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Thread: KCLT - Charlotte/Douglas Airport, On-Going Thread

  1. #1
    Senior Member moose135's Avatar
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    KCLT - Charlotte/Douglas Airport, On-Going Thread

    Rather than start a new thread for each quick trip to the airport, I thought I'd start this thread and update it periodically as I get out to KCLT.

    Last Friday, heading into the holiday weekend, I got out of work early, and checked FlightAware, on the chance that something interesting would be around. I saw a Sun Country 737 and FedEx A300 due in around 6pm, and an Insel Air MD-80 expected to depart around the same time, so I headed on down.

    Got to the overview just in time to see AC Jazz departing.















    The park is next to the approach end of Rwy 18C - and right on schedule, I see a little blue airplane in the distance, and realize Sun Country is landing on 18L...he took off on that same runway about 40 minutes later. About 20 minutes later, there was a break in departures on 18C so they could cross some aircraft that landed behind us on 18R, and of course, there was that FedEx A300 I was waiting for. And that Insel Air Mad Dog? FlightAware showed it was delayed, and not expecting to depart until after sunset, so I called it a day.
    Last edited by moose135; 2012-09-08 at 07:41 PM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member moose135's Avatar
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    With the Democratic Convention getting geared up in town, I took a ride down to the airport on Sunday afternoon, to see if anything interesting was around. Police had a variety of detours and closed roads around the airport, including the route I would take to the airport overview. When I got to the closed section - only official and service vehicles were getting through, the officer asked where I was going. She said the park was closed, and would be closed all week - not what I was hoping to hear.

    I didn't bother going out Wednesday afternoon when Air Force 1 was arriving, but tonight I decided to give it a try and see if I might catch the big jet - it was parked over by the ANG area. A lap around the airport didn't reveal the VC-25, but I did find the overview open. I was actually surprised, that even after 8pm, in the dark, there were easily a dozen cars there with people watching departures. I got out the tripod and spent a little time shooting...













    Downtown - sorry, Uptown Charlotte...





    This guy cooperated by sitting on the taxiway for about 20 minutes, so I could try a bunch of shots.




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    Keep the CLT stuff coming Moose! I may have to get you my flight details next weekend when I pass through there in hopes you can get a shot of mynflight(s).
    Steve Furst

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  4. #4
    Member Sebastian G.'s Avatar
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    Thank you for sharing these very nice pictures!
    Kind regards,
    Sebastian


    My Homepage: www.airliners-spotting.weebly.com (in german only)

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    Senior Member Futterman's Avatar
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    Moose! Awesome shots.

    I was hanging out with 'Agent Smith' last week back in New York and he mentioned you moved down south a while ago. Good to see you haven't lost your touch in the warmer weather.

    Just checked to see if I was working when you were out spotting but it turns out I was home with family. Did just finish a working 4 days down through CLT though -- were you out at all between the 4th and the 7th?

    Quick story about the -300 you shot, HDN. I had the fortune of flying our friend Josh Akbar on that airplane about a year ago. Against my better judgement, we met up for cheesesteaks in Philly before blasting off for Charlottesville. Once we were in the air and the cabin started to pressurize, my bowels decided to do the same thing, and I was reminded at several personal low points during the flight that Philadelphia's flagship sandwich must either not agree with me or have some commercial agreement with Pepto-Bismol. My meal and I even decided to have some quality time partying with the blue-juice for about 15 minutes after the passengers, my flight attendant, and my captain all went inside after landing. What a great night...

    SO, if you ever ride on that particular airplane, I suggest you stay seated and cross your legs. I can't imagine there's enough lav-service in the entire state of North Carolina to right this wonderful wrong.

    My schedule has me working through CLT again next Saturday, Sunday, and Monday afternoon/evenings. Shall we?

    Brian
    Last edited by Futterman; 2012-09-07 at 08:51 PM.
    "My wife is an air traffic controller. I married her because I've always wanted to screw the FAA." - B. Wulle

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    Senior Member skyteam18's Avatar
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    Man, I am digging that head-on 737 shot! Bitchin shot sir.

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    Administrator PhilDernerJr's Avatar
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    That US 762 is...wow. Great work!!!!
    Email me anytime at [email protected].

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    Senior Member moose135's Avatar
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    That would be great, Brian! PM me your schedule, and we'll set something up - we'll skip the cheesesteaks, maybe try some BBQ!

    Took a quick ride out after work on Friday, and decided to break out the 100-400...that's a lot of lens for this spot.





    At 100mm, you can't fit this in the frame when it passes directly in front of you.



    So you make do...





    Yes, he landed on the right side again, but at least with the long lens, I could get something of him.



    Hawker owned by Cox Communications out of Atlanta. He departed in front of us about 20 minutes later.







    This week, I also made the decision to embrace the fact that I'm seeing all these US Airways jets. Much like I've been working to get all of the JetBlue fleet (I'm about 6 short on that) I thought I'd see how much of the US fleet I can get. Now, this will be a little tougher than JB - US has about 340 mainline aircraft, plus some 270+ on the Express side. Looking through my photos, between stuff I've shot in NYC and PHL, plus two or three visits to CLT, I've already got 30% of the mainline fleet, and more than a quarter of the Express regionals. I'll see how this goes...

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    Moose, really enjoying your CLT photos, still have not made it to the overlook, def on my list of places to go though. I look forward to many more from CLT from one of my favorite fellow photags.

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    Senior Member megatop412's Avatar
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    That's a great shot of 251AY Mark, I've shot her at PHL.

    Brian sorry to hear about your incident with the cheesesteak- I swear they're not all bad here!

  11. #11
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    Really great photos, and one heck of a vantage point!

  12. #12
    Senior Member Futterman's Avatar
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    Haha. As people in a ****ty relationship once said, "It's not you. It's me." I have no beef with the Philly Cheesesteak, no pun.

    Moose, check 'yo PMs.

    BF
    "My wife is an air traffic controller. I married her because I've always wanted to screw the FAA." - B. Wulle

  13. #13
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    Really great stuff, Moose .. Keep em coming sir
    Kaz T

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  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by moose135 View Post








    This week, I also made the decision to embrace the fact that I'm seeing all these US Airways jets. Much like I've been working to get all of the JetBlue fleet (I'm about 6 short on that) I thought I'd see how much of the US fleet I can get. Now, this will be a little tougher than JB - US has about 340 mainline aircraft, plus some 270+ on the Express side. Looking through my photos, between stuff I've shot in NYC and PHL, plus two or three visits to CLT, I've already got 30% of the mainline fleet, and more than a quarter of the Express regionals. I'll see how this goes...

    Should plan a trip out to PHX. You probably get their whole western fleet in two days.
    Steve Furst

    View my work @

    Furst Edition Photography
    JetPhotos.net

  15. #15
    Senior Member moose135's Avatar
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    Sunday certainly wasn't your typical A.net-photo type of day - cloudy, misty, a little rain, but Steve was connecting through CLT on his way home, and asked if I could get a few shots for him. For only the second time that I've been out there, they were using Rwy 36 L/C/R for operations. That meant they would be departing, rather than arriving, past the overlook. Steve's plane arrived on 36L, which is behind the overlook, but I did catch it when it crossed the center runway.



    And of course, they departed on 36R, so he was off in the distance a little...



    I also caught the Carolina Panthers logo jet waiting to cross 36C.



    You get a nice angle on departures this way.





    For a while, it was raining down at the far end of the runway...



    Not sure what the deal was with this Delta 738 - FlightAware showed he was only going to Atlanta, but tower cleared him to back-taxi if he needed the full length of the runway, and he rotated and lifted much later than anyone else, as you can see.



    This Navy T-6 departed and gave us a nice banking turn out of the pattern.











    Over in the cargo area, I saw a United 757 - it wasn't really in a good spot to shoot, but it turns out it was a charter for the NO Saints, who were playing the Charlotte Panthers on Sunday. I guess I'll have to start paying attention to these NFL charters the next few months.

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