ADD (Weekly Running Thread) Image Heavy.

[MSN007]

As most of you know I have been in Ethiopia for a few months now and I am just now starting to get busy with spotting. A little background about ADD, both parallel runway run from NE to SW limiting photography from day break to about 10:30am and after 4PM which is not a problem as the airport goes dead silence in between. All if not most international arrivals and departures are in the evening, through the overnight hours and early morning. The morning is busy mostly with connecting departures to African destinations mostly with 757s and 737s. There are interesting visitors to ET Technique from Africa and the middle-east. The weather calls for clear blue skies from late September to April with temps in the mid 80’s with scorching sun and not a lot of winds. During this time the airports operates north at all times. Then April showers kick in clearing again in May and June. During this time the airport becomes unpredictable like JFK so they are working me hard. The confusion also helped me capture departure shots which otherwise will not be possible for now. The wet season moves in from mid June to about mid September. Spotting will not be possible during this time and the airport switches to south ops. Spotting in general is a dangerous game in this part of the world unless you are like me who originates and knows the town so I will try to cover as much as possible in the next few weeks.

P.S. I just got word while I post this the second 767 to have winglets installed just entered maintenance hunger which was in Star Alliance colors. So now I have to wait at least 30 days to shoot it.

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My favorite African color scheme
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The only private airline in the country. Yes you can run an airline but your aircraft cannot be bigger than this.
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This daily A345 service may have been replaced by A330. I will find out this week.
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Pilot Training
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Finally, my spotting office with a nice roof protecting me from natural hazard like UV. No sunscreen lotion necessary.
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See you next week in another report.

[yankees368]

That is one heck of a nice spotting location! Sure beats the mounds...

[Zee71]

Awesome series...........my favorite has to be the Ethiopian MD-11 Cargo. Stay safe and under the rooftop :) Looking forward to more.

[moose135]

Cool stuff! Very interesting to see the variety of aircraft Ethiopian flies. Thanks for sharing these!

[gonzalu]

Fasil, hope you're well ... Is there any way you could use your influence there and send that MD-11 over here to JFK? :tongue: Butter!!

[MSN007]

Manny hold on there are two other types for cargo you might like. Then I will have your selection head your way.

[MSN007]

Thanks everyone.

[Matt Molnar]

Awesome! Keep 'em coming.

[NickPeterman]

That 777-200LR..... Yummy

[MSN007]

I forgot to mention on my report no flight tracking technology like flightaware works here. Thank god I know have inside intelligence so I am tracking movement on stuff I want the old fashion way and that is get a phone call and speed through the city to get there.

[MSN007]

Welcome to my week two report. Last week started with three days of continues rain followed by the World Economic Forum conference. I really thought I was going to cash in on VIP flights as there were leaders from many countries and Biz jets from lots of corporations around the world. Unfortunately I was mate with unprecedented security in the back of the airport. I am talking about solders on tanks, armored vehicles and machineguns. When you see something like this in uncivilized world, you pretend you didn’t see anything and keep on going. Yesterday was the first time I was allowed to return to my spot as the whole city was paralyzed with heavy security. Overall I captured stuff I want but it could have been a lot better.

P.S. I did get a hand on the star alliance 767 shot from a friend who is a pilot. He was holding short for departure when he turned and sow the 767 taxing behind him. Knowing how bad I wanted he opened his window and took the shot. ET-ALO is now getting winglets.
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Southern Air is flying for ET cargo with two 747s until the 777F arrives. Five 777s are on order.
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Off she goes.
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Newly leased 767 for ET
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Government of Gabon
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Finally a better side view of that beautiful Kenyan plane.
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See you next week.

[MSN007]

After a hectic week and half, I finally got a chance to visit my tree house towards the end of the week and met with the following birds.

We all love the moment when the sun gets inside the power plant
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EK now flies the A330 instead of the A345 discontinuing the ADD Entebe leg.
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Another leased cargo operator for ET Cargo until the 777F arrives.
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The Ethiopian billionaire private 762ER with the beacon
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I have been chasing this guy for many many years.
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Returning from G8
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Thanks for checking and I will see you again next week.

[MSN007]

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Save the best for last.
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[TJK]

Really nice photos!

[Zee71]

Excellent...........I like viewing the unusal stuff from abroad. Thanks!

[Roush6NY]

Very nice !

[MSN007]

Thanks guys, I am yet to get to the most entertaining stuff.

[NickPeterman]

IS that a Saudi A300 Fasil?

[MSN007]

That's A310 Nick. Is it a coincidence the TK 738 is registered TC-JFK?

[MSN007]

Breaking: ET is coming to NY JFK.

[727C47]

outstanding,i hope it is the MD11F !!! GREAT THREAD !!!

[NickPeterman]

Pretty sure it will be a 787 with the distances involved, and ADD being hot and high. Will it still stop in FCO is the better question...?

[MSN007]

outstanding,i hope it is the MD11F !!! GREAT THREAD !!!

Nick is right 787 it is. This announcement have a lot to do with the recently announced KQ North American expansion. Yes KQ with my favorite color scheme in Africa is also coming to JFK and they want to be there before KQ.

[megatop412]

Fasil this shot is for you sir- landed Charles DeGaulle direct from Bole Int'l, after a Yak-42 and right before Wunala-take it easy man
http://media10.dropshots.com/photos/396780/20120616/b_151012.jpg

[MSN007]

Hmmm, I didn't know there are cartoonish spotters.

[megatop412]

Hmmm, I didn't know there are cartoonish spotters.

No cartoons, only FS9 with the MyTraffic add-on. This is the Captain Sim 757 base pack in an Ethiopian wrapper. Once you dial in the right amount of pitch trim and yoke sensitivity, she flies like a beaut

[MSN007]

I found a new spot that's good for all day and ops in any direction. The bad news is the wet season moved in soon after I shot the new pictures so I might be suspended until September. It's time to come back to Washington. Also, reintroducing ET-ALO. The star alliance 767 now with winglets and 15 years sticker.

The Blue Nile ET-ANN
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The Rift Valley ET-ANO
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The Mount Kilimanjaro ET-ANQ
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Now I only have two more 777s to go.

ET-ALO Star Alliance now with winglets and 15 years sticker.
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ET-AQG A newly leased 767
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By far the best color scheme in Africa and I kept shooting it again and again.
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At first glance I thought it was a historic crashed 737 and I was eager to find out.
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See you next time.

[moose135]

Very cool! I wish they brought more of that to this side of the Atlantic. That last shot looks like it might be some kind of fire trainer, maybe kluged together from some old wrecked aircraft and scrap parts. I haven't seen corrugated skin on an airplane since the Ju-52.

[Matt Molnar]

Love it, keep 'em coming.

I flew ET-ANO on ADD-IAD last summer.

[MSN007]

Not much last week just a couple of new additions.

Gulf Air F1 Bahrain Grand Prix special.
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The first ET 767 with winglets ET-ALJ but not sure what Avolon means.
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[MSN007]

The Dreamliner arrived and so is the sun. The Ethiopian Dreamliner is now named Africa First in the rear and sports large Boeing 787 titles in the front.
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It looks like Monday means C-17 arrival. I'm thinking US embassy and military base support in the west of Ethiopia.
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The Victoria Falls over the Star Alliance.
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Delays means spotting opportunity. All European arrivals are at night so not sure what happened here. No it's not a steep dive it seems.
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Finally, another historic moment. A Kenyan Airways Boeing 720B, not sure when, how and what happened.
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[gonzalu]

Wow, the 720B, you MUST try and get a shot of that from the air! :-)

[Hiflyer]

Absolutely top class post!
I really enjoyed seeing your pictures from the African continent. I've never seen photos taken from that airport before, and are there any other plane spotters / enthusiasts there you met?

Hiflyer

[Cary]

The Dreamliner arrived and so is the sun. The Ethiopian Dreamliner is now named Africa First in the rear and sports large Boeing 787 titles in the front.


Nice pics, terrible font on the "Boeing 787" text :biggrin:

[MSN007]

Absolutely top class post!
I really enjoyed seeing your pictures from the African continent. I've never seen photos taken from that airport before, and are there any other plane spotters / enthusiasts there you met?

Hiflyer

I am lonely here and trust me, I have gone through lots of crap to earn my freedom including imprisonment. As a dedicated spotter who enjoys what I do, I have paid a hefty price.

[MSN007]

Nice pics, terrible font on the "Boeing 787" text :biggrin:

Cary I agree with you.

[MCO-LGA]

All great shots! Nice location for spotting also

[seahawks7757]

Great set of photos!