CLT 7/14,16/13 [Image Heavy]

[Kiffy]

7/14

On the way down to visit family in SC I had to spend some time at the Charlotte overlook...
The sky seemed a little iffy but it mostly cooperated:

One of the first arrivals was this 767 operating as flight 803 from Sao Paulo smacking runway 18C.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7307/9322365799_293b6ddca1_c.jpg
The very next departure was another 767 operating flight 748 to Madrid.
I love the angles you can get from this overlook, especially head-on shots.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2884/9322367285_72ebc004a6_c.jpg
This was the first time I was able to take my dog Riley airplane spotting. He actually seemed to enjoy it! Watching/listening to the planes
and smelling the burnt rubber while wagging his tail the whole time :)
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5445/9322367271_733045d9da_c.jpg
The Carolina Panthers logojet headed for runway 23 but at least I got a nice backdrop of the city...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7314/9322367115_b369b4075f_c.jpg
Then to my surprise a DC-9 came in with an MD-80 holding...
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5345/9325158834_87981273e2_c.jpg
By this time Lufthansa had pulled up and I noticed everyone with a scanner jump up and looked on final, I knew it had to be something good.
Thats when I saw a NC ANG C-130 coming in. (I was really hoping to catch one of them here!)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7422/9325157446_7e3fda7f6c_c.jpg
Flight 429 heading out to Munich...
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2861/9322367061_52acd54239_c.jpg
...and the lady making it all possible ;)
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2843/9325158714_a829b793b8_c.jpg
Piedmont 4127 from Tri-Cities Rgnl zooming in.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2892/9322367015_65c11881eb_c.jpg
A PSA CRJ passes the PSA logojet.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5442/9325158640_b541a5b7dc_c.jpg
The PSA logojet was really happy to see Continental titles!
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5492/9322366789_11ed3fccf7_c.jpg
An E-145 still with COA titles lines up for departure as flight 4740 to Cleveland.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2846/9325158568_0c636ee1f0_c.jpg
Flight 720 heads to the runway as one of the US Airways Star Alliance A319s approaches runway 23.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7403/9325158404_13cd23a376_c.jpg
Flight 720 sporting a sharks-fin, cruising down runway 18C for Rome.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2840/9325157412_94d208dc2a_c.jpg
A very chipped radome...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7454/9325158360_f6a1cf7c90_c.jpg
An American Eagle E-145 meets a company CRJ.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2887/9325158354_ab3f4d8e08_c.jpg
Jazz 7925 heads down the runway for Toronto.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7427/9322366679_2338cc549a_c.jpg
By this time the rain clouds were headed closer and closer to the airport but with a little luck I saw the DC-9 taxiing out for departure;
the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow ;)
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3687/9322524671_19f30d9d43_c.jpg
Rocketing into the clouds
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3801/9322366383_758286d448_c.jpg
Just after her departure it began to pour so we left...

7/16
On the way back north I stopped by the overlook again (of course).
One of the first things I noticed was another Continental titled Embraer at the gates!
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7349/9322366391_e0550cb929_c.jpg
The PSA logojet gliding in.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7459/9325158034_1a3c48ff50_c.jpg
Head on with Lufthansa!
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3816/9322366215_5bf496f328_c.jpg
Flight 429 heading to Munich. Is that brake-dust the accrued after the nearly 2 mile taxi to runway 18c?
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/9325327846_c5801e57a1_c.jpg
And to my surprise another Continental Embraer came in! Wow, what is this, 2011!?
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7409/9322366141_afe00182c9_c.jpg
Then around 6pm a news van showed up. They were there for the lead story, whos going to have control of CLT...
http://www.wbtv.com/category/240205/video-landing-page?clipId=9098647&autostart=true
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7383/9322365561_92efe1f3bb_c.jpg
Right after they stopped filming the evening FedEx flight arrived.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5508/9325157600_60e0a3ae61_c.jpg
Flight 721 arriving from Rome.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7342/9325157984_a752242eb4_c.jpg
Looking down a very crowded taxiway echo; consisting of 4 CRJs, 2 A320s, 1 MD80 and 1 757.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5514/9325157544_d3b50968d3_c.jpg
Then I left and as I got on I-485 I spotted the Panthers logojet headed for runway 18R, taken out of the sunroof.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2866/9322365479_4f2166042f_c.jpg

Since I haven't been to PHL in almost a year the US Airways traffic more than made up for my hiatus ;)

Hope you enjoyed!

[megatop412]

Fantastic shots! The LH head-on picture and the one of your dog enjoying himself are awesome

[moose135]

Very nice! I was heading home from PA on Sunday, or I might have bumped into you out there. You were very fortunate to catch the ANG C-130 on 18C - I haven't seen one use that runway yet when I've been out - they usually depart 18L and arrive on 23. And the Delta DC-9 is a regular. I've seen a few of those ERJs still sporting Continental Express markings - they are operated by Chautauqua Airlines, so they may take their time about replacing titles. If memory serves me, I think I saw one with Continental on one side, and United Express on the other. Glad Riley had fun! If you get down this way again, give me a shout.

[Kiffy]

Thanks for the comments guys!


Continental on one side, and United Express on the other. That would be cool to see!

Every time for the past year when I've seen CO titles it thought "this is the last time I'll see them", no, "this is the last time" etc, its a good thing it hasn't been. :cool:

[cowens727]

Great shots, love the head-on pics and the congested taxiway. Thanks for sharing!

[skyteam18]

Loving that Dash8 shot! .. Actually, the entire set is nice! Considering it's summer season, I think you came away with great results! And thanks for including the Lufty Lady. She's quickly become a staple of the CLT Culture. :)

[Vivek777Kaul]

My old airport...CLT is a great place to spend time watching planes and a superb spotting location....Good to see some great shots from there.

[Kiffy]

Thanks for the nice words all!

And thanks for including the Lufty Lady. She's quickly become a staple of the CLT Culture. :)
Definitely! I was a little surprised she didn't show up on the second day and somehow the LH flight took off anyway :wink: