A Polar Air Cargo 747-400F sits on the tarmac at the Roswell International Air Center, in Roswell, N.M., on Aug. 1, 2007.
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)ROSWELL, N.M.--After I drove by, and was unable to get into, the Pinal Air Park, north of Tucson, Ariz., I've kind of been jonesing for some good Boeing 747 access.
It turns out that there are commercial airplane storage facilities in many different locations, including Roswell, where at the Roswell International Air Center, there are up to 200 planes just sitting on the ground, waiting to be used by their owners.
I visited this facility on Wednesday, as part of Road Trip 2007, my journey around the Southwest, and I expect to post a full gallery Thursday.
For now, though, know that I got my 747 fix there, as I got to see at least two of them up close, including one whose engines were sitting on the ground, directly in front of it, and technicians were expected to put them back on at any minute.
Oh, and there were other planes there, too. There were also MD-11s, MD-80s, L-1011s, DC-8s, 727s, a 737 and more.
Ah, planes. How I do love them.
I wasn't allowed into Pinal Air Park, near Tucson, so to take this image of a row of 747s parked there, I used Canon's 70-300mm telephoto lens.
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)TUCSON, ARIZ.--For more than a week now, I've been on Road Trip 2007, my journey around the Southwest visiting various science and technology-related sites, and I've been having a great time.
I've toured the nearly-hidden tunnels that go underneath the Las Vegas Strip, and braved my fear of heights on the Grand Canyon Skywalk. And I've peered into the Earth's past, and a scary future, at Arizona's Meteor Crater.
All the while, I've also been ferrying around a box full of high-tech gadgets to review, and I've been road-testing them as I go. It's been a busy trip so far, and I haven't had a chance to use them all, though I hope to.
But the tech gear that's been the most useful so far, even, dare I say, indispensable, are the two lenses Canon lent me to use with my own personal Rebel XT digital SLR.
They are a 10-22mm ultra-wide zoom and a 70-300mm telephoto zoom.
The Canon 10-22mm and 70-300mm lenses I've been using have been a terrific addition to the stock 18-55mm lens that came with my Rebel XT.
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)Now, I will admit I am not a camera junkie, and I will never get around to using these lenses in all the many ways I could. I think I take good pictures, but most of the time it's using the most minimal of settings.
But with these two lenses, I feel as if I've expanded my repertoire exponentially, and I wish I had the cash to buy each of these for myself since, sadly, I have to return them when I get home.
This picture of Arizona's Meteor Crater was taken using the Canon 10-22mm zoom lens, which allowed me to capture almost the entirety of the crater.
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)The telephoto lens has been great in helping me do things like shoot pictures of the 747s parked at Pinal Air Base north of Tucson, a place I couldn't get into for a visit. But I really wanted some pictures, so I pulled off on a side road, popped on the 70-300mm lens, and snapped away.
The real star of the trip has been the 10-22mm lens, however. I've actually been using this lens in place of the stock 18-55mm lens, even when I suspect it isn't quite the right gear for the job. I just like what I can see through it so much.
I'm also sure these lenses have their deficiencies, but I haven't found them yet, though I admit I may not be qualified to judge what is missing about them.
In the end, I would say that for amateur photographers, these two lenses are a terrific addition, and I would feel very comfortable recommending them.
At the Pinal Air Park in Marana, Ariz. is a parking lot for commercial airliners, including a large number of 747s.
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)MARANA, Ariz.--I was driving down Interstate 10 today, on my way from Phoenix to Tucson, where, as part of my Road Trip around the Southwest, I am visiting the airplane boneyards of the Pima Air and Space Museum and Davis Monthan Air Force Base's famous Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), as well as the Titan Missile Museum.
But as I was driving along I-10, I noticed a whole bunch of airplane tails rising above the low trees. This instantly reminded me of last summer, on my trip around the Pacific Northwest, when I discovered the Japan Airlines 747 pilots training facility.
I was really hoping to arrange a quick tour, so I took the proper exit, drove to the facility and announced my intention. It seemed to be all the security guard could do not to laugh when he told me the public is not allowed. I told him I was a reporter, and he gave me a number to call to see about arranging a visit, but he didn't look optimistic.
I called, and found that the person I needed to talk to was busy, so, being an intrepid reporter, I left, took the nearest side road, drove as close as I could, and snapped a couple of pictures.
They're not great, I understand, but boy are there a lot of 747s at this place, and the pictures sort of capture that. In truth, I've never seen so many 747s, even at the factory in Everett, Wash., where they're made.
I have to leave now, but if they do decide to let me in, you will be the first to know about it.
Without entry to the facility, it is only possible to see the planes from afar.
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