San Diego Interntional Airport

[NikonGuy]

WoW! Any idea how that happened?

[Wombat_1]

To me it looks like heat distortion. That's what I'm thinking.

[Dragonskiss]

It's called the Schlieren effect.

[rammsteinmatt]

It's called the Schlieren effect.

Well, I suppose to be pedantic Schlieren flow visualizations require a converging lens and knife edge (and a partially opaque screen on which to view the visualization).  But pretty much this distortion is created by high temperature exhaust; high temperature creating a lower density flow, and thus distorting the way light travels through.  This phenomenon is what Schlieren visualization shows people, otherwise it is basically invisible.  Schlieren-ness (technical term) being the tool by which to view the naturally-occurring phenomenon and not the phenomenon itself.

Yay, I used my high speed (supersonic) aero class for something outside of school because lets face it, (at work) Predators are quite low speed aircraft

...and I would say we get that awesome bubble effect on the wing, rather than the standard heat shimmer, because the exhaust is trapped into the wing vortex.  With the inboard-wise engines, its probably the root vortex prior to breaking and forming a ring vortex with the tip vortex.  But then on that note, the high pressure air caused by wing circulation could also create the requisite density gradient (I've seen this type of distortion off a wing downwash before).

[Spectre130]

Here are some from last year with my 30D and 100-400mm.  I might go in the morning to break in my new 7D

[SBGrad]

2000th Next Gen at KSAN


Lone Star One arrives 4 minutes later


Another special, same day

[SBGrad]

Another new spot for me





oops, should've used the 35-70

[Realbigtaco]

Another new spot for me

Where did you shoot from?

[Spectre130]

SBGrad, where are you standing in the first set?

[SBGrad]

The thing I've discovered about KSAN is that you can shoot from almost ANYWHERE on the east side and get shots.

The Next Gen and Lone Star One I was down somewhere walking around West Park, bordered on Ivy, Hawthorne, Brant and Albatross.  Just find a spot where you have an unobstructed view towards the flightpath.

Classic Southwest was from the spotter's lot.

The Piaggio, Real Blue and Air Canada was from Little Italy, pretty sure it was India Street and Ivy.

Some more KSAN views:

Lady Jane:


Lady Jane on a different day, from NTC


almost air to air


West Park:


pretty sure this is from the pedestrian walkway over I-5:


another walkway shot


West Maple, up above the Casbah:


All it really takes is some driving around and checking things out.

OK, this last shot took a Zeppelin ride to get:

[Spectre130]

Thank you for the help.  A lot has changed in the 17 years I had been away in the service.   I will just have to drive around.  I used to park right across from the USCG station but that is now fenced in.

[phantomphan1974]

Yeah NTC is nice for take off shots and plenty of parking.

[Realbigtaco]

Thank you for the help.  A lot has changed in the 17 years I had been away in the service.   I will just have to drive around.  I used to park right across from the USCG station but that is now fenced in.

The spot you're talking about is still open.  I think what you mean is that years ago the lot that stretched down Laurel was open and now it is a parking lot for Solar Turbines across the street.  To get to this spot go West on Laurel and just make a quick right at the "Green light that never turns Red".  There are about 4 to 5 spots there, and usually a few people there.  Only problem is the fence, but if you have a truck bed to stand on that would work good to get over it.  Another word of advice when turning into the lot, put your blinker on early, because people behind you are going about 45 mph right there, and it might not be a good idea to sneak on the breaks for a quick right turn. 

I used to remember being able to go to the North side of the field where the General Dynamics/Convair/Consolidated parking lots where (just east of where the FedEx planes park now).  Even better was that was the Windsock bar and Grill (TopGun shot a scene in there).  I loved that place and could plane watch for hours there (although it sucked when a G5 had his APU for 2 hours waiting for the passengers).  Yeah seems like SAN is a little less inviting to plane watch these days....bummer.

Just out of curiosity, what service did you serve in and where did it send you? 

[kick Z tail out]

Looks like the Southwest shot caught a FOD walk in progress at NASNI. 

[Spectre130]

Just out of curiosity, what service did you serve in and where did it send you? 

I was USAF, started out as a Crew Chief on AC-130Hs then became a Flight Engineer on a few types of C-130s.  I saw the world and loved every second of it.  I miss it.

Here are a few from Tonight.  Was at the park on Cushing Rd.








The rest can be seen here: http://tacair.zenfolio.com/p543991998