Phoenix Sky Harbor 12-15-2012 (Day 1....you guessed it, I brought the rain)

[steve1840]

Decided that I'd take a weekend journey out to the desert to visit my spotter friends in the Phoenix area this weekend to sample the holiday cargo rush. Was there any doubt that there would be rain involved with me going on a spotting trip? hahaha!

Anyway, some special arrangements were made for our group to get up close with the cargo birds...and a few extra special subjects were thrown in the mix as well......too bad it wasn't sunny (like it should be tomorrow!)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-StTQRqL/0/L/FedEx-MD11-N644FE-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274295564&k=StTQRqL&lb=1&s=A)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-2Qz294f/0/L/FedEx-MD11-N625FE-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274295854&k=2Qz294f&lb=1&s=A)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-MVhDx4v/0/L/UPS-A300-N159UP-KPHX-12152012%282%29-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274297112&k=MVhDx4v&lb=1&s=A)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-HSfXKDr/0/L/UPS-A300-N159UP-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274297219&k=HSfXKDr&lb=1&s=A)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-57nkCWW/0/L/UPS-MD11-N286UP-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274297778&k=57nkCWW&lb=1&s=A)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-FPbDm6S/0/L/Ameriflight-Chieftan-N42079-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274420414&k=FPbDm6S&lb=1&s=A)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-RBPjGxS/0/L/FedEx-Caravan-N850FE-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274421527&k=RBPjGxS&lb=1&s=A)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-9nJnjrW/0/L/FedEX-MD10-N308FE-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274421922&k=9nJnjrW&lb=1&s=A)

Spooling up and sucking vapor!
http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-tL4WpZV/0/L/UPS-A300-N159UP-KPHX-12152012-5D-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274422469&k=tL4WpZV&lb=1&s=A)

I knew friday night that there was a chance that flightaware was correct showing that these two birds were both heading to PHX. Was a nice sight to see them gated right next to one another. Then they departed almost back to back.
http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-P5SrJ5M/0/L/Continental-737900-N75436-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274421562&k=P5SrJ5M&lb=1&s=A)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-rqZPwwK/0/L/United-A320-N475UA-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274422330&k=rqZPwwK&lb=1&s=A)

Then came our surprises.....

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-S3DGNsG/0/L/KC135-Cardinals-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274296345&k=S3DGNsG&lb=1&s=A)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-Lpr2Ptg/0/L/KC135-Coyotes-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274297672&k=Lpr2Ptg&lb=1&s=A)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-B4vkDXv/0/L/USAF-C130-99106-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274423257&k=B4vkDXv&lb=1&s=A)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-kBHnwtW/0/L/USMC-Osprey-7920YZ01-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274423461&k=kBHnwtW&lb=1&s=A)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-8GdC8mk/0/L/USMC-Osprey-8006YZ00-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274423693&k=8GdC8mk&lb=1&s=A)

That was hands down (bad lighting aside) probably the best 2.5 hours I've ever spent spotting. Then headed back to the airport after the rain stopped and caught a few more night shots.

This one in from Grissom
http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-6m9VwZq/0/L/KC135-Night-Grissom-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2274946077&k=6m9VwZq&lb=1&s=A)

Over to the terminal garage

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-brJHHKQ/0/L/USAirways-A319-N822AW-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2275018202&k=brJHHKQ&lb=1&s=A)

http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/i-jKXdrNZ/0/L/Southwest-B737-N926WN-KPHX-12152012-L.jpg (http://www.fursteditionphotography.com/Airplanes/Civilian-Aviation-2012/Phoenix-Sky-Harbor-2-4-2012/21348460_KnJkV7#!i=2275018404&k=jKXdrNZ&lb=1&s=A)

The weather forecast looks good for Sunday, so hopefully I can get some shots in good light!

[moose135]

Really good stuff, Steve!

[Zee71]

Way to go Steve!!! Next time I you go to Phoenix I may have to tag along with you. Great stuff.

[gonzalu]

The V-22, nice!!! ...and it ain't supposed to rain when Spotters are spotting!!! What gives? :P

[Greg_NY]

Excellent set Steve - great job! Nice surprises too...

[Derf]

what a great set, holy Sh!t Steve!!!!

[yankees368]

Wow, that's great stuff!

[eric8669]

Great stuff Steve....

Yeah, like Mark says we should all tag along next time.

[threeholerglory]

yeah it's like that.

https://www.fiorijanitorial.com/images/product/icon/640.gif

[Gerard]

The V-22, nice!!! ...and it ain't supposed to rain when Spotters are spotting!!! What gives? :P

Yeah the weather was crazy for that area!! We flew into Tucson Friday for my sons graduation and both that day and
Sat it was cloudy, cool (for Zona) and lots of rain showers around, some heavy!! In fact at 6AM this morning it was
pouring out in Tucson but cleared by wheels up at 8:05AM.
Flew out of PHX (after TUS) on US Air and as we taxied out to the runway I counted 20 departures (In front of and behind us) mostly Southwest and US Air.
Also saw the FedEx jet depart as we arrived from TUS and the V-2? Frackin awesome catch!!

[JDANDO]

Excellent set! Makes me excited to go there in the spring!

[megatop412]

Great job with the poor light and weather, love the FedEx feeders