It was just a
week ago that I showed you pictures of what was, at the time, the latest B787 operator at LAX. But that's now old news, as we have an even more recent addition to the stable of B787 users at LAX: AeroMexico brought in a Dreamliner for the first time this weekend, beginning daily B787 service between Los Angeles and Mexico City. AeroMexico is the first carrier to park a Dreamliner at Terminal Two. The shot below shows that first B787 being towed onto the gate on Sunday while airport and airline personnel monitor to ensure that it fits without complications.
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| Our first AeroMexico B787 gets towed onto Gate 24, between an AeroMexico B737-800 at Gate 22 and an Air Canada B767-300 at Gate 26. |
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| I don't think I've ever shown you a Dreamliner from this perspective |
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| The obligatory 'airplane with a truck for size perspective' shot |
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| The two Mexican carriers at LAX; we used to have more (Mexicana, Aero California, and Aviacsa come to mind) |
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| Speaking of carriers we've lost, this shot and the next both show something that is about to disappear from the scene at LAX. The SkyWest E120 Brasilias are in their final days at LAX; they're expected to be gone sometime next month. |
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| This Mesa CRJ9 wears the US Airways Express livery; US Air will cease to be in another day or two. Although many of the aircraft have yet to be repainted in American or American Eagle colors, the mainline Cactus callsign will be discontinued on Wednesday or Thursday. |
Thanks for posting again! Your enlightening posts have been missed.
ReplyDeleteI was driving on the 405 south toward the airport when I saw an A320 flying towards me, pretty much flying parallel with the 405 and then a banking a sharp left to land on 24. Seems like a pretty tight maneuver to be doing last minute? One would figure a go around would have been the decision at that point?
ReplyDeleteI wasn't in the cab when this took place, so I'm afraid that I can't give you the behind the scenes story, It does sound like an unusual occurrence for us, though. We regularly move arriving aircraft from one runway to the other runway on the same side of the airport: Changing from 24 Right to 24 Left is the most common scenario. Moving from one side of the airport to the other, on the other hand, is rarely done - for a variety of reasons. You might well drive that section of the 405 for the next several years without seeing that again!
DeleteA go-around is a regular thing at LAX; I've seen one every day this week. Sometimes the go-around is initiated by ATC, sometimes by the cockpit crew. At LAX, the two most common reasons for go-arounds are an unstable approach (pilot-initiated), and traffic on the runway (usually controller-initiated). A last-minute runway change is sometimes offered to "save" a go-around; on a few occasions I've seen the flight crew opt to go around in lieu of accepting the alternate runway on short notice.
Thanks! Unusually great pix of the 788 and associates during the early days of April. -CG
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