Curious on the backstory behind the photos? This is the place. You'll find not only write ups on local outings, but also reviews of major events I’ve attended.
The Super 80 Send Off
The conclusion of American Mad Dog operations happened four years ago and I had the privilege of being on airfield for the historic day!
September 4th, 2023 marks four years since the final day of revenue operations for the American Airlines MD-80, affectionately nicknamed the Mad Dog. On September 4, 2019, many aviation enthusiasts and employees mourned the end of an era as the last American Airlines MD-80 flights took to the air concluding 36 years of operations for the Dallas/Fort Worth-based airline.
I was one of the lucky ones to witness the occasion in person as I attended the "Super 80 Send-Off" hosted by the DFW Airport. As I gazed upon the sea of American MD-80s lined up on the tarmac, I couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia and gratitude for this aircraft - this workhorse of American Airlines that had carried so many passengers to destinations all over the world.
The numbers speak for themselves - the MD-80 constituted a whopping 44 percent of American Airlines' fleet at its peak in 2002 and carried over 87 million passengers in its lifetime - truly a testament to the aircraft's reliability and versatility.
In tribute to the airframe, American operated the final revenue flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to Chicago O'Hare as flight 80. The rest of the departures were non-revenue position legs with the majority going to Roswell for storage. Lucky for us watching, many of the pilots performed some rather spirited departures including wing waves and low transition departures!
Love it or hate it, here's to the Mad Dog - a true aviation legend. The skies are sure quieter without it!
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport 6/28/23
Various traffic seen at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Wednesday, June 28th, 2023.
Ruslan Rising
Another visit by the mighty Ruslan…
The mighty Ruslan departs DFW Airport in all its smoky loud glory! This Antonov Airlines An-124-100M-150 made a brief visit to Dallas/Fort Worth this morning before continuing on to Space Florida Launch and Landing Facility Airport (KTTS) down in Florida. No matter how many times I see it, it's always incredible to watch this enormous machine fly.
Beauty And The Beast
Two iconic quads departing DFW.
Beauty and the Beast. Nearly 9,000 nautical miles of travel tonight between these two giants as they depart DFW Airport!
The A380 is impressive but the 747 is still timeless for me. Which one do you prefer?
Working Whirlybirds
A former TV star-turned heavy lifter and the new kid on the block both putting in work in the DFW area on the morning of May 16, 2023.
A fine morning of working whirlybirds in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex! Over half a century separate these two working airframes. First is the Bell 525 Relentless, a super-medium-lift helicopter still undergoing certification. It has a sharp employee-designed livery and was the third Relentless built. It spent some time side stepping up and down the taxiway at Bell's Arlington flight test facility.
Second was the venerable S-58, "Screaming Mimi" operated by aerial crane specialists 5 State Helicopters Inc just outside of the confines of the DFW Airport. Always a pleasure watching these true professionals operate so seamlessly in tight spaces. This particular S-58 was the star of the 1980s TV show Rip Tide. So wonderful to see it continue to earn its keep in 2023.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport 1/16/23
Various traffic seen at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Monday, January 16th, 2023.
Various traffic seen at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Monday, January 16th, 2023.
