AVnerd from Cebu

20/07/2026

Wohoo! Congratulations, Philippine Airlines! Can't wait to spot the Dreamliner sporting the Sunriser livery!

Flying into the future in style and celebrating 80 years of partnership.

Thank you, Philippine Airlines, for committing to order up to 20 787 jets. These 787-10s will help PAL expand service across Asia and beyond with improved fuel efficiency and elevated passenger comfort. ✈️🌏

Release: https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2026-07-20-Boeing-and-Philippine-Airlines-Announce-Commitment-for-up-to-20-787-Dreamliner-Jets

20/07/2026

Not your average Global. 👀

Some aircraft have a way of standing out without relying on colorful liveries or special anniversary decals.

This is one of them.

From a distance, it still carries the familiar lines of a Bombardier Global 6500. Beyond that, its appearance speaks for itself. No need to overcomplicate it.

Getting the shot wasn't exactly straightforward, either. At 300mm on my Sigma, I was already asking a lot from the setup, and the heat haze certainly wasn't doing me any favors. Even so, I'm still happy to have this one in the collection.

I always enjoy photographing aircraft that quietly have a character all their own, and this is definitely one of them. 📸✈️

Operator: N/A
Flight: N/A
Aircraft Type: Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global 6500
Powerplants: 2× Rolls-Royce Pearl 15
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Gear: Canon EOS 800D + SIGMA DG 70-300mm f/4-5.6

19/07/2026

Part 5 of the Neo Series. ✨✈️

And finally... my first STARLUX post. 🥳

I've always thought "Starwalker" had to be one of the coolest airline callsigns around, so it was only a matter of time before STARLUX found its way onto my page.

This is B-58207 departing Cebu for Taipei as JX782. Like every A321neo in STARLUX's fleet, it's powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines rather than the Pratt & Whitney geared turbofans found on Cebu Pacific's Neos. Same aircraft family, different approach.

It also marks Part 5 of the Neo Series, which has been quietly growing in the background over the past few months. There are still a few regular visitors left to catch, so the hunt is far from over.
One more airline checked off, and one more Neo added to the collection. 📸✈️

Airline: STARLUX Airlines / JX / SJX
Flight: JX782 / CEB - TPE
Aircraft Type: Airbus A321-252NX / B-58207
Powerplants: 2× CFM International LEAP-1A32
Age: 3.8 Years (Delivered September 2022 / MSN 10620)
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Date taken: July 15, 2026
Airport: Mactan-Cebu International Airport / RPVM / CEB
Gear: Canon EOS 800D + Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD

18/07/2026

Neo Duo. 💙💛

Sometimes the airport has a way of repeating itself.

RP-C4148 was the first to depart for Davao as 5J599. Around half an hour later, RP-C4127 followed on 5J4503 to the very same destination.

On paper they're almost identical. Both are Airbus A321neos, both wear the same Cebu Pacific colors, and both were flying the same route. The biggest difference is their age. RP-C4148 only joined the fleet in late 2025, while RP-C4127 has been flying since 2022.

I found it oddly satisfying watching the same story play out twice in such a short span of time. It wasn't a rare aircraft or an unusual visitor, just two Neos doing exactly what they were built to do.

Sometimes the ordinary can be just as interesting as the unexpected. ✈️

Airline: Cebu Pacific Air / 5J / CEB
Flight: 5J599 / CEB - DVO
Flight: 5J4503 / CEB - DVO
Aircraft Type: Airbus A321-271NX / RP-C4148 / RP-C4127
Powerplants: 2× Pratt & Whitney PW1133G-JM
RP-C4148 Age: 0.5 Years (Delivered November 2025 / MSN 12884
RP-C4127 Age: 4.3 Years (Delivered March 2022 / MSN 10943)
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Date taken: July 04, 2026
Airport: Mactan-Cebu International Airport / RPVM / CEB
Gear: Canon EOS 800D + Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD

17/07/2026

The Cathay Queen. 👀👑

11 YEARS AGO, when Manila had 9 regularly scheduled carriers utilizing the Queen of the Skies. In a flash, they were all gone. Nowadays, we're lucky to get one.

One of my favorite memories from then was seeing CX, PR, and DL lined up on taxiway C for runway 06 - the sound those quad-Pratts, quad-Rolls, and quad-GEs made was unforgettable!

IN PHOTO: B-HUJ, a Boeing 747-467 of Hong Kong Airline Cathay Pacific, waiting for her turn to depart Manila as CX 906. Not too far behind, another Jumbo Jet of Taiwanese carrier China Airlines looks on. To me, this former livery of the airline, fondly called the "Brushwing", is an icon closely associated with the 747. As the Jumbo Jet slowly flies into the sunset, we look back at how much they've changed the world. From flying people to moments that matter most, and making air travel accessible to everyone, to bringing in much needed and lifesaving supplies, she is not only the most beautiful aircraft in the world - she's the 747, the Queen of the Skies.

16/07/2026

Another Triple Seven. ✈️

I wasn't expecting to add another Boeing 777 to the list that day.

EVA Air almost always sends an Airbus A330-300 on its Cebu route, so seeing B-16729, a Boeing 777-300ER, preparing for its return flight to Taipei was a pretty welcome surprise. Unfortunately, I didn't make it in time for the arrival, but I wasn't about to miss the departure.

That also makes EVA Air the fourth Boeing 777 operator I've managed to photograph, alongside Philippine Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Emirates. It's a small milestone, but it's satisfying seeing the collection slowly grow one airline at a time.

The 777-300ER is EVA Air's flagship long-haul aircraft, so seeing one step in for a route that's usually handled by an A330 was a nice change of pace.

It was also nice catching up with my buddy SPOTs by Marvin over at Coffee Spot - Kagudoy LLC. An unexpected 777, good company, and an afternoon around airplanes is always a great combination.

Here's hoping Triple Seven operator number five isn't too far away. 📸✈️

Airline: EVA Airways Corp. 長榮航空 / BR / EVA
Flight: BR282 / CEB - TPE
Aircraft Type: Boeing 777-35E(ER) / B-16729
Powerplants: 2× General Electric GE90-115B
Age: 9.9 Years (Delivered September 2016 / MSN 61601)

Date: July 15, 2026
Airport: Mactan-Cebu International Airport / RPVM / CEB
Gear: Canon EOS 800D + Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD

16/07/2026

More than just another Neo. 💚✈️

This is Cebu Pacific's RP-C4141 arriving from Manila as 5J581, one of the airline's newer Airbus A321neos and part of its growing fleet modernization program.

At first glance it looks much like any other A321neo, but there's an interesting detail hiding in plain sight. Unlike the older A321ceos, this aircraft is built to Airbus' Cabin Flex (ACF) standard. The passenger doors just ahead of the wings have been replaced by pairs of overwing emergency exits, allowing airlines like Cebu Pacific to fit up to 236 seats while still meeting evacuation requirements.

RP-C4141 also has an interesting backstory. Instead of being assembled in Toulouse or Hamburg like many Airbus aircraft, it was built at Airbus' Final Assembly Line in Tianjin, China. It's a reminder that Airbus' production network now stretches far beyond Europe, with aircraft from different assembly lines ending up side by side in airline fleets around the world.

It's always fun learning that there's more to an aircraft than what first meets the eye. Whether it's where it was built or how its cabin was designed, every airframe has its own little story to tell. 📸✈️

Airline: Cebu Pacific / 5J / CEB
Flight: 5J581 / MNL - CEB
Aircraft Type: Airbus A321-271NX / RP-C4141
Powerplants: 2× Pratt & Whitney PW1133G-JM
Age: 2.7 Years (Delivered November 2023 / MSN 11538)

Date: July 02, 2026
Airport: Mactan-Cebu International Airport / RPVM / CEB
Gear: Canon EOS 800D + Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD

14/07/2026

One registration. Two runways. 📸🛬

This is 9V-MBL making another appearance on my page.

The first photo was taken on approach to Runway 04L and later became one of my first images accepted into JetPhotos. This newer one was captured from the exact same spotting location at Mactan Town Center, but with the airport operating on Runway 04R instead.

Funny enough, I only realized while putting this post together that both photos were taken on the 5th of the month, exactly two months apart. Completely unplanned.

Same aircraft. Same camera. Different runway, different lens, and very different conditions. The first photo was taken while the aircraft passed much closer overhead, so I barely needed any zoom with my Sigma 70-300mm. This time, I was using my Tamron lens from much farther away, and the afternoon heat haze had plenty to say about the final image.

Even so, I thought it'd be fun to put them side by side. It's a nice reminder that every photo is shaped by a combination of things. The gear matters, but so do the runway in use, your distance from the aircraft, and even the air between you and your subject.

Still happy to have 9V-MBL back in front of the camera. 📸

P.S. Sorry I haven't posted much lately. I've been taking a little break from everything, getting some much-needed rest, and finally having my gear cleaned. Hopefully, regular spotting posts will be back soon. 📸

Airline: Singapore Airlines / SQ / SIA
Flight: SQ900 / SIN - CEB
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737 MAX 8 / 9V-MBL
Powerplants: 2× CFM International LEAP-1B
Age: 6.8 Years (Delivered February 2022 / MSN 44256)
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Date taken (respectively): May 5, 2026 and July 5, 2026
Airport: Mactan-Cebu International Airport / RPVM / CEB
Gear: Canon EOS 800D + SIGMA DG 70-300mm f/4-5.6 + Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD

09/07/2026

A catch I almost missed. 🇺🇸✈️

The day before I took these photos, I heard a pair of aircraft passing overhead on my way home. At first, I assumed they were just a couple of Philippine Air Force Black Hawks. Then I caught a glimpse of one of the tails.

An Osprey.

By the time I realized what I'd just seen, they were already gone. I honestly thought I'd missed the catch of a lifetime.

So the next day, I headed back out with one goal in mind and hoped they'd return.

Thankfully, they did.

Seeing a U.S. Navy CMV-22B Osprey in person for the first time was already something special. Getting to photograph not one, but two of them, made the wait more than worth it.

They're unlike almost anything else in the sky, combining the vertical takeoff and landing capability of a helicopter with the speed and range of a turboprop aircraft.

Looking back, I'm really glad I decided to head back out the next day. Otherwise, these photos would've never happened. 📸

Operator: U.S. Navy
Flight: N/A
Aircraft Type: Bell-Boeing CMV-22B Osprey
Powerplants: 2× Rolls-Royce AE 1107C
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Gear: Canon EOS 800D + Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD