It’s not exactly ideal but it is still very relaxing and fun to do some planespotting instead of deep exploration in a new city. Here’s some highlights on my recent trip to Singapore. Mind the heat haze and lighting conditions; my top 10 picks are based on aircraft that I don’t often find at my home airports. I’ve tried to minimise it!
Catch 1 – VietJet A321neo
VietJet tends to send out A321-200s to my home airports, so this neo version is a first for me. The “1st A321neo in SEA” is a huge bonus for me.
Catch 2 – Air India A320neo, Star Alliance
I was fairly surprised to find an A320neo with SA livery, let alone its operations all the way to Singapore (a company 787 departed 10 minutes prior to this). It’s a big green tick for me, Air India’s Star Alliance liveries, got their A320neo and 787-8 so far.
Catch 3 – Asia Cargo Airlines 737-300F
Cargo flights are unfortunately almost out of reach at home, so I would settle with moderate amounts of heat haze on this shot. An Indonesian visitor from Balikpapan and onwards to Jakarta.
Catch 4 – Royal Brunei Airlines A320neo, Visit Brunei Livery
This is not exactly rare but I have missed it on multiple occasions. V8-RBD taxiing to the other side of Changi Airport with the scenic Brunei livery. In fact it visited KL a day later, though it was a late night rotation.
Catch 5 – Bamboo Airways A320-200
Bamboo Airways have previously sent their 787s and A320 familiy to KL but again, I missed out a lot due to other commitments and heat haze was horrendous when I eventually got the chance. No complaints with this close shot though, it feels like a fun livery to me.
Catch 6 – EVA Air Cargo 777F
As the saying goes, wet weather never fails to deliver. A rather unexpected movement from me, EVA’s 777F taxiing past the terminal. This can be seen regularly in Penang but not a city that I visit frequently.
Catch 7 – Air France A350-900
After some delays and growing fear of missing my check-in time, my first catch of Air France’s A350-900 F-HTYO. Decided to go with another editing style on this, the new livery looks stunning in real life. Hopefully more of these soon!
Catch 8 – Lufthansa A340-300
Who knew the quadjets would survive the pandemic? Lufthansa’s Frankfurt service to SIN with wet runway action. Great to see the old livery as well but I would love to get a new livery (and Star Alliance) at some point in life.
Catch 9 – Qantas A380-800
I think I was simply lucky for this shot. No major delays compared to previous flights, relatively recent since the reactivation of this giant. VH-OQK on reversers from London Heathrow before the night flight to Sydney.
Catch 10 – Singapore Airlines A350-900
This one is more about its sentimental value, 9V-SJC boarding passengers for its third ever revenue flight to Kuala Lumpur. I’ve been lucky with first flights and this is another one to my list. Not the absolute freshest, but still its first day of making cash, what are the odds to fly on it without any anticipation whatsoever?
Those are my top 10 shots from my very short visit to the Chicken Rice city as I call it, hope you liked all of those! Let me know if there are more improvements on the photography side, I’m working on getting additional equipment to get sharper catches and stop crazy vignetting. Later :D