I watched SOFIA land in realtime on Flight Radar that day, all the way from Christchurch, New Zealand, which was her "other home" during the Southern Hemisphere winter. There are many 100s, if not 1000s of us locals that miss her visits and enjoyed the accompanying aircrew, scientists and engineers that we got to know over many years. She is terribly missed by those in our city who would venture out in the cold, dark early evenings to see her takeoff for a 10 hour mission out over the Southern Ocean and Tasman Sea. As a pilot, photographer and astronomer, I had a real affiliation with this NASA jet, which I called "my girlfriend"! I have been known to stand on my tall step ladder in the dark to see over the airport barbed wire fence, to get unhindered photographs of her take-off roll as she blasted down the runway, with only her bright lights and engine roar to go by. Such a gorgeous machine with wonderful curves, and yes, her "bum did look big"! On a positive note though, one of my workmates lives in Tucson, so I can come and visit sometime in the future as the New Zealand company I work for has a branch office presence in Phoenix! My photos of her are here: sidelinephotographs.com/sofia2019 and many albums here: sidelinephotographs.com/N747NA Enjoy, David.
Wow that is truly amazing! Can't wait to see it again after yesterday!😎🤙🔥
Awesome, can’t wait to see her in display soon!
Here's a suggestion: how about adding the PanAm decal on the nose and her original name, "Clipper Lindbergh", to honor her PanAm heritage?
I watched SOFIA land in realtime on Flight Radar that day, all the way from Christchurch, New Zealand, which was her "other home" during the Southern Hemisphere winter. There are many 100s, if not 1000s of us locals that miss her visits and enjoyed the accompanying aircrew, scientists and engineers that we got to know over many years.
She is terribly missed by those in our city who would venture out in the cold, dark early evenings to see her takeoff for a 10 hour mission out over the Southern Ocean and Tasman Sea. As a pilot, photographer and astronomer, I had a real affiliation with this NASA jet, which I called "my girlfriend"! I have been known to stand on my tall step ladder in the dark to see over the airport barbed wire fence, to get unhindered photographs of her take-off roll as she blasted down the runway, with only her bright lights and engine roar to go by.
Such a gorgeous machine with wonderful curves, and yes, her "bum did look big"!
On a positive note though, one of my workmates lives in Tucson, so I can come and visit sometime in the future as the New Zealand company I work for has a branch office presence in Phoenix!
My photos of her are here: sidelinephotographs.com/sofia2019 and many albums here: sidelinephotographs.com/N747NA
Enjoy, David.
So awesome.
I'm so glad she's going to PAM.
Gnarly!
Where’s Count Ferdinand?
Is it here to stay
PITY ABOUT THE MUSIC!