Night spotting at KBDL 12/28 (Includes nastiest Southern Air 744 ever)

[steve1840]

I was informed through the CT Spotters facebook group that a Southern Air 744 would be arriving at Bradley international tonight around 10 o'clock. This was all the encouragement I needed to go try my hand at some nighttime spotting. Here are my results. Not too much as the traffic is light and not much interesting was coming in. I did manage to get a half-a@@ed shot of a UPS 767 and the Southern 744.

They parked it in the worst possible spot on the UPS ramp. Forced me to climb into the back of (and almost on top of) my truck and shoot over a fence to get it. Wish they would have parked her on the north end of their ramp so I could get a clean well-lit shot. but oh well.

Two UPS 757s (N471UP and N473UP) back to back waiting to depart. I used the tripod and 15 second exposure for these @ISO200



This has got to be the worst looking Southern Air 744 ever! I apologize for the quality as I shot it hand held @ 1/10sec and ISO6400 since the only light available was the lights on the plane itself.

[seahawks7757]

Nice Results! Looks like an Ex Air New Zealand 744.

[steve1840]

Thanks Brandon. I noticed that last night after I posted the photos. I hope its on its way to the paint shop or something.

[Ychocky]

Awesome shot for the light available

Was it carrying goods? If so it really shows that the extra capacity outweighed painting it!

So cool to see a hybrid/random paint job.

Nice star effect on the two UPS birds.

[Zee71]

Definitely an ex-New Zealand aircraft looking at the tail.

Steve..........usually when I shot at night, I use the following manual settings for statics: ISO 100-200, f/8, and I adjust my shutter speed accordingly (it usually varies from 4 secs to 15 or so seconds depending on how much light you have to work with.

[steve1840]

Mark, I was rushing a little last night and wasn't really thinking too much. I was more worried with not having time to get the shot before the a/c moved and didn't have alot of available light to work with being out at the end of the airfield. The light that is in the foreground was from a building in the parking lot where I was and pretty much died off right after the fence. I kept the aperture set wide open (f/4.5 on that lens) since I wasn't sure if it set it to f/8 or higher I would have enough available light for a 10-15 sec exposure. I will definitely try those settings next time. I was at ISO 200 also.

For the UPS 767 I didn't have a good enough angle to be able to set up the tripod. I wish I had. If it wasn't so windy last night I would have set the tripod up on the roof of the truck to get the shot, but the way the wind was last night I surely would have had it blown over.

[NIKV69]

Looks like it may be ZK-SUJ

http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=1053569

[steve1840]

You could very well, be correct Nick. I'll try and find out more about it.

[NIKV69]

You could very well, be correct Nick. I'll try and find out more about it.

Unless they put another 744 in storage that should be the one. The other one they had in storage had severe mx issues and was scrapped so my money is on that one.

[gonzalu]

Steve. Next time as long as you have time, just keep decreasing re shutter speed until you get the exposure you want. Nothing simpler with night shots :-)

[steve1840]

Thanks for the tip Manny.