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September 21, 2020
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September 25, 2020Ingolstadt Manching Spotting Guide
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- last modified on January 15, 2021
Ingolstadt-Manching Airport can be found southeast of the city of Ingolstadt and as the name says just next to the little city of Manching. It is primarly used by the German Air Force and other foreign military forces rarely as well as the NATO. As IGS hosts a big maintenance site in the southwest of the airfield, AWACS’, fighters, Transalls and some more types are regular guests for checks and testflights, while Airbus Space and Defense also sends some guests/A330 MRTTs for painting here. In addition, foreign forces – such as Russian or Romanian AN30s are common guests and sometimes even Israeli B707s or Russian Open Skies Tu154s – fly missions and make stops at IGS. While the southern part is military used and handles all these movements, the airfield’s northern part is also partly civil and used by General Aviation and charter flights. As Private Wings based roughly 7 Dorniers here, the aircraft frequently fly out for Bundesliga as well as Audi charter services from here and are thus a common sight, too.
The airport was built prior WW2 in the late 1930s for military usage of course and only became a hub after the world war for the German forces in the 60s again when the GAF based starfighters in IGS. Only 1995, the airport took first steps towards a civil usage, which became reality in 2001 finally once the civil part in the north opened.
Written by Severin Hackenberger in cooperation with Christian Preinl and Holger Klinger. Last Update: July 2020
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| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 07R/25L | 2940m x 60m – Concrete |
| 07L/25R | 2439m x 30m – Concrete |
| Terminals | |
| – | as there is no scheudeled traffic at IGS, there are also no terminals to mention here. |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | Is needed along the fence, but 3 steps are normally totally fine and using a ladder is tolerated at IGS. |
| Car/Public Transport | Car is definitely needed as public transport is very poor. |
| Restrooms | No facilities available therefore – but the airport is surrounded by forests 😉 |
| Drinks/Food | Northwest of he airfield you‘ll find a supermarket/village. |
| Hotels | Nothing worth to mention at the airport. |
| Season | There is no peak season in IGS with a lot of traffic but due to the runway direction, winter offers better light. |
| Security | Although IGS is (partly) used as military air base, spotting is very chilled here. Using a ladder is no problem and also taking pictures of military airplanes is tolerated. But please remember that we wanna preserve this opportunity, so behave appropriate! |
| Runway Usage | |
| General Info | 07 usage is very rare as they try to use 25 as long as possible – even if there are easterly winds. |
| 07L/25R | This northern runway is normally out of service. Only some Dorniers use the runway here rarely. |
| 07R/25L | This southern runway is the main runway as it is wider and better reachable. |
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Spot #1 – Runway head – 25L Arrivals
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| WHERE | This spot can be found just below the short final glidepath. In order to reach it, make your way to the highway 2335 south of the airfield and just northeast of the village of Forstwiesen turn off onto an unnamed road which you have to follow into northeastern direction as it will then lead you directly to the fence. Drive along the fence eastbounds and keep on going when you cross the little river “Ottergraben” and the street turns to the north there. Now search your favourite position along this street south, below or north of the arrival lights regarding your favourite angle and the light. |
| WHAT | Arrivals onto runway 25L. |
| TIME | Actually all day as you can easily walk along the fence and thereby change the sides regarding the light/sun’s position. |
| MISC. | Nothing needed, nothing around. We recommend earplugs if you stand close to the glidepath as especially AWACS can be VERY LOUD! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 18-400mm
Totally depends whether you wanna have a picture from the front with smoke or just below when the aircraft shoots over your head |
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Spot #2 – 25L Line-Up Point – 25L Arrivals + Line-Ups
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| WHERE | This is IGS‘ main spot right at the Line-Up for runway 25L. Make your way to the highway 2335 south of the airfield and just northeast of the village of Forstwiesen turn off onto an unnamed road which you have to follow into northeastern direction as it will then lead you directly to the fence where you can directly leave your car and start spotting. There you can then search your favorite position along the fence. |
| WHAT | Arrivals and Line-Ups/Departures onto/from runway 25L. |
| TIME | In summer from later morning till afternoon (line-ups also till the eve) in winter all day. |
| MISC. | Nothing around, ladder needed! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-250mm
On runway: A330 = 70mm / AWACS = 100mm / Eurofighter = 285mm |
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Spot #3 – Shed – 07R/25L movements |
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| WHERE | Located right in the middle of the southern runway, this spot is easy to find, but no exact position rather the area around here along the fence. Make your way to the highway 2335 south of the airfield and just northeast of the village of Forstwiesen turn off onto an unnamed road. But shortly after leaving St2335, turn off to the left into northwestern direction and park your car directly here! Don’t continue by car to the fence, park here and go on by foot… But then you’ll quickly end up at the fence from here by foot, where you will see a little shed/house on the other side of the fence. The trees/bushes are normally cut here, so you will have a good view here, that’s why just park your car by the roadside nearby and search your favourite position along the fence around here. Be aware when choosing your exact position along the fence, that the choice can make a big difference. Each option along the fence only offers views till 90 degree as the view into the other direction is blocked by trees/houses! So the decision may be hard, but affects your pictures directly, so think twice! |
| WHAT | Most runway 07R/25L movements except early vacations. |
| TIME | In summer from later morning till afternoon in winter all day. |
| MISC. | Nothing around, ladder needed. Heat haze and high grass/bushes may disturb your view sometimes. Park your car away from the fence at the junction marked on the map! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-300mm
On runway: A330 = 70mm / AWACS = 100mm / Do328 = 230mm |
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Spot #4 – 07R Line-Up Point – 07R Arrivals + Line-Ups
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| WHERE | Parking can easily be done just by the roadside of highway St2335 and then you just have to walk along the fence thru the forest facing northeast to the touchdown point. So just leave your car on the farmer road running east of the street along the fence and then search your favourite position along the fence… |
| WHAT | 07R Arrivals as well as Line-Ups and nearby taxiway movements. |
| TIME | In summer from later morning till afternoon in winter all day – Line-Ups also good till sunset, but can be shot from later afternoon therefore only. |
| MISC. | Nothing around. Ladder needed and solide shoes recommended as you have to walk a bit thru the forest. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-300mm
Line-Up Beluga = 130mm / Line-Up A330 = 105mm |
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Spot #5 – Horse riding school – 07R Arrivals
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| WHERE | This spot can be found west of the airfield. Park your car west of St2335 in the parking lot of a local horse riding school and then make your way right/north of it along to the fields behind the school property, where you can choose your favourite position regarding your favourite angle… |
| WHAT | Arrivals on runway 07R. |
| TIME | On late summer evenings only. |
| MISC. | Nothing around, nothing needed. But keep a low profile on the parking not to attract the school’s attention, so we can park here in the future as well… |
| FOCAL LENGTH | XXX |
Unluckily we can’t offer any example pictures taken from here. Please get in touch with us if you are keen to provide some!
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Spot #6 – B16 – NATO 707 + 07L Arrivals + Line-Ups
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| WHERE | This spot can be found northwest of the airfield. Park your car west of Bundesstraße B16 in the supermarket’s carpark and then cross the highway and make your way to the fence on the farmer road where you can then search your favorite location along the fence. |
| WHAT | Arrivals and Line-Ups on runway 07L as well as late, but rare 25R departures.
In addition, this spot offers a perfect view onto the parked NATO B707 on the other site of the runway. |
| TIME | On late summer evenings only. |
| MISC. | Ladder needed, food can be found in the nearby supermarket. Heat haze is a big issue on the parked B707! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100-350mm
parked B707 = 320mm |
