Aborted take offs, Air Pacific 747-400, Avis Budget Jetstar, Dominos Jetstar, Alliance F100 and the Qantas Q400 all in the span of 90 minutes.
So many different aircraft in such a short period of time. Yesterday was a fantastic day for spotting. I wasn’t going to go out till i found out that Air Pacific were sending in their specially painted 747-400, i thought to myself “I have to go!” So off I went camera in hand with step ladder in the other and Dad joined me as well to test out his new camera.
Spoke to Lloyd (my friend Brendan’s father, who also works in my team) while i was out there and awaited the arrival of the Air Pacific jumbo. First thing to happen was a Qantas A330 aborted take off. I thought to myself what more could happen today its turning out to be a good day. Then while the Fire engines were screaming off after the A330 everyone comes running over to the fence and I thought it was because of the fire engines and the A330 but i was wrong. Sitting in prime position in front of the spotters area was the Qantas Dash 8 Q400. I didn’t even recognise it!!! The day was continuing to improve.
Next big thing for me was I then heard that Avis Budget Jetstar was on finals to land and on Runway 19 that meant that the Avis side and I had been chasing a picture like that for months!!! The day was getting better by the minute. Next plane after avis was an Alliance F100 and i had never seen that one so another one added to the list. Finally Air Pacific arrives with 20 or so people crowded around the spotters area with cameras and watching this beauty land i heard that the Dominos Jetstar was going to leave.
After waiting what felt like a life time (prolly 10 minutes) for the Dominos Jetstar to finally taxi away from the Terminal I got some fantastic shots of this aircraft. I thought about waiting round for the Air Pacific to leave but then I just decided. Why ruin such a good day of spotting by waiting around for a while, I’ve enjoyed myself so far why ruin it.
That to me was worth the hassle of 90 minutes in the sun trying to steady myself on what felt like a flimsy step ladder.
To those that have never really seen the spotting part of me… welcome to this side of me.. it doesn’t come out often but when it does, you probably wont understand a word I said.