I have been running AirlineReporter for over 15 years now and over that time I have been very lucky to experience some pretty rad things and I genuinely treasure all my adventures. Every now and again, someone will ask me which trip was my favorite and often my answers will differ. That said, there are three that consistently stand out. Since I was recently reminiscing about those good times, I figured why not share…

#1 – RWANDAIR’S FIRST 737 DELIVERY FLIGHT (September 2011)

RwandAir's first Boeing 737-800 sits in a hangar at Boeing Field.

RwandAir’s first Boeing 737-800 sits in a hangar at Boeing Field

During the delivery of RwandAir’s first 737, I remember being out on the flight line in Renton (where all 737s are built) and there were about five for Southwest Airlines. Getting a new 737 for an airline like that is just your typical Tuesday and there is no big fanfare. However, Rwandair’s 737-800 delivery was very different.

Although they already had two 737-500s and some smaller regional aircraft in their fleet, they weren’t purchased new. This 737 wasn’t just something exciting for the airline, but for the entire nation of Rwanda. 

There ceremonial keys to the plane (they don't actually work)

There ceremonial keys to the plane (they don’t actually work)

Due to fuel and crew rest requirements, we ended up with a fun flight path. We left Seattle and landed in Iceland to refuel. Then after spending some time on the very cold ramp, we were back in the air to Istanbul where we spent the night. We were hoping to get a feel of the local area, but we were there during Ramadan, so most businesses were closed.

The world’s longest flight. Many routes have held that honor over the years. But right now the unquestioned champion is Singapore Airlines’ service between Singapore Changi and New York JFK, clocking in at an impressive 9,537 miles. I’ve been dying to get onboard since it launched. At long last, I got my chance.

The Airbus A350-900ULR was the clear star of the show. The “ULR” stands for ultra-long range. And the plane absolutely earns that title, handling 18-hour flights with ease. During our time in the sky with the ULR we appreciated the adaptations that allow it to handle routes that no other commercial craft currently can. The masterful inflight service touches of Singapore Airlines made the time in the sky fly by.

Read on for the full story — with plenty of photos and window-seat views — from the world’s longest-distance flight.

Here at AirlineReporter we write a ton about aircraft. We write a lot about airports. We’ve dabbled in train reporting. We don’t usually publish stories about hotels. But for the right type of place, we’ll make an exception (HotelReporter?!).

During a trip to Tokyo we spent a night at one of the world’s best hotels for planespotting, the Excel Hotel at Haneda Airport. You don’t have to take our word for it: the hotel is frequently named in lists of the best places in the world for AvGeeks to stay. And boy did it deliver. Check out our video report here:

There’s plenty more to the story, read on!

A Condor Airbus A330 with Mt. Rainier in the background.

It is one thing to smell jet fuel (which we did), but we also enjoyed the smell of burning rubber after each aircraft touched down. Most times I will use my longer lens when spotting at airports, but we were so close that I often had to swap out for my shorter one… and that is not a bad thing. I am by no means a professional photographer (I use auto mode, like a noob), but Francis is. So, here are some amazing photos, most taken by Francis, that we took during our little adventure…

I recently had the opportunity to welcome some VIP fish from Alaska to the lower 48. Did I enjoy the experience because of the Copper River salmon? Yes, it was quite entertaining seeing all the people wanting to kiss a 34 pounder at 8am in the morning (I typically don’t kiss fish before noon). For me it was more about having an excuse to get back on the tarmac at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and hang out with Alaska Cargo up close and personal. 

A while back, I took a milk run up to Cordova, AK and watched as fishing boats brought the first salmon to shore. Then I flew with the fish in the middle of the night on a combi back to Seattle. You can read more about the fish, the economic impact, and my little adventure there. For this story, I am just going to share some of my photos and let them speak for themselves.