Detroit Willow Run Airport - Spotting Guide

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Detroit Willow Run Airport – Spotting Guide

Published by Julian at September 5, 2019 - last modified on March 15, 2021

Before you start reading, please understand that Detroit Willow run (YIP/KYIP) is a quiet airport, there are NO scheduled RPT flight into this airport, meaning what you see on your trip will require some luck and the time of the year you travel. (I was there from the 7th June to the 16th June and it was pretty busy, but the weeks before I traveled it was very quiet. Also during the christmas season it seems to be busy.

Flightaware will be your best friend for when you spot at this airport, (search KYIP on flightaware) costantly check it throughout the day as movements can become scheduled with short notice. KDTW is only a 20 minute drive from Willow run, so you can spot there on quiet days. At Willow run airport, you have the potential to catch 4 727 operators, with 2 based at the field (USA jet and Kalitta Charters II) and the other 2 making regular appearences at the airport (IFL group and Interjet west – IFL group is pretty rare a KYIP though) but there base (KPTK) is only as 40 minute drive from WIllow run.

On my trip I caught all 4 operators so it isn’t impossible! KYIP is mainly used for charter and freight operations so you will get an ambundance of bizzjets, charter pax airlines and other classic freighters like DC-9s both 15’s and 33’s operated by Ameristar, kalitta Charters, Aeronaves TSM and USA jet. You also have the potential to see Yankee air museums old DC-3, B25 and B17 which fly quite regulary, taking passengers up for joy flights. Willow Run used to be Detroits main airport, and was also a major factory during WW2. Police have no issue with you spotting at this airport, just use common precautions whilst spotting, (carry ID).

Written by Brad Varney and Alex Crail. Update: March 2021

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Airport Information
Runways
23L/05R	2.299m/7.543ft
23R/05L	1.828m/5.996ft
09/27	2.223m/7.292ft
Terminals	No real terminals here due to the non-existing regular passenger traffic. But there are some cargo facilities around here though.
Spotting Information
Ladder	Not really required but would be helpful for spots 7 and 8
Car/Public Transport	A car is required to get around the airport as the distance is too far, I used Uber to get around. Also some spots have many mosquitos.
Restrooms	Spot 7 and 8 have restrooms (about a 10 minute walk)
Drinks/Food	Bring what you need, there aren’t any restaurants in the vacinity of the airport. (closest restaurants are in Belleville)
Hotels	The closest hotels are located in Belleville (quite a nice suburb). I recomend staying at the Baymont by Wyndham, Belleville (about 85USD/night), it’s about a 10 minute drive from the hotel to the spotting locations, and if you catch uber, it will cost around $10.
Season	Summer, as there is more daylight to catch the movements, and it doesn’t get too hot.
Security	Police has no problems with spotters (as long as you do it normally), so not like at other airfields in the US. But to be sure, always carry an ID with you – for the case they check you…
Runway Usage
General Info	Generally, runway 05/23 are the primary runways used, however sometimes runway 27/9 are used if the winds are strong enough. It would help to have scanner…
23L/05R	The longest runway at KYIP, it is used for all jets.
23R/05L	Generally used for light aircraft arriving/departing and doing circuit training.
09/27	Only used if there is a strong westerly/easterly wind, or to save taxi time. It serves mainly as a taxiway for aircraft to backtrack on.

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	Spot #1- 23L/R and 27 arrivals and 5L/R departures (Morning)
WHERE	If driving from Belleville, continue on Belleville rd (Northbound) untill you reach Ecorse Rd, turn left and keep driving westbound. After about 1.5 miles you should have 23L approach lights to your left, keep going untill you reach ‘Denton Rd’, make a right turn and you will see an abandoned street (on your right side) in very poor condition called ‘Ecorse service Rd’, pull up here and you should be able to park without any trouble (the road has many pot holes) so don’t try driving up the street. You can walk to the spot from here.

WHAT	You can catch 23L/R arrivals from here and maybe 27 arrivals (I didn’t have any 27 arrivals). You can also catch 05L/R departures, you can move up and down the street depending on the perspective you want.

TIME	From sunrise till midday.

MISC.	Bring food, water and sun protection, there is no shade or anything around here. If you insist on walking, it’s about a 40 minute walk to belleville shops with no sidewalks.

FOCAL LENGTH	150-300mm 727 = 200mm, C152 = 300mm

	Spot #2 – 23L/R arrivals 05L/R departures (afternoon)
WHERE	Same as spot #1, but closer to the parking area and thus on the afternoon side.

WHAT	23L/R afternoon arrivals can be photographed from here, as well as 05 departures.

TIME	Midday till sunset.

MISC.	Bring food, water and sun protection. You can move up and down the road.

FOCAL LENGTH	200-300mm

	Spot #3 – Parking apron East
WHERE	Travelling westbound on Ecorse road, turn left at Beck st, make a right turn on D street, and go towards the (right turn) Yankee air museum. From here it’s only a short walk the perimeter fence: choose any of the following streets which are all great for spotting as they all end up at the apron’s edge at their western edges: D St, F St or Tyler Road. Do not go into C St as the nearby Avflight facilities do not tolerate spotters anymore and will send you away!

WHAT	There are a few things parked here, owned by USA jet awaiting there next missions plus also some other US cargos sometimes. But mostly Falcon 20s, MD82s, B727s and DC9s.

TIME	Sunrise till midday.

MISC.	You can check out the Yankee air Museum while you’re here too as it’s pretty close. There are a lot of mosquito’s in the area, but you won’t need to stay at this location for long. Ladder might be useful in order to avoid dark corners which mostly occur when you shoot thru the fenceholes.

FOCAL LENGTH	18-200mm – hard to make general statements as it hardly depends on parking position, your exact position and the angle.

Taken from various streets (as mentioned above) and thus slightly different positions:

Southern end aka Tyler Road:

	Spot #4 – Kalitta Charters parking apron
WHERE	If you continue to drive along 3rd St (south-bound) the street name will change to ‘Tyler Rd ext’ keep following this road and it will take you along the perimeter of the airport, after a while you will see Kalitta charters fleet parked near the fence, on your left you will see an area where you can park.

WHAT	You get nice views of the Kalitta Charters parking apron, you can photograph them taxiing to or from their bays. You can also photograph runway 23L depatures and aircaft lining up on 05R.

TIME	Generally all day, but to take line up and departure shots – sunrise -12pm.

MISC.	Be careful of ticks in the surrounding bushes, take food, water and sun protection with you. Ladder might be useful in order to avoid dark corners which mostly occur when you shoot thru the fenceholes.

FOCAL LENGTH	18-300mm

	Spot #5 – 05L/R arrivals (morning)
WHERE	Just cross Tyler Road and you should see a park next to the approach lights for runway 05R.

WHAT	You can catch all runway 05L/R arrivals.

TIME	Sunrise till midday.

MISC.	Be careful of ticks in the surrounding bushes, take food, water and sun protection with you.

FOCAL LENGTH	100-400mm CRJ200 = 230mm / Hawker 850 = 360mm

	Spot #6 – All 05/23 operations (afternoon)
WHERE	Keep going the same direction you took to get to spot 5/6, after you have just passed the runways on your right, you should see some buildings ahead of you, make a right turn at the buildings and the road will lead you to Eagle flight center, you should be able to park there. Then just search your favourite position along the fence

WHAT	Northern end: You can catch the aircraft being towed from the Northern apron, you can also get cool closeup shots of aircraft taxiing along taxiway bravo, (the fence here is more parallel with the taxiway so the fence is less of an issue) a ladder here would be handy but dont go too close to the fence with it. Airlines arriving from international destinations will taxi past to clear customs (especially aeronaves TSM with their DC-9’s and MD80’s). Southern end: You can catch just about all movements from this spot, you will have a nice view of 23 arrivals vacating the runway and 23 departures as they climb overhead. You can also catch arrivals on runway 05L/R.

TIME	Midday till sunset.

MISC.	There are toilets about a 10 minute walk from this spot, get to airport drive and on your right you will see a large rectangular building (this is the Willow run bomber plant), turn right at the street that goes towards this building, keep walking untill you come across a public entrance with all the airports offices, there are toilets inside and maybe vending machines. Ladder might be useful in order to avoid dark corners which mostly occur when you shoot thru the fenceholes.

FOCAL LENGTH	24-400mm 727 departure ~about 250mm / 737 vacating the runway = 380mm / DC9 taxiway = 115mm

Northern end:

Southern end:

	Spot #7 – Ameristar Jet Charter apron view
WHERE	The spot is located in 801 Willow Run Airport Parking, which is close to spot 8 and 7. This spot is no exact position rather just along the fence around the apron here.

WHAT	Not the best spot, but you can catch some of Ameristar jet charter’s fleet here, if they happen to be inactive.

TIME	Midday till sunset.

MISC.	Keep walking north-bound up the street and you will find toilets. Ladder might be useful in order to avoid dark corners which mostly occur when you shoot thru the fenceholes.

FOCAL LENGTH	~200mm