Ian Kluft ✅✈️🎈🌋I think this is rare for Portland, but not unheard of - a second brand new green Boeing in one day, on its first flight coming for paint. (The Boeing paint hangar in Portland has capacity for 2 planes at a time.) This time it's a 737 MAX9. The painted rudder looks to me like it's going to Aeroméxico. This morning I drove to the airport; this time I took my bicycle and got it from a spot where there's no public parking available. #KPDX #aviation #travel #avgeek #PNW
30 minutes after the green MAX9 arrival, there was a bonus #avgeek sighting. I got cell phone video of a Cathay Pacific Cargo Boeing 747-8F landing on Runway 10R. In those 30 minutes, winds turned around the runway directions and I didn't have time to bicycle around to the other side of the airport. In the background are trusses of the I-5 Interstate Bridge between Portland OR and Vancouver WA, and to the right of it are high-rise buildings in downtown Vancouver WA. #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Here's today's game of "Name that livery", which we all try to figure out the customer based on a painted rudder on an otherwise-unpainted plane. This is a Boeing 737 MAX8. It landed at Portland #KPDX Runway 28L since that's closest to the Boeing paint hangar. This one appears to me to be for SCAT Airlines of Kazakhstan. We'll know for sure if someone catches it on the way out of painting in some days. #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Video of this afternoon's green/unpainted Boeing 737 MAX8 arrival at Portland Airport #KPDX Runway 28L for painting. When we see these, it's usually the first-ever flight of that aircraft out of the Renton WA factory. The painted rudder leads me to think this is going to SCAT Airlines of Kazakhstan. #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Another brand-new green Boeing 737 MAX8 was flown to Portland #KPDX for painting this afternoon on its first flight out of the Renton #KRNT factory. Based on the painted rudder, this one appears to me to be going to Malaysia Airlines. I didn't have as good a vantage point since the wind & weather turned the runways around. It landed on Runway 10R. #aviation #travel #avgeek #PNW
A new Boeing 737 MAX8 departed from the Boeing paint hangar at Portland Int'l Airport #KPDX today. The customer is SCAT Airlines of Kazakhstan, which we wouldn't normally see at PDX. I think this is the same one I posted pics + video arriving unpainted on May 31. At this point the plane is still owned by Boeing. It departed for Boeing Field in Seattle where the purchase and customer delivery will presumably occur. https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE156/history/20250612/1645Z/KPDX/KBFI #aviation #travel #business #avgeek #PNW
Video: takeoff of newly-painted Boeing 737 MAX8 of SCAT Airlines (Kazakhstan) on Runway 28L at Portland Int'l Airport #KPDX heading to Boeing Field #KBFI in Seattle for customer delivery. Also continued the video pan to show an IcelandAir 757 in its overnight parking spot awaiting this afternoon's scheduled return flight to Reykjavik. #aviation #travel #avgeek
Video: a brand-new unpainted Boeing 737 MAX8 arrived at Portland Int'l Airport #KPDX on its first flight out of the Renton factory today. It was coming to Boeing's PDX paint hangar. Based on the painted rudder and winglets, I couldn't immediately tell which airline is the customer for this plane. It could be a custom livery, leasing company or private buyer. #aviation #travel #avgeek #PNW
Here's a cropped frame-grab from my video of the brand-new unpainted Boeing 737 MAX8 which arrived at Portland Int'l Airport #KPDX today. I didn't find an obvious match for which airline it's going to, based on the painted rudder and winglets. #aviation #travel #avgeek #PNW
From home in Portland I saw a green unpainted Boeing 737 MAX8 on final approach to Portland Int'l #KPDX, coming from the 737 factory in Renton #KRNT, Washington. The pre-painted rudder and winglets appear to be from AJet of Turkey. This is usually the first flight of the aircraft by Boeing test pilots. It's going to Boeing's Portland paint hangar which handles overflow when the Seattle-area paint hangars are booked. #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Spotted from my backyard in Portland: an unpainted green (vinyl protective coating from the factory) Boeing 777-200LR freighter on final approach to Portland Int'l Airport #KPDX coming from the Boeing Everett Factory at Paine Field #KPAE on this aircraft's first flight. After landing it taxied to Boeing's Portland Paint Hangar. The rudder was unpainted. But ADS-B indicated the plane will be registered in UAE upon customer delivery. #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Viewed from my backyard, a new Boeing 737 MAX9 with pre-painted rudder indicating this one will be going to United Airlines. It came from Boeing's 737 factory in Renton WA #KRNT. This one was different because it did 2 touch-and-go's on Portland #KPDX Runway 28R before landing on Runway 28L, nearest to the Boeing paint hangar. I would have missed some pics if I had been at the airport, without enough time to reposition to the other runway. #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Spotted flying into Portland #KPDX this afternoon: a brand new green unpainted Boeing 737 MAX9 on its first flight out of the factory in Renton #KRNT. It came to the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar, which Boeing uses for overflow capacity when all the Seattle-area paint hangars (at RNT PAE BFI) are booked. The pre-painted rudder and winglets indicate this aircraft's customer is United Airlines. #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane #aviation #avgeek #PNW
I bicycled to Portland Airport #KPDX this afternoon. Here's the same Boeing 777-200LR/F freighter which arrived as an #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane on July 10, now painted in Emirates Sky Cargo livery. Though it's still owned by Boeing at this point. The plane flew to Boeing Field #KBFI in Seattle where purchase and customer delivery are routinely the next steps. #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Takeoff on Runway 28L at Portland Airport #KPDX of a Boeing 777-200LR/F freighter fresh out of the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar. This is probably the plane's second flight. Its first flight was July 10 from the Boeing Everett factory at Paine Field #KPAE to Portland for painting. Today it flew to Boeing Field #KBFI in Seattle where the customer will complete the purchase and take delivery. #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Planespotting from home this afternoon, I got pics of a brand new green Boeing 737 MAX8 inbound from the 737 factory in Renton #KRNT. It was on final approach to Portland Int'l #KPDX. After landing, ADS-B showed it taxied to the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar as expected. The pre-painted rudder looks like this plane's buyer is SCAT Airlines of Kazakhstan. ADS-B data agreed, showing a KZ reg. I saw another SCAT arrive May 31 & leave June 12. #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane #aviation #avgeek #PNW
An unpainted green Boeing 737 MAX8 flew by today on its way to the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar. I got pictures from home as it flew by about a mile away on final approach to Portland #KPDX Runway 28L. The pre-painted rudder indicates this one may be for Arajet of the Dominican Republic. Since it flew in from Moses Lake, Washington #KMWH, it was likely coming from storage, not the factory. (Orders may change for stored planes.) #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane #aviation #avgeek #PNW
A mystery unpainted green plane I spotted today inbound to Portland Int'l #KPDX was a Boeing 737 MAX8. The pre-painted rudder and winglets are the only hints at this point. It looks like this one will go to Enter Air, a charter airline of Poland. (ADS-B showed Polish registration.) Interestingly, Wikipedia doesn't show any current MAX8 orders for them. So either it needs an update or this may be an order by an aircraft leasing company. #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Spotted from home today in Portland: a brand new green unpainted Boeing 737 MAX8 on approach to Portland Int'l #KPDX on the aircraft's first flight out of the Boeing factory at Renton #KRNT. Each one is a new puzzle: I think this one is going to Norwegian Air Sweden due to the pre-painted rudder (with Norwegian Air Shuttle pattern) and the ADS-B data (indicating Swedish registration). It taxied to the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar. #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane #aviation #avgeek #PNW
This afternoon I spotted a green unpainted Boeing 737 MAX8 on approach to Portland #KPDX, coming from the Boeing 737 factory in Renton #KRNT. It was probably the plane's first flight. Callsign was Boeing 940. After landing it taxied to the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar. The pre-painted rudder and winglets look like this plane's customer is Oman Air. ADS-B also showed OM registration. #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Flights with indirect routing like today's are a big hint that a plane coming from Renton #KRNT to Portland #KPDX will probably turn out to be a new unpainted green plane on its first flight. Boeing test pilots fly out to eastern Washington State while putting the plane through the "test card" checklist. Many things to verify as working properly before they hand off a new aircraft to the customer's line pilots. https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE940/history/20250904/1615Z/KRNT/KPDX #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Something you don't see every day in Portland #KPDX... a Boeing 737 MAX8 of Norwegian Air Sweden. Except I already posted pics of this plane here. It arrived August 18 on its B1 flight as a green #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane. Now out of the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar on its second flight, it could be customer pilots testing on its C1 flight. It did two trips around the pattern at PDX before departing north to Boeing Field #KBFI in Seattle for customer delivery. #aviation #avgeek #PNW
I spotted an Oman Air Boeing 737 MAX8 in OneWorld special livery as it departed Portland Int'l Airport #KPDX. This brand new plane is still owned by Boeing, flying to Boeing Field #KBFI in Seattle for customer delivery. I posted pictures of this same aircraft on Sept 4 when it arrived as an #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane on its first flight. It was painted during the 12 days it was in Portland. #aviation #business #travel #avgeek #PNW
Another plane that seemingly doesn't belong here: FlyDubai 737 MAX8 departing Portland Int'l Airport #KPDX. This plane is brand new and not yet delivered to the airline. It arrived at the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar on Oct 17 from the Boeing 737 factory in Renton #KRNT. This is probably the plane's second flight. I'm guessing customer pilots are doing a "C1" acceptance flight test since Boeing test pilots already tested it and it's in eastern Washington for maneuvers. #aviation #travel #avgeek
I got pictures of a brand new Boeing 737 MAX8 on final approach to Portland Int'l Airport #KPDX. This is the recurring theme of 737 MAX planes arriving for painting in Portland. It's flown by Boeing test pilots on its first flight out of the Boeing Renton #KRNT factory. The mystery each time we see one of these is what airline it's going to. This time the pre-painted rudder indicates the customer is American Airlines. #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Spotted: brand new Boeing 737 MAX8 departing Portland Int'l Airport #KPDX. It came from the Boeing Paint Hangar wearing TUI livery and ADS-B indicating UK registration G-TUPC. It's flying with the callsign Boeing 911. Next step after its arrival at Seattle Boeing Field #KBFI will likely be "delivery" (payment and change of ownership) to the customer who will then ferry it home. #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Planespotting at PDX today: new green Boeing 737 MAX8 arrived as BOE941 on this aircraft's first flight out of the Renton factory, coming to Portland for painting. The pre-painted rudder indicates this plane was ordered by Oman Air. Also, before it arrived I saw Oman registration indicated on ADS-B tracking. #KPDX #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Spotted departing PDX today: brand new Boeing 737 MAX8 C-GMJV for Air Canada🇨🇦. It departed from the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar as BOE728. After flight test maneuvers over eastern Washington State, it landed at Seattle Boeing Field where customer delivery will occur. I decided not to wait at the airport for this plane to depart - the 777-9 was the primary goal. I got this picture a couple miles away at a station where I got off the MAX light rail. #aviation #travel #avgeek
Spotted arriving at PDX today: green/unpainted Boeing 737 MAX8 as BOE242 on final approach to Runway 28L. The pre-painted rudder looks like AeroMexico, though missing the stripes of standard livery. It transmitted ADS-B data indicating this plane will be registered in Mexico. This is the first flight of the aircraft, coming from the Boeing 737 factory in Renton #KRNT to the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar. #KPDX #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane #aviation #avgeek #PNW
Spotted at PDX this afternoon: green #UnpaintedAirplane #PicklePlane Boeing 737 MAX8 on its first flight out of the Renton factory, arriving at Portland #KPDX as Boeing 508 for painting at the Boeing paint hangar. The pre-painted rudder indicates this plane will go to American Airlines. And ADS-B telemetry also indicated AAL. #KPDX #aviation #travel #avgeek #PNW
This Pilatus PC-12 turboprop N21AU landing at Portland #KPDX would probably go mostly unnoticed... except for its radio callsign Boeing 21AU. This is a crew transport coming to pick up the test pilots from Boeing 508. It will take them back to Boeing Field #KBFI in Seattle where the flight test base is located. Either this plane or a Cessna 208 that Boeing flies for similar purpose shows up when planes are entering or exiting the PDX paint hangar. #aviation #travel #avgeek #PNW
Spotted at PDX this morning: green #UnpaintedAirplane Boeing 777-200LR freighter on its first flight out of the Everett PAE factory, seen here approaching Portland Int'l Airport PDX for painting. The rudder was not pre-painted, eliminating one hint which airline it will go to. ADS-B telemetry indicated this plane is for a customer in UAE. When combined with the list of current 777F orders, that narrows it down to Emirates SkyCargo. #PicklePlane #KPDX #aviation #travel #avgeek #PNW
Spotted departing PDX today: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner now in Lufthansa livery after a visit to the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar, flying as BOE845. This is line number 1011, among a bunch that some avgeeks have been tracking from a canceled Norwegian order which were all snapped up by Lufthansa to get ahead of 787 factory production timelines. By the time I noticed it was moving, it had lifted off, leaving me a few seconds to grab the camera. #KPDX #aviation #travel #avgeek #business #PNW
Next in line at the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar today: ex-AirEuropa 787-9 from a cancelled order (officially "NTU" not taken up) acquired by Lufthansa to get ahead of 787 factory production. This plane has been parked for almost 2 years waiting for a new buyer. Boeing test pilots ferried it from PAE to PDX. They did tests for 2 hours, including deploying the RAT (Ram Air Turbine) which can be seen behind the main gear and sounds like a propeller. #aviation #avgeek #travel #business #PNW
I got ~6mi/10km distant pictures of #UnpaintedAirplane Boeing 737 MAX8 N839AK as BOE866 on downwind leg of its approach to Runway 10R at Portland Int'l Airport #KPDX. This is a brand new plane on its "B1" flight (first flight of the airframe flown by Boeing test pilots) out of the factory in Renton #KRNT. The pre-painted rudder shows this plane will go to Alaska Airlines. I had not previously seen any Alaska planes coming to PDX for paint. #PicklePlane #aviation #travel #avgeek #PNW
Video of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner landing at Portland #KPDX on Runway 28L, as flight number BOE014. This plane was made for LOT Polish Airlines but for some reason wasn't delivered. Lufthansa has bought the plane. Boeing flew it from parking at SKF to PDX. The propeller sound on landing is from the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), which the Boeing test pilots deployed during flight, checking all the systems. It will be repainted for Lufthansa in the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar. #aviation #travel #avgeek
Another one? Already? A brand-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner landed in Portland #KPDX from the 787 factory in Charleston #KCHS, as BOE758. Other avgeeks figured out this mostly-white plane, except flower petals on the tail, is LN1303 for China Airlines (Taiwan). Since both bays of the Boeing PDX Paint Hangar are full, also 787-9s, it may have been ferried for paint early because Boeing's parking ramp is full at CHS but not at PDX. LN1303 had its first flight April 30. #aviation #travel #avgeek
After 15 days in the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar, the 3rd Boeing 787-9 (or any type 787) for China Airlines of Taiwan departed #KPDX as BOE758 for Kelly Field #KSKF in San Antonio, for either pre-delivery interior work or parking. I didn't have time to get to the airport - so these pictures are from home at a distance of 5 miles while taxiing and 8 miles on departure. It's just enough to confirm they actually did paint the plane while it was here. #aviation #travel #avgeek
Video of landing roll of a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner as Boeing 751 on Runway 28R at Portland International Airport #KPDX. It arrived wearing the livery of LOT Polish Airlines, but was an NTU (not taken up/cancelled order). This is line number LN1046 - it was parked at San Antonio Kelly Field #KSKF in Texas for over 2 years waiting for a buyer. It taxied to the Boeing Portland Paint Hangar, where it will be repainted for Lufthansa and start on interior rework. #aviation #travel #avgeek
View of Boeing Portland Paint Hangar from the Columbia River levee bike path: two 787-9 Dreamliners parked in front of the hangar, one newly-painted for Lufthansa and one behind it just arrived in LOT Polish Airlines livery but will be repainted for Lufthansa.
On the far right, a 737 MAX9 missing a door plug is N704AL from Alaska 1282 blowout. It has (so far) never left PDX since that day. Alaska returned it to Boeing ownership in exchange for a MAX10 order. #KPDX #aviation #travel #avgeek
On the far right, a 737 MAX9 missing a door plug is N704AL from Alaska 1282 blowout. It has (so far) never left PDX since that day. Alaska returned it to Boeing ownership in exchange for a MAX10 order. #KPDX #aviation #travel #avgeek
Thomas Sturm@ikluft I'm surprised that a plane could get all the way through the paint job and THEN the airline decides not to pick it up.
@tsturm Yeah. I don't know the story behind the NTUs for LOT. But some of the others Lufthansa snagged were from Norwegian. In that case, it's well known that Norwegian Long Haul went out of business while the planes were in production. Once the far-flung factories get the orders for parts, that airframe will be built.
While contract details are usually not made public, it's easy to tell the deposit paid upon ordering is meant to cover situations like this where Boeing has to find a new buyer.
@ikluft They'll probably also have to redo all the Polish/English decals across the plane to German - and maybe even redo the seating?
What a pain that must be.
@tsturm Yes. The seating actually made news because Lufthansa had its own delays getting regulatory approval for fancy new seats. Lufthansa decided to have their own Technik division install the seats at their Malta site.
But that process is nearing done. The ex-LOT plane that landed in Portland today is currently the last NTU 787 that Boeing needed to reactivate from storage for delivery work.
To quote Battlestar Galactica, "This has all happened before. It will all happen again."
@tsturm Some of the interior work you expect is probably part of the reason why these NTU-to-Lufthansa 787-9s are spending 6-12 weeks in Portland. They're obviously getting more work done in the hangar than just paint, which takes ~2 weeks for a 787.