Hello everyone! So…a late January day, I am sitting at home with the winter blues. So I decided I got to do something to excite myself.

I decided to go on an aviation day trip!! My plans were originally to go from JFK-CLT-BOS or CHS- LGA on US Airways and US Airways Express.

Well after a tinkering with flights, I decided to do LGA-CHS-CLT-JFK. Well…it did not exactly work out that way. I made it from LGA-CHS but, as I fly standby, did not get on the CHS-CLT flight. So I decided just to go home back to LGA from CHS.

After this disappointment (even though the day was still fun), I decided I had to so something else! I decided to do JFK-PHX on Thursday 29 January 2009.


I got up at 545 to leave at 615 to LGA. My flight was scheduled to leave at 817, but I needed time to enjoy the US Airways terminal at LGA.


Arrived at the airport around 645. I checked in online the night before, so went right through security which was dead. The entire terminal was dead at that time on a Sunday morning.

Checked the board:




My breakfast from the Dunkin Donuts Express near the US Airways Shuttle gates:




US Airways shuttle:





PSA style US Airways jet:




Empty terminal:




US Airways plane on shuttle finger:




Another jet on the shuttle finger:




Still dead terminal:




Another jet:




Looking towards empty gates on the other finger:




After exploring the empty shuttle finger (first shuttle was not till 9am on Sunday) , I started over to my gate, #2.

Sign directing to gates 1-12. A few flight attendants walking just ahead:




Express jet at gate one. A few other express planes parked for the night behind it:




A United jet parked, with permission of the US Airways tower might I add!




Delta plane going by:




US Airways:




My Canadair jet to Charleston, South Carolina. I watched it be fueled:




Aircraft preparation continues:




US AIRWAYS EXPRESS

LGA-CHS
Dep:0825 (actual)
Arr:1000 (actual)
Canadair CRJ200
Load Factor: 11/50 (22% full)
Seat: 2A
ALT: 26,000 ft


Flight deck of our craft, flight attendant to the right in the ‘small’ galley.




Our empty cabin:




Seats in the cabin:





Air Canada Jazz and Continental Airlines at LGA





Central Terminal at LGA. In the picture are a Continental and a Frontier jet. Currently under construction new control tower is in background:





American Airlines at LGA. Current control tower in background.





American Airlines at LGA. Current LGA tower in view, as well as its future replacement.





Lifting off at LGA, look at shadow in lower left hand corner:




No birds so far….(it came across my mind at about this moment) :








Manhattan:




Great view of Manhattan skyscrapers:





Central park and Manhattan looks amazing here: (this is my favorite runway to take off from)








Looking back at LGA:









Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges over East River:




Verrazano Bridge:




Coney Island, Brooklyn visible. Past that is the Rockaway Peninsula, my home. Sandy Hook, NY in top right corner:





Looking back to Rockaway:






About 15 minutes into the flight, our kind flight attendant walked through the cabin offering soft drinks for $2, coffee or tea for $1, or alcohol for $7. I ordered myself two Coke-Zeros but she only returned with one. She sincerely apologized for only having one onboard, I said it was fine. I know its not that popular and many people don’t realize that many airlines now carry it. I asked for a Diet Coke instead of the 2nd Coke-Zero.

I have her the $4. In the picture, my Diet Coke is in the seat pocket:




I think this next picture is that part of Virginia that juts out and is surrounded by Delaware. Am I right? Anyone recognize this:




Somewhere over either Maryland or Virginia I believe:




Same peninsula as before. Notice the clouds approaching:





The clouds soon came! This is most likely over Virginia:




Coming in for a landing at Charleston: (through the clouds)




[img]http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k281/Murraymountain91/Tommysphotos229.jpg-/img]
















Control tower at CHS:





CHS is also a Air Force Base:




Delta Connection:






Well…from here on in it did not go to plan. I planned to go on to CLT but missed the flight. I was a little upset about this and decided just to go home to LGA. Disappointing…so the leg back to LGA does not have service pics, Although I got pics of 2 airports I would like help locating. I did take more in LGA though.



US AIRWAYS EXPRESS


CHS-LGA
Dep:1107 (actual)
Arr:1230 (actual)
Canadair CRJ200
Load Factor: 34/50 (% full)
Seat: 3?
ALT: 31,000 ft


US Airways Express Jet:





Anyone recognize this airport? I believe in NJ (although I cant be certain):




How about this one?




Sandy Hook, NY as we start our approach to LGA:




My home, Rockaway again:

[img]http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k281/Murraymountain91/Tommysphotos254.jpg[img]


Brooklyn looks like a bunch of boxes!!!:






Back at LGA, its American Airlines:










United Airlines:




AirTran:





Jet Blue and Air Canada:




Air Canada Jazz:




US Airways:





Picture of my US Airways Express jet back at LGA:




More US Airways Express:









Last picture. Our plane as it deboards:





I want to thank you all for reading. I had a great time overall and I hope to be in the air again soon. US Airways is still my favorite carrier.

I hope to go JFK-PHX within the next few weeks, Us airways first class. So I will post a TR about that when it happens.



Thanks again,


Tommy (aka JFKMAN)

[Edited 2009-01-27 14:10:35]