Airport Spotting Blog

On honeymoon in Iceland recently, I had the pleasure of visiting Reykjavik’s downtown airport, which is used extensively for domestic flights, biz jets, deliveries and fuel stops, flying schools, and Coast Guard flights.

The airport is quite small and compact, with small runways. It is literally over the road from the city centre. When a plane lands or departs, the rest of the town generally knows about it!

I had been expecting it to be a little busier, but nevertheless I still got a good mix of t

ypes, with biz from across Europe and North America. I saw the whole fleet of Flugfelag Islands (Air Iceland) over two days. I also saw the preserved DC-3 TF-NPK in Icelandair colours.

To make sure you cover everything possible, take a walk around the perimeter on the eastern side, towards the beach. This will uncover a few hidden ramps of light aircraft. Also take a walk north of the passenger terminal to see what’s parked outside the other light aircraft hangars. Walking around will also ensure you can see everything parked on the passenger ramp, and the eastern ramp where biz and other aircraft park.

I was fortunate enough to stay in the Icelandair Loftleidir Hotel which is next to the control tower on the eastern perimeter. I had a room which overlooks both main ramps, and all of the runways. I didn’t miss any movements, even at night. Photographs are also possible from your room.

Here is a note from Paul Moiser about the spotting situation at the Sheraton Deira Hotel near Dubai Airport. I’ve posted it with his kind approval:

I’ve noticed whilst I have been away many of you have emailed me
directly asking about the spotting situation here at the Sheraton
Deira in Dubai, As I have had that many I found it impossible given
the time and cost to reply to each and everyone whilst posting my logs
each evening, so here is the update which should help those that’s
thinking of going to Dubai soon.

On speaking to the hotel manager on my arrival last week I asked if I
would need to obtain a permit to use my scope and photograph the
aircraft arriving over the hotel etc, His advise was for me to contact
the Civil Aviation office at Dubai airport to obtain a permit, I
followed his advise and after being put through to several different
people I finally managed to speak to someone in charge, I asked the
question and was told no permit is required, I asked if this could be
put in writing and they said there was no need, I spoke back to the
hotel manager and advised him of the conversation and he said leave it
with me, and I will get back to you, Within ten minutes he came back
to me along with the hotels head of security and said the local
police / CID has relaxed the situation and permits are no longer
required,

The hotel though does have one rule which must be adhered too, You
must stand at least 1 meter away from the outer wall, and no standing
looking over the wall pointing your scope or camera at the airport,
Now for those that’s never been here before, by standing 1 meter away
doesn’t cause any problems at all by reading those taxiing over on the
airport, aircraft can still be easily read ( heat haze permitting ) by
standing that just a little further back from the wall.

So…… camera’s and bins / scopes are permitted now, all security
staff and managment are aware of this , Please adhere to the one small
rule they ask if you are going, and you will have a pleasent and
hassle free stay at the hotel.

One further rule which has been enforced by the Dubai Civil Aviation,
Airband scanners are not allowed to be used, If you bring it and they
find it, they will take it of you and give it back to you when you
leave Dubai,

I had no problem once again bringing my SBS box in my laptop case
which was carried with me as hand luggage, I used it at the hotel by
the pool every evening and this wasn’t questioned once, By the pool
they have a plug next to one of the tables which is an English fitting
plug socket, so no adaptor needed, also in the room their is again an
english plug socket.

Antalya in Turkey is a major international gateway to the country. It handles a lot of international flights, as well as a healthy mix of domestic and military movements. The busiest times are in July and August, when a lot of European charter airlines pass through the airport, especially from Germany.

The airport has two parallel runways.

Views are possible over the ramp from the International Terminal, although many aircraft park in awkward positions so you have to wait for them to move.

The Domestic Terminal isn’t much use, although there are a few spots around the perimeter where you can see aircraft. Be warned, however, that security is tight with this being a military base.

The IC Airport Hotel has views over the action from odd-numbered rooms on upper floors.

I dug out this report I’d written about a visit to Rome’s Ciampino (low cost) airport last year. You may find it useful for spotting:

Ciampino is closer to the centre of Rome. It acts as the main low-cost and
business jet airport, and is also a military base and home of the
government’s fleet of A319s and business jets. It is also home of the yellow
CL-215 aircraft.

The terminal building is quite compact, split into Arrivals and Departures
sections. Passengers only use the ground floor throughout, and buses take
you to and from the aircraft.

Once through to departures, there is a separate section for Non-Schengen
flights. Hold off from going through there until you are due to leave if you
are a spotter, as the departures lounge for Schengen flights has better
windows looking out to the apron, taxiway and runway. Most aircraft park
near the arrivals section, however.

Outside the terminal, beware of the large presence of police and military
personnel. Cameras and poles will not be looked kindly upon. You can,
however, log most aircraft on the cargo/biz jet apron if you are discrete
with your binoculars. Walk to the car park next to the General Aviation
Terminal, and you can see all of the aircraft through the fence. Police do
patrols, so don’t loiter.

If you have a car, you can drive to both ends of the runway - again, don’t
loiter. At the southern end (turn left out of the airport entrance, and then
left at the roundabout), you will see the cargo aircraft close up, and a
small compound of derelict biz jets.

The hotel Palacavicci is situated at the northern end of the runway (right
out of the airport entrance, then right again towards Ciampino). I stayed in
room 606 and had uninterrupted views of aircraft just before touchdown.
Rooms in the 7xx and 8xx range should also have similar views. If not, you
can wander the car park to spot anyway.

A recent report from a spotting trip to Chicago O’Hare gave a bit of information about the Hilton Hotel here. This is the best option for spotting hotels in Chicago, and can allow you to log most movements from the right rooms.

The reporter stayed in room 10080, and claims the staff were very helpful in giving him a room with airport views.

One note was that the corridor, where the ice machine is located, has a window with looks over the cargo ramps. So be sure to make trips there from time to time.

Latest reports from the popular Sheraton Deira Hotel under the flightpath to Dubai’s airport state that spotting is still welcome on the hotel’s roof for paying guests.

This is an excellent location for the rich variety of aircraft using Dubai, however there have been mixed reports over recent years. Hotel staff are happy to allow spotters currently.