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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 20/07/2025

And I'm super jealous of everyone at #OSH25 who will get to see this 747SP.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 20/07/2025

I always love the #OSH25 arrivals conga line.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 17/07/2025

The #DaleFire, 15 miles east of Temecula, is the first wildfire of the season in my region that brought such a wide range of aircraft types: DC-10, C-130s, BAe-146, MD-87, S-2, OV-10, S-61L, C-47, S-60/70, Bell 429, and I'm surely missing some. I hate NEEDING to see them, but glad they're here.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 12/07/2025

My new TravelPro checked bag came! And FedEx gave it the Spirit Airlines treatment. Geez. (Bag is fine)

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 02/07/2025

Over my house today again, and again at 600ft, 12 miles out. Certainly not a complaint. Just wondering why.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 29/06/2025

NASA’s P-3 Orion, N426NA, seems to be doing a little tour of SoCal. Surprised to see it 600ft off the ground 12 miles out from March Air Base. Not complaining! Now going over Salton Sea at 750ft, not slowly, either.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 01/06/2025

Points transfer from Chase to any of 3 airlines. Avios (to book Alaska through British) won't let me type in my birthday (3/18) when registering. Virgin Flying Club (to book Delta) pushes me to book through Virgin site, which is not showing codeshare partners. Looks like JetBlue it is.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 22/05/2025

Revision: DC-10 (Omega Air Tanker) 727 (Raytheon) 747-200 (Rolls Royce) Electra (P-3, US Navy) Some kinda Time Machine out there.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 22/05/2025

Both a 727 and a 747-200 are hanging out off the coast of SoCal. #PartyLikeIts1999

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 12/05/2025

Vegetation Fire in Perris, 1-2 acres, potential for 10 acres, moderate rate of spread, named #RichardFire. Air Attack 310, Tankers 72 and 73, and Copter 609 inbound and arriving above.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 12/04/2025

Who am I? I’ve spent 20+ years in aviation: dispatch, ops, safety, news media, writing, public speaking, gov affairs, and advocacy. I connect people, amplify voices, and bridge the gap between flight, the public, and the boardroom. I serve this industry with heart, hustle, and New Yorker honesty.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 12/04/2025

Though it's largely uneventful (no pun), I have a strange enjoyment of watching Amazon cargo aircraft waiting to depart while the #SoCalAirShow is actively underway at March Air Base. Here we see a KC-46 (BACKY94) in its demonstration with some F-35s, while an Amazon/Atlas 737 waits.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 12/04/2025

I am honored to have been invited by the 452nd AMW to fly aboard a KC-135 at March Air Reserve Base to witness the refueling of four F-15s and two F-35s. One of my most amazing aviation experiences ever. I hope to see you all at the #SoCalAirShow this weekend!

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 10/04/2025

My last time at WTC before 9/11 was 3 weeks beforehand. I was in Borders Books at WTC Building 5, where I bought a copy of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six. A book about terrorism, the first chapter is about an aircraft hijacking.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 05/04/2025

I really enjoy how my toolbox sticker collection is shaping up.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 02/04/2025

Lost a luggage wheel as it came down the baggage claim slide. Gonna drag 44lbs around for the rest of my trip.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 02/04/2025

Honored to speak at the Nevada Aviation Association’s annual conference in Reno! The Industry Update session is always a great discussion with smart, fun, and talented panelists. Grateful for the strong relationships we have with fellow associations advocating for every corner of aviation.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 01/04/2025

The annual conference of the Nevada Aviation Association is underway in Reno!

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 27/03/2025

An hour later, at 5:20am, we see a lot more activity, almost all arrivals, all before the big 6am departure push from passenger airlines.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 27/03/2025

The only aircraft above SoCal is a Volaris flight passing through. Eerie (but normal) to see LA and San Diego empty at 4:21am. But zoom out just a little bit and you see the cargo flights on their way to start their rush. LAX, ONT, SBD, about to get busy.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 15/03/2025

The only time I’ll support the Islanders is when I am toasting to my late friend Matt Molnar. Been thinking about him a lot this week. A dozen years later, I still think about what life would be like if he was still around. #missumatt

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 04/03/2025

Stumbled across one of the best emails I've ever received. Yes, he is serious. #Chemtrail emails were not uncommon, btw. Also worth pointing out I didn't work for the government in any way. 🤷‍♂️

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 23/02/2025

ADS-B icon kept switching from fixed wing to helo, while appearing still, with speed changing from 1kt to 177kts, on an off flight track that originates in Norfolk, VA. All at 59,000ft up. Then disappeared. I'm assuming that this is just bum data.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 21/02/2025

Jealous! I only have one of their Saab’s.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 20/02/2025

I'm curious how strong Bluesky #avgeek is. Where was this filmed?

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 19/02/2025

After every plane crash, social media explodes with commentary from just about everyone. But I have yet to see anyone call out or talk to any of the dipshits who grabbed their luggage or took selfies while evacuating.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 18/02/2025

This isn't the first time that Toronto had a violent wreck where everyone survived. In 2005, Air France Flight 358 also crashed on landing when it touched down late on runway 24L and overran. The aircraft burnt to a crisp but all 309 people on board evacuated.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 18/02/2025

Hey @nbcnews.com, the more accurate headline would have been “All 80 survive tumbling aircraft accident in another testament of strong aviation safety culture that we must fight to protect.” Just saying “multiple injured” is incomplete.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 09/02/2025

That one time I climbed into the "bulk cargo" area on a 767-300, which is about 10ft off the ground, and the wind knocked down my ladder. A mechanic eventually came and helped me out.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 08/02/2025

FAA: “250 under 10,000.” Fighter jets: “Try and catch me.”

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 06/02/2025

The arrivals lineup for LAX is quite colorful on ADS-B Exchange.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 03/02/2025

#OTD in 1959: The Day the Music Died—Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson died when their chartered Beechcraft Bonanza crashed shortly after takeoff from Clear Lake, Iowa. The crash, which also killed the pilot, was blamed on poor weather and pilot inexperience.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 27/01/2025

This was at the front of my gym this morning. Are we at an air show or is that plane crashing? Of course I don’t want to get on that. And is the door open?

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 26/01/2025

#OTD in 1990, the first Boeing 747-200 (military designation VC-25) to serve in an Air Force One capacity is delivered to the United States Air Force. HBD VC-25!

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 24/01/2025

#OTD in 1966, Air India Flight 101, a Boeing 707 (VT-DMN), crashed into Mont Blanc while approaching Geneva, killing all 117 onboard. ATC cleared descent after Mont Blanc, but the captain descended too early, believing they had passed the 15,781-ft peak. The plane struck 200ft below its peak.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 23/01/2025

#OTD in 1982, World Airways Flight 30, a DC-10 (N113WA), landed late on the runway at Boston Logan, and due to poor runway traction, overran. To avoid approach lights, the pilots steered them into the harbor, splitting the plane apart. 212 aboard survived, but 2 were lost, their bodies never found.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 23/01/2025

Happy 73rd Birthday, Captain Sully! On this day in 1951, Chesley Burnett “Sully” Sullenberger, III is born in Denison, Texas. In 2009, Sullenberger would instantly become one of the most famous airline pilots in history after guiding his stricken Airbus A320 to a safe landing in the Hudson River.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 18/01/2025

When did hair clips start to become modeled after the Wright Flyer?

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 15/01/2025

Nearby airports are crucial for disaster response and humanitarian relief. Here, 3 helicopters use Santa Monica Airport (SMO) to support the massive effort to combat the #PalisadesFire.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 15/01/2025

Here are eleven aircraft on the ramp at Edwards AFB. Can you name them all? FYI, I got more than one wrong.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 07/01/2025

In 2003, N550NW, a Northwest 757, was clipped and gashed by a company A319 at an LGA gate. Despite my best efforts, I haven't seen it in person since. Fixed and later grabbed up by Delta, it always flies the other way (I live somewhere on the right side of that tracker screenshot).

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 30/12/2024

Here are photos I took of the ramp in Baku, Azerbaijan in 2007.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 30/12/2024

Many are still believing that #jeju2216 hit a concrete wall at the airport perimeter. This is not the case. The aircraft struck a berm that holds an antenna array on top of it. Share or tag to those who continue to make the error. I was mistaken at first, too.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 20/12/2024

Stuck on the couch with COVID-19, what else to do but watch flight trackers and scribble about weather diverts? Explaining the oft-repeated stories of San Diego’s weather challenges and diversions... open.substack.com/pub/phildern...

https://open.substack.com/pub/philderner/p/british-airways-double-diversion?r=kdbtz&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 19/12/2024

Last night, I was glued to SAN’s poor weather arrivals. The wildest part was British Airways 273 "double diverting." First diverting to LAX, then attempting a recovery flight, only to sit in a hold and divert back to LAX. As a dispatcher, a scenario like that would be absolutely mortifying.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 10/12/2024

We now see Ontario (east-west runways) departing to the east, which is not as common, and March ARB (NW-SE runways) flights circling to also land in the opposite direction than normal. LAX is less affected, still in their normal western flow.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 10/12/2024

Here we can see this morning's wind paths and intensity in #SoCal, currently feeding the #FranklinFire that's grown to 2,200 acres since 11pm, and the strong winds for Ontario Airport's east-west runways.

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 03/12/2024

Lastly, follow @theairshowpodcast.com so you, too, can armchair-debate with friends through your car speakers, just like I do. ;) All photos were taken by yours truly. No, I have no XLR pics yet, sorry. Also, if I’m wrong, or you disagree, let’s discuss! Pic: Me, military charter, Europe, 2007

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Phil Derner @philderner.substack.com · 03/12/2024

The above reasons, and it being a 40yo workhorse, shows why a re-engined version of the 757, or a child design of it, is what the industry needed. And no, the 737 MAX 10 doesn’t compete either (arguably worse?).

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