TFS-Spot1
Düsseldorf Intl. Airport Spotting Guide
January 31, 2017
Darwin Airport – Spotting Guide
February 2, 2017Tenerife South Airport Spotting Guide
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- last modified on October 4, 2022
43% of the Canaries total population lives on the largest island of Tenerife. It has been a popular destination for tourists since the 19th century although the main boom in tourism occurred in the second half of the 20th century, and especially since the 1980s when the sunnier south of the island was developed.
The island has two airports with Tenerife South, (formerly Reina Sofia), accommodating the majority of the tourist traffic, and Tenerife North, (formerly Los Rodeos), mainly managing inter-island and other domestic flights.
Tenerife South airport was inaugurated in November 1978. The airport is situated on the southern tip of the island in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona. It is located just to the north of the town of Los Abrigos and to the east of the tourist hotspots of Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas. It is the second busiest airport in the Canaries after Gran Canaria, and it handled almost 70,000 aircraft movements and over 11 million passengers in 2018.
The airport handles holiday traffic from across Europe, with the UK, Germany and Scandinavia providing a large proportion of these flights. Most passengers arrive and depart on Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 family aircraft, although TUI (Thomson), Jet2 and Condor also fly 757s. Binter ATR 72s and the odd bizjet make a welcome change from the norm. Tuesday and Fridays are busy but Sunday is the busiest day at TFS.
There is a rough dirt track which runs north from the town of Los Abrigos and then east along the southern boundary of Tenerife South airport before turning south again, routeing around the tomato farms covered in white plastic sheeting, back to the main TF-643 road west of the junction for La Tejita.
Written by Clive Grant, Gerrit Griem, Marcus, Gordon and Maximilian Schulz. Last update December 2021.
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| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 07/25 | 3,200m x 45m (10,499ft x 148ft) |
| Terminals | One terminal is used for all flights. |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | Not necessary |
| Car/Public Transport | Although Spot no.1 is less than 1km from the town of Los Abrigos, a car is really needed to get to the best spots. Runway ends can also change suddenly which makes a car even more necessary. |
| Restrooms | Nothing directly at the spots except 13. In Los Abrigos cafes and restaurants |
| Drinks/Food | Supermarkets and cafes in Los Abrigos |
| Hotels | Apartamentos Isla de Oro in Los Abrigos is probably the most convenient place to stay. |
| Season | Tenerife is an all year round destination, although it’s busiest during the summer and winter peaks. Daylight hours are shorter in winter, although the light is better. There is also less chance of heat haze in winter, especially for traffic on the taxiway. The winter also provides a greater variety of traffic. |
| Runway Usage | |
| 07 | As the main trade winds are from the north-east, Runway 07 is the one used most often. |
| 25 | Although not used as often as Runway 07, sudden changes in wind direction are not uncommon, requiring the use of Runway 25. |
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Landing spot - 07 arrivals
| WHERE | Starting in the town of Los Abrigos, go to the far eastern end of Calle la Gaviota and at the end of the road turn left onto the dirt track. The first 100m is probably the worst bit of the route, so take care, especially if driving. Alternative is by foot. Just park in the town of Los Abrigos and walk a few minutes. But just okay for #1. For #3 you need approximate 20 minutes, for #5 35 minutes. |
| WHAT | Choose your spot to get the angle you prefer for landing traffic on Runway 07. |
| TIME | All day until late afternoon. Summer – At sunrise the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good till a bit later. Winter – Towards sunset the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good. |
| MISC. | There is no shade and there are no facilities at this spot so bring what you need. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 80-200mm |
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- Starting point at Los Abrigos
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- First part is on a dirt track
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- Start of path to get to 1
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- Main gate to 1 allowing access by car
Boulder mounds - 07 arrivals
| WHERE | See #1 how to access the southern side of the airport. Following the dirt track west from Spot No.1, there are a number of boulder mounds just before you get to Crash gate P6. |
| WHAT | 07 arrivals only. The mound nearest the fence is good enough to get landing shots with the mountains in the background, but if you’re confident with your rock climbing skills, the tallest mound further back gives more opportunities. |
| TIME | All day until late afternoon. Summer – At sunrise the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good till a bit later. Winter – Towards sunset the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good. |
| MISC. | There is no shade and there are no facilities at this spot so bring what you need. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 80-200mm |
West point spotting tower - arrivals and departures 07, dep 25
| WHERE | See #1 how to access the southern side of the airport. Further along the track is a rather basic structure which provides views over the fence. |
| WHAT | 07 arrivals and departures including traffic on the parallel taxiway (heat haze!). 25 departures. For traffic on the runway you’re likely to get the top of the fence in your photos from this spot. |
| TIME | All day until late afternoon Summer – At sunrise the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good till a bit later. Winter – Towards sunset the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good. |
| MISC. | There is no shade and there are no facilities at this spot so bring what you need. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 80-250mm |
Crash gate P7 - 25 arrivals and departures
| WHERE | See #1 how to access the southern side of the airport.. Continuing east along the track you will come to Crash gate P7. |
| WHAT | 25 arrivals and departures. Although this spot could also be used for Runway 07 traffic, there is no need as other spots are better, particularly as you need to shoot through the crash gate latch here. |
| TIME | All day until late afternoon. Also, for 25 arrivals taking the first exit, the light is good here till later in the evening. Summer – At sunrise the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good till a bit later. Winter – Towards sunset the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good. |
| MISC. | There is no shade and there are no facilities at this spot so bring what you need. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-250mm |
Mid point spotting tower - all arrivals and departures
| WHERE | See #1 how to access the southern side of the airport. Thanks to the Canary Islands Spotting Group, (cispotting.net), roughly half way along the runway is a spotting tower which works well for whichever end of the runway is in use. It’s also closer to the fence than the West point spotting tower so you should normally be able to avoid getting the fence in your photos. |
| WHAT | All arrivals and departures including traffic on the parallel taxiway (heat haze!). |
| TIME | All day until late afternoon. Summer – At sunrise the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good till a bit later. Winter – Towards sunset the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good. |
| MISC. | There is a bench on the spotting tower but there is no shade and there are no facilities so bring what you need. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-250mm |
Crash gate P10 - all arrivals and departures
| WHERE | See #1 how to access the southern side of the airport. Continue on the track until it turns away from the fence at Crash gate P10. |
| WHAT | All arrivals and departures including traffic on the parallel taxiway. |
| TIME | All day until late afternoon. Summer – At sunrise the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good till a bit later. Winter – Towards sunset the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good. |
| MISC. | There is no shade and there are no facilities at this spot so bring what you need. Also, you need to shoot through the latch in the crash gate so this spot is not ideal, especially as Spot No.5 is nearby and much better. However, on a hot day it may mean you can get lift off shots on Runway 07 from here when traffic may still be on the ground passing Spot No.5. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-250mm |
Touchdown point - 25 arrivals and departures
| WHERE | See #1 how to access the southern side of the airport. You have to be both adventurous and very keen to get touchdown shots to trek to this spot. You need to walk along the narrow path from Crash gate P10 with a steep drop on one side, stopping before you get to the red and white striped ‘pill box’ structure on the other side of the fence. Also, when you get there you need to shoot through the mesh of the fence, so it’s far from ideal. Still, it might be worth it for the odd photo of aircraft burning rubber on touchdown. |
| WHAT | 25 arrivals and departures |
| TIME | All day until late afternoon. Summer – At sunrise the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good till a bit later. Winter – Towards sunset the sun will be in line with the runway so he light is not so good. |
| MISC. | There is no shade and there are no facilities at this spot so bring what you need. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-250mm |
Landing spot - 25 arrivals
| WHERE | On the eastern airport perimeter road. Continue on the TF-643 and turn left into the Carretera al Hermano Pedro before you reach the city of El Médano. Just park next to the road. |
| WHAT | Landing traffic on Runway 25 only. You can choose your spot according to the angle you prefer for landing shots. |
| TIME | All day until late afternoon. Summer – At sunrise the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good till a bit later. Winter – Towards sunset the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good. |
| MISC. | There is no shade and there are no facilities at this spot so bring what you need . |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 80-250mm |
Los Abrigos - 25 departures, 07 arrivals
| WHERE | If you’re staying in Los Abrigos and you don’t mind using a long lens, there are several places from which to take airborne shots, including the eastern edge of the town. |
| WHAT | 25 departures and 07 arrivals. |
| TIME | All day until late afternoon. Summer – At sunrise the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good till a bit later. Winter – Towards sunset the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good. |
| MISC. | Shops and cafes nearby |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 400-500mm |
Restaurante El Mirador, Los Abrigos - 25 departures
| WHERE | Another option if you’re staying in Los Abrigos is to sit out at one of the cafe restaurants like El Mirador with your camera and long lens at the ready. |
| WHAT | 25 departures only. |
| TIME | All day till late afternoon. Summer – At sunrise the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good till a bit later. Winter – Towards sunset the sun will be in line with the runway so the light is not so good. |
| MISC. | At least you can have a coffee or beer whilst your waiting for the next departure. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 350-500mm |
Hill - Arrivals 07
| WHERE | If you are coming from the southern spots drive trough the villages Los Abrigos and drive northwards on the TF-65 which leads to the Autopista TF-1. Taxe the next right into the TF-645 heading to Atogo. After a few minutes you will find the entrance to another dirt road which brings you to the approach path of RWY 07. Once there you can either drive to the northern point 11A to a small mound or stay down at 11B. From the dirt road climb up the mound to your left. Both points are elevated and you can easily clear the fence from there. |
| WHAT | Choose your spot to get the angle you prefer for landing traffic on Runway 07. Line up and departures can be shot from different positions at 11A. 11B is recommend for line ups only. |
| TIME | From afternoon till sunset in the summer only! Holding Point for 07 dep from late noon till sunset. |
| MISC. | There is no shade and there are no facilities at this spot so bring what you need. There are several mounds so you can photograph over the fence and no ladder is needed. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | depends on where you stand but 50-200mm is fine |
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- Entrance Road off TF645
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- Take left road down to 11
Position 11A:
Position 11B:
Construction Site - Apron, Taxiway, Runway
| WHERE | ONLY ON SUNDAYS ACCESSIBLE! Park at the previous spot #11 and walk down to the fence and enter the construction site (see picture above to the left). It is blocked by a chain but ignore this and walk along the dirt road, pass the green circular water tank and there are two square buildings. The bottom one is the viewing mound with seat/bench and safety rail, the other is a hut. This is where the security guard logs the trucks entering on to the apron from the building site. Each Sunday, a security guard has been there, but because the building site is not active, he or she will leave you alone to do your thing. A good idea is to wave and say a friendly ‘Hola’ to let them know you are not a problem. |
| WHAT | Almost the same view as #11 but it is fabulous because this is where the helicopters and private jets park and you have a nice overview of the terminal apron as well. It’s also the last exit on to the taxiway so you get great close-ups and an occasional wave from pilots. |
| TIME | Taxiway/Runway: From afternoon till sunset in the summer only! Apron: earlier from noon to sunset but also depends on how the planes are parked. |
| MISC. | You can’t go there Monday to Saturday or you will be asked to leave because it is an active dangerous building site. No ladder needed. There is no shade and there are no facilities at this spot so bring what you need. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | XXX |
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- Entrance to the site
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- Observation hill
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- View from the top
Rubblemound - Apron, Taxiway, Runway
| WHERE | This spot is located near the closed kinda terminal facility. The driveway and nearby parking is used for taxis nowadays only, but however, this can be entered with a normal car as well. Then just head to the roundabound at the western end and next to this one you’ll see kinda hill made out of rocks, which has to be climbed for the shots we show below. |
| WHAT | This spot is mostly used for night shots of aircraft parked on the apron infront (mostly Bizjets or freighters) or the nearby taxiway and runway parts. |
| TIME | Taxiway/Runway: From afternoon till sunset in the summer only. Apron: In the very early morning or from sunset to sunrise. |
| MISC. | No ladder needed. Nearest facilities for food, restrooms and so on is (inside) the nearby terminal 1. Heat haze IS a problem, especially on warmer days. Climbing the mound is very dangerous as the mound is not really stable, take care! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 150 – 400mm B737(-700)BBJ on apron = 250mm |
White House - All runway movements
| WHERE | This location is everything else than easy to access. You get to it partly by car then have to walk the rest. Keep on the road ‘Calle al Hermano Pedro’ passing point ‘8’ going north. Past the Cueva Del Hermano Pedro. Within ten seconds, the practice fire dump passes you on the left (building that looks like a fat cross). There is then a straight tarmac road angling back left. There is always a chain across the entrance, but you access it by turning off 30mts before it on a dirt track by a derelict low building. Take that dirt track and you’ll join the tarmac road. Drive up three quarters to the end then turn right where you see that white area. Follow that little windy road but come off it on to the dirt when you get to the disused buildings (grey roofs, white outlines). Park the car on the top left corner of the fence of the building. Now you have to walk along that dirt track heading directly south to the runway. After 7 or 8 minutes walking, you will pass an abandoned little croft building, walk down past that then turn right on to flat ground. You’ll then come in to the clear ground by the white buildings. |
| WHAT | Great location for all runway movements on either the taxiway or the runway. Arrivals on 07 will use the exit in front of you or will take the last one and roll by your position. The helicopter base is on your left hidden by trees, but the helicopters fly-taxi by, so you’ll get great close-ups of them. |
| TIME | From afternoon till sunset in the summer only! |
| MISC. | No ladder needed. There is absolutely nothing nearby so be prepared! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | XXX |
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Hello everyone, Can anyone help me with an aircraft sighting on November 27 this year. As we were boarding our flight home I logged a bizjet B-2212. I can’t find any record of this, can anyone tell me the correct reg.
Thanks.
It was B-221Z of Deer Jet
Hey guys,
i was at TFS today for spotting at point #5, i used the east entrance to get to the spot by car.
After 2 hours of spotting i went back to the entrance, there is an old gate, probably an old airport gate like the gate you have to pass when you go to spot #1, but after that old gate in the east is another red barrier to the street, which was closed and locked after my spotting time. It was open when i drove through it to get to spot #5.
So be aware, i had to turn around and drove along the runway side (quiet bumby) to spot #1, there i was able to pass the open gate and get to the street…otherwise my car would be trapped.
Best regards,
Tim
Hi Tim, can you give me the exact location of the gate on the east side please so I can add it to the map.
Best Regards,
Julian
Hey Julian,
sent you a Facebook message.
Best regards
Tim