OT: Old Airport Pictures

[MichaelB]

Nice article in the Houston Chronicle with some of my old photos. Be sure and read the comments after.
http://blogs.chron.com/bayoucityhistory ... History%29

New book just in from Mike Machat, Jon Proctor and Craig Kodera: From Props to Jets. My kind of stuff! Machat will be at our Museum on October 30th during the collectibles show to sign copies and etc. Go to www.specialtypress.com for ordering details, or, it will be in your book store very soon.

Have fun!
Michael

[grwebster]

cool stuff

[MichaelB]

More goodness from the camera lens. This is from a short visit yesterday at HOU. Just airplane pics...you might want to roam around my Flickr sets as there are a number of different areas to get lost in.
This just in! ....new goodness for the collection...more later!
Michael http://www.flickr.com/photos/10659106@N00/sets/72157624302838340/detail/

[grwebster]

Michael
what type of plane is that in WW N98HG XHOU June 17 10 037?
I don't think I have ever seen one.

[MichaelB]

That is an Israeili Aircraft Industries (IAI) Astra. I had mistakenly called it a "WW", which stands for WestWind, their initial derivative of the old Jet Commander, which is where this plane came from. The Astra is now being produced as the Gulfstream 100, or G100. IAI no longer owns and builds under the Gulfstream name as Gulfstream is now an American company. They do produce some airframes and parts for the various Gulfstream aircraft, though and I think the G100, G150 and G200 are still mostly built in Israel.
So: Jet Commander to WestWind to Astra to G100. The resemblance to the old Jet Commander is most notable in the empennage and engine layout. So odd to see such an old design still out there, although the new ones are thoroughly modern.
Return to my Flickr site and go to the "Sets" index and if you look through it there are sets for "Classic" bizjets (JetStar, Sabreliner, Falcon 20,10, Lear 24) and a "Gulfstream Glamour Gallery" if you just want pics of good lookin' airplanes. The G100, 150 and 200 are NOT included in that set just because they are not very pretty at all! Classic Gulfstreams only!
I was in a GIV just yesterday taking shots of the cockpit - but I've never flown in one.
MJB

[grwebster]

Thanks for that explanation, it did look vaguely familiar and the jet Commander heritage explains it.