Summary
- United Airlines flew its brand new Airbus A321neo in an in-air photoshoot over the Bay Area on Friday.
- The aircraft was recently delivered to United and has been undergoing test flights.
- It flew around the Bay Area with no apparent flight plan, capturing attention from aviation enthusiasts.
New media of United Airlines’ brand new Airbus A321neo will showcase the aircraft in stunning fashion, as it recently completed an in-air photoshoot. Originating from San Francisco International Airport (SFO), the plane operated a flight over the Bay Area with a chase plane behind it capturing its moves.
The aircraft flew in a path of several directions but notably passed by the Golden Gate Bridge many times, which some believe will be the feature of a new ad or promo put out by the Chicago-based airline. Photoshoots in the sky are not new for United, as the airline also has media of a new Boeing 737 MAX while inflight.
A flight path, or lack thereof
United took delivery of its shiny new A321neo, registered as N44501, from Hamburg, Germany, last month after completing a series of test flights. Since arriving in the US, the aircraft has been performing additional test flights to likely get crew members trained and familiar with the plane type, considering it is a brand new model to the Chicago-based airline’s fleet.
Photo: Flightradar24.com
Among the test flights was a particular flight out of SFO on Friday. According to data from Flightradar24.com, N44501 spent the afternoon flying around the Bay Area as UA3827. With no apparent flight plan, the aircraft passed near Downtown San Francisco, along the coast, and out over the Pacific Ocean.
“Flying over the Golden Gate”
Several aviation enthusiasts, seeing the A321neo above, noticed a smaller jet right behind it. Users on the Professional Pilots Rumour Network (PPRuNe) discussed on a form that the jet may have been a fighter jet escorting the A321neo or just a business jet on a parallel approach at SFO, as it is a normal practice at the airport. But as flight data unveiled the plane’s path, some noticed that it partially flew near one of California’s most iconic landmarks several times.
“UAL3827 looks like a photo sortie with a brand new A321,” one user wrote in a forum on PPRuNe. “Multiple passes over the Golden Gate Bridge.”
Another person on Flyertalk also mentioned that the landmark could be seen in an upcoming ad or promo by United.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see a new United ad with an A321 flying over the Golden Gate,” they said.
A familiar chase plane
The small plane seen behind N44501 was identified as an Embraer Phenom 300, registered as N562TM, according to Scott Manley on X.
N562TM is no stranger to photographing and videographing United’s aircraft. Earlier this year, the jet photographed one of United’s 737 MAX 8’s near Los Angeles International Airport. Equipped with a control and stabilization system compatible with high-end digital cinema cameras, the jet can capture stunning scenes. The jet was also used for aerial filming for the production of “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Chase planes keep an average distance of 100 feet adjacent to or above the aircraft it is capturing, but they can fly closer to get a better shot in some cases. During a photoshoot of a United 737-800 in 2019, the chase plane reportedly got as close as 10-20 feet.
The weather was perfect for a photoshoot on Friday as there was not a cloud seen in the sky. The conditions are somewhat unusual for this time of year as November is the start of San Francisco’s rainy season, according to Free Tours by Foot. A typical day during the month sees rain for as much as 30 minutes and cloudy skies remaining after.
Sources: Flightradar24.com, Professional Pilots Rumour Network, Flyertalk, Free Tours by Foot