Philadelphia International Airport, on-going (2015-)

[TriStatePlaneSpotting]

I just realized that my KPHL thread got lost so I created a new one. I will be using this for alerts and posting my photos and things like that. Also, if you are in the mood to spot at the most boring airport in the tri-state area, you can let me know and I will tag along!

[megatop412]

Hey man we do get some nice stuff @ PHL from time to time!

[Len90]

PHL is definitely not the "most boring" airport. Still sees Alaska, WN, US Airways/American specials. Holidays are pretty good and always has a fair share of charters that end up at Atlantic.

[TriStatePlaneSpotting]

PHL is definitely not the "most boring" airport. Still sees Alaska, WN, US Airways/American specials. Holidays are pretty good and always has a fair share of charters that end up at Atlantic.

Len, I see where you are coming from here. I like the airport but it doesn't really compare to JFK, EWR, BWI, and IAD score-wise. If I had unlimited range, I would just go to one of those airports and leave PHL in the shadow unless something nice comes in. Sure, ASA and WN bring in some really nice specials but they hardly ever come in and the Christmas Rush is totally awesome but then again pound-for-pound in everyday scores, JFK, EWR, BWI, and IAD leave PHL in the dust. I'm sorry that I have to sound that way but that is the truth!

[TriStatePlaneSpotting]

Anyhow, there goes my first set with the Canon EOS Rebel T5 at PHL (11/2/2014):

HIGHLIGHTS: Paradigm Air Operators 757-200, Qatar 777-200LR, and SWA Arizona One.
Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/sets/72157649987300352/

[Mateo]

Len, I see where you are coming from here. I like the airport but it doesn't really compare to JFK, EWR, BWI, and IAD score-wise. If I had unlimited range, I would just go to one of those airports and leave PHL in the shadow unless something nice comes in. Sure, ASA and WN bring in some really nice specials but they hardly ever come in and the Christmas Rush is totally awesome but then again pound-for-pound in everyday scores, JFK, EWR, BWI, and IAD leave PHL in the dust. I'm sorry that I have to sound that way but that is the truth!Having regularly been to each of those; I would rank them JFK, IAD, PHL, EWR, BWI. Philadelphia gets a decent chunk of biz, some Frontier, and still has a good selection of non-US traffic

[Len90]

PHL today: Alaska is the Go Russell and an Atlas 767 around 5PM.

Also add in the US/AA repainting along with WN repainting. Now you have the Frontier and Spirit as well.

EWR is not really that much fun. Yeah they have a few more int'l carriers but the domestic traffic there is almost all United now the fun is seeing if the plane has Scimitars or just Blended winglets.

[727C47]

Sounds like DTW pre Delta/ NWA merger it was all red tail all the time, a much better place to spot these days, even the occasional MD-11

[Kiffy]

Having regularly been to each of those; I would rank them JFK, IAD, PHL, EWR, BWI.

I completely agree.

Tri-State, you might have been onto something about four years ago between when USA 3000 ceased opps and Frontier began service (again) to PHL. During that time BA, LH and the cargo guys were the only real “treats”, however there was still the multitude of US/WN special schemes to keep it interesting. Nowadays Philly is getting increasingly interesting especially with the merger, like next month with the addition of an AA 763 flight. That and the ease of being able spot just about every runway from nearly every angle makes PHL quite an exceptional airport.

And for instance PHL was treated with its first ever visit of an A380 yesterday. Thanks to single runway opps and bad winds at JFK!

Parked on the North cargo ramp, near the de-icing station.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8637/16803814342_5336278320_c.jpg

Departing runway 27R for the 33 minute flight up to JFK after a nearly five hour wait on the ground.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8588/16184892313_e501b2a751_c.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7650/16778944996_c2fd41db6c_c.jpg

[TriStatePlaneSpotting]

I completely agree.

Tri-State, you might have been onto something about four years ago between when USA 3000 ceased opps and Frontier began service (again) to PHL. During that time BA, LH and the cargo guys were the only real “treats”, however there was still the multitude of US/WN special schemes to keep it interesting. Nowadays Philly is getting increasingly interesting especially with the merger, like next month with the addition of an AA 763 flight. That and the ease of being able spot just about every runway from nearly every angle makes PHL quite an exceptional airport.

And for instance PHL was treated with its first ever visit of an A380 yesterday. Thanks to single runway opps and bad winds at JFK!

Parked on the North cargo ramp, near the de-icing station.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8637/16803814342_5336278320_c.jpg

Departing runway 27R for the 33 minute flight up to JFK after a nearly five hour wait on the ground.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8588/16184892313_e501b2a751_c.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7650/16778944996_c2fd41db6c_c.jpg

That Emirates A380 is probably the catch of the year for PHL but the Colombian? 763 and the Atlas 762 rival that and make really good competition.

Anyhow, you can check out all of my pictures at https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/. I am like 4 1/2 months behind due to school and all sorts of other garbage occupying my time!

[Len90]

Emirates 380 is probably going to be the catch for a long while. Nobody really ever thought a 380 would show up here. The terminals can't even handle something like it.

Also I thought it was on the ground for like 3 hours. Think flightaware has the wrong time listed for the arrival. It touched down in PHL between 9:30 and 10:00am. It left PHL at 12:22PM. Just enough time to get a few spotters out there for it :D

[Steven Holzinger]

Lufthansa 747-8i FRA-EWR diverted to PHL today. I think this is the first 747-8i to visit PHL and maybe even the first 747-8 (passenger or freighter) to visit.

Saw him on FR24 after being alerted by friends of mine that it's a possible diversion. Saw it fly over my place and figured I'd run down to PHL as I was supposed to be in Philly tonight. Wish I had a better location to shoot from...

http://www.zingeraviation.com/0/lufthansa.jpg

[TriStatePlaneSpotting]

KPHL- 12/21/2014- Christmas Rush

FedEx 757-200PF lifting off in a rare daylight departure out to Memphis!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/349/18801935855_60b5c56a8c_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uDsQtR)1993 Boeing 757-200F- N974FD- FedEx- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/uDsQtR) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

Caught this guy with mere seconds to spare, arriving from Paris CDG

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/539/18179402184_1623cc7c33_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/tGsbUG)2011 Boeing 767-300ERF- N346UP- UPS- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/tGsbUG) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

Should have equipped my camera with a 75-300mm to catch him. Oh well
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/292/18181455053_4d24ef889f_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/tGCH9Z)2000 Boeing 747-400UF- N499MC- Atlas Air- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/tGCH9Z) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

This livery shall be missed on the 757. Arriving from San Juan.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/279/18775941656_6a5b9c72a7_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uBaBj1)1995 Boeing 757-200W- N941UW- US Airways- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/uBaBj1) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

These guys still have a lot going for them in US livery.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/454/18797335842_9ce3dae532_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uD4g4h)2001 Airbus A321- N182UW- US Airways- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/uD4g4h) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

Erma the Ermine with service from US Hub Charlotte-Douglas
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/295/18179858824_a222306a19_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/tGuwDN)2006 Airbus A319-100CFM- N949FR- Frontier Airlines- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/tGuwDN) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

Who doesn't love a UPS MD-11 inbound from Ontario, CA on a weekend at that!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/287/18614733738_e58779e65e_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/umVnP9)1992 McDonnell-Douglas MD-11F- N294UP- UPS- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/umVnP9) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

That lighting is superb!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/288/18797534972_693f5025b6_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uD5hfy)1992 McDonnell-Douglas MD-11F- N294UP- UPS- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/uD5hfy) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/465/18802596745_eba20fc41b_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uDwdWv)1992 McDonnell-Douglas MD-11F- N294UP- UPS- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/uDwdWv) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

Looks like a rare Delta CRJ-900 to PHL replacing the EMB-135!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/377/18776383336_758bdbf165_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uBcSBb)2014 Bombardier CRJ-900- N309PQ- Delta Connection- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/uBcSBb) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

Another rare FedEx departure in the form of an A300 outbound for Boston!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/298/18776524896_4a2328b3cc_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uBdAFS)1995 Airbus A300-600F- N660FE- FedEx Express- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/uBdAFS) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/461/18802855475_293c35ea4b_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uDxxRn)1995 Airbus A300-600F- N660FE- FedEx Express- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/uDxxRn) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

With the lighting and the city background! Awesome 747 action! Outbound to Sacramento!

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/305/18802976085_1e595f7fd3_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uDyaGR)2000 Boeing 747-400UF- N499MC- Atlas Air- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/uDyaGR) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/473/18805575691_6be244cbab_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uDMutD)2000 Boeing 747-400UF- N499MC- Atlas Air- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/uDMutD) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/485/18615241058_eda4666715_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/umXYC3)2000 Boeing 747-400UF- N499MC- Atlas Air- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/umXYC3) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

And a few 747 from previous days!

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/400/19356187206_2f471d53e5_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vurw6C)2000 Boeing 747-400F- N412MC- Atlas Air- KPHL on 12/24/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/vurw6C) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/336/17917748554_3ce2f312e5_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/tik9pd)1999 Boeing 747-400F- N476MC- Atlas Air/Etihad Cargo- KPHL on 12/19/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/tik9pd) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7742/18280113276_17bf2c96b2_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/tRmmNQ)1999 Boeing 747-400F- N476MC- Atlas Air- KPHL on 12/18/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/tRmmNQ) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

[TriStatePlaneSpotting]

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/305/18802976085_7f1a341b82_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uDyaGR)2000 Boeing 747-400UF- N499MC- Atlas Air- KPHL on 12/21/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/uDyaGR) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

Never hurts to try again!

[TriStatePlaneSpotting]

There we go!

[TriStatePlaneSpotting]

KPHL- 12/26/2014- Target Aircraft: British Airways 777-300ER, Delta Connection CRJ-100ER, AirTran 717

Sad to see these guys go!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/425/19412505131_8a38b5638b_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vzqask)2001 Airbus A330-300- N278AY- US Airways- KPHL on 12/26/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/vzqask) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

and turn into these...
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/352/19470520191_00647f3d7a_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vExviZ)2014 Airbus A330-200- N291AY- American Airlines- KPHL on 12/26/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/vExviZ) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/261/19280137589_5ab164538b_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vnHKck)2001 Airbus A330-300- N277AY- American Airlines- KPHL on 12/26/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/vnHKck) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

But there goes yet another US Airways A330-300, one of only two remaining at that time
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3727/19440217226_ce62dd3a67_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vBSci5)2001 Airbus A330-300- N276AY- US Airways- KPHL on 12/26/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/vBSci5) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

"Stored 03/15" according to Airfleets.com. I got this Delta Connection CRJ-100ER arriving from Detroit at the dusk of its career as a Reginald!
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3715/19278735268_e9643e31b3_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vnAyko)2004 Bombardier CRJ-100- N8888D- Delta Connection- KPHL on 12/26/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/vnAyko) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

This Super MD-88 is still in its' prime, arriving as one of the many daily MD-88s from Atlanta!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/363/19440306916_c25545035f_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vBSDXs)1991 McDonnell-Douglas MD-88- N986DL- Delta Air Lines- KPHL on 12/26/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/vBSDXs) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

RIP AirTran N928AT, May Delta give you 15 more years of service life out of your home, Atlanta!
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/555/19278862310_4c4f5f1884_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vnBd6L)2000 Boeing 717-200- N928AT- airTran Airways- KPHL on 12/26/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/vnBd6L) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

The big-engine beast showing off its' Trent 600s inbound from Frankfurt!
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3683/18845813033_27c997b441_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uHkHCV)2009 Airbus A340-600- D-AIHZ- Lufthansa- KPHL on 12/26/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/uHkHCV) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

This one is (as of 7/6/2015) still in its Carolina Panthers livery! I'm glad I got it while the NFL liveries were still intact, inbound from Punta Cana.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/345/19470754481_672f9be9f3_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vEyGXt)1999 Airbus A319-100- N717UW- US Airways- KPHL on 12/26/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/vEyGXt) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

One of my favorites, the American Eagle ERJ-175 with the new winglets (aka. the spatula special) inbound from Chicago O'Hare.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/371/19470781721_1c34f959fa_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vEyR48)Radical Winglets (https://flic.kr/p/vEyR48) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3877/19278959510_9a22429548_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vnBGZC)2014 Embraer ERJ-175RW- N427YX- American Eagle- KPHL on 12/26/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/vnBGZC) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

Inbound as an equipment sub for our usual Boeing 777-200ER, this Boeing 777-300ER was quite a treat to see on PHL's ILS RWY27R, inbound from London-Heathrow.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/480/18845940323_9844a748fb_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uHmntz)2011 Boeing 777-300ER- G-STBD- British Airways- KPHL on 12/26/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/uHmntz) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/522/19279008418_a37f7c87bd_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vnBXwS)2011 Boeing 777-300ER- G-STBD- British Airways- KPHL on 12/26/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/vnBXwS) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/373/19470906601_ebb8535a67_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vEzube)2011 Boeing 777-300ER- G-STBD- British Airways- KPHL on 12/26/2014 (https://flic.kr/p/vEzube) by Tri-State Plane Spotting (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124931583@N05/), on Flickr

[tjc]

Tristate, I too spot at PHL and find the constant parade of U.S. Air/American traffic is counter balanced by the excellent access to the airport. I've never gotten a second look from security or the police. There are days I've stayed after sunset. The spotting locations are easy to reach from I-95. I've probably gotten pix of every 777-200ER in British Air's fleet. So, yeah, there's plenty to do at PHL.