Texas 2023

Texas Roadtrip 2023

The Idea for this trip started as my buddy Marcus and I were thinking about a Trip to the states again. Our main goal was do get some classic freighter action, in this case DC-9F, B727-200F and MD-80Fs. The original plan was to go to the Detroit area but a lot of DC-9 movements by Aeronaves and USJet for example originated most of the time in Laredo, Texas and went from there to several other Cities in the united states so we switched our plans for Texas. We had to wait for some good fares but then Lufthansa offered a great fare for HAJ-FRA-DFW and return from AUS via FRA to HAJ. So lets go!

11.11.2023 Hannover (HAJ) - Frankfurt (FRA) - Dallas (DFW)

HAJ – FRA LH49 A320-200 D-AIZS
Loadfactor was about 90%. This flight was smooth, legroom was quiet good. Service was just one bottle of water and some chocolade. We arrived on runway 25R Markus arrived from LEJ about 20 minutes after me.

After Passport controll I went straight to the gate Z19. I grabed a seat at a window nearby a small cafe and bought a cafe and a muffin for crazy 10.80 Euro !!
What a ripp off….
I waited here for about 1,5 hours and took some pictures as well.

FRA – DFW LH438 B787-9 D-ABPA
Boarding started at 9.30lt and departure was planned for 10.15lt. Loadfactor was about 70%. With a delay of about 30 minutes we departed on runway 25C and headed west.
30 minutes into the flight beverage sevice began with some cracker, red wine and a coke for me. I pre-ordered my curry non vegetarian meal days in advance for free and I got it aprox 30 minutes earlier then the other passengers. To be honest it was the best meal on an airplane I ever had! Just delicious. The inflight entertainment system offered a huge amount of movies, TV shows, games, podcast etc.
The route today took us over southern england, ireland, over the atlantic which was covered by clouds.
So no chance to see Greenland or Canada today.

1,5 Hours prior landing we received the second meal. For me once a gain a very delicious curry. Well done Lufthansa!
We arrived on time on runway 35C and headed to our gate. It took only 30 minutes for immigration and customs and we were in a bus which brought us to the rental car center.

For this trip we choosed a Pick up in order to be high enough for some fences on this trip.

Our first stop was on an arrival position for runway 36L to get some pictures before the sun sets.

After this we went to Forth Worth Alliance Airport (AFW) and we got a bunch of parked T-38 which were very nice.

Than we headed to our Hotel TRU by Radisson Northlake. Ok, lets say it SHOULD be a TRU by Radisson Hotel but as we arrived in the Hotel we were informed that the whole Hotel has some technical issue and they have rebooked us on a nearby Quality Inn Hotel.
The Quality Inn Hotel was ok, but nothing else. I was fine with it because I was tired. www.choicehotels.com/en-uk/texas/roanoke/quality-inn-hotels/tx747

12.11.2023 Around Dallas area (AFW-52F-DAL-ADS-JWY)

We woke up early and went again to AFW in order to get the T-38 during sunrise as well as a PrimeAir B767. In AFW Omni Air has a maintenance facility were we got 2 B767 and 1 B777 of them as well as the famous Patriots B767.

Our next stop was at Northwest Regional Airport (52F) which is in fact a small airfield but we got there a DC-3 and a Grumman Goose. The funny thing is, you can actually drive on the taxiway by car, you just have to keep an eye on the aircraft traffic!

After this we headed to Dallas Love Field (DAL) and started in the north oft he airport, because it was very cloudy. We got a lot of Businessjets.

We headed than to Addison Airport (ADS) were we got a nice B732 and spend there some time for lunch and planespotting.

Then we returned to DAL in order to use the parking garage for pictures of departing and arriving aircraft. We got a ton of Southwest Airlines and Businessjets again.

Our final stop for today was at Midway Regional Airport. If you ask kindly in the administration office, they allow you to enter the apron and take some pictures. We got there a bunch of Saab340s as well as 2 DC-3

Our Hotel for the night was this one:

: https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotels-in-waxahachie/best-western-plus-waxahachie-inn-suites/propertyCode.44698.html

13.11.2023 Heading south (KCNW->KACT->KGTU->KHYI->Zuehl->KSAT->KSKF)

Due to bad weather we started to TSTC Waco Airport (KCNW) but we only got there 2 C-5s, 2 Hurons and a bunch of Mirage fuselarges from Jordania.

Next stop was at Waco Regional Airport (KACT) where an IAero B734 went AOG and some engineers where working on the APU.

We headed further to Georgetown Municipal Airport (KGTU) but there were only two old Queen Air.

After that we headed to San Marcos (KHYI) were several EMB-120 parked. We went to the Berry Aviation office and asked if it is OK to take pictures from the apron and they confirmed. We walked on the apron for 45 minutes and got several EMb-120, Dash 8 and a nice Metroliner.

Our next stop was at a Zuehl, which is a small airfield community were a nice DC6 is stored as well as some other aircraft parts.

After some small talk with a resident we went further to San Antonio. The weather was still cloudy but on flightradar 24 we saw that SWA "Flagship one" was inbound from Los Angeles to San Antonio. The plan was to get it from the fence next to the Million Air hangar but as we were waiting for it a ramp agent from Million air asked us if we like to come air side because it will be much easier to photograph. Of course we accept that offer immediatly. On the apron there was also a MD-80 of Evert Air which just started their engines. What a timing!

After that ramp excess we spend another hour with planespotting around the airport

After these highlights we drove to the Lackland Airbase in San Antonio were our Hotel the Country Inn and Suites was located.

Hotel in San Antonio, TX | Country Inn & Suites Official Site | Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Lackland AFB (San Antonio), TX (choicehotels.com)

We ate at a Hawaiian restaurant for dinner and went back tot he airbase in order to take some nightshots of the parked dreamliner etc.

14.11.2023 Heading further to the border to Mexico (SKF->HDO->LRD)

On this morning we drove again tot he airbase to get some Dreamliner during daylight and hoped for some fighter jets.

We were lucky and got a departing F-16 and F-5 but after 1,5 hours we went further to Hondo (KHDO) which is aprox 1 hour west of San Antonio. Its a small airport were some Airlines are dismantled. Beside the stored and dismantled airliners an old Cessna 501 stands in front oft he airport building so we asked i fit was ok to take a few fotos from the apron which was allowed.

After spending nearly one hour at the airport we went down to Laredo which is 2,5 hours south of Hondo. As we arrived the weather was ok but more clouds came in. At the appron we found a Global X A321F, Amerijet B752F, Aeronaves MD-80 + B734F, An-12, 2x Everts Air Cargo MD-80 and several smaller aircrafts.

After the arrival of a Kalitta B734 we headed to our hotel Motel 6, which was quite good.

Motel 6 Laredo, TX - Airport Hotel in Laredo TX | Motel6.com

15.11.2023 LRD Airport

We spent the whole day at the airport with some nice movements but nothing really special.

16.11.2023: LRD Airport

After the 3rd night without any B727 or DC9 flight we started to think about the idea to headed back to SAT 1 day earlier, because our contact in SAT advised us the E-4B would arrive at 16.00lt aprox and some F-16s would departed at 14.00lt for some training sorties. So at 11.30 we departed for SAT and arrived at 14.00lt just 30 minutes prior the F-16s headed for departure.

After arrival at SAT we checked FR24 and saw that for the late afternoon the arrival oft he first B727 and later on that evening a second one! Shortly after the departure of the F-16s we went for a gas station and headed back south to Laredo!

We arrived in Larendo just as the first B727 landed and the sun sets already. Now we had to wait until its dark in order to take some photos during the night. The second B727 was from IFL but it was impossible to take a picture of.

After taking pictures of the first B727 we went back tot he Motel6 and to whataburger. During dinner, we saw on FR24 that during the night a third B727 will arrive at Laredo so we went to our hotel in order to get some sleep, cause nobody knows if they are on time.
At 23.30 aprox Marcus waked me up with the nice words „…get up… we have to work!“ He got an alert that one of only 2 active DC-9-15 of Aeronaves are heading to Laredo plus the third B727!
What the hell…. 2,5 days of some kind of boring traffic but then the mighty Laredo traffic kicked in!

The DC9 was parked in front of the customs office, where it was nearly impossible to get a decent photo o fit, but to our surprise it taxied to a better position for refuuling where we got the beauty much much better!

All in all, it was the best 2 hours oft he entire trip! We got 2 active B727 and a short DC-9!

17.11.2023 LRD->SAT

In the morning we went back tot he airport and spent there aprox 6 hours. Traffic was boring and no classic airliner was planned so in the afternoon we finally departed to San Antonio to spend the last night there.

We arrived at 18.00lt and at our hotel. In the evening we went to the parking garage in order to take some night photos of the gate area but it was not so successfull.

Our hotel for the night was the Pear Tree Inn https://www.druryhotels.com/locations/san-antonio-tx/pear-tree-inn-san-antonio-airport?utm_campaign=gmb&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=local

18.11.2023: SAT -> QQZ -> AUS

After breakfast we departed at the cloudy San Antonio fort he small airflied of New Braunsfeld we we got a nice PC-24 as well as a stored Metroliner.

We headed further north to Austin were we spend an hour with planespotting but the traffic wasn’t really special and weather didn’t improved.

After returning our truck we spend half an hour on the parking garage.

After check-in we spend the last 2 hours with plane spotting at the gate area.

AUS–FRA LH469 D-AIKM 9:10h

Bording was on time and the plane was very full. I had a window seat (37A) but after a few minutes I discovered that my personal entertainment system wasn’t working and so I couldn`t see the safety demonstration. I call a flightattendent and she offered me another free seat but unfortunatly it was an aisle seat (19C) in the first row of economy class. The leg room was greatand due to the fact that it was an overnight flight it bothered me not much.
We departed from runway 36L and I started to watch some movies and TV series. After 1,5 hours aprox dinner was served. I choosed the asian noodles which were quite good. After 2 hours I tried to get some sleep and woke up aprox 1,5 hours prior landing as breakfast was served. Breakfast consist of some scrambled eggs with a strange sauce. It was OK, not more tob e honest.
Aprox 30 minutes prior landing, the captain announced that after landing we would get a remote position and that fire fighters will entert he aircraft due to an overheated lithium battery of a mobile in the business class.
We landed on time in Frankfurt , deboarding was via stairs and busses, which I like!

I had to spend 3 hours for my last leg to Hannover. Marcus had to wait just 2 hours for his flight to Leipzig. We spend these hours with some planespotting.