JFK 2/12

[steve1840]

Looks like the weather is going to be great for spotting this weekend. Who's gonna be out at JFK? I plan on being there all day now that the weather is finally going to cooperate.

[TSGSpotting]

Maybe

[steve1840]

Just out of curiosity, has Air France been flying the A380 for AF6 or are they still using the 777 for it? I see that flightstats is listing it as the A380

[Zee71]

Steve......yes AF has been flying in the A380. I should be out and about this Friday as well as Saturday. I hope that Bayswater Park is open if they're using the 4s.

[TSGSpotting]

cool. I may be able to go saturday.

[CX777]

Its a haul, but if good wx holds, count me in for Sat whole day.
Raj

[NLovis]

I might make another appearance. Depends on how my sched looks.

[lijk604]

Sadly, I shall be working this weekend.

[NoGreenBox]

Planning for now on Saturday, perhaps a bit on Sunday as well. (unless the overtime fairy makes a call..)

[steve1840]

I hope they are flying it. That would be great to see two A380's on my first spotting trip to JFK. And Raj, it looks like the weather will not be any problem at all. I've been seeing bright and sunny and 38 deg for Sat in the weather reports all week. I should be down by 7:00-7:30 Sat morning (depending on traffic) and staying all day til the sun goes down. I'll most likely be goingto HoBe in the morning for departures, that is as long as they are using the 31s and not doing splits.

[TSGSpotting]

sadly some thing came up and I doubt I can go.

[RomNYC]

I was on AF6 (A380) on Jan 14th, but they had been using the B777 three days in row before that. Seems to be 50/50 at the moment. My flight wasn't full at all, maybe that explains the turnover.

[steve1840]

I was on AF6 (A380) on Jan 14th, but they had been using the B777 three days in row before that. Seems to be 50/50 at the moment. My flight wasn't full at all, maybe that explains the turnover.

I guess we'll find out Saturday afternoon what its gonnna be.

[RomNYC]

The past 5-6 Saturdays were on the A380 so there's hope.

[SoPictureThis]

Hello my dear NYCApeeps!

...Another reason to come out 2/12 - I am operating EK201 :) Come photograph our A380 as we arrive!

J

[TSGSpotting]

wow thats so cool! were you operating that flight on January 4th?

[Zee71]

J.....I should be around..........if I get a chance I'll try to catch the Emirates A380 and post it for you.

[NLovis]

Sorry guys I cant come to the real word this week. Maby next time. Ill have a big case of L.O.S. for work.

[lijk604]

Forecasted to be rather windy out there today:
FM122000 28023G34KT P6SM SCT040 SCT100
FM122300 29019G29KT P6SM FEW060
Logic would dictate 31 Ops in effect...but as we all know, logic and ATC do not necessarily go together.

[hiss srq]

We are currently in a 22's flow with 31LKK in use for select departures... Plan for a return to 31 config shortly and than back to a 22/31LKK push this afternoon.

[NIKV69]

Josh leaving the warmth of DBX for this icebox? Have fun guys, shot yesterday in the cold. Going to edit all the VCV and LAS stuff from last year this weekend enjoy!

[Zee71]

Thanks for the update Hiss Srq!

I just missed catching the Jet Blue with the new scheme arriving on 31R, so I headed over to HoBe hoping to catch her departing. Unfortunately she departed off 22R because of split departures..........oh well. Here is a shot of her departing off 22R from HoBe. Sorry about the terrible quality, but given the distance, backlight and terrible light this was the best I could do.

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Odd-Stuff/JetBlue01JFK12JFeb2011/1185039846_iiVeh-L.jpg

[gonzalu]

Zee, I guess we have some more homework now :-) New JB and new JB... two JBs to catch... lol

[TSGSpotting]

I couldn't make it :(

[hiss srq]

Quick update... The wizzards of fuzz expect to remain on a 22 configuration through and 31LKK will come back around the lunch time period and remain so.

[gonzalu]

I love 31LKK ... for departures of heavies, it makes for perfect positioning of the cargos as they turn SSW. Even gives better opportunities for regional small jets.

[hiss srq]

We just changed the boat again... 31L full and KK 31R arrivals and limited 22R departures possible

[Zee71]

Stepped out this afternoon, but didn't bump into anyone. The light for most of the day was terrible, but towards late afternoon a few breaks in the clouds (but not much). The catch of the day was the ANA 777 Star Alliance.

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/ANA01JFK12JFeb2011/1185546149_DpBQF-L.jpg

Caught the ANA departing from HoBe
http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/ANA02JFK12JFeb2011/1185592345_XWrNG-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/CathayPacificCargo01JFK12JFeb2/1185546162_a99bP-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/CathayPacificCargo02JFK12JFeb2/1185546200_EXVir-L.jpg

The Emirates photos are for J (aka SoPictureThis)
http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/Emirates04JFK12JFeb2011/1185546321_N46Nm-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/Emirates01JFK12JFeb2011/1185546269_BhHUn-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/Emirates02JFK12JFeb2011/1185546275_ymoxt-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/Emirates03JFK12JFeb2011/1185546301_yXXaX-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/Emirates06JFK12JFeb2011/1185546377_FzUeM-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/Alitalia01JFK12JFeb2011/1185546425_jXVZR-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/American03JFK12JFeb2011/1185546484_TJmQ7-L.jpg

[gonzalu]

Jealous of the ANA SA catch LOL... I would have caught it had I made a deal with the wife to go out today instead of tomorrow :-( oh well, maybe I 'll get lucky like I did with the Astrojet :tongue:

Did it come in on 31L? You mentioned the spot today when we spoke so I was wondering... have noticed a lot of Lufthansa and Swiss Air on 31L which I would never see before. Perhaps Lufthansa pilots are practicing for the A380 :confused:

[RomNYC]

Really like your dramatic One World AA shot Mark.

Woke up this morning, checked out the light and thought "nahhh". Plus my fiancée and I share the same car, 2 days in a row would have gotten me in trouble :redface:

[Zee71]

Manny.....all those shots were for 31L approaches from the "Z" spot .... LoL, I should be around once I get a few chores done.

Rom.....the sky and light were very moody yesterday (2/12). At one point when I was sitting at Costco a snow squal passed through. I looked like a mini snow storm. The winds were really bad yesterday as well.

[TSGSpotting]

Nice catches Mark! Love the A380 shot with the tower in the back.

[steve1840]

I agree Mark, the light was terrible all day. I drove down from CT expecting MOSTLY sunny skies all day and ended up getting dark gray clouds. I started out at HoBe at 7 and then moved over to the mounds at about 8:30-9:00 when they switched to the 22's and then about 12:30-1:00 I went to Panera/Wendy's for the rest of the day after the change to the 31's. I'll post very shortly. Alot of specials yesterday as well. I think that was the only good part of the day.

[adscram14]

Great shots. Nice light on the first Cathay, as well!

[steve1840]

Here are the shots from my first ever trip to JFK for spotting. Wish the light had been better and the breaks of sun had lasted longer. Pleas forgive the quality of the shots from HoBe as the light was very bad there yesterday morning, but I wanted to post the specials I got there.

First stop HoBe (Terrible light)

http://i52.tinypic.com/2czwo3q.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/2csf98z.jpg

Not a special, but one of the better shots from HoBe
http://i55.tinypic.com/qspfro.jpg

And now off to The Mounds:

One of the many visitors of the day that kept me from being upset about bad light
http://i55.tinypic.com/106brbl.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/10h3pxs.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/2zrmfqa.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/155nonc.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/3004cjk.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/9usvwy.jpg

http://i52.tinypic.com/dxjxub.jpg

Very dirty!
http://i54.tinypic.com/2h50l8w.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/afd214.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/2chqtmd.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/zlahd2.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/35citz6.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/mvjex2.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/1zee6ox.jpg


And then it was off to Panera where I thought the light was going to get (and stay better), but it just played games.

http://i55.tinypic.com/2f0aolw.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/29c0x9j.jpg

Finally some sun and clear skies
http://i54.tinypic.com/2czd5lc.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/11v5gg8.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/2w6t2q0.jpg

Had to shoot the A380s from Panera becasue I forgot they land on 31L so they ended up back lit
http://i54.tinypic.com/28mi51t.jpg

http://i52.tinypic.com/2wgzkfb.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/14j6f88.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/ddjrk3.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/14bqrh3.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/34j9hyg.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/1z2inir.jpg

Aside from the light being terrible for most of the day, I definitely am glad that I drove 2+ hours to come freeze my a@@ off all day to spot at JFK. I did not expect to see as many specials as I did yesterday.

[steve1840]

Manny.....all those shots were for 31L approachs from the "Z" spot .... LoL, I should be around once I get a few chores done.

Rom.....the sky and light were very moody yesterday (2/12). At one point when I was sitting at Costco a snow squal passed through. I looked like a mini snow storm. The winds were really bad yesterday as well.

That little squal came through right after I got to Panera. And the wind almost blew me off "The Mounds" when I was getting shots of the Virgin A340. For about an hour before they switched to the 31s, the planes were really fighting the cross winds.

[steve1840]

When did the I Love New York JB arrive on 31R? Was it prior to 1:00? I sat at Panera all afternoon and didn't see her. Must have been one of the first lined up at the time of the from the 22s.

[hiss srq]

Early in the morning. Went back out to Boston.

[Delta777LR]

Nice shots to you guys, Nice catch on the AV 763 Steve.. Too bad the light was iffy...

[steve1840]

Thanks Sergio. After driving that far, I swallowed hard and dealt with the bad light. Wish it had been better on the LH 3-holer too. Oh well, maybe next time.

[hiss srq]

Love all of the JetBlue stuff gang.

[RomNYC]

Great stuff Steve, hope you enjoyed your first JFK day!

Now, can someone explain me why AF is, from what I see, the only airline in the world that doesn't take care of its planes? The French in me is feeling ashamed :frown:

[heeshung]

Holy crap! Looks like you lucked out, at least with the amazing number of special schemes.

I've never seen so many specials in one day at JFK.

I still haven't gotten the Jets, or 100th JB A320, soccer TAM, or San Fran AA 767, and you got them all your first try; nice!

[Zee71]

Steve.........your trip was well worth it from the variety of stuff you've caught. I briefly stopped by Costco when that snow squal passed, I couldn't believe it!!! Where I was spotting from Inwood I couldn't believe how strong the wind was......it got to the point that I took a shot and got back into the car, because it was darn cold as well.

[hiss srq]

That was a pretty odd squall actually. It didnt have a radar return to it either. The only reason we knew it was coming is because the air temp dropped sharply and than we dropped to 4 miles vis and than down to 2.5 as it crossed over top of JFK.

[steve1840]

Thanks Rom, I did enjoy my first trip to JFK very mcuch.

Heeshung, you could definitely say I lucked out big time. I also saw the Star Alliance ANA and snapped off a couple shots, but it was back lit since I was at Panera and it was landing on 31L. I was kinda bummed that the Lufthansa A340 landed on 31L as well. I was hoping that since I was seeing all the specials that I could add the breast cancer one to the list, but I guess that will have to wait til next time. And maybe next time the Etihad I get will be the nice F1 livery instead of the normal one.
a380
Mark, I think next time I come down, which will probably be in April, I will have to find out where your "Z-spot" is. Looked like a great place to get the A380 from, along with some others. Also, for the time of day I went, I think I'm glad that is was very cloudy when I was at the mounds or else the shots from there would have been horribly back lit.

I'm going to post some more pics that I've worked on from yesterday soon.

[steve1840]

Here's a few more shots from 2/12:

http://i51.tinypic.com/ojhx8i.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/mucqwo.jpg

http://i52.tinypic.com/2j13fw3.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/2ebh6v6.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/205328i.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/2enqhau.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/xkss9v.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/11vjkly.jpg