Watching the Flying Past

A farmer whose land is located near the Dubuque Regional Airport (DBQ) watches 41 T-6s take off to join AirVenture 2018 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Annually the T-6 Association conducts meetings and practices formations at DBQ in preparation for a week's worth of activities at the EAA event in Oshkosh. The hour and a half flight of T-6s from Dubuque to Oshkosh generally commences sometime between 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM on the third Sunday of July. Stay a bit longer at the airport following the T-6 take offs. You'll see a special salute to the airport and community from these aging warbird trainers.

Air Traffic Over Iowa City

Air traffic over Iowa City is always busy with scores of transcontinental flights. A Variable Omni Range transmitter is located in nearby Hills, Iowa that helps navigate air traffic over what the media calls "fly over" country. On cold air days people who live near the 42N latitude just a few miles north of Iowa City can look to the south and see this kind of traffic. And with apps like FlightAware you can easily identify those aircraft bound from NYC to LA.

Leading Edge Orange

Close up of a restored DC-3 prop. A pitted and bug soaked leading edge on the right. More DC-3 photos to come.

Fuel Pit Stop for St. Lukes Helicopter

So, I'm on the Iowa City airport tarmac taking photos of a vintage DC-3 a couple of weeks ago when out of nowhere a helicopter shows up. The copter lands, fuels and then leaves in a hurry. It is based in Cedar Rapids but must have needed fuel now rather than topping the tanks at the Cedar Rapids airport.

Sunset on CID

Another beautiful sunset over the control tower and hangers at the Eastern Iowa Airport (CID,KCID) near Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

United Express Continues Long Tradition of Air Service to KCID

United Express routinely flies into the Eastern Iowa Airport (KCID) generally from Chicago and Denver hubs. These photos of arriving and departing aircraft are from last week's visit to the airport when a special NASA jet flew in for avionic testing. 

United Express flies Embraer ERJ-145s planes in and out of the major hubs to spoke metro markets like Cedar Rapids.

In the foreground is a waiting area where departing planes stop to receive final permission to get airborne. I'm no expert but believe that departing pilots talk to both the Cedar Rapids tower and regional control in Chicago for the go-ahead to fly.



Arriving aircraft make their way past the tower and eventually to the passenger terminal. In years past United Airlines flew 737s to Cedar Rapids. Now smaller capacity, but higher occupancy aircraft continues the decades long tradition of serving the City of Five Seasons.

Cloud Prison

Last evening at KCID (Cedar Rapids Airport) produced some great aircraft takeoff photos that I will be editing soon. In the southern sky was this cumulus cloud that seemed to be building in size behind the airport's barbed wire fence. In reality it was probably scores of miles away.

Dreaming of the Wild Blue Yonder for an AT-6C Texan

Monticello, Iowa's small airport is the current home of this AT-6C Texan aircraft. Yesterday this plane, built in 1944 was towed to the fuel tanks at the time I happened to be onsite. I have seen this plane several times but have not actually observed it flying. Yesterday would have been a great opportunity for touring the 42N eastern Iowa countryside while peering from a real classic. Maybe next time. Read another story from me about the plane here.

Blockin' Out Scenery - Restricted Air Operations Signs

Nothing like a fence and an in-your-face sign to take the joy out of plane watching. Some small airports don't have many barriers to photographing aircraft while mid- to large airports heavily restrict visual access, let alone casual wandering. In this case a Subair.com (short for Suburban Air Freight) craft sits ready for its next frieght or personnel airlift assignment. Options for the observer is to put up with the wire fence distraction or to peek through the mesh. As a photographer I vote for sticking the lens through the fence and snapping away. Besides, like the song says 'Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?' can make for a more dramatic photo.

Crop Dusters and Dry Days at Amana Airport

The grass strip at the Amana, Iowa airport looks pretty crispy these days due to regional drought conditions. Not withstanding some area crop fields need spraying for pests, weeds or fertilizer control. Recent growing conditions brought two Grumman Ag Cat crop dusters to Amana's private airport. These types of fixed wing single engine airplanes typically travel regionally during summer months to provide timely and cost effective aerial applications for local farmers.

Onboard these Ag Cats are huge plastic tanks containing the control agent (pesticide, herbicide or fertilizer) in liquid form. The tank is located ahead of the pilot with a section extending into the cockpit. Visual inspection of the fluid levels tell the pilot when the spray mixture has been applied or is about empty.

A series of spray nozzles below the fuselage and wings deliver product to the fields. All of this is powered by huge Pratt & Whitney radial engines that provide tons of horsepower needed to perform steep dives and pull-ups associated with precise spraying. The FAA lists 303 of these Grumman made planes on its register, meaning that about 1/2 percent of entire national fleet can be currently seen at the Amana Airport.

Tires of a B-29 Superfortress

B-29 nose gear comes to rest on the Eastern Iowa airport tarmac in Cedar Rapids last week (see previous posts.) Nicknamed Fifi, this B-29 is the only flying Superfortress remaining worldwide. Fifi spends months each year touring the USA. That means lots of flying cycles (take off and landings) with wear and tear on all six tires supporting the WWII bomber. These nose tires display more traction grabbing characteristics employing a diamond pattern tread compared to the four tires supporting the wings.

On Fifi's port side two tires support engines and wing. This inner tire has no pattern tread, just long smooth grooves - probably for stability. Four of these tires support the plane, two each side of the fuselage. Boeing engineers during the 1940s correctly calculated the design of the long range bomber's landing gear. That attention to engineering and manufacturing details allow this last flyable B-29 to demonstrate its American aviation heritage some 67 years after being placed into service.