Airport Spotting Blog

The historic Berlin Tempelhof Airport will close tonight after many years of use.

Most notably, the airport featured heavily in the Berlin Airlift, seeing thousands of flights bringing relief supplies into the city when the Soviets blocked access roads.

The airport also features one of the world’s largest structures - it’s terminal Building, which runs the length of the airport.

The downtown location always made for spectacular views of aircraft on approach, with houses and flats very close behind. It wasn’t the easiest airport to spot at, however. And in recent times the decline in flights left it a little quiet save for general aviation and business jets.

It is a sad moment to see such an iconic airport close, however.

If you have memories of the airport from an enthusiasts perspective, please leave your comments.

I saw this posted on a number of mailing lists recently, regarding the stance Homeland Security in the USA take towards plane spotters. Perhaps it will be useful if you’re planning a spotting trip to the USA soon.

The Homeland Security officer who had spoken to a spotter had stated: “There is no problem with spotting at US airports. We (homeland security) understand tail spotting, but before you start spotting please contact the airport police and let then know where you are and what you are doing. You will probably get a visit at some time from the local police, but it is all good natured”.

So, a couple of minutes’ effort will save us and local authorities from any misunderstandings.

(Thanks to Kev Sanders for his post.)

Paul Moiser, an expert on spotting in Dubai, has kindly provided this extensive report for your reference. If you are planning a spotting trip to Dubai, or want to know what it is like to spot there, please read through.

Due to the number of mails I recieve asking about Dubai and what the spotting is like, I thought I’d post some info that anyone can refer too anytime if they are planning a visit. So here is some useful info regarding spotting at Dubai and what the local area is like for eating out etc……

I usualy visit Dubai at least 3 times a year, so the info posted will always be current and correct. This current info posted is correct as of Sept 2008.

HOTEL
The hotel to stay at is the Sheraton Deira Hotel. This hotel is only 10 minutes away by taxi from the airport. A taxi will cost you around 28 Dirhams which is approx £4/$8.

The hotel offers a roof-top pool area which over looks the airport.

Here are a couple of views taken from the pool area:

The roof top pool area is open from 7am through till 10.30pm every night, 7 days a week.

The Sheraton roof top pool area has several tables with shade from the sun. Those of you taking an SBS with you can benefit from an English plug socket next to one of the tables with provided shade.

TRAFFIC

Aircraft land over the hotel usualy from around 10pm and right through the night until around 11am-midday. after this time they are departing over the hotel.

Here is a typical landing shot over the hotel
http://worldwidephotos.pm.fotopic.net/p50205673.html

And here is a departure shot too
http://worldwidephotos.pm.fotopic.net/p50369986.html

All those that land over the hotel can be read off, and all those that carry there reg under the wing can be read off on departure too.

At night time the majority of the departures can still be read off under the wing due to the lights on the ground below reflecting under the aircraft.

MOVEMENTS

The morning and afternoons are mainly Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, Oman Air, Kish Air, Iran Asseman, Iran Air, Air India and Air India Express, with many Emirates flights in between, as well as cargo movements from FedEx and UPS…..

Evenings from 4pm is when Dubai gets more interesting. A few of the above movements still operate in, but evenings see movements from the Far East arrive with movements from Cathay Pacific, Thai and Singapore and Jet Airways etc.

For those after certain Emirates types such as A340/300’s and A340/500’s, these mainly arrive after dark and during the early hours. These can all be seen taxiing out for departure from 7am through till 9am from the roof top pool area when they are departing away from the hotel. On a clear day these can be read off. Having an SBS is an invaluable tool especially for tieing up those you see landing towards the hotel once it hass gone dark

Quite a few Emirates do depart over the hotel during the afternoon but you will only see two or three A340’s. The majority are B772/3’s and A330’s.

Russian movements are mainly S9- British Gulf AN12’s, with the odd EP- Kish Air TU154, a based EP- YAK42. and at least one EP- IL76 a day too.

Dubai is very unpredictable though. Some days you can log up to several Russian movements and some days you can only log the odd one or two. The other local movements from Iran such as Kish Air FK50’s and Iran Asseman FK100’s keep it interesting and are in and out all day every day.

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Please note, Airband scanners are not allowed to be used at any time. I have never encountered any problems using my SBS, these still should be used with discresion, (basically keep your aeriel out of view ) and you will be fine.

The hotel management is ok with the use of cameras and scopes / binoculars. They do have one rule though and thats not to stand on the outer wall around the pool with your scope pointing towards the airport - they prefer you to stand 1 meter back. This is fine and will not hinder your view so please respect their wishes.

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PLACES TO EAT
The roof top pool area offers drinks and dining. Please note - it is expensive! A soft drink will costs 22 dirhams ( £3/$6 ) and meals range from 45-65 dirhams, ( £8-£12/$16-24

Outside the hotel there are many different restaurants available catering for all tastes, including Indian, Turkish and Lebonise, as well as local foods.

Also within walking distance is a shopping mall called the Wafi Centre. This is where you will find fast food outlets like McDonalds and Pizza hut etc.

Across the road from the hotel is a small 24hr shop called Happy Land. Inside you can buy almost anything and drinks are very cheap - 1 dirham each - a big difference to the 22 dirhams you pay at the Sheraton.

If you want to buy gifts etc, then a 5 minute walk again from the hotel is the Lulu Centre and the Hyper Market. Both of these sell very cheap souveneirs as well as clothes and toiletries etc.

For a night out, you can take a 10 minute taxi to the Irish Village. This area has a few bars and restaurants and is very reasonably priced. It’s an excellent evening out.

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SPOTTING IN THE TERMINAL AT DUBAI

There are only two places, and both are airside. You can spot from the McDonalds food court area on the upper level above duty free, and also the Irish Village pub on the same level. Both areas provide views of those taxiing and any landing / departing traffic.

Note: if spotting at night from these areas, aircraft landing are impossible to read. These can be read off when they vacate and taxi to the terminal.

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I hope the information is of use to those planning a visit to Dubai in the near future.

Best Wishes……………….Paul M.
http://worldwidephotos.pm.fotopic.net/

Great news today. Bournemouth Aviation Museum is to re-open this Saturday (18 October 2008), 10 months since it was closed by the airport due to them requiring the land for other purposes.

Now the museum has been relocated alongside the Wonderland Family Adventure Park and the exhibits have been reassembled ready for the museum’s reopening.

In addition to this, the museum intends to erect a viewing platform from which visitors can watch and photograph the movements at Bournemouth Airport, which is very welcome.

Eventually an Aviation Heritage Centre is planned for the site, which was once home to the manufacturing plant of the BAC 1-11 amongst other aircraft.

The museum’s website is at http://www.aviation-museum.co.uk/frameset.htm

Kuala Lumpur’s modern new airport (KLIA) luckily provides very acceptable facilities for spotting aircraft.

In the International Terminal, follow signs for the viewing area, which is upstairs past the food court.

The large room overlooks most of the parking areas, and has views extending to both runways. It is surrounded by glass, but is usually acceptable for photography. There are seats and departures/arrivals boards provided.

You can see across to the pier, but not beyond it, which makes it difficult to see anything parked on the maintenance or cargo ramps. These can, however, be seen if you are in the remote pier departure areas.

If you’re staying at Hong Kong for some spotting, probably the best airport hotel at Chep Lap Kok is the Regal Hotel. This has many rooms with views over the action at the airport.

Clive Hindmarsh recently posted some pictures taken from his room (8066) there www.flickr.com/photos/superspotter

He reports you need to be in the South Wing of the hotel, in even-numbered rooms of floors 7, 8 or 9.

Although the hotel only overlooks one side of the airport, it tends to be the side favoured for runway operations so you should catch most movements.

BUCHairTours have organised a number of special airside tours for enthusiasts at Zurich airport during the period when the original observation deck closes.

These run between Tuesday, January 27th, 2009 and Sunday, February 1st, 2009 with a very similar schedule as in January 2008.
Starting mid-November 08, exact schedule, prices and procedures will be published on their website www.buchairnet.com. At the moment, they can not yet accept any reservations nor payments for the tours, therefore, please be patient until November.

Tickets for special ramp tours may only be bought through Bucher & Co., Publikationen, either electronically on the internet or in our shop, buchAIRcenter, “Wilbur Wright”, Schaffhauserstr. 76, CH-8152 Glattbrugg (pick-up) or last minute on the terrace at Terminal E. From, Monday January 26th, 2009 through Sunday, February 1st, 2009 BUCHairTOURS will have some kind of temporary stand on top of Terminal E, in order to handle the special bus tours and to sell last minute tickets.

Did you know there are some free bus services around London Heathrow that are ideal for spotters moving around the various perimeter locations?

Bus service between Hatton Cross and Terminal 5 are:

423 via northern perimeter road, Bath Road and Longford village.
441 between Central area and Terminal 5 via northern perimeter road
482 and 490 via Terminal 4 and cargo along southern perimeter road.

All of these buses are free between Hatton Cross and the terminals. They will help you travel between spotting locations at Runways 27L, 27R and 09L for viewing when runways change.

Today I’m pleased to announce that my new book is available for purchase!

Airport Spotting Guides Europe is published by Destinworld Publishing Ltd and available from Amazon, Borders etc. as well as many specialist aviation shops.

ISBN 978-0-9559281-0-9

Here’s a link

The book covers Europe’s best airports for spotting.
It has a map for each, and lists the best official and unofficial spotting locations, and how to get to them.
It also has lists of airlines, stored/wrecked/preserved aircraft, frequencies, runway information, plus recommended hotels with views over the airport.

For the spotter and photographer who likes to travel to view aircraft, this book is indispensable.

Have a look here

The viewing decks at Zurich will now close on 1 November for building work.

The deck on Pier E will re-open in January 2009.

Thanks to Thomas Jaeger for the information.

Why not purchase Airport Spotting Guides Europe to find out alternative spotting locations at Zurich?