Trip Report- SYD-CBR includes Spotting photos

[Todd M]

Hello All,

 

Here is my trip report including selected photsos of my spotting to Sydney. I only did one flight, I travelled up on coach by Greyhound Australia.

 

Sydney to Canberra

 

Date: 1/4/2007

 

Flight No: QF805

 

Reg: VH-VXC

 

Type: Boeing 737-838

 

Name: Gippsland

 

Seat: 1A

 

Seq. Number: 2

 

STD:17:55

 

ATD: 17:52

 

ATA:18:41

 

STA: 18:50

 

Gate: 17

 

Dep Rwy: 16R

 

Arr Rwy: 35

 

After a hard weekends spotting out at YSSY I was dropped off at T3 where I checked in my luggage through the Business Class check in desks and proceeded through security. Had Hungry Jacks for lunch while watching Fed Ex and many a Qantas taking off while getting a tan through the tinted windows. Gate 17 would have to be the hardest gate to find, it is tucked away in a little visited corner of the terminal that no one really goes to and is not heavily signed. But it was a quiet little corner to watch what you wanted on TV (There was no one else there) or just listen to music and watch the planes fly by. Gippsland pulled in with a heavy crowd and a lot of Canadian tourists onboard, which certainly filled the place up abit. Boarding was called for not so long after, where I was one of the first inline to get on, where I was directed to my seat (Not very hard being the first row) and offered a Sun Herald or Sunday Telegraph to read. Passing up the offer on the Terrograph I sat and read the Herald while we taxied out and listened to the safety announcement. Takeoff was nothing special, and was surprised to see that the seatbelt sign went off and stayed off (Normally it is a flick off and on, in which I was told by someone else that it’s a signal for the F/A’s to start service). Us J Pax (All 2 of us :P) received a meaty salad thing with a side of sliced oranges and strawberrys. The meaty salad thing had a weird meat, cheese, tomato, olives and eggs with a dinner roll. The meat was nice, but they keep on using that crappy Rocket Lettuce which is bitter as. The Sunset out the window was beautiful, blue orange and a hint of green made the descent into Canberra worthwhile taking the flight at this time. I was about to grab my camera, which was in the overhead lockers, but the seatbelt sign went up at that moment which prevented it. But It will always stay in my mind of its beauty. Landing was pretty normal for Canberra, coming in over Fyshwick and Hume with some sharpish turns towards the airport. I was first off, bonus for being so far up the front. Although the only problem was that my bag came out somewhere around last. Which for a Business Class tagged bag is abit weird. But anyway, otherwise a good flight and nice to travel in Business. It was discounted business, or D Class, so I could actually afford it on my pay for once!

 

Thankyou for reading, but now here are some photos from my time in Sydney spotting!

 

 

Air New Zealand 777-200/ER ZK-OKF taken from The Beach (I am in love with this aircraft in this livery, suits it so well)

 

 

UPS MD-11F N(2?)56UP taken from The Beach

 

 

Air Canada 767-300 in a Special Livery

 

Qantas 737-838 VH-VXK 'Katherine' along with a United and Singapore Tail backdrop at Shep's Mound

 

VH-VBP 737-7BX 'Deja Blue' is landing on 25. Was suprised when they opened the runway up as the wind was pretty gusty when up abit higher. Good for spotting though, they must've known I was there ;)

 

VH-OEC 747-4H6 'King Island' an Ugly Sister taken from the Old Control Tower

 

You will need to hover over the above writing to access the Photo Links as the board does not have a seperate colour for the links.

 

Thankyou all for viewing.

 

 

[Guest Chainsaw]

Nice Todd. I don't know about you, but I was pretty stuffed yesterday after our spotting efforts.

 

The UPS was N246UP. We saw her arrive on the Saturday, then depart on Sunday. New paint job too. She is ex-Thai. For me, the best plane on the weekend.

 

:ch:

 

 

[Todd M]

Thnaks for the UPS rego chainy, I was trying to remember what it was and zooming in on the photo did not bring up the rego results. Yes, I am still stuffed today actually. Best planes for me, Etihad and Air NZ 777. The UPS Came in a very close third, lovely bird that one!

 

 

[Uncle Chop Chop]

Sounds like you had a good weekend. I wish I could be have been there. Hopefully I can make it up in a couple weeks of time.

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

You will need to hover over the above writing to access the Photo Links as the board does not have a seperate colour for the links.

How's that now with the links underlined? I can also change the colour if you like. All links in posts will be underlined from now

 

Great photos too 8)

 

Check out the gallery for more pictures from Todd and Chainy from their spotting weekend together

 

 

[Todd M]

Thanks Glenn. Yes, I will be uploading photos to my site and onto here in due time. Some have been uploaded into the domestic folder for me, and international folder for Chainy.

 

 

[Guest David747]

Great trip report Todd!!! :D

 

I'm very happy to hear you had such a wonderful time. Flying business class must've been great. You were very lucky to see the Free Spirit Air Canada 767 300. Happy spotting!

 

David...

 

 

[Guest Chainsaw]

Todd,

 

I'm just really pleased the plane didn't run out of batteries heh heh heh heh

 

(in joke guys, Todd may wish to explain sometime, poor Toddy)

 

It was a great weekend indeed, and it was a pleasure to share the planes with Todd, Steve and Phil (Steve's mate)

 

Steve, Phil and I went on the Airside Tour bus with Ian. If you have not done this tour, do it now! It's sensational. Ian, you are brilliant mate :)

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

Is it just me or did the underlining of the links disappear?

 

 

[Todd M]

I'm just really pleased the plane didn't run out of batteries heh heh heh heh (in joke guys, Todd may wish to explain sometime, poor Toddy)

I am never gonna let this one down ay? :P ehhhh Alright, story time kiddies.

Uncle Toddles while out spotting the big big airplanes had a battery failure from using a different setting on his big big camera. So by the end of the day, I found that my battery had practically died (I got in the Etihad and UPS just) which made me miss out on DHL and Norfolk Air up close.

 

8)

 

 

[Guest Chainsaw]

OPSM