MIA, OPF, TMB, FLL recap Dec 16th- Dec 19th (Many Pics)

[SengaB]

Greetings,
I recently got back from a short trip to South Florida to shoot the Mexican Air Force 737-200 that has been undergoing MX for 1.5 months at at OPF. I have had my eye on the MAF 737-200 for several years not have not been very successful getting it at ADW because of tracking issues with the route so I figured I'd fly down to get it. In IMHO think it is probably the most attractive 737-200 that is still flying. It maintains a classic lightning bolt cheat line that most world air forces no longer carry on their planes. As to be expected the crappy weather followed me to FL for most of the time I was down there. (I am a glutton for punishment). Torrential downpours and poor lighting made shooting difficult and ramp shots are pointless in driving rain. The positive was there were a few unscheduled transient surprises like the MNG Cargo A300, Nolinor 737-200 and the Bolivian Air Force C-130. I already had the MNG Cargo from SWF in yellow,blue but this one was in true MNG colors so it was nice to get the actual livery.

The Transcarga A300 that has been alluding me at JFK for over 2 months due to night time arrivals was at MIA. I am very pleased to FINALLY get this aircraft! For several weeks now JFK has only been getting the white untitled A300 now and at night.

Although I added several new airlines and aircraft to my collection. The highlights for the this trip are as follows:

Mexican Air Force 737-200
Lithuanian Air Lines AN-2
Nolinor 737-200
Transcarga A300
Dominicana DC-9-32
Bolivian Air Force C-130

Since I have so many shots I will only post the most relevant on NYCA and a link to some others on my flikr account. They can be seen on the link below.
I won't bother to upload most of the planes I shot on previous trips to the airports.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aviophotog

It was nice to meet up with Robert again for some photography as well as to meet a few new people. Nice to shoot with you Eddy G. and Steven M.

What a way to end 2009.
Senga

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[Tom_Turner]

Senga.. that is an INSANE haul.... you even got a TRI-Lander !!!! on top of everything else.. is that the only one in the US? Gotta love it...

Tom

[SengaB]

Thanks Tom,
Yes the Tri-Lander was a big catch. This one flies for Vision Air Haiti (VAH). I have to see if I have another Pic of a Tri_Lander. I don't know if it is the only one in the US. Technically this one isn't in the US as it is Haitian Registered and is only here for MX. Registration is HH-RPL.

Senga

[Tom_Turner]

Well, its physically here, for now, anyway. Maybe theres a Trilander in a museum someplace in the US, but I don't know of any.

Also, why does nearly everything you shot have a better, or at least more interesting, livery than what we see at JFK everyday??? :D

Tom

[hiss srq]

Love the SRQ (Amerijet) 727 shot. Also, I did not realize Nolinor had jets. Thought they only had Convairs. Great work. She looks very sharp. Factory fresh indeed.

[Gerard]

Senga great shots but nothing from FXE? You were close.
You brought back some great memories of copter hunting in South Florida. My in-laws had a 2 bedroom in Margate
and we used to go there every Feb in the 90s during Winter recess when the kiddies were smaller. FXE was a quick ride
from the apt and I even got to see the Yankees in Spring training a few times as the stadium is (was?) right next to the
airport. Got to chat with one of the Broward Cty Sheriffs pilots at FXE also. Having kids is a great opener. LOL!!
On a number of trips I did FXE, Opa, FLL, and finish down at Tamiami (lots of copters there including Metro-Dade FD 412s). Also would hit Pompano and did a few trips to PBI. Havent been there in YEARS but will be going down to Boca in Feb but more business than pleasure so not sure if I'll get spotting time.

[mirrodie]

Holy wow :mrgreen: Although I would not expect anything less! Great catches. Cool to hear the Trilander is in Haiti. Im thinking of heading down there.

I think that Venezolana is a former TWA bird that I have pictures of when I was there a year ago.

Very cool! Thanks for showing!

[SengaB]

Tom,
Thats true. I thought Tri-landers were more common that what I know now. I guess I was VERY lucky to get that plane. I wish it was put together though and more intact. Glad it has the Haitian registration as well. That's a new prefix for me.

I thought the same thing about the liveries. Lots of nice looking liveries on these planes and brought me back some excitement that has been lacking in our area.

Ryan,
I had no idea Nolinor had jets as well. It really caught me off guard. I was pissed that it stopped off at EWR and then I go away and something comes in but lucky got me it went to MIA.

Gerard,
Glad to bring back some good memories.
No I didn't to go FXE n this trip. Hopefully I can get there next time.

Mario,
I see it also flew for UAL Express. That registration does seem familiar (N314UE)
What was the reg for it when you think it flew for TWAEX?

Senga

[AAGold]

Senga,

You out did yourself capturing so many unique aircraft in just a few days. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up with you in a few weeks ... at least catch a few of the ones you got. Would be nice.

Nice shots all. Enjoyed looking at them as usual.

Art

[Hussman75]

Very nice, all the way around, Senga! The MAS 767, LYC L100 and the Eastern DC-7 look best to my eye...

[Mayi757]

I saw the Trislander a month ago, extremely rare sight. I don't think I've seen one of those in person or a Haitian reg before, and if I have I don't remember. Not even at OPF. The titles were made more to match the color of the Convair they first put those stickers on.

The MNG has been at Miami at least on 2 previous occasions, one in the Danzas yellowish fuselage and one like this one here. One was taking supplies/parts to a US base in Turkey, Iraq or Afghanistan.

That Nolinor 737 might be a first for Florida. Was it just painted or for maintenance? Those two C-130s have gone to OPF in several occasions, but not common either.

For just coming down from NY for a few days these were very lucky catches, even the GOL was finally positioned where it could be shot. I have no idea how, but only Lucky B can go visit a place for 3 days and pull this off... LOL

[SengaB]

Thanks,

Art,
Most of the stuff should be there when you get to the area. There might be somehting else new that wasn't there when I was..you never know :)

Hussman75,
When I lived in FL I totally forgot to shoot the MAS 767 (I knew there was one airlines that I totally forgot to get) when I was there before. I never saw it when I was there so I was quit happy to get it with in a few minutes of being at MIA.

Mario,
I shot that yellow MNG at SWF in 2006. It was a nice looking plane.
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Apparently the Nolinor B732 was a VIP Charter for the Dominican Government. Its hard to get a lot of Canadian aircraft as they don't often fly to the US often.

Lucky B usually isn't Lucky but once in a while he does get "lucky". Even a blind squirrel can eventually find a Nut.
Senga

[Tom_Turner]

Thanks, Even a blind squirrel can eventually find a Nut.
Senga

Senga, I think you could replant a rain forest at this point...... :lol:

Tom

[LGA777]

Wow Senga, what an AWESOME collection of rare and unique birds. I really like the scheme on the Vision 738, and of course on the Mexican Air Force 732. I know that bird well, as it's former USAir/Metrojet N286AU.

Thanks for sharing with is mere Mortals !

LGA777

[hiss srq]

Senga, MAS used to serve JFK with DC-8's no? Or were you referring solely to the 763's they have?

[Mayi757]

Senga "lucky forest squirrel" B, why would the Dominican Government be using a Canadian Nolinor 737?? Was it parked at Signature then?

-Yes that's the MNG that I liked 8)


Senga, MAS used to serve JFK with DC-8's no? Or were you referring solely to the 763's they have?

I recall seeing a shot of the green MAS DC-8 at JFK. But were they regular like they are at Mia?

[PhilDernerJr]

Senga's a magnet for these kinda planes. Amazing.

[SengaB]

Oh Yea, To,
I took me to get what you were saying. But yet I have foud a few "nuts" But I kind of knew where they were :)

Ron,
Thanks for the Kind words.
I will have to see if I have that USA B732 in my collection. That would be great if I had shot it when it flew for USA. I have never been a fan of the Vision Air aircraft but it doesn't look as bad on the 737-800 series. I didn't even know they had 737-800s until it flew past my camera.

Ryan,
I was refering to the MAS 767.
I don't know if JFK got MAS DC-8s or not. My Space ship arrived in NY in Mid 2002. However I do recall seeing the MAS DC-8 at KORD once but it was at night.

Phil, Actually they are the magnet :) I where wherever they are I will get drawn to them. "Fly it and he will come..."

Mario,
I have no idea why they would utilize a Nolinor B732. There are plenty of other airlines to charter from that are in that area. Very Strange operation. The NRL was parked on the customs ramp at MIA when I shot it.
CYMX-KEWR-KFLL (Diverted to KMIA)-TDPD-TJSJ-KFLL-KEWR-CYMX. The divert from FLL to MIA was WX.
It looks like it did an approach at FLL and then got vectored to MIA. It landed on 8L at MIA. Luckily it went to MIA or I would have missed it as I was shooting at MIA that day.
http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/NRLdivert.gif

Senga

[Mayi757]

CYMX-KEWR-KFLL (Diverted to KMIA)-TDPD-TJSJ-KFLL-KEWR-CYMX. The divert from FLL to MIA was WX.
It looks like it did an approach at FLL and then got vectored to MIA. It landed on 8L at MIA. Luckily it went to MIA or I would have missed it as I was shooting at MIA that day.
http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/NRLdivert.gif

Senga

See? amazing luck! All of these "factors" simply came together magically. You're not a squirrel trying to get a nut. More like a squirrel with a giant magnet for nuts! That's crazy right there, it looks like it did the approach and diverted at the last minute.

Hope you and everyone else had a great Christmas. Here in Orlando weather was mostly cloudy with some rain. The Mid East Jet 777 was parked at Signature.

[SengaB]

Mario, The Nolinor B732 was extreme luck..I have to admit. It was a comedy of errors and somehow I got it and a fairly decent shot of it. I got a early morning phone call from a NYC photo alerting me that NRL B732 was at EWR. Of course I was very agitated that NOW something comes to EWR now that I am not there.....(Classic Senga Luck). Then an hour later or so I saw and was told that the NRL planned for FLL. But it still didn't matter as FLL was quite a ways away and it would not be a good thing to try it as I would miss other planned arrivals I needed at MIA (didn't want to give up many to get just one) So I passed it up. THEN while shooting at MIA all day I get the alerts for the NRL B732 and you know hes on final for FLL. After about 10 mins he landed at MIA! At first I was like AAAAAARGH! But then I realized that this is MIA NOT JFK. So once the plane lands always have a good chance of getting it. Luckily the rain let up a little later in the day so I was able to get a better ground shot without the rain. Thanks goodness for the FLL divert to MIA due to weather.

I missed all of the Nolinor Convairs at CYUL a few years back on a trip to Canada so I am glad to get some kind of representation of the airline.
Senga