SVJ-Spot1
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July 31, 2018
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August 12, 2018Svolvær Helle Airport Spotting Guide
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Svolvær Helle Airport (SVJ/ENSH) is a small airport on the Lofoten island group in Norway and located 5km east of Svolvær’s downtown, which means a ~10 minutes ride by car. Besides the general aviation traffic, the local carrier Widerøe, offers up to ten flights per day in the high-season to connect this quite isolated area to the mainland/world.
The airport was opened back in 1972 and handles a bit more than 80.000 passenger per year.
Written by Severin Hackenberger (Last visit: July 2018).
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| Airport Informations | Runways | 01/19 | 946m x 30m | Asphalt |
| Terminal | There is only a little building, where all terminal operations are done. | |||
| Spotting Informations | Ladder | Only necessary along the fence (spot #2). | ||
| Car | Not needed while spotting, but onliest possibility to get to the airport. | |||
| Restrooms | Some gas stations and supermarkets in the city. Restrooms should also be available inside the terminal buildings. | |||
| Drinks/Food | In the city are a few supermarkets and restaurants. | |||
| Hotels | There are just a few motels/hotels in the area. | |||
| Season | Depends on the shots you wanna have, but summer season will probably be better, because you’ll have better weather and more hours of sun. | |||
| Runway Usage | 01/19 | The runway is used in both directions. Direction of Usage is depending on a mix between destination and wind. | ||
 | Spot #1 – Fv850 |
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| WHERE | This spot is located along “Fv850” street, which connects the “E10” highway and the airport/terminal facilities, or on the island next to the street – depending on the water between. Exit the “E10” to “Svolvær airport” and after some meter you’ll see kinda dirt parking bay on your left. It’s easier to park here by the roadside, but if the police should send you away, you can also park at/inside the offical airport parking. Up to 10 minutes it’s free of charge, but after this time it will cost. Some cameras will scan your license plate, once you enter and leave – you can see the signs with this information everywhere around the parking. Example pictures were taken from the small island left of the street, which can be reached with the help of some stones between – during peak ebb times this way of reaching the island might won’t work! |
| WHAT | Arrivals on runway 19 and backtracking aircrafts (shot number 1) before departure on runway 19 (shot number 2) , when they turn on the turning pad infront of you. Most arrivals on runway 01 will exit the runway before reaching the pad, so those might be more difficult to spot. Departures on runway 01 should be good as well, if they aren’t too high. You can also see the taxiway between the terminal and the runway (shot number 3) . |
| TIME | This extremely depends on the season! Keep in mind, that the airport won’t have light till sunset, because of the high mountains in western direction! Runway: Generally we’d say from noon till a bit before sunset, which can change between 3.30pm in winter and 1am in summer (sun doesn’t sets from late May till early August). For turning aircrafts those times might won’t fit during the turn! |
| MISC. | No ladder needed. Nothing here, everything you need is inside the city as food or restrooms. Heat haze might be a problem in summer months! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-300mm |
 | Spot #2 – Perimeter fence |
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| WHERE | This spot is no exact position, rather the are along the fence near the parking. You’ll probably come from the highway “E10”, so exit at the official “Svolvær airport” exit and drive into the “Fv850”. Then search your favorite spot along the fence, depending on the parking position, angle and moment you wanna spot. You can park your car by the roadside near spot #1 or at/inside the offical airport parking. Up to 10 minutes it’s free of charge, but after this time it will cost. Some cameras will scan your license plate, once you enter and leave – you can see the signs with this information everywhere around the parking. |
| WHAT | Parked aircrafts on the apron infront of you as well as parts of the northern runway – mostly 19 arrivals and departures, which are even easier and better from spot #1. |
| TIME | This extremely depends on the season! Keep in mind, that the airport won’t have light till sunset, because of the high mountains in western direction! Runway: Generally we’d say from noon till a bit before sunset, which can change between 3.30pm in winter and 1am in summer (sun doesn’t sets from late May till early August). Apron: In winter all day, in summer from late morning till late afternoon. |
| MISC. | Ladder or similar higher object needed, to get over the quite low fence. Everything else you need is inside the city as food or restrooms. 67mm should still fit through the fence holes, but if you use wider lenses (than 67mm), your pictures will probably have dark corners! Heat haze might be a problem on the runway! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 30-300mm |
Due to timeproblems, we weren’t able to take pictures here, so we can’t offer any example pictures yet. If you took some pictures from here, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
 | Spot #3 – Towerhill |
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| WHERE | This spot is located on an unnamed road, which leads its user up to the ATC tower. The position can be reached from the airport parking; therefore just walk to the southern end of the (already mentioned) parking, pass the gate and walk along the fence. Then you’ll pass some buildings on your left, but continue walking straight onto the hill. After some meter up, you’ll habe a bit space between some bushes on your left, from where you can spot the runway end. The spot can also be reached from/via another unnamed road, which comes from the highway. This street can be entered ~500m after passing the official exit to the airport on your left, if you’re coming from northern direction and heading to Svolvær centrum. You’ll see a little dirtroad on your left, but this one was quite bumby during our last visit, which may damage your (mostly rental) car! That’s why we recommend to avoid driving on this road, so it’s better to leave your car at spot #1 and walk through the parking and along the fence as described above – this option is safer, but takes more time as well! You can also park at/inside the offical airport parking. Up to 10 minutes it’s free of charge, but after this time it will cost. Some cameras will scan your license plate, once you enter and leave – you can see the signs with this information everywhere around the parking. |
| WHAT | Arrivals and departures on runway 19 (shot number 2 and 3) , aircrafts taxiing down the runway before 01 departure and the taxiway between the terminal and runway (shot number 1). |
| TIME | This extremely depends on the season! Keep in mind, that the airport won’t have light till sunset, because of the high mountains in western direction! The times below might won’t fit for turning aircrafts! Runway: Generally we’d say from noon till a bit before sunset, which can change between 3.30pm in winter and 1am in summer (sun doesn’t sets from late May till early August). Taxiway between runway and terminal: In winter all day, in summer from late morning till late afternoon. |
| MISC. | No ladder needed. Nothing here, everything you need inside the city as food or restrooms. Heat haze is a BIG problem in summer months! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 200-400mm |
