MH A350, the A400 and other beauties

Well it is a beautiful December. Many good things came and many more good things are coming. This post will include several shots taken over several days.

With Malaysia Airlines taking delivery of their first and second A350, they are sending them to Penang, Bangkok and even to KK for training purposes before they are sent on the long-haul flights. Let's start off with an overhead shot.

Malaysia Airlines A350-941 (9M-MAB)

This next session was aimed at catching MAC's first visit to Penang. Did not managed to get it this round as they were delayed for about almost an hour plus, and I arrived just after SilkAir's B737-8 MAX landed (grr). Anyway, here are the other ones that arrived. UPS are using their 757 these few days. 757s are such versatile aircraft. Read somewhere that they are now still in demand due to their performance.

UPS B757-24A(PF) (N462UP)

This FedEx came from Bangkok. It's been some time since I've spotted planes from this location. Fun fact, the doors of the 767 slide upwards into the aircraft, unlike other airliners that swing open.

FedEx B767-3S2F(ER) (N110FE)

Was about to make my move when I saw the blip approaching. It was an A400. Flew in from Alor Setar Airport. Instead of landing however, it powered up and flew overhead. Training most probably.

RMAF A400M-180 (M54-xx)

Sounds like a very powerful ATR72

And to end this segment, here's the special-livery A350. With this flight to Penang (MH1138/MH1143), we get two 350 visits to Penang every day. Something fun to see for the month of December.

Malaysia Airlines A350-941 (9M-MAC)

Bearing the Negaraku Livery

That's all for this session. 

SSLee

Tags:

malaysia airlines a350 penang sslee

sslee a400 penang

Penang Planespotting #003 - 29 May 2016 - Part 2

This edition of Planespotting #003 covers quite a few cargo craft as well as some special scheme jets. It is nice going without any expectations and to get something you've never seen.

Air HongKong A300F4-605R (B-LDF)

Got addicted to head-on shots, so you will be seeing quite a number of them in the coming posts as well.

Head on with Korean Air Cargo (HL7449)

Sriwijaya Air B737-86J (PK-CMN)

Sriwijaya now uses the Standard B738. No longer able to get the -500s, -300s and -400s. Oh look.... UPS.

UPS B767-34AF(ER) (N307UP)

Malaysia Airlines B737-8H6 (9M-MXE)

UPS crossing the runway

And here are the specials. Got 3 of them coming up.

Firefly ATR72-500 (9M-FYG)

The first one promotes Panasonic's Sky Series Air Conditioners with the nicely fitting tagline, the Future is Up. On another note, it is a rather fine way to rub it in seeing how hot the weather was.

AirAsia A320-216 (9M-AHF)

Before the next special, we have the head-on of -AHF, before -AHX came in. AHX is the one with the Connecting ASEAN livery. It was revealed during LIMA 2015. Funny how after more than a year do I see it here in Penang.

AirAsia A320-216 (9M-AHX) - Connecting ASEAN Livery

Left Side

Part 3 coming up. Stay tuned.

Fokker hunting [31 January 2016]

So here we are, in the new year. Would like to take this opportunity to wish all readers a Happy New Year. Thank you for all your visits and your support. I shall strive to add more posts per month this year.

Although this wasn't the first spotting of the year (the first was actually on the 25th), this one is surely more memorable than the first one.

As the title suggests, the main aim of this session was to hunt for a Fokker, doing a stopover at Penang along its long flight from Perth to Slovakia (Thanks to the Perth Airport Spotter's Blog for the flight details) along the route: (SXI 1602) YPPH - WIHH - WMKP - VOHS - OMAL - LTCG - LZIB. Many stops indeed.

Didn't know the route originally, but Fokkers have been known to stop by Penang based on previous experiences. By the time I saw it, it was somewhere over Johor (southern part of Peninsular Malaysia), which meant IF it were to come to Penang, I would have another 40 minutes max. Some digging got me the blog above and it was then when I decided to go for it.

It is getting much more difficult to spot at the end of runway 04 with the construction work going around though.

I did see that UPS had just left KUL (though I wouldn't have thought that I could get this), and it would be an added bonus to catch it. Thanks to traffic, or rather the lack of it, it was seen.

UPS B767-34AF(ER) (N344UP)

Always great to see them UPS birds, whether they are the wingletted or not. The best times would be when their 757s come to Penang.

Next on the list was a regional carrier, Firefly. This was their -500 series, easily distinguishable by the lack of black bandit masks around the cockpit.

Firefly ATR72-500 (9M-FYC)

And after waiting for what seemed like an eternity, it came. It FINALLY CAME.

Alliance Airlines Fokker 100 (VH-FKA)

It was such a splendid view. Penang doesn't get a nice supply of these Fokkers very often, so you could imagine how big the grin on my face was.

It was pretty much the usual after the Fokker, with an ATR and a 737.

Malindo Air ATR72-600 (9M-LMG)

Lion Air B737-8GP (PK-LPO)

One thing fun about the weekends is that you may be pleasantly surprised by Cargo operators with their 747s. Sometimes a Cathay Pacific bird comes, sometimes this one, China Airlines Cargo.

China Airlines Cargo B747-409F (B-18717)

From the big 747, the next one subtly ends this spotting trip. Here's a Cessna.

Private Cessna 525C Citation CJ4 (N194SS)

There was then an itch to head over to the terminal building to see if the Fokker could be spotted parked by the ATC tower. It was, though it was blocked by a much bigger cargo aircraft, Air Hong Kong's A300-600F, with its doors open.

It was just a short 40-minute spotting trip, though the returns are much much more than some trips. That's all for this post. If you have any suggestions or just want to ask anything, do drop comments below.

SSLee

Tags:

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f100 sslee penang

alliance airlines penang

cessna citation penang planespotting

china airlines cargo 747 PEN

malindo sslee

air hongkong

Same place, Different views - 02 / November [Part 3]

Finally, the third and final part of this installation. 

Malaysia Airlines B737-8H6 (9M-MXE)

MAS in the new livery with the truncated Wau.

Royal Australian Air Force A330-203MRTT / KC-30A (A39-004)

This one came up after a looong time. Thought it was never going to depart. Used just enough runway to rotate at the most perfect of location. And voila. Here's the shot.

AirAsia A320 (9M-AQH)

Air Asia's 100th awesome plane. STAY STRONG AIRASIA.....

FedEx A310-324F (N811FD)

This FedEx was the last one taken near the departure area. The next few are taken just short of runway 04.

UPS B767-34AF (N359UP)

More winglet jets for me! Quite a punctual arrival from Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia Airlines B737-8H6 (9M-MXG)

Just a quick weather report. It was sunny and as hot as a frying pan. Sweating while snapping.

China Airlines Cargo B747-409F (B-18712)

And a heavy to end the day.

That's all for this session. Hope you've enjoyed it.


With all that is happening in the recent weeks, my thoughts and prayers go to those who have been affected by the QZ8501 flight.









Tags:
MRTT penang
kc-30 penang sslee
air refueller takeoff penang a330-203
ups penang landing sslee
royal australian air force penang tanker sslee
air asia's 100th awesome plane penang sslee

2014.08.17 Spotting Session - Part 2

Continuing on... here are some of the heavies that came in for the day. The great and sunny weather continued all the way to the end of the session. Yes, it was HOT, but well worth it.

UPS B767-34AF (N361UP)

This was actually one of my intended catch of the day. Back then (maybe about 2 years back), I used to always ask myself.. Why do I keep getting the UPS but not the FedEx MD-11. Then as time went by, I got more and more of the FedEx's MD-11 than the UPS' B763. So now here I am, back at hoping that I would get more 763s. The winglets really compliment this model. It makes it look more balanced and sturdy.

Lion Air B737-8GP (PK-LKW)

About a year old, this aircraft still looks great. No eyebrows on the cockpit though.

FedEx A310-324 (N808FD)

This one was also a great treat as FedEx usually send A300-600Fs into Penang. Sometimes two of them in a row. The A310 looks a bit stubby at this range :).

China Airlines Cargo B747-409F (B-18720)

Four engines, 18 wheels, and really loud up close. The sound emitted is just incredible.

SilkAir B737-8SA (9V-MGE)

Next is one of the best selling short-haul models, the B737. This is one of the latest (at time of writing) B738 of SilkAir. Silkair colours are simple and look nice regardless on whether it is on the Airbus models or the Boeing models.

Firefly ATR72-500 (9M-FYJ)

And to end it, here's an ATR, approaching slowly but surely to Runway 04.

This was one of the best sessions that I've had since the time I spotted the UPS 757 and the DHL 727. Truly enjoyed it and looking forward to even more sessions like this. Also one of those rare times that I can set a shutter speed of more than 1/800th of a second.

Links to those pics:

http://reachingtheskiesabove.blogspot.com/2013/02/dhl-727.html

http://reachingtheskiesabove.blogspot.com/2013/02/ups-b757.html

That is all for this session. Hoping that the next one will be equally great!!

Tags:

silkair b738 9v-mge sslee penang

ups 767 sslee penang

china cargo airlines penang sslee

fedex a310 penang sslee

lion air sslee

Planespotting : The Rainspotting Edition - Part 2

In this edition of Rainspotting.... the highlights are....

UPS B767
Malindo and Firefly ATR72-600
China Airlines B747
aaaannd
SilkAir's FIRST B738

Welcome back, here are the stories. Still raining, and will still be raining to the end of the spotting trip

UPS B767-34AF ER (N330UP)

I was rather hoping that the rain would stop and the sun would shine for this beauty, but the clouds were there and showed no signs of breaking up. Well I was already set up for spotting in the rain, so the snapping ensues.

Firefly ATR72-600 (9M-FIA)

Malindo ATR72-600 (9M-LMF)

No matter how small, they were all capable of handling the crosswind. The next heavy was unexpected. Happy to see it nevertheless.

China Airlines Cargo B747-409F (B-18718)

And to end it (again) was SilkAir's B737-800 with the 25-Year Anniversary markings.

SilkAir B737-8SA (9V-MGA)

One new experience, seeing wipers of Boeings and Airbuses in action.

And that concludes rainspotting. Hope you enjoyed it.

Till next time.

SSLee

Tags:

ups b767-300er landing rain penang sslee

china cargo airlines b747-400f landing penang

sslee atr72-600 malindo firefly penang 

Heavy Day #1

This trip was extremely filled with landings, with the total of 24 landings, including the Asiana 747 in the previous post. Will leave out the B734s and the A322s (for now). The sad (yet great) thing was that it was raining during the first few landings, which seriously cut down the number of views of the aircraft, and was cloudy the rest of the day, hence the darkened gloomy shots. But the great thing is, I was not ROASTED. So oh well. worked for me.

First off, (well the first was a Malaysian Airlines B737-400) is the A300-600F of DHL/Air Hong Kong. 

A300-600F Air Hong Kong/DHL 

This freighter frequently visits Penang. About once every 2 days.

Next, this is actually the first for me. A Berjaya Air ATR-72-500 (9M-TAG).

Only managed to get a few shots of this aircraft as it started to rain then.

Then there was a great treat for me. A 767 operated by UPS. I could use tonnes of words to describe it, but I'll let the photo do the talking.

UPS B767-300 N340UP

I couldn't have hoped for a better timing and lighting for the shot of this aircraft.

That's all for this part. 

To be continued****