I’ve always thought airplanes were cool, I suppose. I attended a couple of small air shows as a kid, had a turn at the controls in a cousin’s Ercoupe, and knew enough to notice when I got to catch a flight on an RJ85 or DC-10, but it wasn’t anything more than a casual interest. Seeing the world’s largest aircraft changed all of that.
Six years ago my primary hobby was railroad photography, though my new parental status meant I could no longer responsibly spend 10-20 days a month chasing trains around. Somehow I’d gotten looped into the local plane-spotting group on Facebook, and caught wind that the Antonov An-225 would be making a visit to Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport (MSP), which was just 15 minutes away. My first plane-spotting trip was in order.
Not bad for my first time plane-spotting, eh? Photo: Nick Benson
My boys were two and four years old at the time, so we visited a playground under the approach path to MSP’s 12R. We were hooked! We enjoyed the parade of typical early-afternoon arrivals; Delta 717s, MD-80s, 757s, A320s, A330s, and the sole remaining scheduled 747, which came daily from Narita (NRT). Seeing so many examples of impressive engineering arriving from so many different places really captured my imagination; seeing the largest successful aircraft glide by was remarkable. This was entirely pleasant way to pass the time.
The Sukhoi SuperJet100 with Saberlet wingtips was flown by Leonid Tschikunow and he handled that SSJ like a fighter jet. Very impressive demo!
For years I have known about the MAKS aviation trade show and air show, which happens every other year in Zhukovsky, which is on the outskirts of Moscow. I had originally planned on attending this event in 2017, but the date of the show was moved up by a month so as to not conflict with another Russian military trade show, so I was not able to attend. But, fast forward to August 28, 2019: I finally embarked on my journey to Moscow.
After spending two lovely weeks of vacation in Switzerland, I flew from Zurich via Riga to Moscow’s Shermetyevo airport. After deplaning, within a matter of minutes I was through immigration, collected my bag, cleared customs and was sitting in a taxi heading for the city.
I had rented an apartment in Moscow for five nights; it was located near three train stations, which made it an ideal location for easy access by rail to Zhukovsky Airport for the MAKS airshow, and then to travel to Monino for a visit to the Central Air Force Museum.
The following morning, on Thursday, the last of the MAKS business days, I took the 7.30 a.m. express train to the Odyth station, and from there a shuttle bus to the Zhukovsky airfield. By 8:45 a.m. I was standing in awe of an Airbus A-350, which was parked right across from Irkut’s MC-21.
My main objective for the day was to check out and take pictures of the static displays and walk through the many exhibit halls, and perhaps catch some of the flight performances in the afternoon.
Cathay’s business class seats are very well thought out
Cathay Pacific’s (CX) business-class product is legendary, and that reputation is well deserved. I recently got to try the service in an Airbus A350-900 on their relatively new Seattle-Hong Kong route, which began last spring. You may have heard a bit about the social unrest in Hong Kong of late; travelers’ concerns about those public protests have led to decreased bookings for all airlines serving Hong Kong. That issue is most likely what led to my being bumped to business from premium for the return flight, because the plane was surprisingly lightly loaded. But, that means I got to enjoy biz class both ways, so you’ll hear no complaints from me.
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Seat 15D
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CX’s A359 seating chart
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Love those big windows
First off, I’ll admit to a bias – I really like the Airbus A350. This was my second round-trip long-haul flight on one this year, and both flights were very pleasant. My first-ever A350 flight was in April 2019 with French Bee, which as a budget airline configures their planes quite differently than Cathay Pacific.
The lower cabin pressurization altitude, large windows, and wide cabin all make for a great flight experience, even in 10-abreast economy, let alone CX’s stellar business-class seats. And I love the A350’s window in the loo – having natural reading light while you tend to business is awesome.
Anyway, here’s the review…
American 777-200ER departing from LAX with the iconic Theme Building and control tower, as seen from the Imperial Hill viewpoint – Photo: Jason Rabinowitz
Airlines are AWESOME! They enable travel at a rate faster and cheaper than at any point in human history, and at an uncompromising level of safety. They enable business and connect us with the world in ways which, just a few generations ago, would have been considered impossible. For some of us, airlines sustain our relationships. AirlineReporter exists because of our collective passion for airlines, travel, and aviation. But being a fan of any particular industry comes with some risk.
Sometimes good companies and organizations do bad things. And when that occurs, it’s important to first understand what’s happened, and then take action. In a civilized society, we do our best to look past minor disagreements and remain focused on the big picture. But what about egregiously misleading marketing? How does someone who loves the airline industry declare mutiny on one of their trade groups? For months we’ve pondered this question and have struggled in an identity crisis as a result. So we will do what we do best… we’ll cover this conundrum from a unique perspective.
#StopAirTaxNow! Have you seen these ads around social media? In today’s crazy political environment, it’s just another call-to-action marketing campaign. You know the routine: Trigger folks at the mention of taxes, urge them to phone their elected officials, pick up their pitchforks, and maybe start a revolution. Overreaction? Possibly. But these things are a slippery slope. What sets this campaign apart is that it is funded by airlines we all know and rely on (and sometimes love).
Let’s dig in…
TPA Airport’s CEO Joe Lopano, an AvGeek!. – Photo: Ashley Iaccarino for Tampa Airport
How AvGeek-friendly is your airport? In many areas, it seems a lot more than in prior years. All across the U.S., the trend of airports opening up, being more engaging, and accommodating aviation fans continues in favor of the enthusiasts. This airport community engagement behavior is most deserving of praise, as there still remain some airports clinging to draconian, misguided harshness.
Two airports, Louisville (SDF) and Tampa (TPA), have recently caught my eye with their own outreach programs. They are doing great work, work that lays the foundation for others to adopt, and roll out on their own terms. At the end of the day, a safe airport is one with an engaged and well-informed general public. These airports get it. Does yours?
