Start Me Up

In this video, Captain Zane Lemon starts the Detroit’s left engine. Be sure to turn up the volume.

On the FlightDeck

This video is footage from a GoPro camera I installed on the flight deck. You can really see how much work it is to fly the DC-3.

Landing a Tail-dragger

Returning to O’Hare, we landed on Runway 28C.

I’ll have a full article about the Flagship Detroit on Airchive soon.

Vignelli’s designs include the iconic American Airlines “AA” logo, New York Subway signage, and the much heralded (or cursed, depending on who you ask), 1972 New York Subway map. Vignelli’s work also includes the directional signage for Washington D.C.’s Metro and the old dinnerware on Alitalia flights.

Vignelli’s American Airlines logo. Vignelli’s original design left out the eagle, but AA required its inclusion.

Vignelli’s work always focused on simplicity and clarity, as seen in the “AA” logo and his subway signage. That simplicity earned loud criticism in 1972, with the release of his New York City subway map that eschewed geographical accuracy.

A version of Vignelli’s NYC subway map.

Vignelli’s legacy as a designer is vast, but he should hold a special place in the minds of those of us who love transportation, whether in the air or on the ground.

Here are my favorite 2013 Aviation Photos, enjoy!

United 777-222/ER (N798UA) at the O’Hare Run on the Runway

JAL 9 headed to Narita takes off from RWY 28R at the O’Hare Run on the Runway

This American Airlines livery won’t be around much longer and I was very happy to get such a good shot. I was even happier to be out spotting with Jon Ostrower, Jason Rabinowitz, Gavin Werbeloff, and Bruce Bere, all avgeeks in the extreme.

American Airlines Boeing 767-323/ER on short final for RWY 22R. Because of the shifting winds that day, we spent a good portion of our time driving back and forth from one side of the airport to the other.

American Eagle Embraer E170-200-LR (E175) on short final for RWY 28R. This was my first shot of the E175 up in the air.

Etihad Airways Boeing 777-3FX/ER on short final for RWY 28R. This shot was a good cap to a day of great shots and great company as I got to meet Jay, the man behind the O’Hare Aviation YouTube channel.

For this shot of an SAS Airbus A330-343X I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I had wandered down to the beach by my house to shoot and it just happened to fly right overhead.

Whenever I have access to the ramp, the weather is gloomy. It’s just a fact of life that I’ve come to accept. But for the E175 unveiling that gloomy weather turned into an asset.

This summer I headed up to EAA Airventure or just “Oshkosh,” with Jaunted editor Cynthia Drescher. Oshkosh is an amazing collection of aviation from all over the world. From vintage civilian and military aircraft to experimental aircraft to hot air balloons. As the sun began to set, the hot air balloons got fired up, making for a great shot.

A 1943 Lockheed L-18 Lodestar’s Wright R-1820 engine at Oshkosh.

“Panchito,” a B-25J Mitchell Bomber flies at Oshkosh.

What are your favorite aviation photos of 2013? Let me know in comments.

My love for aviation goes back to when we moved into our house on the west side of O’Hare when I was about five. My bedroom window gave me an amazing view of easterly arrivals. Young aviation love was on full display on Saturday, and that to me was the part of the day. At the end of Runway 28R families camped out with lunch to watch the planes land. Everyone dropped what they were doing and grabbed their cameras when the heavies, like the Lufthansa MD-11 or Atlas 747 flew over. One young man there with his father was having a tough time getting a steady shot, so I loaned him a tripod. Jay, of the world-famous O’Hare Aviation YouTube channel was also there and helped him set up so he was in the best place for photos.

The thing I like most about planespotting and avgeekery in general is the community. People are passionate and share that passion through photos, video, or just listening to air traffic control and logging tail numbers. And the community has only gotten bigger and stronger as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have made it easy to find people who love aviation. I often get asked why I love planes, so I show them pictures like these, and they say, “Oh, I get it now.” There’s just something amazing about something that big fly through the air that makes anyone look up and say “wow.”

You can check out highlights from Saturday here, and Bruce’s photos here.

The aircraft will initially fly out of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to New Orleans (MSY), Albuquerque (ABQ), and Pittsburgh (PIT). Additional service will be added as more aircraft join the fleet. By the end of the year American will begin service from Chicago to:

• Kansas City, MO (MCI)
• Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP)
• Toronto (YYZ)
• Washington National (DCA)
• Houston (IAH)
• Newark, NJ (EWR)
• Philadelphia (PHL)
• Salt Lake City (SLC)
• San Antonio (SAT)
• and Yampa Valley, CO (HDN)

The Cabin

American has outfitted the first class cabin in a 1-2 configuration and 37 inches of pitch (with the bulkhead offering a bit extra). The seats themselves are quite comfortable and offer a good amount of room. The F seats have a large tray table in the arm rest and a smaller cocktail table that comes out of the opposite armrest. I hesitate, however, to call it a table, as it’s barely large enough for a drink. I wouldn’t actually rest a drink on it for fear of spilling it.

The Main Cabin and Main Cabin Extra seats are 2-2 with 30 and 34 inches of pitch, respectively. In the comparison photo you can see the difference between Main Cabin Extra on the left and Main Cabin on the right. The four inches don’t make a huge difference, but they’re nice to have. The seats in both cabins are all leather and very supportive. All seat pairs have a standard 120v AC power outlet underneath as well.

The E175 offers two features that many other regional jets lack. Full-sized overhead bins and full-sized lavatories. Being able to bring a full-sized carryon aboard the flight is a major plus, and being able to stand upright in the lavatory isn’t bad either. American also plans to bring WiFi to the E175s “soon.”

You can view the full gallery of photos of the E175, including exterior and interior shots here on Flickr.

Disclosure: I was a guest of American Airlines, but all opinions are my own.