Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have a small problem.
    All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them under control.
    I trust you are not in too much distress. —Captain Eric Moody, British Airways Flight 9

  4. #4
    Senior Member NIKV69's Avatar
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    Awesome! I want to be the first one to make fun of Tommy's hat! :mrgreen:

    Great shots Phil! I am glad you guys ate at IN-N-OUT. One of my favorite spots to eat when I am out there. Also Del Taco, which is much better than Taco Hell here. Glad to see you behaved yourself in there!

    As for California girls, well enough has been said.

    I am already planning to leave late Jan open for a drive to LAX when I am out at IFP this winter. I am hoping some of you can make it out there, most of all SENGA! I will bringing fellow anetter FlagshipAZ with me and it would be good to see you. I know Tommy will enjoy it, especially a pit stop in Vegas.

    Great job guys,
    'My idea of a good picture is one that's in focus and of a famous person doing something unfamous.' Andy Warhol

  5. #5
    Senior Member Iberia A340-600's Avatar
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    Looks like you guys had an awsome time!

    I love California, and spotting at LAX. I have only spotted at In N Out, I looked for Imperial Hill for a while but my dad and I couldn't find it.

    Heres a question that someone who has spotted at Imerpial Hill can answer, I have a Nikon Coolpix 8700 and I am wondering if the zoom is good enough to get some desent shots from the hill?

    Thanks a lot and oh yeah, beautiful shots!

  6. #6
    Senior Member fly.mcs's Avatar
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    Yes...unfortunately, I was referring to Black people.
    I'm Black myself, but honestly, those kind of people you see getting arrested and then some give us a bad name; creates a lot of generalization. I don't know the cause for their arrest, but they seem a little rough around the edges lol.
    Christos

  7. #7
    Administrator PhilDernerJr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NIKV69
    Awesome! I want to be the first one to make fun of Tommy's hat! :mrgreen:
    Don't hate becuase you can't handle the boonie hat. I rock them too. :-p
    Email me anytime at [email protected].

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by NIKV69
    I am hoping some of you can make it out there, most of all SENGA!
    Are you in love with Senga? It's OK if you are...but just dont expect Senga to return his undivided love....he's got a thing for those Russian jets...

    :lol:

  9. #9
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    This was an absolutely fantastic trip and one I'll remember for a long long time. I'll get some of my pics up this weekend, I have a real busy week at work so don't have to much time until Sat and Sun. Again it was awsome trip, great people, great airport, and great airliners!

  10. #10
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    Tommy and Phil-

    What great pictures! I am so mad I was not able to go. It would have been a blast for me I am sure. Glad everything went really well for you and that it all worked out.

    Alex
    www.southwest.com Bags Fly Free. Anytime, Anywhere on Southwest Airlines. Share the LUV!

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    Administrator PhilDernerJr's Avatar
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    I forgot to mention...

    When Tommy and I dropped off the rental car and got the shuttle bus, we sat in the back.

    The driver called out all the airlines that people told her that they needed to go to, to see if she missed any. Tommy whispered to me "Yeah, Eastern." We laughed and I felt it was worth amplifying. So I yelled out "Branniff!" She asked what and I yelled out "Brannif International!" I had to explain that I was joking while a couple people on the bus actually got the joke.
    Email me anytime at [email protected].

  12. #12
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    Man that shot of the Barge is wicked!

    It was great meeting you all, I don't think I've ever had as much fun shooting as I did at LAX this weekend! I'll always remember the time when that 707 flew past the window at the Proudbird... good times

    Here's a couple of pics:

    Nippon cargo arriving on 24R:


    World Airways MD11:


    America West 75 (if anyone has the reg I would appreciate):


    The unexpected China Eastern 346:


    Spotters going nuts as a UA 757 flies overhead:


    G-VSUN touching down:


    Cheers,
    Youri

  13. #13
    Administrator PhilDernerJr's Avatar
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    My God, I can't stop thinking about this trip. It was awesome. It was like sex....without it hurting when I pee afterwards.
    Email me anytime at [email protected].

  14. #14
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    Awesome pics Phil! Man, these shots make me miss LAX so bad.....I love it there also.

    Mike

  15. #15
    Senior Member Derf's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phil D.
    ....without it hurting when I pee afterwards.
    Great Pix, but I do think you should see a doctor! :roll: :oops:
    The three most common expressions in aviation are, "Why is it doing that?", "Where are we?" and "Oh Crap".

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