Air Traffic at Phoenix, December 27, 2007

On Thursday, December 27 a flight plan was filed for Honeywell Boeing 720 N720H to fly from Williams-Gateway to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. It actually departed from Phoenix and activated its flight plan over Williams-Gateway. It was scheduled to depart at 9:50 AM MST and to return at 1:20 PM MST. It took off from Sky Harbor at 10:38 AM. I parked on the top of the Terminal 4 parking structure at 1:00 PM to wait for its return. As I waited, I photographed a number of the flights taking off and landing on Runway 26.

US Airways Boeing 757-2S7 N906AW. Its construction number is 23568. It first flew on May 14, 1986. It was delivered to Republic Airlines as N606RC on May 28, 1986. Republic merged with Northwest Airlines on October 1, 1986. America West Airlines acquired it on May 11, 1987 and registered it as N906AW in September 1987. It was transferred to US Airways on November 6, 2006.

Northwest Boeing 757-251 N531US. Its construction number is 23846. It first flew on August 12, 1986. It was delivered to Northwest on August 25, 1986.

Southwest Boeing 737-7H4 N439WN. Its construction number is 29834. It first flew on July 16, 2003. It was delivered to Southwest on August 4, 2003.

US Airways Airbus A321-211 N161UW. Its construction number is 1403. It first flew as D-AVZD on January 9, 2001. It was delivered to US Airways on January 18, 2001.

Delta Boeing 737-832 N3763D. Its construction number is 29629. It first flew as N1787B on October 30, 2001. It was delivered to Delta on December 19, 2001.

US Airways Boeing 737-3G7 N157AW. Its construction number is 23779. It first flew on October 5, 1987. It was delivered to America West on October 20, 1987. It was transferred to US Airways on September 4, 2006.

Northwest Boeing 757-251 N523US. Its construction number is 23617. It first flew on January 20, 1987. It was delivered to Northwest on January 29, 1987.

US Airways Airbus A319-132 N806AW. Its construction number is 1056. It first flew as D-AVYO on July 5, 1999. It was delivered to America West on July 30, 1999. It was transferred to US Airways on April 25, 2006.

Frontier Airbus A319-111 N932FR. Its construction number is 2258. It first flew as D-AVYK on June 4, 2004. It was delivered to Frontier on June 28, 2004.

Northwest Airbus A319-114 N360NB. Its construction number is 1959. It first flew as D-AVWL on March 18, 2003. It was delivered to Northwest on May 8, 2003.

US Airways Boeing 737-3G7 N311AW. Its construction number is 24712. It first flew on May 25, 1990. It was delivered to America West on October 20, 1987. It was transferred to US Airways on June 7, 1990.

Southwest Boeing 737-3H4 N344SW. Its construction number is 24152. It first flew on March 2, 1989. It was delivered to Southwest on March 23, 1989.

US Airways Express (Mesa Airlines) Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-900ER N938LR. Its construction number is 15038. It was delivered to Mesa Airlines on June 9, 2005.

US Airways Canadair CRJ-900, N938LR at Sky Harbor on April 11, 2006

Westjet Boeing 737-8CT C-GJWS. Its construction number is 34152 (exactly 10,000 higher than the Southwest 737-3H4 above). It first flew on May 16, 2005. It was delivered to Southwest on May 25, 2005.

Southwest Boeing 737-7H4 N464WN. Its construction number is 32468. It first flew on May 27, 2004. It was delivered to Southwest on June 11, 2004.

Southwest Boeing 737-7H4 N220WN. Its construction number is 32491. It first flew on June 19, 2005. It was delivered to Southwest on June 19, 2005.

Ted Airbus A320-232 N451UA. Its construction number is 865. It first flew as F-WWBR on July 2, 1998. It was delivered to United Airlines as N451UA on September 1, 1998. It was transferred to Ted on December 29, 2005.

AirTran Boeing 737-76N N261AT. Its construction number is 32660. It first flew on May 4, 2005. It was delivered to AirTran on May 18, 2005.

Southwest Boeing 737-7H4 N480WN. Its construction number is 33998. It first flew on August 15, 2004. It was delivered to Southwest on August 26, 2004.

Southwest Boeing 737-301 N660SW. Its construction number is 23230. It first flew on May 15, 1985. It was delivered to Piedmont Airlines on May 23, 1985. It was registered N302AU when Piedmont merged with US Airways on August 5, 1989. Western Pacific leased it on June 7, 1995, registered it as N949WP on August 18, 1995, and painted it as an advertisement for the Simpsons Television show. Southwest acquired it on May 8, 1998 following the failure of Western Pacific and registered it as N660SW in June 1998.

US Airways Airbus A319-132 N816AW. Its construction number is 1350. It first flew as D-AVYV on October 21, 2000. It was delivered to America West on October 31, 2000. It was transferred to US Airways on January 15, 2006.

America West Express Dehavilland of Canada DHC-8-202 N989HA. Its construction number is 427. It first flew as C-GFEN. It was delivered to US Airways Express (Piedmont Airlines) on February 5, 1996. America West Express (Mesa Airlines) acquired it on April 6, 2004.

America West DeHavilland of Canada DHC-8-202, N989HA at Sky Harbor on April 11, 2006.

Northwest Boeing 757-251 N531US taxis out 61 minutes after it arrived.

US Airways Airbus A319-132 N833AW. Its construction number is 1844. It first flew as D-AVWV on October 21, 2002. It was delivered to America West on November 19, 2002.

US Airways Airbus A321-211 N188US. Its construction number is 1724. It first flew as D-AVXB on April 11, 2002. It was delivered to US Airways on April 25, 2002.

US Airways Express Dehavilland of Canada DHC-8-202 N988HA. Its construction number is 426. It first flew as C-FDHD. It was delivered to US Airways Express (Piedmont Airlines) on February 5, 1996. America West Express (Mesa Airlines) acquired it on May 8, 2004. It was transferred to US Airways Express (Mesa Airlines) on June 1, 2007.

US Airways Airbus A319-112 N766US. Its construction number is 1378. It first flew as D-AVWG on November 8, 2000. It was delivered to US Airways on December 4, 2000.

Southwest Boeing 737-7H4 N467WN. Its construction number is 33830. It first flew on June 3, 2004. It was delivered to Southwest on June 17, 2004.

Southwest Boeing 737-5H4 N515SW. Its construction number is 25154. It first flew on June 24, 1991. It was delivered to Southwest on july 5, 1991.

Southwest Boeing 737-7H4 N206WN. Its construction number is 34011. It first flew on March 17, 2005. It was delivered to Southwest on March 28, 2005.

US Airways Airbus A320-214 N121UW. Its construction number is 1294. It first flew as F-WWBC on July 21, 2000. It was delivered to US Airways on September 7, 2000.

US Airways Boeing 737-3S3 N313AW. Its construction number is 23712. It first flew on January 20, 1987. It was delivered to Air Europe as G-BMTE on February 10, 1987. Air Europa subleased it as EC-EBZ on March 18, 1987 and returned it to Air Europe as G-BMTE on June 1, 1987. Air Europa subleased it as EC-355 on December 13, 1989, re-registered it as EC-EBZ on March 8, 1990, and returned it to Air Europe on November 1, 1990. America West registered it as N313AW on November 7, 1990 and transferred it to US Airways on December 12, 2006. It was transferred to US Airways on September 4, 2006.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-790 N614AS. Its construction number is 30343. It first flew on November 23, 1999. It was delivered to Alaska Airlines on December 13, 1999.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-790, N614AS at Los Angeles International Airport on February 28, 2006.

Honeywell 720-051B N720H returned to Sky Harbor Airport at 2:52 PM MST. This 720 is the oldest Boeing jet airliner that still flies in the United States. It wears construction number 18384. It first flew on September 15, 1961. TWA leased it as N794TW beginning on August 27, 1961. Northwest leased it as N733US on October 26, 1962 and then bought it on July 1, 1968. Maersk Air registered it as OY-APZ in January 1973 and leased it to Nigeria Airways in December 1974. TEA leased it as OO-TYA on November 6, 1979 and returned it to Maersk on January 19, 1980. Conair acquired it on February 16, 1981. Allied Signal registered it as N720GT on November 24, 1987 and mounted an engine test pylon on the right side of the forward fuselage. Honeywell International registered it as N720H in February 2000 and installed a Honeywell AS977 engine. Honeywell conducts frequent engine test flights with it. Four Peaks is faintly visible in the distance.

The Papago Buttes form a backdrop to 720-051B N720H.

720-051B N720H.

720-051B N720H.

720-051B N720H.

720-051B N720H scrubs smoke off its main landing gear as it lands on Runway 26.

Another small puff of smoke was produced as 720-051B N720H nose gear touched down.

720-051B N720H deploys its spoilers to reduce lift after touchdown.

720-051B N720H taxis back to its parking spot on the north side of the airport.

See more pictures of this 720 on the Airworthy Vintage Boeing Jetliners Display

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