JFK Recap 12/28

[Iberia A340-600]

I headed out to JFK today to test out my new camer and lens. The day was pretty cold and the wx pretty crappy but it was nice to be out before winter really (hopefully) hits.

Started the day out at Bayswater for 22R departures which I was dissapointed with because there was no banking and then we headed over to the mounds after Thai but once we got to the mounds they switched to 31R. On the way to Firestone I noticed a Korean Air 747-400F on finals for 31R so I pulled into Costco quickly and grabbed a shot and then headed over to Firestone. Firestone is a great spot! You can see both 31R and 31L arrivals.

Towards the end of they day a Nassau County police came over and asked what I was doing and said that he had been getting calls. I told him I had been taking photos of the birds (seagulls) and he asked to see my shots. Luckily I had snapped a quick shot of a seagul before he pulled up but I told him I had only shot one photo. He said that it was only a problem due to the airport and that he had to sometimes stop people from taking photos of the aircraft over at Costco. He left after that. He came right when the Avianca 767-200 came by in perfect light so I was slightly pissed.

I chose not to tell him about the aircraft photographing because I didn't want to jeprodize Firestone nor did I want to get involved.

Here are the photos from today, they aren't great but I'm having trouble concentrating on editing as my dog is very sick and in critical condition. :(

[Mellyrose]

Nice stuff, Gordon! I love the Santa FinnAir, and very cool getting the LGA Airtran in the background of that United 752 shot. :)

[PhilDernerJr]

Seeing the DHL truck made me laugh. ahah

Nice shots Gordon!

Honestly, I wouldn't lie to the police officers. All it would take is a little bad luck for them to catch you in a lie, then you actually are in trouble.

Never worry about "ruining" a spot if you're actually not doing anything wrong or if there's no other issue. If you got kicked out of there and couldn't go back, then oh well. It's a new spot and we need to feel it out.

The DHL 767 was a good catch! A shame you didn't get the Avianca.

[NIKV69]

He said that it was only a problem due to the airport and that he had to sometimes stop people from taking photos of the aircraft over at Costco.

Interesting...

[T-Bird76]

Not a smart move lying to the police, that's a great way of having the cuffs put on you in a second and make it harder on the rest us. Next time that same cop comes by he will be interested even more in what we are doing. We were over at Firestone for two days and had NCPD go past and they didn't stop for a second. Again though very bad move lying to the police.

[nikon50bigma]

Nice, is firestone a store or a street. I have never been there.

[nwafan20]

Firestone is a tire company (Like GoodYear), so it would be a store.

Sorry to hear about your dog Gordon, nice shots nonetheless, the DHL truck made me laugh too, along with the bird! That FinnAir MD-11 is awesome too!

Again, sorry to hear about your dog.

[Iberia A340-600]

Thanks guys for the photo comments and thanks Matt.

I understand that it was bad idea to lie to the police officer however it wasn't entirley a lie as I was photographing the birds as well but still I get the point, shouldn't of done it.

[NIKV69]

Gordon another reason it's a good idea to be honest with law enforcement is to let them know that we know our rights and that we are going to stand up for them. I would love to know what the officer meant by saying "it was a problem due to the airport". Remember that for the most part we are probably a nuisance to them and they want us to go away and will try to say anything to achieve this if they sense weakness. Just tell them what you are doing and act like you normally would.

[G-BOAD]

Boy, is that police officers face going to be red if he read this, eh robert?

Great shots, but I thought you were not going. I'm going on the 6th or 7th.

I hope your dog fells better.

[Iberia A340-600]

Boy, is that police officers face going to be red if he read this, eh robert?

Great shots, but I thought you were not going. I'm going on the 6th or 7th.

I hope your dog fells better.

Well after christmas and opening the new camera I had a good exuse to go.

Hope San Fran is good.

[Iberia A340-600]

Shame my Emirates 777-300ER shot didn't come out to great. The 777-300ER (A6-EBW) is the latest delivered 777-300ER to Emirates and there isn't a shot of her on Airliners or Jetphotos yet.

[Winglets747]

FWIW, I agree with above comments about being honest with police.

That being said, it was just earlier this week I was thinking about Uzbekistan and the Finnair Santa MD-11. Glad to know they're still around!

I noticed you saw an AF 772--was that the morning or the afternoon arrival? A few weeks ago I saw an AF 772 for the afternoon arrival (3PM or so). I haven't been keeping track of the AF schedule, so I'm not sure if it was a fluke or if the -200ER has replaced the -300ER on the afternoon flight.

-Will

[Iberia A340-600]

I noticed you saw an AF 772--was that the morning or the afternoon arrival? A few weeks ago I saw an AF 772 for the afternoon arrival (3PM or so). I haven't been keeping track of the AF schedule, so I'm not sure if it was a fluke or if the -200ER has replaced the -300ER on the afternoon flight.

-Will

The 777-200ER I shot (F-GSPB) came in as Air France 6 which was the 777-300ER flight a couple of weeks ago but has switched to the -200ER.

Currently AF8/9, AF6/7, and AF23/24 are 777-200.

For the summer season AF8/9 will be the 777-300ER with the ocasional -300ER popping up on AF6/7.

Come the summer season Air France will have 5 daily flights to JFK.

A330-200
777-200
777-200
747-400
777-300ER

[Winglets747]

Ah. Thanks, Gordon!