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Boeing 737-800 (N916NN) - Just enough early dawn light to illuminate the downtown skyline in the background makes this 5:38 AM snap of Americans N916NN, the Reno Air heritage livery, a unique photo of it that can only be taken here.
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Boeing 737-800 (N916NN)

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Just enough early dawn light to illuminate the downtown skyline in the background makes this 5:38 AM snap of American's N916NN, the Reno Air heritage livery, a unique photo of it that can only be taken here.

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Gary SchenauerPhoto Uploader
The aviation photographer "spotter gods" were very definitely smiling down on me on this particular morning. If the Reno Air heritage schemebird had been assigned to any other gate when it arrived the previous evening to RON, I would not have been able to get this unique click of it because it would have either been facing "tail on" toward me or this side view of it would have been blocked by other RON aircraft at the terminal.
sam kuminecz
flawless photo Gary. 10 stars
Uwe Zinke
very good nightshot!!!
Mark Thomas
Gorgeous shot Gary!
Gary SchenauerPhoto Uploader
Sam and Uwe .. Thank you, guys. I appreciate your comments very much.
It wasn't just the photographer "spotter gods" that were out there. There was another God there that morning, and He was watching over an entire planeload of people. Right around 6:20 AM, this Reno Air schemed B738 taxied out to 16R to depart. It ended up being in a three-plane queue: a SW B737 (N460WN) was first, then this AA B738, and then a UA B739. The Southwest positioned on 16R and was cleared to go. Just after I heard the tower clear the SW flight to take off, I saw a flock of birds directly across from me landing on the divider between 16R and 16L (the NTZ space) and a few actually landed on 16R. I grabbed my cell and started punching in the number of the RNO Ops Desk and as I did I looked at the SW. It was already into its roll and was moving rapidly. I knew it was way too late for me to call any number so I tossed the cell aside. My camera was hanging from the neck strap; all I had time to do was bring it up, point it toward the SW, and press the shutter. I caught one shot of it just as it was emerging from the area where the birds were. It shows N460WN and (directly behind it) three birds; one has just been struck, a second has a severed wing and is beginning to cartwheel down, and a third is mostly a body impacting the concrete. I followed the SW and it rotated and climbed out normally. The tower had instructed this AA B738 to position on 16R, but then the SW pilots reported the strike. The SW pilots indicated the plane was handling normally and did not seem to have sustained damage. I snapped the SW during its climb and all appeared OK, so I began snapping the runway. It was not OK there; it was carnage. There were birds (and bird parts) in several places along 16R. All aircraft movement was stopped. Ops arrived and immediately closed 16R-34L. This Reno Air scheme was still positioned to go on 16R and the UA was at the hold line. There was at least one bird down in the divider between the runways and regretfully it was still alive. Ops checked 16L and there was no bird debris on it (16L was right below my location and I saw nothing on it either). So N916NN (this one) was repositioned to 16L and cleared to depart. Then the UA departed and a UPS heavy landed on 16L. In the meantime, Ops and a maintenance unit used D-handled scoop shovels to collect and bag at least four birds (including the one in the divider zone that had to be destroyed). I photoed the entire process but after they finished and 16R was reopened, I decided I'd had enough of "spotting' for the day and I left.
The SW flight did not return, and when I checked FA later I saw it had proceeded to destination, so the very fortunate fact is that no people were injured and the plane was apparently OK. But it was a heart-stopping 30 seconds or so when that plane went thru those birds. So a tragedy did not occur, and it must have been because God (or some supreme being) was guarding that flight.
Dave Sheehy
Well done Gary, another great scene. 5*+++
Greg Byington
Great shot, Gary! And that is an incredible story! I'm relieved that it had a good outcome, at least for the SW flight. Keep up the great work, eh!
Great picture....10 stars
Gary SchenauerPhoto Uploader
Mark, Dave, Greg, and Chris ... Hi to you all. And TYVM for commenting.
Greg ... Yeah, the gulls didn't fare so well. An exact number is very hard to determine (there were at least four), but for most of them it was all over in a couple seconds. The "survivors' weren't fazed at all, tho. When Ops and the maintenance man both drove off, a few birds returned to the same spot; I've got them in some pics I took just before I left. There's nothing out there except pavement, so I have no clue why they were so interested in that spot.
roland pfeifer
That is a great first person account of a bird strike & your attempt to get traffic stopped GREAT JOB.
ACTIVITY LOG
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Date Aircraft Origin Destination Departure Arrival Duration
28-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Newark Liberty Intl () 07:40AM CDT 11:48AM EDT Scheduled
28-Apr-2024 B738Austin-Bergstrom Intl ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 05:10AM CDT 06:02AM CDT Scheduled
27-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Austin-Bergstrom Intl () 09:25PM CDT 10:16PM CDT Scheduled
27-Apr-2024 B738Colorado Sprgs Muni ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 05:18PM MDT 07:50PM CDT Scheduled
27-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Colorado Sprgs Muni () 03:34PM CDT 04:08PM MDT Scheduled
27-Apr-2024 B738Queretaro Intercontinental Airport ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 10:49AM CST 01:59PM CDT Scheduled
27-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Queretaro Intercontinental Airport () 08:24AM CDT 09:29AM CST Scheduled
27-Apr-2024 B738Indianapolis Intl ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 05:10AM EDT 06:22AM CDT Scheduled
26-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Indianapolis Intl () 10:56PM CDT 01:43AM EDT (+1) Scheduled
26-Apr-2024 B738Memphis Intl ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 05:42PM CDT 07:09PM CDT 1:27
26-Apr-2024 B738San Antonio Intl ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 04:35PM CDT 05:31PM CDT Cancelled
26-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()San Antonio Intl () 02:49PM CDT 03:41PM CDT Cancelled
26-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Memphis Intl () 09:05AM CDT 10:05AM CDT 1:00
26-Apr-2024 B738Houston Bush Int'ctl ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 06:15AM CDT 07:05AM CDT 0:49
25-Apr-2024 B738Chicago O'Hare Intl ()Houston Bush Int'ctl () 09:07PM CDT 11:23PM CDT 2:15
25-Apr-2024 B738Cancun Int'l ()Chicago O'Hare Intl () 03:00PM EST 06:49PM CDT 3:49
25-Apr-2024 B738Chicago O'Hare Intl ()Cancun Int'l () 10:09AM CDT 01:15PM EST 3:05
25-Apr-2024 B738Tampa Intl ()Chicago O'Hare Intl () 06:30AM EDT 07:59AM CDT 2:29
24-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Tampa Intl () 06:54PM CDT 09:53PM EDT 1:58
24-Apr-2024 B738John F Kennedy Intl ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 02:39PM EDT 04:52PM CDT 3:12
24-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()John F Kennedy Intl () 09:25AM CDT 01:24PM EDT 2:59
24-Apr-2024 B738Eppley Airfield ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 05:19AM CDT 06:41AM CDT 1:22
23-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Eppley Airfield () 09:32PM CDT 10:56PM CDT 1:24
23-Apr-2024 B738New Orleans Intl ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 06:49PM CDT 08:01PM CDT 1:12
23-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()New Orleans Intl () 04:46PM CDT 05:48PM CDT 1:02
23-Apr-2024 B738Ontario Intl ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 10:54AM PDT 03:24PM CDT 2:30
23-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Ontario Intl () 08:57AM CDT 09:40AM PDT 2:42
23-Apr-2024 B738Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 06:38AM EDT 07:35AM CDT 1:57
22-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport () 08:53PM CDT 11:34PM EDT 1:40
22-Apr-2024 B738John Glenn Columbus Intl Airport ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 06:08PM EDT 07:17PM CDT 2:09
22-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()John Glenn Columbus Intl Airport () 01:50PM CDT 04:59PM EDT 2:08
22-Apr-2024 B738Memphis Intl ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 11:05AM CDT 12:07PM CDT 1:02
22-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Memphis Intl () 08:23AM CDT 09:26AM CDT 1:02
22-Apr-2024 B738Detroit Metro Wayne Co ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 05:16AM EDT 06:26AM CDT 2:10
21-Apr-2024 B738Charlotte/Douglas Intl ()Detroit Metro Wayne Co () 09:26PM EDT 10:41PM EDT 1:14
21-Apr-2024 B738Hewanorra Int'l ()Charlotte/Douglas Intl () 02:43PM AST 07:14PM EDT 4:30
21-Apr-2024 B738Charlotte/Douglas Intl ()Hewanorra Int'l () 09:32AM EDT 01:19PM AST 3:47
21-Apr-2024 B738Baltimore/Washington Intl ()Charlotte/Douglas Intl () 06:30AM EDT 07:37AM EDT 1:07
20-Apr-2024 B738Chicago O'Hare Intl ()Baltimore/Washington Intl () 08:04PM CDT 10:19PM EDT 1:15
20-Apr-2024 B738Charlotte/Douglas Intl ()Chicago O'Hare Intl () 06:08PM EDT 06:46PM CDT 1:38
20-Apr-2024 B738Cleveland-Hopkins Intl ()Charlotte/Douglas Intl () 01:55PM EDT 03:12PM EDT 1:17
20-Apr-2024 B738Charlotte/Douglas Intl ()Cleveland-Hopkins Intl () 11:19AM EDT 12:22PM EDT 1:02
20-Apr-2024 B738John F Kennedy Intl ()Charlotte/Douglas Intl () 08:05AM EDT 09:33AM EDT 1:28
19-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()John F Kennedy Intl () 05:08PM CDT 09:04PM EDT 2:56
19-Apr-2024 B738Tulum ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 12:52PM EST 03:19PM CDT 2:27
19-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Tulum () 09:11AM CDT 11:27AM EST 2:15
18-Apr-2024 B738Houston Bush Int'ctl ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 08:55PM CDT 09:33PM CDT 0:37
18-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Houston Bush Int'ctl () 07:07PM CDT 07:52PM CDT 0:45
18-Apr-2024 B738Lic. Benito Juarez Int'l ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 01:58PM CST 04:57PM CDT 1:59
18-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Lic. Benito Juarez Int'l () 11:06AM CDT 12:21PM CST 2:14
18-Apr-2024 B738Lic. Benito Juarez Int'l ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 05:18AM CST 08:22AM CDT 2:03
17-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Lic. Benito Juarez Int'l () 06:53PM CDT 08:06PM CST 2:12
17-Apr-2024 B738Cozumel Int'l ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 02:16PM EST 04:52PM CDT 2:35
17-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()Cozumel Int'l () 10:50AM CDT 01:11PM EST 2:20
17-Apr-2024 B738New Orleans Intl ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 07:59AM CDT 09:23AM CDT 1:24
16-Apr-2024 B738Dallas-Fort Worth Intl ()New Orleans Intl () 09:28PM CDT 10:25PM CDT 0:57
16-Apr-2024 B738Guanacaste ()Dallas-Fort Worth Intl () 02:08PM CST 06:55PM CDT 3:46
16-Apr-2024 B738Miami Intl ()Guanacaste () 12:33PM EDT 12:52PM CST 2:19
16-Apr-2024 B738Jose Marti Int'l ()Miami Intl () 09:27AM CDT 10:12AM EDT 0:45
16-Apr-2024 B738Miami Intl ()Jose Marti Int'l () 07:07AM EDT 08:00AM CDT 0:52
15-Apr-2024 B738Chicago O'Hare Intl ()Miami Intl () 05:36PM CDT 08:58PM EDT 2:21
15-Apr-2024 B738Jacksonville Intl ()Chicago O'Hare Intl () 02:45PM EDT 03:57PM CDT 2:12
15-Apr-2024 B738Chicago O'Hare Intl ()Jacksonville Intl () 10:27AM CDT 01:10PM EDT 1:43
15-Apr-2024 B738LaGuardia ()Chicago O'Hare Intl () 07:43AM EDT 08:45AM CDT 2:02
14-Apr-2024 B738Charlotte/Douglas Intl ()LaGuardia () 11:19PM EDT 12:38AM EDT (+1) 1:19
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