The start of a new year is a great way to make plans and resolutions of what you’d like to achieve in the year ahead.
We promise to achieve new things, and do more of the things we love, which gives a sense of excitement going into January.
What are your plans for your interest in aviation?
Are you a plane spotter? Do you have any trips or ambitions in 2023?
Here are 5 tips to make 2023 your best year of spotting yet!
1 Decide What Inspires You
Sometimes it’s better to focus on the thing that really inspires you within your interest in aviation.
It might be easy to just accept the opportunities (and aircraft) that come your way through the year. But choosing the particular area you’re interested in – or even lacking in – can help you make positive and proactive plans for the year ahead.
If you tend to always go to the same airport or airfield, chances are you’ll be limiting your results by seeing the same old aircraft over and over again, with very few new ones entering the logbook or camera lens.
But if you’d really like to see more of a particular type, airline or country, plan to focus on them in 2023.
2 Work Out What Planes You Want to See
707 prototype at the Udvar-Hazy Museum in Washington DC.
Again, you’ll probably enjoy and look forward to trips better if it’s a visit to see aircraft that you haven’t seen before, or are missing from your logs.
For example, if you’re into vintage airliners, find out the best airports for seeing them.
If it’s military fast jets, pick some bases or squadrons which have aircraft you want to see and target some visits this year.
If it’s modern airliners, pick some of the biggest hubs like Heathrow, Frankfurt, New York JFK or Singapore, where there are naturally many more examples flying in every day.
You may also benefit from tackling some museums that you haven’t visited before, where aircraft missing from your logs are sat waiting day after day to be seen.
3 Work Out What Fits Your Schedule and Commit to Dates
The biggest factor in new year resolutions failing is in not committing to action.
It’s easy to forget about getting fit if you never make time to go running.
The same goes for this situation.
If you look at your diary and block out some dates that you’d be able to go on spotting trips or travel, and then – most importantly – book something, you’ll be putting your plans into place and committing to seeing them through.
4 Find the Best Prices and Ways to Get There
It’s not always easy to find affordable or interesting ways to travel, especially when flying.
However, I find a big part of the fun in going on a trip is in the planning and picking the means by which I’ll get there.
Which routes can get me there? Which airlines, aircraft types or airports might I be able to travel through for the most interest.
Or simply which is the cheapest option?
If you have any frequent flier miles in the bank, why not see where they can take you?
January is a great time to find savings, with most airlines and travel websites having sales on. It could also be a great time to book some shorter, weekend trips with low-cost airlines.
5 Get the Equipment You Need
When you’ve committed to some trips and made bookings, you’ll want to make sure you’re on top of the equipment you need in order to make the most of your spotting.
Whether it’s updating your camera and lens equipment, downloading and updating the best apps, splurging on a new pair of binoculars, or buying the latest spotting books and fleet lists.
These can help in planning and while on your trip, and there are some amazing pieces of technology available to complement our hobby this year.
Whatever your plans for 2023, I hope it brings you lots of opportunities to go plane spotting, see some interesting aircraft, fill up your logbooks or camera memory cards, and enjoy yourselves.
I’d like to wish you all a happy new year, and hope you’ll stick with AirportSpotting.com through the coming year!
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