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Boeing 737-800 (N8550Q) - On the climb from 34L.
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Boeing 737-800 (N8550Q)

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On the climb from 34L.

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Gary SchenauerPhoto Uploader
When this pic was clicked, Runway 34L-16R was the only one of RNO's three runways that was open. Overnight, snow had fallen and the crews had been able to keep both parallels plowed and open. But at around 4 AM, the falling snow changed over into a heavy and steady freezing rain. Within 90 minutes, everything was coated with a thick layer of ice. Because both runways 34L-16R and 34R-16L; along with Taxiways Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie; had been repeatedly plowed, there was no build up of snow on them ... so the ice built up directly on the runway and taxiway surfaces. I was at the south end in the nighttime darkness taking pictures and I was amazed to see how quickly the thick ice layer would reform after the Conga Line passed by. As the first aircraft of the new day loaded passengers and were then being deiced for the morning departures, it became readily apparent that the plow crews simply were not going to be able to keep both runways and the three taxiways open. About 30 minutes before the first aircraft, a FDX Fifty Seven, was scheduled to take off, the RNO Ops Supervisor directed that Runway 34R-16L and Taxiway Bravo be closed and that plow crews focus all their efforts on removing the constantly re-accumulating ice from 34L-16R, Alpha, and Charlie. The ice storm became so thick that, at one point, all Conga Line plows formed up in front of an aircraft that had just finished being deiced on November Pad and then plowed ahead of the paxbird as it taxied south on Alpha to 34L. Then, the Line went down the length of 34L while the pax jet lined up. As soon as the Line was off the runway, the flight was cleared to go. RNO Ops was repeatedly cruising up and down the three open aircraft passageways and everywhere I looked there were plows, brooms, and even a blower going back and forth. I really though the airport was going to have to be closed, but as a dull daylight slowly began illuminating the area it was apparent that the crews were doing a fabulous job of removing the ice as fast as it was falling. About an hour after daylight, the temperature went up a few degrees but it was enough that the falling ice became falling rain. Once that happened, the only casualty was me when I slipped on the ice at the perimeter fence and went down on my keester. I truly admired the hard work performed by the plow crews that kept the airport open and running without incident.
a mentor
great story @Gary :-)
Gavin Hughes
As we'd say, 'Strewth, what a morning'! 5 star story to go with a 5 star shot.
Joan Williams
Great shot!
cliff731
Gary... You should have *F*I*V*E* stars just for personal grit and dogged determination!!!
BigAlOutWest
Beautiful!
Darryl Sarno
Fantastic shot and Great story Gary! 5 *'s!
Robert Jarwin
What's the purpose of the up taper on the end of the wings...stability? Just curious and thank you
hjet
Those are called "Winglets" They help keep the airflow over the wing, shorter runway performance especially at high elevation airports on hot days, better time to climb thus getting the aircraft to a higher altitude quicker to allow less fuel burn.
fholbert
Every week we see outstanding pictures from Reno. Thanks! 5 Stars.
adelma
Great story and photo, Gary. You have to have been there to appreciate what all were going through!
Gary SchenauerPhoto Uploader
Cliff, Gavin, a mentor, Dean W., Big Al, Darryl, hjet, fholbert, and adelma >>> TYVM for your comments / complis.
fholbert >>> Have you ever attended the Silver Springs Fly-In? It is no longer being held but it was an annual two-day event up until five or six years ago. Reason I'm asking is because I was always there and caught many hundreds of attendee aircraft on approach, and I see you've participated in many such gatherings and Fly Ins so if you were ever at SPZ then perhaps I caught a click of you arriving. ??
ACTIVITY LOG
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Date Aircraft Origin Destination Departure Arrival Duration
29-Mar-2024 B738Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl ()Portland Intl () 20:25 MST 22:50 PDT Scheduled
29-Mar-2024 B738Austin-Bergstrom Intl ()Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl () 18:55 CDT 19:10 MST Scheduled
29-Mar-2024 B738Will Rogers World ()Austin-Bergstrom Intl () 16:45 CDT 17:45 CDT Scheduled
29-Mar-2024 B738Denver Intl ()Will Rogers World () 13:25 MDT 15:33 CDT Scheduled
29-Mar-2024 B738San Diego Intl ()Denver Intl () 09:15 PDT 12:15 MDT Scheduled
29-Mar-2024 B738Tucson Intl ()San Diego Intl () 07:10 MST 08:10 PDT Scheduled
28-Mar-2024 B738Harry Reid Intl ()Tucson Intl () 22:19 PDT 23:24 MST Scheduled
28-Mar-2024 B738Sacramento Intl ()Harry Reid Intl () 20:09 PDT 21:24 PDT Scheduled
28-Mar-2024 B738Harry Reid Intl ()Sacramento Intl () 17:49 PDT 19:14 PDT Scheduled
28-Mar-2024 B738Denver Intl ()Harry Reid Intl () 15:55 MDT 16:54 PDT Scheduled
28-Mar-2024 B738Baltimore/Washington Intl ()Denver Intl () 13:03 EDT 14:32 MDT On The Way!
28-Mar-2024 B738Pittsburgh Intl ()Baltimore/Washington Intl () 10:55 EDT 11:38 EDT 0:42
28-Mar-2024 B738Orlando Intl ()Pittsburgh Intl () 07:53 EDT 09:34 EDT 1:40
27-Mar-2024 B738Austin-Bergstrom Intl ()Orlando Intl () 20:45 CDT 23:41 EDT 1:56
27-Mar-2024 B738Valley Intl ()Austin-Bergstrom Intl () 18:09 CDT 19:00 CDT 0:50
27-Mar-2024 B738Austin-Bergstrom Intl ()Valley Intl () 16:18 CDT 17:06 CDT 0:47
27-Mar-2024 B738Metro Oakland Intl ()Austin-Bergstrom Intl () 10:14 PDT 15:04 CDT 2:49
27-Mar-2024 B738San Diego Intl ()Metro Oakland Intl () 07:53 PDT 09:02 PDT 1:08
26-Mar-2024 B738William P Hobby ()San Diego Intl () 21:06 CDT 22:25 PDT 3:19
26-Mar-2024 B738Hartsfield-Jackson Intl ()William P Hobby () 18:55 EDT 20:07 CDT 2:12
26-Mar-2024 B738LaGuardia ()Hartsfield-Jackson Intl () 15:08 EDT 17:14 EDT 2:06
26-Mar-2024 B738Kansas City Intl ()LaGuardia () 10:35 CDT 13:51 EDT 2:16
26-Mar-2024 B738Nashville Intl ()Kansas City Intl () 07:51 CDT 09:09 CDT 1:18
25-Mar-2024 B738Austin-Bergstrom Intl ()Nashville Intl () 22:01 CDT 23:25 CDT 1:24
25-Mar-2024 B738Kansas City Intl ()Austin-Bergstrom Intl () 19:17 CDT 21:06 CDT 1:48
25-Mar-2024 B738Reagan National ()Kansas City Intl () 16:33 EDT 17:43 CDT 2:10
25-Mar-2024 B738Kansas City Intl ()Reagan National () 12:24 CDT 15:25 EDT 2:01
25-Mar-2024 B738Metro Oakland Intl ()Kansas City Intl () 06:14 PDT 11:20 CDT 3:05
25-Mar-2024 B738Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl ()Metro Oakland Intl () 00:22 MST 02:01 PDT 1:39
24-Mar-2024 B738Eppley Airfield ()Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl () 22:53 CDT 23:19 MST 2:25
24-Mar-2024 B38MHarry Reid Intl ()Eppley Airfield () 17:49 PDT 22:03 CDT 2:14
24-Mar-2024 B738Salt Lake City Intl ()Harry Reid Intl () 16:27 MDT 16:24 PDT 0:57
24-Mar-2024 B738Daugherty Field ()Salt Lake City Intl () 12:47 PDT 15:13 MDT 1:25
24-Mar-2024 B738Metro Oakland Intl ()Daugherty Field () 10:32 PDT 11:31 PDT 0:59
24-Mar-2024 B738Harry Reid Intl ()Metro Oakland Intl () 07:55 PDT 09:00 PDT 1:05
24-Mar-2024 B738San Francisco Int'l ()Harry Reid Intl () 05:40 PDT 06:46 PDT 1:06
23-Mar-2024 B738Harry Reid Intl ()San Francisco Int'l () 20:39 PDT 21:59 PDT 1:20
23-Mar-2024 B738Fort Lauderdale Intl ()Harry Reid Intl () 17:09 EDT 19:16 PDT 5:06
23-Mar-2024 B738Kansas City Intl ()Fort Lauderdale Intl () 11:17 CDT 14:54 EDT 2:37
23-Mar-2024 B738Hartsfield-Jackson Intl ()Kansas City Intl () 08:59 EDT 09:37 CDT 1:37
23-Mar-2024 B738Austin-Bergstrom Intl ()Hartsfield-Jackson Intl () 05:10 CDT 07:48 EDT 1:38
22-Mar-2024 B738Chicago Midway Intl ()Austin-Bergstrom Intl () 22:07 CDT 00:22 CDT (+1) 2:14
22-Mar-2024 B738Eppley Airfield ()Chicago Midway Intl () 19:42 CDT 20:44 CDT 1:01
22-Mar-2024 B738Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl ()Eppley Airfield () 14:43 MST 18:52 CDT 2:08
22-Mar-2024 B738San Diego Intl ()Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl () 12:37 PDT 13:26 MST 0:49
22-Mar-2024 B738Metro Oakland Intl ()San Diego Intl () 10:13 PDT 11:18 PDT 1:05
22-Mar-2024 B738William P Hobby ()Metro Oakland Intl () 06:34 CDT 08:27 PDT 3:52
21-Mar-2024 B738Orlando Intl ()William P Hobby () 22:28 EDT 23:43 CDT 2:15
21-Mar-2024 B738Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Intl ()Orlando Intl () 19:17 CDT 21:30 EDT 1:13
21-Mar-2024 B738Harry Reid Intl ()Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Intl () 13:02 PDT 18:12 CDT 3:09
21-Mar-2024 B738Portland Intl ()Harry Reid Intl () 09:48 PDT 11:34 PDT 1:46
21-Mar-2024 B738Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl ()Portland Intl () 06:06 MST 08:27 PDT 2:20
20-Mar-2024 B738Harry Reid Intl ()Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl () 20:48 PDT 21:37 MST 0:48
20-Mar-2024 B738Bozeman Yellowstone Intl ()Harry Reid Intl () 18:30 MDT 19:07 PDT 1:36
20-Mar-2024 B738Denver Intl ()Bozeman Yellowstone Intl () 16:14 MDT 17:31 MDT 1:17
20-Mar-2024 B738Harry Reid Intl ()Denver Intl () 12:24 PDT 14:50 MDT 1:25
20-Mar-2024 B738Dallas Love Fld ()Harry Reid Intl () 10:39 CDT 11:16 PDT 2:37
20-Mar-2024 B738LaGuardia ()Dallas Love Fld () 06:26 EDT 08:55 CDT 3:28
19-Mar-2024 B738Chicago Midway Intl ()LaGuardia () 20:22 CDT 23:00 EDT 1:37
19-Mar-2024 B738Orlando Intl ()Chicago Midway Intl () 17:36 EDT 19:02 CDT 2:26
19-Mar-2024 B738Syracuse Hancock Intl ()Orlando Intl () 13:52 EDT 16:11 EDT 2:19
19-Mar-2024 B738Orlando Intl ()Syracuse Hancock Intl () 10:20 EDT 12:44 EDT 2:23
19-Mar-2024 B738Chicago Midway Intl ()Orlando Intl () 05:33 CDT 08:33 EDT 2:00
18-Mar-2024 B738Tampa Intl ()Chicago Midway Intl () 22:33 EDT 23:51 CDT 2:18
18-Mar-2024 B738Denver Intl ()Tampa Intl () 16:53 MDT 21:49 EDT 2:56
18-Mar-2024 B738Tampa Intl ()Denver Intl () 13:58 EDT 15:35 MDT 3:36
18-Mar-2024 B738Nashville Intl ()Tampa Intl () 10:09 CDT 12:38 EDT 1:29
18-Mar-2024 B738St Louis Lambert Intl ()Nashville Intl () 08:17 CDT 09:03 CDT 0:46
18-Mar-2024 B738Des Moines Intl ()St Louis Lambert Intl () 06:06 CDT 06:51 CDT 0:44
18-Mar-2024 B738St Louis Lambert Intl ()Des Moines Intl () 01:08 CDT 01:51 CDT 0:43
17-Mar-2024 B738Fort Lauderdale Intl ()St Louis Lambert Intl () 19:47 EDT 21:16 CDT 2:29
17-Mar-2024 B738Punta Cana Int'l ()Fort Lauderdale Intl () 15:50 AST 18:14 EDT 2:24
17-Mar-2024 B738Fort Lauderdale Intl ()Punta Cana Int'l () 12:30 EDT 14:27 AST 1:56
17-Mar-2024 B738St Louis Lambert Intl ()Fort Lauderdale Intl () 06:23 CDT 09:43 EDT 2:19
16-Mar-2024 B738Punta Cana Int'l ()St Louis Lambert Intl () 15:10 AST 18:30 CDT 4:20
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