Calgary International Airport - New Terminal, Runway, Control Tower

[calgarygeologist]

I was pleasantly surprised by how well run and organized the roam the run way was. I wish the Dreamliner was available for viewing though but someone was mentioning that the FAA or whatever is very strict on access to aircraft. It would have been awesome to sneak a peak at the cockpit.

[Madman]

Yeah, it was awesome how organized the event was.

It sucked it was cold and windy, but we all had fun walking around and checking all the cool stuff out. I was pleasantly surprised you could go right up to the 787 and the 319 and actually touch them - I didn't think they'd be allowing that.

We were on the 3rd bus out there, so it was great to have the place to ourselves for a little while.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I was pleasantly surprised by how well run and organized the roam the run way was. I wish the Dreamliner was available for viewing though but someone was mentioning that the FAA or whatever is very strict on access to aircraft. It would have been awesome to sneak a peak at the cockpit.

FAA has no bearing on us. Actually there's no rule stopping it from having been open to the public, but Air Canada would like to have this airplane back to fly to Zurich on Tuesday so they don't want anything wrecked. It's already two full days out of service.

[STeeLy]

So, I went to the roam the runway, snapped a few pics, but I'll probably procrastinate on getting them uploaded to my computer. I think I left at about 11 because I got a tour at the control tower at noon.

The view from up at the tower was AMAZING! It's too bad the weather was gloomy today, but it was just awesome.

[RW99]

Very well organized, but other than looking at the aircraft and taking some pics of the runway, there wasn't a lot to do. Maybe that was just me not being an aviation junkie.

[photon]

Was a nice way to spend a bit of the day, very well organized, wasn't completely overrun with people like so many things are these days.

The 787 is deceptive, doesn't look big until you put it in context with the other planes there then you realize how huge it is.

[Bigtime]

via Imgflip Meme Maker

[Titan]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

via Imgflip Meme Maker

Its good to be king!

[Bigtime]

Once again Naheed has out-avgeeked me.

A few years back he regaled me with the tale of his flight in a CF-18, my jealousy floweth over.

Oh and to get your dose of the daily stupid he deals with on twitter, the original picture (without caption) was posted by his chief of staff this morning and one reply was:

"too bad you're not supporting a Calgary company"

Ugh.

[Northendzone]

is it my imagination, or are the wings on that dreamliner curved up higher than the feusalage? if so, is that common with any other commercial jets from either Airbus or Boeing?

[Stealth22]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

is it my imagination, or are the wings on that dreamliner curved up higher than the feusalage? if so, is that common with any other commercial jets from either Airbus or Boeing?

Wing flex. Its normal.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

is it my imagination, or are the wings on that dreamliner curved up higher than the feusalage? if so, is that common with any other commercial jets from either Airbus or Boeing?

To answer your question, yes, it is more than any other commercial jet... because the 787 is built of carbon fiber reinforced polymer which is more flexible and less susceptible to fatigue.

[Bigtime]

Courtesy of SSP member Bokimon, who chartered a helicopter Sunday morning to take these pictures, more posted in the Aviation Appreciation thread. These ones showing the new terminal building:

BOBO27460 by Bokimon-, on Flickr

BOBO27463 by Bokimon-, on Flickr

BOBO27482 by Bokimon-, on Flickr

BOBO27497 by Bokimon-, on Flickr

BOBO27499 by Bokimon-, on Flickr

[rayne008]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Courtesy of SSP member Bokimon, who chartered a helicopter Sunday morning to take these pictures, more posted in the Aviation Appreciation thread. These ones showing the new terminal building:

Was that the older red helicopter that circled the runway a few times? If so, he must have got some interesting shots of the runway event.

[Bigtime]

He was up around 9am or so, don't know what colour Robinson he was in. But when I was down there with my daughter I saw that red one flying around, that would have been around 12'ish. The airport authority says on twitter that was one of their partners doing a photo flight too.

[Madman]

There was a dark grey Robinson up first thing, not the red one.

[Bigtime]

That was probably him.

[STeeLy]

My shots aren't very good, but here goes something:

Was down in El Paso, TX last month, got my friend to drive me near the part of the airport where this thing is parked:


Then my crappy shot of the YYC Terminal from up in the tower on Sunday (The view was magnificent from up there by the way):


Then the 787 Touch and go from the day before:

[Bigtime]

That first pic, Super Guppy!

[Table 5]

The new Terminal looks fantastic. Can't wait till it opens and we can all be finally teleported from the beige 70s to the present.

I'm really hoping they have reduced that half-marathon of a walk to get to customs. That is probably the most annoying thing about the old terminal.