tayara ‎طائرة

Tayara means 'airplane' in Arabic.

This blog is about airplanes and anything that involves them.

It is mostly about Commercial Aviation, but also General and, occasionally, Military.

During my travels around the world I take pictures and video as a hobby of everything and anything related. I also include some acquaintances’ contributions from time to time, giving them proper credit.

Please, feel free to comment or suggest on my posts.

** Pictures here are copyrighted and only for your own enjoyment**

UTair Ukraine Boeing 737-800 UR-UTQ / 2016.03.04

KBP (Boryspil International airport. Kiev, Ukraine)

<At the Ramp>
UTair Ukraine (ЮТейр-Україна) Boeing 737-800 UR-UTQ, sitting here at the tarmac back home, started her life in November 2003 as N332TZ with ATA Airlines, then operated for Chinese Okay Airways as B-2865 since March 2003, and was added to the UTair fleet in April 2013. ✈

Zagros Airlines MD-82 EP-ZAM / 2016.03.03

SYZ (Shahid Dastghaib airport. Shiraz, Iran)

<Airport Action>
When inadvertently having that retro look is sometimes a very cool idea... Zagros Airlines (هواپیمایی زاگرس) McDonnell Douglas MD-82 EP-ZAM taxies to the gate after arrival from THR (Tehran Mehrabad), before a quick turn around. ✈

United Boeing 747-400 N181UA / 2016.02.25

HKG (Chep Lap Kok International airport. Hong Kong, China)

<At the Ramp>
A B-747 is always a B-747, even on a hazy day. Unbeatable... United Airlines Boeing 747-400 N181UA awaits at the tarmac for her next assignment. Delivered in October 1991, she will most likely be retired from service in less than two years, according to the carrier's plans. ✈

China Southern Boeing 737-800 B-5698 / 2014.12.07

HKT (Phuket International airport. Phuket, Thailand)
<Action Shot>
Welcome to Paradise... Calm waters and a calm walk along the shore await China Southern Airlines (中国南方航空) Boeing 737-800 B-5698, inbound from CAN (Guangzhou). Just like in real postcards. ✈

China Eastern Airbus 330-300X B-6083 / 2014.10.14

PEK (Capital International airport. Beijing, China)

<Action Shot>
You get to see so many of these when spotting at PEK that you almost forget how beauty they are. But there you go and photograph them again and again... China Eastern Airlines (中国东方航空) Airbus 330-300X B-6083 looking in perfect shape for landing. ✈

Iran Air Airbus 300B4-200 EP-ICE / 2016.02.29

THR (Tehran Mehrabad International airport. Tehran, Iran)

<Time Off>
Some bellies you can't help but loving them. This is one of them: Iran Air (هواپیمايی جمهوری اسلامی ایران) Airbus 300B4-200 EP-ICE started her life back in 1981 with Alitalia as I-BUSG. Seen here while on maintenance works at her new home since 2008, Iran. ✈

TAM Airbus 350-900 PR-XTA / 2016.04.06

MIA (Miami International airport / Wilcox Field. Miami, United States)

<Airport Action>
What a honor being seated up there in the cockpit, commanding the first ever Airbus 350-900 operating for an airline in the entire Americas! And what a privilege being able to photograph it... TAM Airlines (TAM Linhas Aéreas) PR-XTA was delivered to the Brazilian carrier on December 2015 and regularly visits my home airport. Fresh from this morning, seen just before take off for GRU (São Paulo Guarulhos) right on time as Flight JJ8095. ✈

Iran Air Boeing 747SP EP-IAC / 2016.02.27

KUL-IKA—Flight IR815, Kuala Lumpur-Tehran (Imam Khomeini)

<The Beauty of Flying>
This picture is unique. Iran Air (هواپیمايی جمهوری اسلامی ایران) Boeing 747SP EP-IAC ('خلیج فارس', or 'Persian Gulf') is the only aircraft of its type currently doing scheduled services in the world. I had the privilege of flying it just a few weeks ago. The picture was taken from the onboard kitchen while flying over the Arabian Sea. Thanks to the Iran Air crew for the incredible hospitality and friendliness. ✈

AirAsia Airbus 320-200 9M-AHB - 2016.02.25

HKG (Chep Lap Kok International airport. Hong Kong, China)

<Boarding Time Photo Op>
In spite of the huge letters, I was able to get them all in the frame, something not always happens.

AirAsia Airbus 320-200 9M-AHB bound for KUL (Kuala Lumpur) as Flight AK139. ✈

Kuwait Airways Airbus 320-200 9K-AKG / 2016.03.18

DXB (Dubai International airport. Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

Close up of the front of one of the newest additions to the carrier's fleet, Kuwait Airways (الخطوط الجوية الكويتية) Airbus 320-200 9K-AKG ('بتيل', or 'Bateel'), as she gets ready for the hop back home as Flight KU672. ✈

United Express Bombardier CRJ-701ER N726SK / 2013.06.27

LAX (Los Angeles International airport. Los Angeles, United States)

On a foggy evening at LAX you can get interesting shots like this one. United Express (SkyWest Airlines) Bombardier CRJ-701ER N726SK, on short finals right over the In-N-Out restaurant. ✈

AeBal Boeing 717 EC-JZX / 2007.08.10

BCN (El Prat airport. Barcelona, Spain)

AeBal (Aerolíneas de Baleares) Spanair Link used to operate as part of the latter until this one ceased operations in September 2008. The company then restructured and was rebranded as Quantum Air, which is the current name. Boeing 717 EC-JZX (Es Vedrà), seen here on finals under the sunset light, eventually went to Finnish Blue1. ✈

Angola Airlines Boeing 777-300ER D2-TEH / 2014.10.01

LIS (Portela airport. Lisbon, Portugal)

Took this one while on the bus to the terminal after my arrival, so sorry for the occasional glare. It is a pretty close up and impressive shot of TAAG Angola Airlines (Linhas Aéreas de Angola) Boeing 777-300/ER D2-TEH ('Welwitschia Mirabilis'), operating for the African carrier for three years when I took the picture. ✈

SriLankan Airbus 340-300 4R-ADE / 2009.09.05

LHR (Heathrow airport. London, United Kingdom)

SriLankan Airlines Airbus 340-300 4R-ADE is pushed back ahead of her flight back to CMB (Colombo). This aircraft no longer operates for the Asian carrier, but rather for Portuguese charter Hi Fly. ✈

Ryanair Boeing 737-800 EI-DCL / 2009.12.07

TRF (Torp Sandefjord airport. Oslo, Norway)

Deplaning Time Photo Op.–Nice surprise to fly on this one, with the special Boeing colors, very well appreciated by deplaning through the back door. Simply awesome with the wee hours of a cold December day.

Ryanair Boeing 737-800 EI-DCL, inbound from PIK (Glasgow Prestwick) as Flight FR7802. ✈

American MD-82 N7506 / 2010.06.03

DFW (Dallas/Ft. Worth International airport. Dallas, United States)

AT DFW you can have a bird's-eye view of the aircraft as you ride the Skylink system connecting the terminals. So unique and cool... American Airlines MD-82 N7506 is seen here getting preps for her next ride. ✈

ANA Boeing 747-400D JA8960 / 2011.03.24

HND (Haneda airport (aka Tokyo International airport). Tokyo, Japan)

Only in Japan you could find B-744's with no winglets. They were commonly used by JAL and ANA on high-capacity short Domestic routes (adding the D to the -400), where having winglets would not mean a significant reduction in fuel consumption. All Nippon Airways, ANA (全日本空輸株式会社, 全日空) Boeing 747-400D JA8960 taxies before departure for, yes... another Domestic flight. ✈