Air New Zealand's First B787-9, Auckland - Los Angeles Flight

Sunday the 27th Sep 2015 saw Air New Zealand operated the B787-9 for this first time from
Auckland to Los Angeles, also making it the first time for the B787-9 to fly to the USA since entering service with the airline.

The B787-9 will operate mainly on the NZ4 / NZ3 AKL-LAX-AKL flights until the 12th October.

Some first time shots also of ZK-NZC , taxing out for LAX as NZ4.

ZK-NZC
Auckland - Los Angeles, NZ4
First B787-9 AKL - LAX Flight 

ZK-NZC 

ZK-NZC 

ZK-NZC 

ZK-NZC 

ZK-NZC 

ZK-NZC 

ZK-NZC

Virgin America A320's

Ok back in Los Angeles again and a selection of some Virgin America's A320's arriving into LAX and landing on runway 24L.

In these photos are, N642VA, N844VA, N641VA & N530VA.

The photos for each aircraft were all taken on different days. Some in the morning, mid afternoon and some at sunset.

N642VA

N530VA 

N530VA 

N641VA

N641VA 

N844VA

Farewell Air New Zealand's B737-300 , ZK-NGI

Today the 21st Sep 2015 saw the final final end of Air New Zealand's last B737-300, ZK-NGI to leave Auckland for the last time flying back to Christchurch this morning. NGI spent the weekend doing some scenic flights around Auckland City.

So some last farewell photos taken in the weekend. The END.

Air New Zealand's last B737-300
ZK-NGI

ZK-NGI

ZK-NGI 

ZK-NGI 

ZK-NGI

Southwest Airlines - N210WN

I finally made it to the Proud Bird Restaurant at LAX, which is located perfectly for taking photos for arrivals onto Runway 25L. Its the first time I have actually stopped in there after all these years, and after having a look around at the collection of aircraft on display I got a few shots of a few arrivals. I couldn't stay long but will defiantly be going back there for some more photos on the next trip.

Two quick photos of Southwest Airlines, B737-700, N210WN, about to land on 25L.

N210WN

N210WN

Tom Bradley A380 Line Up

Over the many years that I have been travelling to Los Angeles, the B747-400 has been the Queen of LAX and the long haul aircraft widely used by most airlines operating on long haul non-stop routes. The A380 and of course the B777 family now rule LAX and the B787 not far behind. There are of course airlines still opening the B747 out of LAX.

I got these photos from the Imperial Hill, overlooking the airport with great views, and of course the newly opened Tom Bradley Terminal, which is very nice and very user friendly in my opinion.

A couple of photos with an A380 lineup with five all parked together and a lone Qantas B747-400 park all the way at the end next to a Fiji Airways A330.

Five A380's One B747-400 & One A330

Tom Bradley Terminal from Imperial Hill

British Airways A380

Well is I wish I had some better shots of this British Airways A380, like I did with the KE A380.

These are pretty crappy photos actually, taken through some pretty dirty windows from inside the Tom Bradley Terminal at LAX. The only reason I thought to post these pics, is because of the crappy conditions at the time for taking photos with this FOG rolling at at 6pm.

Oh well at least I got some shots, and this is GXLEI taxing in through the fog.

GXLEI 

GXLEI

GXLEI 

GXLEI

Korean Airlines A380

Back at LAX for these photos on a very warm and humid early afternoon.

With only one runway in use currently at LAX on the north side of the complex due runways works on the other northern runway, meant all arrivals are closer then usual, and much better for getting shots from in between the Southwest Terminal and Terminal 2.

Some shots of Korean Airlines, HL7614 and as you can see in the first photo, Southwest had a pretty full ramp at the time.

Korean Airlines - HL7614

HL7614

HL7614

Sedona Airport, KSEZ - Arizona

Sedona Arizona was one of our stops on our USA Road trip, and we spent a total of 3 nights there.
Sedona Airport, KSEZ is said to be one of America's most Scenic Airports, sitting atop a hill right in the heart of Sedona with a single runway 21 & 03 headings. The runway is 5135 ft long and has a 90 ft elevation change downhill on runway 21. The airport is at an elevation of 4830 ft above sea level.  The scenery around Sedona is just magic and the airport sure does have great views of the red rock mountains. There is a FBO operator based in the terminal, Red Rock Aviation and a restaurant the Mesa Grill if your feeling hungry.

So here a fews pics from my brief visit and aircraft on the ground at the time, including a Cessna Citation & Beech J50 Twin.

N480WB
Cessna Citation

N9666Y
Beech J50

N9666Y
Beech J50

Sedona Airport Ramp
Looking South West

Planes of Fame Museum - Valle, AZ

En route on the drive to the Grand Canyon, I passed by the Plane's of Fame Museum at Valle, AZ.
Valle is located halfway between Williams, Arizona and the south rim of the Grand Canyon.

Unfortunately the weather was not the best at the time, as the afternoon thunderstorms were dumping heavy rain, and a bit of hail, so I didn't have a good change to look around outside and time constraints didn't afford a visit inside the museum either.
But I waited around just long enough for the rain to ease to get these photos.

N240HH
Convair 240

Grumman Tiger & Lockheed Constellation

Grand Canyon Airport - KGCN

I visited briefly the Grand Canyon Airport, KGCN on our day trip to the Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona back in July. What a great little airport which was very busy with helicopters and a scenic flight Airline's taking tourists for flights over the Grand Canyon.

The airport is located at Tusayan, Arizona, is surround by forest trees and located 7 miles south the South Rim, to the Grand Canyon National Park. Grand Canyon Airport is also the only State Owned Airport in Arizona. I'll have to go back I think to take one of those scenic flights I missed out on.

Scenic Airlines
N146SA

Bishop Airport, CA

Well as promised, some more photos I took at Bishop Airport, CA back on the 4th July.
Bishop Airport, KBIH is located 2 miles east of downtown Bishop, CA, Inyo County in the
Owens Valley at the Base of the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountain range.

On the 4th July when I took these photos, there were late afternoon / early evening thunderstorms lurking around creating some awesome light conditions and as the sun set low, the clouds just looked amazing. It was dam warm also, and the air con in the car sure was a relief. So I hope you like these photos from Bishop.