The names of airport departure procedures are usually named after waypoints, which can sound quite boring. But Tokyo Haneda Airport has a departure procedure with a beautiful name, called the “Hummingbird Departure SID”.

Why am I mentioning this SID? Because a couple of days ago, a relative was on a business trip and sent me this photo via iPhone: Looking closely, isn’t this the famous Hummingbird Departure procedure? I was quite envious.

You should know that the opportunity to use this departure procedure is extremely rare. The conditions require a winter morning, a northerly wind, taking off from Runway 34L, and are limited to flights before 8:00 AM. Even if the weather meets these conditions, there are only 3 flights a day that can use this procedure, while Haneda Airport sees over 800 departures daily.

Looking at the chart, you can see what makes this procedure special. Other departure procedures generally fly over Tokyo Bay to reduce ground noise pollution, but the Hummingbird turns left after takeoff and flies over land for a short period. This is why it can only be used in the morning.

The reason I envy those on this flight is that it flies over the city. So, if the weather is good, passengers can enjoy a close-up, low-altitude view of the Tokyo cityscape, enjoying a free sightseeing flight.

A photo posted by Hiroki Sato(@hro9n) - Mar 7, 2016 at 8:38pm PST

The other extremely popular reason for the Hummingbird Departure is that it allows for photos of the aircraft with Mount Fuji in the background. Some photography enthusiasts head to Haneda Airport Terminal 1 early in the day, hoping to capture this rare shutter opportunity.

A photo posted by Yamada(@7iiil) - Jan 7, 2016 at 11:50pm PST

Actually, the CP+ 2016 post I wrote two weeks ago already featured work using the Hummingbird Departure. Haneda Airport is over 100km away from Mount Fuji, but the effect captured with a telephoto lens is really cool. Professional work really shows attention to detail; The “Tokyo International Airport” text on the International Terminal is positioned right above the ANA 787 fuselage; this must have been calculated in the composition.

Capturing this shot is incredibly difficult. Beyond shooting technique, luck is even more important.

First, the weather visibility must be good—clear skies, no clouds or haze— so that Mount Fuji in the distance is clearly visible. Then there is the aircraft’s weight. If the flight has many passengers and cargo, the takeoff roll on the Runway will be longer. Thus, when reaching the alignment point with Mount Fuji, the aircraft is still on the ground, making for a boring photo. If the load is light and the takeoff roll is short, the aircraft lifts off early. By the time it reaches Mount Fuji, it is already high in the air, which would also be a pity for the photo.

I look forward to the opportunity to capture a great photo with perfect timing myself.

2016/10/30 Video of the Hummingbird Departure