YOG-Spot1
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August 28, 2019Yogyakarta Adisucipto Intl. Airport Spotting Guide
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- last modified on December 1, 2020
Yogyakarta Adisucipto Internat
The airfield was already ran before WW2 and named after an Indonesian air force pilot in 1952 who died during a fight with the Dutch: formed Maguwo air base became Adisutjipto airbase. In 1964 the airfield was opened for civil activities as well and is ran as mixed airport since then. Due to the constant increase of the passenger numbers, the terminal was expended step by step to todays situation.
But as the passenger numbers are increasing heavily by ~10% every year and land around the airfield is very limited the airport is meant to be replaced one day by the Yogjakarta International Airport in the southwest of the city. Once this one is fully operational, which is planned to be in 2020, all movements are supposed to be moved to Yogyakarta Intl Airport (YIA/WAHI), which is supposed to be able to handle 30 million passengers a year!
+++MAR 2020: By now, all jet aircraft have moved to the new YIA airport and YOG only remains the airport for propeller aircraft such as ATRs and similar. Thereby, this airport lost a big amount of excitement! Sad to hear… However, military movements are still supposed to be handled by YOG for a while now. +++
Written by Marcel Hohl and A. Hackenberger. Last update August 2019.
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| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 09/27 | 2,200m (7,218ft) – Asphalt |
| 09R/27L | 1,337m (4,386ft) – Grass |
| Terminals | |
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Terminal A
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Older terminal facility handles domestic flights only, but doesn’t serve all domestic LCC as some moved to Terminal B after its opening in 2015.
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| Terminal B | Opened in August 2015, this facility handles all international flights as well as some domestic routes of several LCC. |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | Not needed, but not recommended as keep in mind, this Airport is partly still a military air base. |
| Car/Public Transport | Public transport around the airport is quite poor, so you either take a Taxi, a Ricksha or go by foot. Driving a car in Indonesian traffic is quite hectic and parking is a big problem at most parts that’s why we can’t recommend a car here. |
| Restrooms | In the airport facilities or several hotels around the airfield. |
| Drinks/Food | In the airport facilities or the hotels around the airfield as well as in all the shops/bars, which are all over the area by the busy roadsides. |
| Hotels | There are several hotels around the airport and some of them offer a rooftop with a good view! |
| Season | Definitely the time around June when the light is best and the weather is most comfortable. |
| Security | Spotting in Yogyakarta is only the safest when conducted from outside airport premises, for example Platinum Hotel or Satoria Hotel (the latter requires you to book a room there and not simply be a hotel visitor, unless your friend stays there).
Keep in mind that this airport is still an active military air base and the Indonesian Forces aren’t very delightful seeing spotter around! Just take care and keep a low profile as there have been several issues with the Indonesian Air Force and spotters before. A foreign person doing spotting is considered a direct security threat to the air base and you might be visited by Air Force intels and be interrogated inside the base. This has occured once to a guest/foreign spotter and it was a nightmare to convince IAF authorities to release the person. Not trying to be racist, but if you are Asian, the intels would most likely leave you alone inside. Doing spotting from inside the departure terminal (such as when boarding) is okay but look out for security personnels telling you not to do that. +++ Our advice is that if you are to do spotting in this airport from any location listed, you should reach out to local spotters (for the mentioned security reason) for their help showing the safest location of spotting and being around you. +++ |
| Runway Usage | |
| General Information | Depending on the season and the monsum, but mostly you will have 09 Usage in the European summer season (~July) and 27 Usage in the European winter season (~December).
The military aircraft might also use 09 for departures and 27 for arrivals throughout the year to keep the taxi time as low as possible – as long as the traffic and weather allow this Usage. |
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Spot #1 – Bridge |
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| WHERE | This spot is located on a little bridge just east of the terminal leading over a little river. It can be reached easily from the terminal by just continuing driving/walking into eastern direction parallely to the railways – just a bit south of the railways. |
| WHAT | Line-ups to runway 27 as well as „late vacaters“ after landing on runway 09 plus all the aircraft passing the taxiway infront afte/prior the just mentioned actions.
In addition also arrivals onto runway 27 and departures form runway 09. |
| TIME | The sun is directly in a 90-degree angle above the surface in February and October, so the light is directly over the aircrafts then which makes it horrible. Between December and February the spot is rather not useable. Due to the runway‘s direction light will be best in June from here, but still quite sheer then.
Best time for this spot during the day is in the late evening. |
| MISC. | Nothing directly here except shadow, but the rest can be found inside the nearby terminal.
+++ Inside airport premises (such as from the Bridge), foreign person doing spotting is considered a direct security threat to the air base and it is almost a certainty that you will be picked up by Air Force intels and be interrogated inside the base. This has occured once to a guest/foreign spotter and it was a nightmare to convince IAF authorities to release the person. Not trying to be racist, but if you are Asian, the intels would most likely leave you alone inside. +++ |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Regarding to Jetphotos data 70-300mm should cover everything here |
Unfortunately we can’t provide any example pictures of the main subjects from here yet, but Jetphotos offers several examples:
Spot itsself is suppossed to look like this:
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Spot #2 – Platinum Hotel |
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| WHERE | This spot located on the „Platinum Hotel’s“ top floor where the pool is also located at. Just search your favorite position around the pool, but try not to disturb the swimming guests! This spot is only meant to be used by people who are hotel guests – if you aren’t, you might be sent away; anyway, please support the hotel by ordering something at the bar, especially if you are a “no guest”! |
| WHAT | All runway activities as well as some ground movements like aircraft on the apron or the taxiways and tresholds partly – as long as the view is not disturbed by the trees/buildings. |
| TIME | The sun is directly in a 90-degree angle above the surface in February and October, so the light is directly over the aircrafts then which makes it horrible. Between December and February the spot is rather not useable. Due to the runway‘s direction light will be best in June from here, but still quite sheer then. |
| MISC. | All you need is inside the hotel. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 200-400mm
B738 on runway = 215mm / B738 lining up runway 27 = 320mm / |
View into southeastern direction:
View into southwestern direction:
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Spot #3 – Airside intl. departures |
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| WHERE | This spot is located inside the international terminal B after security check inside the waiting area/lounge which offers a big glass front and thus a very nice view onto the airport movements. But keep in mind that this spot is airside so a valid boarding pass is required. |
| WHAT | All runway activities as well as some ground movements like aircrafts on the apron or the taxiways partly – as long as the view is not disturbed by the other aircrafts or ground vehicles/stuff. |
| TIME | The sun is directly in a 90-degree angle above the surface in February and October, so the light is directly over the aircrafts then which makes it horrible. Between December and February the spot is rather not useable. Due to the runway‘s direction light will be best in June from here, but still quite sheer then. |
| MISC. |
All you need is inside the terminal.
This spot is AIRSIDE and can only be reached with a VALID Boarding pass as it’s located AFTER Security Check.
+++ Doing spotting from inside the departure terminal (such as when boarding) is okay but look out for security personnels telling you not to do that. +++
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| FOCAL LENGTH | 18-150mm
A320 on runway = 90mm / B738 on taxiway infront = 25mm |
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Spot #4 – Museum’s road |
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| WHERE | This spot is no exact position rather around the museum‘s entrance as the angle is best there. So just search your favorite position around the Aviation museum „Dirgantara mandala“ along „Jl. Lettu TPT Sapardal“ road depending on the angle you wanna have fo your shots.
To reach this area, just take a taxi towards this museum and don’t worry about the military gate you will have to pass on your way as they normally just want a copy of your passport in order to let you in. Spotting from all points within Museum Dirgantara should NEVER exceed the perimeters of that museum. The farthest you can go to 1) the north is the approach lighting poles, 2) the east/closer to runway 09 is slightly beyond the Russian aircraft monument, but not in the woods. Again, watch out for Air Force personnels. |
| WHAT | Arrivals onto runway 09. |
| TIME | The sun is directly in a 90-degree angle above the surface in February and October, so the light is directly over the aircrafts then which makes the lightning horrible. Between February and December the spot is not useable – it is best in January. |
| MISC. | Nothing around except shadow. Some restrooms may be found inside the museum.
You will probably also need a passport copy to pass the military gate as the guards are told to collect one of the visitors that’s why you need one in order to get in. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 50-150mm – depending on exact position |
Of course, the light conditions are terrible here, we just wanted to show possible angles – pictures were taken from various spots below/close to the path around the museum area:
| Aviation museum – Central Museum of the Air Force Air Mandala | |
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| WHERE | This museum is located west of the airport and is already belonging to the military part of the airport. It is called “Central museum of the Air Force of Air Mandala” and is suppossed to be opened from 7 till 17 o’clock. The entrance fee is quite low (we don’t remeber the exact fee, but was low) and the exact address to show your driver would be:
“Lanud Adisutjipto, Karang Janbe, Banguntapan, Kec. Depok, Kabupaten Sleman, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta 55198, Indonesia” |
| WHAT | Apart from many little fighters or propeller aircraft the most interesting and biggest aircraft here are:
C130, F27, Tu16 and an IL14 |
| TIME | Best time to visit this museum is in the later afternoon – all our shots were taken at ~4pm. |
| MISC. | Nothing around except shadow. Some restrooms may be found inside the museum.
You will also need a passport copy to pass the military gate as the guards are told to collect one of the visitors that’s why you need one in order to get in. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Depending on how close you go to the aircraft, but we were fine with our 24-105mm – no need of smaller/wider lenses. |
Biggest highlights preserved in the museum, but there are also several smaller fighters/proppers among the exhibited objects:
Update :
Per Mar 29, 2020 JOG only serve scheduled propeller flights. All flights using jet aircraft moved to the new Yogyakarta Intl Airport (YIA).
So you can only catch propeller flights and military airplanes or if you lucky enough, VIP and chartered flights using jet airplanes.
There are only few known places for spotting in the YIA and the information is still sparse. Wish that there will be another spotter giving spotting location on YIA.
Thanks Eka for the update!
Sad to hear though as this airport offered some nice spots…
Hope to be able to have a YIA guide soon.
-Severin
Hi Severin, yes I do have shots from point #1. If you give me your email I will be more than happy to send you shots from there!
As for updates on other airports in Indonesia, I do not have them. As soon as I do, I will post comments in the respective pages of the airports. I think there is some update at CGK/WIII concerning the construction of the new runway 3 (06/24), there is a new spotting location for that runway and two older spots demolished already. I will post there once I have information on it.
Regards,
Nate
Hi Nate!
Okay, sounds good. Please send some shots thru to support@spotterguide.net and they’ll be added.
Looking forward to some updated with the time, too.
-Severin
Hi Nathaniel!
Thank you very much for your additions. Will be added now…
Do you have any shots for spot #1?
Do you have any other airports to update or add information for – especially in Indonesia?
Regards, Severin
Hi, I’m a local spotter in Yogyakarta and came across this. I think several information should be added for security of everyone.
1. Spotting in Yogyakarta is only the safest when conducted from outside airport premises, for example Platinum Hotel or Satoria Hotel (the latter requires you to book a room there and not simply be a hotel visitor, unless your friend stays there).
Inside airport premises (such as from the Bridge), foreign person doing spotting is considered a direct security threat to the air base and it is almost a certainty that you will be picked up by Air Force intels and be interrogated inside the base. This has occured once to my guest (foreign spotter) and it was a nightmare to convince IAF authorities to release the person. Not trying to be racist, but if you are Asian, the intels would most likely leave you alone inside. Doing spotting from inside the departure terminal (such as when boarding) is okay but look out for security personnels telling you not to do that.
2. Spotting from all points within Museum Dirgantara should NEVER exceed the perimeters of that museum. The farthest you can go to 1) the north is the approach lighting poles, 2) the east/closer to runway 09 is slightly beyond the Russian aircraft monument, but not in the woods. Again, watch out for Air Force personnels.
3. My advice is that if you are to do spotting in this airport from any location listed, you should reach out to local spotters (as you should when doing spotting in ANY other Indonesian airports, for the same old security reason) for their help showing the safest location of spotting. A good start would be Indonesian PlaneSpotters group in Facebook.
Hope this helps.