Harriers - up close and personal.

Yours truly (and a few fellow aviation aficionados) found ourselves back out at Rick Husband/Amarillo Int. Airport again this morning to photograph the Harriers taking off.

Two more had flown in after dark so we were pleasantly surprised to see ten Harriers lining the tarmac on the Tac-Air ramp when we arrived.

All were from the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.

They were heading back home after "blowing up Sierra Hotel India Tango" out in the desert ranges of Marine Air Ground Combat center at Twenty-Nine Palms, California.

According to several of the pilots we talked to (who graciously gave us the full nickel- tour and let us see these amazing aircraft up close) they had recently deployed back to the U.S. from Iraq and Afghanistan.

They had spent the night in Amarillo (after letting off some much deserved steam out at the Big Texan I hear) and were at the half-way point of their journey back home.

Friendly as all-get-out, the pilots let us tug on a flap, stroke a wing, examine the gun pods and basically drool over their cool rides. The only thing we couldn't do climb in the cockpit or take a ride.

Here's Dale Stanton taking the opportunity to see a harrier up close and personal:



You can kind of see me talking to one of the pilots in this photo by Dale Stanton.



One of the pilots talked to us for over 15 minutes, explaining all the mechanisms behind the mechanisms and said (although he loved his Harrier) he was very-much looking forward to his future ride, the F-35 that is if Obama didn't yank funding of the Harrier-like (but stealthy) Joint Strike Fighter.



There were two different types of Harriers on the tarmac, the McDonnell Douglas-BAe/Boeing AV-8B Harrier II (with a large Raytheon APG-65 digital radar in the nose) and the "Night Harrier" AV-8B Harrier II Plus with a targeting FLIR in the nose.




Here are comparison photos where you can really see the difference between the two types:




The Harrier II Plus (below) sports the new Raytheon APG-65 digital radar and thusly it kind it it looks like it has had a nose-job to resemble an F-18, you are right. Under the radome is the same radar that is currently fitted in the FA-18 Hornet.



While we were waiting for the harriers to take off we were treated to a totally unexpected free air-show of sorts.

For a normally quiet Saturday, the airport was bustling with activity with many pilots (obviously) taking advantage of the beautiful flying weather - coolish and clear.

An USAF SOF C-130 also spent the night and we got to see it depart.

Look closely and you can see visible vorteces coming off the propeller blades.

(click on the photo to enlarge it)



Next came this vintage and shiny BT-13 Vultee Valiant (which i've seen flying around Amarillo often) usually out or Tradewinds Airport.





Then we were treated to a gaggle of local day-fliers. The ramp started to take on the look of a traffic jam.



We couldn't help but spot this Beechcraft 55 Baron that looked like something Barbie would fly.



And then this "jolly good" FNJ Stearman taxied by looking mellow in bright yellow.



Finally the main event was upon us. The pilots spooled up the engines on their Harriers and began to roll out with each one of the pilots giving us a wave as they went by.



They taxied down past Amarillo's downtown skyline shimmering brightly in the background.



Here one taking off - wow what a roar!



Here's a couple by Frank Murphy. These two photos are geo-tagged so you can see exactly where they were taken at.





In closing - we all had a great time and enjoyed the winged-spectacle.

Special thanks to the Aces of MCAS Cherry Point for indulging the wishes of some airport bums.

Semper Fi!



-Steve Douglass

Rails & Jet Trails

Harriers passing through our Panhandle Skies

I got a tip from a buddy of mine that some Marine Corp AV-8B Harriers were going to be dropping in and spending the night in Amarillo, so (being the aircraft buff I am) swung out to the airport and shot a few photos as they came in. I thing there was 11 total. If you are interested in seeing them yourself, be out at the airport and watch them leave ( sunrise -ish) and net some photos of these amazing aircraft yourself.

-Steve Douglass

He's everywhere!

You never know where that pesky rodent is going to show up!



LINK

Late August Storm

B-52 in the pattern tonight.

Glad to see one of these venerable bombers in the local pattern. Heard him talking over my aero-band scanner and popped my head out the door and there he was. I think he was on his way to Red Flag exercises in Nevada, working the pattern and waiting out the storms to our Northwest.

-Steve

Lenticular clouds - pretty but dangerous.

Lenticular clouds are stationary lens-shaped clouds that form at high altitudes, normally aligned perpendicular to the wind direction. Lenticular clouds can be separated into altocumulus standing lenticularis (ACSL), stratocumulus standing lenticular (SCSL), and cirrocumulus standing lenticular (CCSL).

Power pilots tend to avoid flying near lenticular clouds because of the turbulence of the rotor systems that accompany them, but sailplane pilots actively seek them out. The precise location of the rising air mass is fairly easy to predict from the orientation of the clouds. "Wave lift" of this kind is often very smooth and strong, and enables gliders to soar to remarkable altitudes and great distances. The current gliding world records for both distance (over 3,000 km; 1,864 mi) and altitude (15,460 m; 50,721 ft) were set using such lift.

Family Fun Opportunity September 12th

My good buddy Ken Hanson wanted me to put out the word the annual Panhandle Antique Tractor Association "Tractor-Fest" takes place on September 12th at the High Plains Children's Home on south Western.

Who knew one could have so much fun playing with farm machinery!

There will be dozens of antique tractors on display, food, games, contests, giveaways and fun. Bring the kiddos and bring your camera!

There's no charge for the show (unless you want to partake in the grilled hamburger lunch) with the proceeds benefitting the High Plains Children's Home.

Video Link:

Oh what a beautiful morning ...

Crest of the blue wave.

Another couple shots from tonight's storm.


(C) Steve Douglass

Arcus Cloud Video Panorama

Video doesn't do it justice.
C) Steve Douglass

Storm Bow

Photographed tonight looking SW of Amarillo. This is a composite of four frames.
It looked a whole lot meaner than it was.

-Steve Douglass

Ragged Before The Rain

It amazes me that we have been so blessed with wet weather recently. Usually (in August) we do get a few storms that drift out of New Mexico and if they hold together we receive a few one hundredths of an inch of rain and a bit of lightning.

But over the last few weeks I've received (in my personal rain bucket) over three inches. if the moisture pipeline remains open, and when the cold fronts start coming down from canada in the fall months, we may be in for one heck of a secondary severe storm season.

Stay tuned!

-Steve

Severe Weather Chance Today!

.CNTRL/SRN HI PLNS TO MID MO VLY...
CONTINUED EWD MOTION OF OH VLY TROUGH WILL ALLOW UPR RDG TO REBOUND
OVER THE SRN/CNTRL RCKYS TODAY. THIS FACT...AND EXISTING
EML...CASTS SOME UNCERTAINTY REGARDING POTENTIAL FOR LATE AFTN/EVE
STORM ALONG LEE TROUGH OVER THE CNTRL HI PLNS INTO THE OK/TX
PANHANDLES. NEVERTHELESS PRESENCE OF PREVIOUSLY-MENTIONED WY
IMPULSE WITH UNIMPEDED HEATING AND SUSTAINED CONVERGENCE ALONG LEE
TROUGH SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR AT LEAST ISOLD STORMS.

MODERATE INSTABILITY /SBCAPE TO 2000 J PER KG/ WILL DEVELOP ALONG
LEE TROUGH AS LIGHT SSELY LOW LVL FLOW MAINTAINS SFC DEWPOINTS IN
THE 50S TO LOW 60S F. 25-30 KT NNWLY MID LVL FLOW IS FORECAST OVER
REGION ON NE SIDE OF SRN RCKYS RDG...RESULTING IN HODOGRAPHS WITH
AMPLE DEEP SHEAR AND LOW LVL TURNING FOR ORGANIZED/ROTATING STORMS
WITH HAIL AND LOCALLY DMGG WIND.

THE THREAT FOR HAIL MAY REDEVELOP NEWD INTO PARTS OF NEB LATER
TONIGHT/EARLY THU AS LLJ STRENGTHENS AND VEERS IN RESPONSE TO
CONTINUED EWD MOVEMENT OF WY IMPULSE. ALTHOUGH AMPLE MOISTURE AND
ELEVATED INSTABILITY SHOULD BE PRESENT FOR ISOLD SVR HAIL...WEAK
CLOUD LAYER SHEAR SHOULD LIMITED STORM INTENSITY/LONGEVITY.

In case you missed tonight's sunset ...

A report from the scene ...

Caysi reporting on last night's "toad floater" in Potter County.

First time for everything ...

I went for a nice walk with Caysi (my grand daughter) after the rain tonight. She's eight (going on nine) and is very smart, loving, outgoing and inquisitive.

She wants to be a storm chaser some day like her grand dad, We walked up the road and we talked about the clouds. I pointed out some cloud structure and tried to describe what was going on in the atmosphere. I talked about updrafts and downdrafts and she seemed to understand.

Topping the hill we saw the beautiful departing storm at sunset and she wanted to take a photo of it, so I helped her set up the camera on a tripod and this was the result.

Not bad for a eight year old! Heck, not bad for anyone of any age! I think she has a fine future ahead of her.

Please leave a comment of encouragement.

-Steve Douglass

Polk Street Cruise Night 2009

Its just a strip of road, right? I must have traveled down its length hundreds of times and never given it a second thought.

Polk street is the main street that runs through downtown Amarillo a street like any other - but on this special "Cruise Night" I can't help but feel like I am visiting and old friend. The festive atmosphere, classic cars, the sights, the sounds, the pretty girls, it all comes rushing back.

"Do you know John so-in so? He goes to Tascosa doesn't he?" "Meet ya at the Pig Hip!" "Last one to Stanley's buys the cokes."

But as much as I remember "cruising" "dragging" or "scraping" Polk as a teen, I never ever saw it as alive as it is tonight. Hundreds of people line the street.

Beautiful vintage and not-so-vintage cars, trucks, motorcycles and even bicycles parade by in an endless loop of steel, metal flake paint and DVD players all playing golden oldies.

All I can say is "this is amazing" a dazzling homage to an era of teenage social interaction that was killed off a long time ago by shopping malls, cineplexes and the ever outward urban sprawl of Amarillo, away from downtown.

Way back "when dinosaurs ruled the earth" I cruised down Polk in an ugly brown Buick Electra which my friends dubbed the "big rolling turd." I didn't resent the moniker because at least I had a car they could disrespect. Most of my high school friends were "sans wheels" and it was either the "turd" or a long walk home.

But the cars cruising Polk tonight are light years beyond my old Buick and are more like moving pieces of kinetic sculpture. Idealized versions of the cars we always drooled over when we were kids, MOPARS, muscle cars, GTOs, Stangs, Vettes and Camaros.

Most have been lovingly restored, awash in metal flake and polished chrome wire wheels. A far cry from my brown Buick, that although it had two doors that I couldn't open and burned oil at a rate that would (especially now) make an oil sheik worry, I kind of miss.

Stop me before I digress any further ... Don't get me started telling Polk Street stories ... I have too many.

Tonight's "Cruise on Polk " - sure brought back memories both good and bad - but now blessed with a thing called "perspective" - even those memories of the bad things we did - seem tame by today's standards.

Those memories of my "ill-spent" youth reminded me of who I was- way back when which brought me down the long road to who I am today.

Sure, sometimes we got into a little trouble (we never said we were angels) but we never landed in jail, no one ever got hurt and more importantly our shenanigans were never mean-spirited in intent.

No one went to jail for mooning a cop, pulling a prank in front of the Paramount Theatre or water-ballooning the crowd outside the Esquire.

As much fun as it was, watching the parade of heavy metal on Polk, I couldn't help but feel a touch of melancholy for the proceeding generation of teenagers who never got to cruise Polk, who never got ticketed for doing a burn-out or experienced the all-American fun we had on this short expanse of asphalt in downtown USA.

I'll never reclaim my youth - but for a few hours tonight i was young again.

Thanks Panhandle Council of Car Clubs for bringing it all back.

-Steve Douglass