Bocas del Toro, Panamá
February 2024
In January 2024, my wife and I left cold and rainy Holland for Central America in search for better weather and some adventure. During this trip I also spend some time on aeroplane spotting at the various airports. The routing was Amsterdam - Bogota - Panama - Costa Rica - Nicaragua and back. Below a photo-report of what I've done.
Noon departure of flight 7P/980 from Albrook to Bocas del Toro and a warm welcome by our Captain.
Let me stick my head into the cockpit for a quick look.
Cleaned-up and on our way.
Passing the Panama Canal.
Low arrival over Isla Carenero.
Air Panama Fokker 50, HP-1899PST, is jumping the fence at Bocas del Toro.
Our Fokker on flare to runway 27.
Back tracking 09.
Heat shimmers on the Bocas del Toro runway as Fokker 50, HP-1899PST, taxies along under the intense Panamanian sunshine on February 4, 2024.
This aircraft dates from 1995 and has seen service with long gone carrier Formosa Airlines. In August 2000 she was transferred to Mandarin Airlines. Eight years later she was sold to Alliance Airlines of Australia. In 2022 she was exported to Panama and finally ended up with Air Panama as HP-1899PST.
HP-1899PST bright livery is gleaming in the strong sunlight.
Bocas del Toro "Isla Colón" International Airport (IATA: BOC, ICAO: MPBO) is a public airport located 1.5 kilometres northwest of the center of Bocas del Toro, a town on Isla Colón (Colón Island) in the Bocas del Toro Province of Panama.
The good looking F-50 flightdeck.
The climate is hot and humid.
HP-1899PST takes on a load of luggage at Bocas del Toro.
The facility is also called José Ezequiel Hall International Airport.
Another very efficient turn-round for this Air Panama Fokker.
This Mooney arrived in the afternoon after a 1.09 hour flight from Panama Albrook Airport. She left Bocas del Toro four days later.
No fences at Bocas del Toro. I love it!
The single runway is aligned in an east–west direction.
The bright colors of Air Panama Fokker 50 caught by the camera on a tranquil sun-drenched day at Isla del Colon.
Air Panama Fokker 50 is caught between flights on a sticky day at Bocas del Toro on February 4, 2024.
The scenery is breathtaking.
The pilots on board HP-1793PST taking advantage of all 4.921 ft of runway that Bocas del Toro has to offer.
Eye catching HP-1793PST with 29 years’ service, rolls down 27 at Bocas del Toro on February 4, 2024.
I don’t mind the noise. HP-1793PST is trying to power herself out of the short runway. No thrumming, just high pitch whine.
Air Panama Fokker 50, HP-1793PST, rotate from Bocas del Toro’s runway 27.
On its way back to her home-base at Panama City, Albrook Airport (PAC).
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