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January 19, 2015
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January 30, 2015Worldwide Single Spotting Locations
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- last modified on June 22, 2021
This report covers worldwide spotting locations from different airports. We didn’t have enough infos for a complete guide but we wanna share the photo position that we have visited with you. New positions will be added from time to time so check back regularly.
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Addis Abbeba - Ethopia
| WHERE | First of any description note that this is an extremely poor area and you’ll have to see a few “disgusting” things getting on to the location, also note that this place is safe but you must keep your passport and avoid the area if you’re not going to take pictures of airplanes.
Be aware of there is no ride-share apps at Addis Ababa although taxis are very cheap. Expect to pay 300ETB from the city center. As a hop-off point, St Joseph church is good (Ring Road, አዲስ አበባ) then walk south 5 min you will hit a road which goes downhill, follow that road direction eastbound (picture 1) until the end. Cross the tiny dirt way and keep heading east, you want to find yourself here (picture 2). As a remark you are going to be watching Planes since the moment you hop off, just follow the way of the planes. Then once you got to the position mentioned before you will see a hill very easy to be climbed up. Get on that hill and find the most suitable location for you (picture 3). |
| WHAT | Best for 07L arrivals where you can make nice side shots. Belly shots only for 07R. |
| TIME | |
| MISC. | Eventually, you’ll get people watching you as an alien, most of the people do not know what a camera is. Bring some food and share it with them if you can. And again, this is a safe area! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | A320 = 70mm |
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- Picture 1
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- Picture 2
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- Picture 3
Aitutaki Airport - Cook Islands
| WHERE | Aitutaki (AIT/NCAI) is the second biggest airport/airfield on the Cook Islands and handels a few daily flights to/from Rarotonga Avarua (the gateway to the Cook Islands). Normally all landings/departures are „Air Rarotonga“ Saab 340s or Embraer 120s, which are serving the routes RAR-AIT or AIT-RAR in about 50 minutes normally. Our spot is located just by the fence of Aitutaki Airport and can easily be reached by bike or foot. Honestly you can spot wherever you want, because the airport isn‘t that big and the fence is always just about one meter high. |
| WHAT | All airport activities, it doesn‘t matters, if it‘s a departure, arrival or something on the apron. |
| TIME | Depending on the angle and your exact position, but at the position we used, which is marked on the map exactly, light is good from noon till sunset. |
| MISC. | No ladder needed and nothing really nearby, but normally you won‘t stay here for a long time – traffic is quite uninteresting after a few days. Security and „parking“ are no problems here. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-300mm |
Alicante - Spain
| WHERE | If you come from the terminals merge highway N-332 to Alacant | Alicante until motorway intersection ‘Santa Pola’ and exit N-332 in direction to Santa Pola and Cartagena. Follow N-332s street course for 1,7km end exit N-332 at El Altet (Norte)/CV-849/Elx/Elche but bear left and go straight for 550m until a roundabout appears. Take first exit (Avinguda Sant Francesc). Follow street course for 1.3km (CV-849) until the next roundabout appears. Take first exit again and follow the street. A small plaza will be visible after 20m. Park your car here. |
| WHAT | All runway operations of runway 10/28 |
| TIME | From noon to sunset |
| MISC. | Heat haze can be a problem on hot days. A supermarket is not far from this point. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-300mm |
Alverca Air Base - Portugal
| WHERE | Spot located on a walking route named “Trilho de Verdelha”, being used a lot by bikers and pedestrians, so pay attention when walking on this route. A bicycle can cross your path at any time! You have to park your car next to ETAR de Alverca, since it is prohibited to drive on this route with a car. The walk is about 40 minutes from ETAR de Alverca until the spot, so you have to be there really in advance. Always straight ahead and follow the path until you have a clear view without any bushes above a small bridge, you can’t miss it. |
| WHAT | Only arrivals rwy04.
Alverca offers a lot of very rare maintenance visits from all over the world. You can expect Tchad Air Force C130, Afghanistan Air Force C130, Ethiopian Air Force C130, USAF C130, Pakistani P3, China Eastern ERJ-145, French Air Force C130. But the main maintenance visits are from Embraer. So when you are in Lisbon you always have to have a close look at the traffic in direction of Portugal, it can be a rare Embraer coming in for maintenance, be also careful at checking ADS-B for eventual test flights of the military aircraft, they mostly last 2 hours and are being performed above the Atlantic Ocean. Alverca is also used as a storage Airport for Embraer’s, when they return to lessor or what for a new owner. |
| TIME | From 1600 until sunset. |
| MISC. | Nothing nearby, bring with you what you need. Regarding the runway use in Alverca, it actually depends from Lisbon, they have to follow their circuit – keep that in mind. 04 = most of the time used, 22 only with Southern winds. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 130mm = C130 |
Ayers Rock - Australia
| WHERE | Drive to Ayers Rock airport and the spot will be located next to the terminal on the left side next to the General Aviation ramp. |
| WHAT | Only parking and taxiing aircraft on the General Aviation ramp. |
| TIME | Mostly all the day but try to avoid end of afternoon. |
| MISC. | Heat haze can be a problem on hot days and you are shooting throw fences. You can get some foods/drinks inside the terminal. Be careful of snakes !! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 18mm (overview picture of the ramp) until a 300mm is enough |
Belfast International Airport - Northern Ireland
| WHERE | There is a observation deck inside the terminal of the airport. The viewing area is behind glass and is accessable from the domestic arrival area. There is a signposted route from beside the domestic baggage reclaim. This area is landside and is open to everyone 24 hours a day. |
| WHAT | All movements on RWY 07/25 as well as taxiway and ramp movements. |
| TIME | Depends on what you photograph but usually you have will have backlit all day as you are facing southwards. |
| MISC. | Everything you need. Drinks and confectionery machine, live airband radio both approach and ground, arrivals and departures information boards. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | XXX |
Bückeburg Air Base - Germany
| WHERE | This spot is located at one of the major German air force helicopter air bases called Bückeburg (-/ETHB). This airfield serves as an education air base for German soldiers who are about to serve in international helicopter movements. Our spot can be found just south of the base, which can be found northeast of the city of Bückeburg itsself, and can be reached best from the south via highway B65 and then Flugplatzstrasse. The position is located at the end of Achumer Str. just at the fence close to a wodden gate to the apron. |
| WHAT | All movements at ETHB, but mostly the arrivals/departures on the runway/pads in front. |
| TIME | Depends on how the helicopters exactly fly, but around noon is best; morning/afternoon work most of the times for most flying routes as well. |
| MISC. | Nothing around. Don’t block the gate with your car and stay a bit from the fence when not shooting. For a handful of pictures you can quickly go there. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-300mm Airport overview = 120mm / EC135 = 220mm |
Cairns, The mountain - Australia
| WHERE | From the airport, exit it by taking the “Airport Ave” road. Then, turn on the right onto “Captain Cook Hwy”. You will cross a river and you will have to turn on the left onto “Aeroglen Dr” to finally take the first again on your left which is a small path where you can park your car under a tree. (That was the easiest part to reached the spot :D)
Second step is, to climb the mountain under a humid and hot weather condition. Please refer to the map, the trek has been mentioned for you by the BLUE line. |
| WHAT | Arrivals runway 33 and departures runway 33 + 15. |
| TIME | From 1300 to sunset. |
| MISC. | Heat haze can be a problem on hot days and theirs nothing around this spot so bring with you what you need. (the first shop is pretty far away as well from the spot). Be careful of snakes during hot seasons !! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 18mm (overview picture of the airport) until a 500mm as you are pretty far away from the aircraft. |
Copenhagen Sea Airport - Denmark
| WHERE | Copenhagen Sea Airport (QEC(EKCC) is located almost in the heart of Copenhagens new cool area a bit north of the centrum. It’s not really an airport, rather just one waterwalk, which is being hosted by a little Danish Airline named “Nordic Seaplanes”. This airline is connecting Copenhagen Sea Airport up to 6 times per day with Aarhus.
Our spot is no exact position rather the area along the walkside next to the waterfront. Example shots 2 and 3 were taken from the surrounded waterwalk, example shot 1 was taken from the normal walkway along the seaside and the red line is the way, which the seaplanes drives/swims after arrival/before departure all the time, because the “runway” is a bit outside this harbour. |
| WHAT | Seaplanes onliest airplane, the Twin Otter OY-NSA shown on the example pictures. The plane is flying QEA-QEC-QEA normally all day and can be seen every ~2 hours here at QEC. Time “on stands” is around 30-40 minutes depending on the traffic. |
| TIME | Depending on angle and your position, but light is better in the afternoon. |
| MISC. | Everything you need inside the city or nearby restaurants. No ladder needed and enough parking possibilities nearby. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 24mm – 300mm depending on the seaplanes position |
Cuyahoga County Airport - USA
| WHERE | CGF is a general aviation airport located near Cleveland, Ohio. The corporate offices of Flexjet are on site. All maintenance for Flexjet, Flight Options and Flairjet are done at CGF. The best spot is the fence that surrounds the airport on Curtiss Wright Pkwy. In particular, the fence on Stage 1 Rd between Constant Aviation and the abandoned bar is best. A ladder is not necessary, as the fence does not go all the way to the ground. One can shoot underneath the fence and a car is recommended (view of the postion). |
| WHAT | The Flexjet ramp, the FBO ramp and Taxiway B are all visible from this spot. |
| TIME | Best from 4 pm to sunset. I have not had a problem with heat haze, but it could happen in the summer. Photos can also turn out very well in cloudy conditions as well. Last time I went during a rainstorm, and my images turned out quite high-contrast. |
| MISC. | All food/restrooms/hotels are available on nearby Richmond Rd. I have not had any encounters with police. Flexjet employees once asked me what I was doing, but they were just curious. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Less than 100 mm for everything, all jets are within 30 feet of you. |
Dalaman - Turkey
| WHERE | The main spot is just next to the entrance of the Thermemaris Spa & Thermal Hotel. It is only accessable if you are coming from the north on the express way which is leading to the airport. The junction appears shortly after/before the approach path. Drive southwards parallel to the airport perimeter fence until the hotel. Another opportunity is too continue on the road until you reach the beach where you can spot from too but the aircraft are much higher. |
| WHAT | Arrivals RW01. Planes departing RW19 might be too high. You can just walk along the street and find a suitable spot for your photos. |
| TIME | Sunrise till noon. (Mostly the best time for spotting, as most of the charter traffic arrives in the early morning hours). |
| MISC. | Dalaman is not only a civil airport but also a military air base. For that reason be very careful walking there. The time I’ve been there I got warned by a military officer but as I continued with taking photos he did no further action. In addition there is a forbidden zone in the east but since it’s not affecting this spotting location. Its up to you if you stay there o not. We take no responsibilty! If you wanna be safe just walk to the beach and you have no problems at all. But don´t move over to the afternoon side as its military zone! I took a taxi to get there because there was no public transport. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 90mm for wide bodies (B757), 150mm for narrow bodies (A320 etc.). |
Beach Spot:
Deauville Normandie Airport - France
| WHERE | This small airfield in the Normandie – located a few kilometers east of the city of Deauville – serves as gateway to this area of the Normandie for GA, Cargo and passenger traffic as you will see plenty little sports aircraft among the few WestAtlantic/ASL freighters and regular Volotea A319 around here.
Deauville Normandie Airport (DOL/LFRG) can be approached well by car and also some bus lines, once you reached the “terminal”, go to the little parking on the east of the terminal building and after you pass a little gate, you will have a great view. Parking is a bit tricky here, but sometimes you can also enter the mentioned parking if the cargate is open too. |
| WHAT | The whole GA apron as well as parts of the cargo parking spaces and the PAX aircraft parking. |
| TIME | In the afternoon and evening would be best, however some parking spots are also shootable at noon already. |
| MISC. | Ladder needed inside the parking. Heat haze is a big problem on the runway especially. All you need in the nearby terminal facilities or the city. Parking is difficult here as mentioned… |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-300mm Parked B733 = 60mm / parked PC12 = 140mm |
Dehli Indira Gandhi Airport - India
| WHERE | Named after Indira Ghandi, Delhi’s airport is currently the busiest in India in terms of passenger traffic, and has been since 2009. Many aviation enthusiasts consider Mumbai the place to go, but the variety of traffic using this airport should give any visitor a chance to see almost all of India’s lo-co airlines with the exception of Air India Express. Its current record stands at handling 82 flights in an hour. No airport in India is an easy proposition and security within the country is very tight. Almost all the world’s major carriers operate into Delhi, but many do so in the hours of darkness, although the hours of daylight will provide an excellent selection of airlines and types.
The airport is generally surrounded by old high concrete walls, but to the south is an area where good photographs can be obtained. The perimeter road marked as UER II (Urban Extension Road 2) near the intersection of Old Delhi Gurgaon Road is the place to be. The ground is filthy and littered with the detritus from fast food, but aircraft on approach to runway 29 are easily captured on camera. |
| WHAT | Here you can get shots of traffic arriving onto runway 29, and also traffic lining up on 29. You will miss many lo-co carriers using the more northerly runways, but you should be able to enjoy a never ending procession of aircraft ranging from ATRs to 747s |
| TIME | The sun is behind you most of the day and patience is required. Sadly Delhi, like Mumbai now has days of extreme air pollution, making even seeing aircraft impossible, and often only a good rain shower will clear the air. |
| MISC. | Many Indians love watching planes, and taking photos on their mobile phones, and wherever a crowd gathers, soon there are food stalls and traders. Here you will attract some stares, but soon mingle with the crowd. In several visits here over a couple of years no problems were encountered.
Accommodation around the airport varies. The more modern European style hotels are located in Aero City (built for the Commonwealth Games of 2010), which does have an Ibis (which in itself is not cheap), but also a lot more expensive hotels. None have rooms overlooking are airport itself, and as the Indian Air force ramp is close by security here is tight. Even to get into a hotel your luggage is X-rayed and you must pass through a body scanner. Anyone visiting should remember that all airports within India are treated as military bases, and are therefore subject to quite stringent rules. Airlines registered within India should remind passengers that there should be no photography from their aircraft and airlines registered outside India are supposed to ask passengers to refrain from photography. In practice this rarely happens, but it is as well to realise that you may be stopped and questioned at any time. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | XXX |
Dubai Al Maktoum International Airport - United Arab Emirates
| WHERE | Drive to Al Maktoum International Airport (Dubai World Central) but follow Dubai Air Show signs or Jetex FBO signs and continue a bite more after the Dubai Air Show turn signs. |
| WHAT | Only arrivals runway 30 afternoon. |
| TIME | Best afternoon, from 1200 to sunset. |
| MISC. | Theirs nothing nearby this location, so take what you need or drive back to the airport you will find toilets, drinks, foods and free wifi.
+++ SECURITY INFORMATION +++ |
| FOCAL LENGTH | MD11 = 116mm / 320 = 210mm |
Florence - Italy
| WHERE | Florence is with 2.7 Mio passengers one of the smaller airports in Italy. The spotting location is at the end of the Via del Terme next to a employee parking. If you get out of the terminal turn left and walk for approximate five minutes along the hangars until you reach the end of the road. There is a fence so a ladder is recommend but all pictures below were taken through the mesh. If you arrive by car you can try to park at the end of the road but safest option is to use the official airport parking and walk to this position. |
| WHAT | You can see all movements at this location. All flights arrive at 05 as the threshold of 23 is replaced and in this case only 50 percent of the runway is available for incoming traffic. Major carrier is Vueling in addition with the common european legacy carriers. |
| TIME | From sunrise till afternoon all year long. |
| MISC. | Closest facilities are in the terminal. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 50-70mm for E190/737/A320 |
Geralton - Australia
| WHERE | Geralton Airport (GET/YGEL) is one of the few gateways to the Western Australian outback. It’s regularly (normally 2-3 times per day) served by F100s and smaller props. Sometimes you might also meet up a B737 or similar here. This spot is located along “Geralton-Mount Magnet Rd” and no exact position. Can easy be reached from the city, therefore just follow the highway “123”. Park your car by the roadside nearby. |
| WHAT | All arrivals on runway 21. |
| TIME | From late morning/noon till sunset. |
| MISC. | No ladder needed. Nearest facilities in the city or in the very small terminal. Take care of Roadtrains and the wind pressure they create! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-300mm F100 approaching = 120mm |
Grand Rapids - USA
| WHERE | The location is the official viewing area of the airport. Take MI Route 6 to the Broadmoor AVE SE exit (#15). Then, you want to take Patterson AVE to the end of Kraft AVE North, the park is on the right. One will need a vehicle to get to this location. There is a fence, but the park is situated on a hill. Typically, we stand on top of the picnic tables when photographing and that is sufficient. |
| WHAT | From the park, one can see all ops on 8R/26L (The main runway). Since the park is quite long, it does not matter the direction of traffic. Also, taxiways A and D are visible. 8L/26R is not visible, and is only used for small props. 35/17 is also not visible, but the majority of traffic use 26L/8R. |
| TIME | Backlighting is never a problem at GRR, but heat haze can be. We typically go only in November or December. Even in January or February, the heat haze can be bad. |
| MISC. | There are bathrooms, over 100 parking spaces, drinking fountains and a shaded area, but no restaurants are nearby. GRR is one of the last remaining airports with a designated spotting area. Police patrol the area, but they won’t bother you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | All pictures can be achieved with 400mm. An A320 or 737 needs about 100 to 200 mm, while a Phenom or a Citation needs about 400 mm. |
Hilo - USA
| WHERE | The little airport of Hilo is located on Big Island, Hawaii. It is mainly served by Hawaiian B717s as well as Ohana ATRs and a few cargo flights a day. This spot can be found northwest of the airport in a little parking for the nearby park “Kuhio Kalanianaole Park”. Just park your car there and you can shoot from the parking directly… |
| WHAT | From here you can see 26 departures and 08 arrivals. |
| TIME | In summer early morning and late evening. Not usable in winter in sunny days. In cloudy weather can be used all day. |
| MISC. | This spot is surrounded by plenty restaurants and shops along the coast here. Parking is big enough and offers some shady parts to cool down. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 200-400mm B717 departure = 230mm |
Iași IAS- Romania
| WHERE | Iași International Airport is with 1.3 Mio passengers, the third busiest airport in Romania and Wizz Air is responsible for the majority of the traffic. The location we are talking about is at the nothernmost corner of the village of Aviației on a field. Hard to explain how to get there but the coordinates are 47.16358941370517, 27.631277869053744 |
| WHAT | You will see 32 arrivals only. |
| TIME | From late noon until sunset all year round. |
| MISC. | Absolutely nothing nearby. Be aware of dogs running arround but usually they are not aggressive. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | ATR42 = 180mm |
Kaunas - Lithuania
| WHERE | Take a bus nr. 29G from City Center, get off at Kaunas airport bus stop (Oro uostas). If you go by car, simply go to the airport and use one of airport car parks. Move towards the airport building, pass it towards its left side. You will see airport perimeter fence and small area paved near it. The point is located next to the airport terminal on the left side if you face the terminal entry. It is possible to take photos through the fence mesh. |
| WHAT | Runways 08/26, taxiway and some stands. |
| TIME | In summer early morning and late evening. Not usable in winter in sunny days. In cloudy weather can be used all day. |
| MISC. | Heat haze can be issue in summer. Restrooms and food are available in the terminal. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 18-300 mm |
Krabi - Thailand
| WHERE | The airport opened in 1999 and since that it is growing rapidly and now serves over 4 Mio. passengers. With one single runway its pretty easy to catch every movement at KBV. The spots are at a dirt road that runs parallel to the runway. You can enter it from the Nuea Khlong District road 4037. |
| WHAT | If you wanna get arrivals on 32 (which is the main direction), stay at the spot close to the entrance of the perimeter road. To get all movements continue on the road for approximate 1 km. There you have to shot trough the fence but the mesh is big enough for a camera lens. |
| TIME | Good light conditions in the morning only. |
| MISC. | Everything you need within the Nuea Khlong District. Hotels, Restaurants, Supermarket etc. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100-200mm, A320 on arrival = 150mm |
Lannion - France
| WHERE | Lannion Côte de Granit Airport (LAI/LFRO) is a small airfield hosting unregular charter flights as well as some military and sport fling movements. In addition, a flightschool is based here and in summer you can see quite a few general aviation movements as this corner is a nice holiday area.
The spot can be found north of the runway and east of the main terminal. Just drive as you’d go to the terminal (take the exit from “Avenue Pierre Marzin” towards airport in the roundabout), but then keep on going to the east and pass the terminal on your right. Make your way into the nearby parking strip and then search your favourite position along the fence in there… |
| WHAT | Main passenger/GA parking apron as well as some runway movements. Runway can’t be seen clearly so rather 29 takeoffs or 11 landings. Therefore you can perfectly see the taxiway cionnecting the earlier mentioned apron and the runway. |
| TIME | Apron: Best in the morning, but some parking spots may also be good/better in the evening. Runway: Early summer mornings, late summer evenings – not useable in winter for runway shots. |
| MISC. | Small step would be perfect in order to be safe to see the full gear as the grass is sometimes very high. In addition, a ladder is also good in order to prevend haze as this occurs fast here. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 50-300mm Taxiing PC6 = 235mm / ramp overview + tower = 120mm |
Leknes Airport - Norway
| WHERE | Leknes Airport (LKN/ENLK) is a small airport on the Lofoten island group in Norway. It’s located north of Leknes’ city center and offers up to eight flights per day in the high-season, which are operated by the local carrier Widerøe and connect this quite isolated area to the mainland/world.
This spot is located next to a airport firegate. If you’re coming from the northwestern direction on the “E10” (so from Svolvær/Kabelvåg/Haarstad), take the first exit at the third roundabound after entering Leknes area. Follow the “Sjøveien” for about ~150m, then turn left into “Storgata” and immediately right into “Hagebyveien” again. Follow the road, keep right at a y-junction and drive up the “hill”. Park your car along the roadside and walk up till the firegate on your right. Search your favourite position; example shot was taken from the meadow right of the gate, which is a bit higher than the street next to it.
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| WHAT | Arrivals on runway 03 as well as probably late rotators on runway 21, but those will have a bad angle. |
| TIME | This extremely depends on the season! Generally we’d say from late noon till sunset, which can change between 4pm in winter and 2am in summer (sun doesn’t sets from late May till early August). |
| MISC. | No ladder needed. Nothing here, everything you need inside the city as food or restrooms. Along “Storgata” you’ll find a few gas stations and shops. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100-300mm |
London Ashford - United Kingdom
| WHERE | Lydd Airfield, which is also known as London Ashford Airport, (LYX/EGMD) is a small airfield in south-west England. This spot is located along the perimeter fence and no exact location. It can easy be reached from the main (and onliest offical) entering road – coming from western direction from the “Romney Rd”/”B2075”. Park your car by the roadside or in the parking infornt of the “terminal” and search your favourite position. |
| WHAT | Depending on your exact position, but along the fence you can take actually everything on the apron. Runway difficult to be seen. |
| TIME | Depending on exact angle, but rather from noon till late evening. |
| MISC. | Ladder needed, if your lens is wider than 70mm (until it will fit through fenceholes). Nothing nearby, nearest facilities in Lydd. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 18-250mm |
Macau - China
| WHERE | Macau International Airport (VMMC) is an international airport in the special administrative region of Macau. It’s a common transfer point for people traveling between the Mainland and Taiwan, as well as a passenger hub for destinations in mainland China and Southeast Asia. In 2017 the number of passengers was 7,165,803. The spotting location is at the light rail station or airport, if you’re coming from the airport terminal, just follow the sign and go to the rail station; if you’re coming from outside of the airport, use the stairs next to the light rail station and go to the top floor, there is a wide platform which provides a unique view of ramp movement. |
| WHAT | This spot is ideal for movements of the north side of the ramp, you’ll be able to spot all arrival traffic since they will taxi in front of the rail station after exiting the runway, movement on the runway is too far away. |
| TIME | From noon to sunset all year round. Also ideal for night shots. |
| MISC. | Restaurants and restrooms are inside the terminal with two-minute walking distance, use the passage, and follow the sign. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100mm-200mm |
Manado Sam Ratulangi - Indonesia
| WHERE |
Sam Ratulangi International Airport (MDC / WAMM), originally named Mapanget Airfield is the airport serving city of Manado and adjacent areas in North Sulawesi. It’s one of the busiest airport in Sulawesi. The airport built by Japanese in 1942 and later named after the Minahasan educator and revolutionary. Current terminal building officially opened in 2001. The destination served from here mainly in Indonesia except few flights to Singapore, Davao in Philippines and several cities in China as chartered flight. In addition, there is a small Naval Air Arm and Air Force base here so sometimes you may able to spot Indonesia Air Force or Indonesia Naval Air Arm flights on this airport, which includes 737-200 Surveiller which Indonesia is the only user of this variant.
This spot is located inside the airport, offering great background of Mt. Klabat and surrounding mountains. It’s formerly a public Observation Deck, however it has been closed since several years ago and a executive lounge has been build nearby. Since it’s located after security checkpoint, you need to enter as a flying passenger. As per December 2019, you don’t have to enter via executive lounge and the area is open for every passenger for free. After entering 2nd floor, find a lift to Concordia Lounge. When exiting from lift, turn left and go through the coridor to the rooftop lounge. It’s always open at all times |
| WHAT | Both taxiing, takeoff and landing in the runway and taxiway. Touch down moment can be spotted here. |
| TIME | The terminal is facing east so movement on the runway will be backlight in the morning. Heat wave may occur in the afternoon. |
| MISC. | All you need is inside the airport. Since the glass is angled, reflection and distortion is a real problem here, thus limiting your spotting angle freedom. There is no tint in the glass and clear enough. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | On Apron : <55mm for all aircrafts if you want to show Mount Klabat and surrounding mountains as a background. On Runway : <150mm for A330, <200mm for 737 / A320, and ~250mm for ATR. |
Nashville TN - USA
| WHERE | This is the official Aircraft Oberservation Area of the airport. It’s a small paking lot with a good view towards the runways. You sit in the grass or on the guardrail. Coming from Murfreesboro Pike (US route 41 / 70S) exit northbound on Briley Parkway (Tennessee 155) for half a mile an exit right into Vultee Blvd. On the end of the road you can see the parking lot. Address: Vultee Blvd, Nashville, TN 37214, USA |
| WHAT | Best if RWY 02L or 20C are used as the spot is next to these thresholds. 20R and 02R should be okay too. Furthermore all taxiways around these two runways. RWY 13/31 is also in sight but very far. But pictures are possible if there is no heat distortion as you can see below on the BA 787 sample photo. |
| TIME | For north/south runways from afternoon till sunset. Almost all day for the crosswind runway 13/31. |
| MISC. | You only have some waste bins, at Briley Parkway you’ll find a gas station. More infos and photos from this location can be found on facebook. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | up to 300mm for runway 20R/ 02L , 450mm for runway 20C / 02C, 550mm for runway 13 / 31 (BA 787) |
New Orleans, Louis Armstrong - USA
| WHERE | The two positions are located at the overpass of the Airport Rd (to Interstate 10) and the Verterans Blvd. and both are suitable for northern arrivals. If coming from the airport drive northwards on the Airport rd and exit at Veterans Blvd. In the morning take the left lane and turn left and don´t drive on the Veterans Blvd but park under the overpass. In the afternoon turn left into to Veterans Blvd and drive until the next street on the right. Turn into it and look for a parking option on the left. On the right you’ll an unzoned open area where you can see the landing planes for runway 19. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on RWY19 only. The angle of the morning spot is not the best but due to the airport rd we couldn´t find a better position. The airport is approached by all major American airlines with narrow body planes like B737 or A320. |
| TIME | All day long. |
| MISC. | Bring with you what you need. Spotting around the airport is no problem, only some people are asking what you are doing but the are very interested in it. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100-300mm |
Morning Location:
Afternoon Location:
Portimão - Portugal
| WHERE | Portimão is a small airport near the city of Portimão in Algarve, Portugal. The only schedule pax flights are operated by Sevenair to a handful of smaller airports in Portugal. Furthermore PRM is used by skydivers so you will see some interesting planes as well. The location is at the parking of the very small terminal at the uppermost corner. To clear the fence just climb up on the small wall (see photo below). If you don’t find a place to park the car directly at the terminal use the gravel area on the opposite side of the entrance. |
| WHAT | All runway 29 arrivals and the only taxiway to the runway so you won’t miss any movement! |
| TIME | You can stay here the whole day. Taxiway is perfect in the morning hours and the runway from early noon until sunset. |
| MISC. | Toilets and restrooms are within the terminal. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Taxiway: Dornier 228 = 65mm, Cessna 172 = 125mm. |
Pula- Croatia
| WHERE | Pula Airport is located 8 km to the northeast of the city, it takes approx. 15 min. to drive by car. There is a shuttle bus from Pula’s ferry port to the airport in summer, the timetable can be found here: http://prodaja.fils.hr/ can spot Russian operators like S7 and Redwings as well. A domestic service to/from Zagreb is run by Croatia Airlines. Trade Air offers flights to/from Osijek and Spilt. Aircraft types to be expected: A32x, B737/757, CR9, EM2 and Dash-8’s. Sadly the times with B747’s (Rossiya) and IL96’s (Aeroflot) are over, but from May 2018 there is photographic evidence of a visit by a TUI 787.To get to the spot park your vehicle at the public parking (costs a few Kuna, pay before you exit) and walk a little further across another parking lot reserved for hired cars. Get to the far eastern end right to the fence. If the diameter of your lens is 6 cm or less you can shoot through it, otherwise you would need a ladder with 3 – 4 steps. All Informations are from August 2018. |
| WHAT | At the spot you overlook 4 – 6 parking positions of the northern part of the apron and some other parts of the apron/taxiing area. |
| TIME | The described spot can be used only in summer from early to mid morning. |
| MISC. | All facilities in the terminal. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Depending on the parking position the aircraft rolls to 50 – 150mm. |
Québec Aéroport intl. de Jean Lesage - Canada
| WHERE | The Aéroport international Jean-Lesage de Québec (YQB/CYQB) was opened in 1941 and offers flights to Europe, Caribic islands and of course within North America (Canada, USA and Mexico) today. This spot is located at the northern end of the airport at the “Route de l’ Aéroport”. Just get onto the meadow next to the corner of the mentioned road and the “Rue Principale” or choose your preferred position, this depends on the angle you like the most. This spot can be reached by bus, too. There is a bus stop at the mentioned corner where bus “78” stops. Sunwing was taken from the marked point on the map – Air Creebec from the bus stop, that’s why the angle is that different! |
| WHAT | All Arrivals on runway 24 and departures on runway 06 can be photographed from there, too (but most of them are already very high). |
| TIME | From the mentioned spot you’ll have light from sunrise till around 3pm, but you can easily change the side ( just follow the “Route de l’ Aéroport” for about 1km into northwestern direction). |
| MISC. | Nothing nearby, but if you follow the “Route de l’ Aéroport” for about 1km into southeastern direction you’ll find some shops, hotels and restaurants. Ladder not needed. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 24 – 200mm |
Robert L. Bradshaw Airport - St. Kitts (West Indies)
| WHERE | Robert L. Bradshaw Airport (SKB/TKPK) is the only airport on the island of St. Kitts and is located north of Basseterre’s downtown. This spotting location can be found at the western end of the airport (see screenshot below) on the southside of the road (best spot is the slightly elevated bridge). From the airport, it’s about a 30 minute walk along the road just south of the airport. It will take about the same time to get there from the cruise port. Mind the left-hand traffic!
The airport is mainly served by regional carriers, such as LIAT, Winair and Seaborne. American and Delta operate daily scheduled flights from/to the US mainland. British Airways sends a 772 from LGW (via ANU) twice a week, which is the only connection from/to Europe. A handful of cargo carriers can be seen here as well, e. g. Fedex Feeder (Cessna Caravan) and Amerijet (762F or 763F). Due to the predominant wind direction runway 07 is being used for takeoffs and landings most of the times. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on runway 07. |
| TIME | From sunrise until early afternoon. |
| MISC. | No food and no drinks near by, so bring everything you need. Also, no restrooms and no shelter. There is a little locked-up shed a few steps west of the mentioned bridge (red pin in the screenshot), which provides a little bit of shade when standing/sitting close to its wall on the front side. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 24 – 180mm |
Rørvik Airport - Norway
| WHERE | Widerøe is the only carrier at this airport (RVK). They fly to and from Namsos and Trondheim. You might also see some BE200 from Babcock Scandinavian Airambulance. There are 3 GA aircrafts stationed at Rørvik, this is LN-HMB (Seneca), LN-IKL (Cirrus) and LN-KLF (Cheetah). The airport is located about 6,4 km from Rørvik city centre and was opened in 1986—This spot is located to the SE of the airport. When you turn off from the main road (FV770) you get onto FV510, about 100 meters on that road you will make a left turn onto a private road. You continue on this road for about 600 meter and you turn right when the road divides, here you can park your car. From this point you walk, the road continues along the airport fence, but there is really no place to park you car further down. You walk about 1000 meters, then you get to the shoreline, then you take left and walk towards the spot. The spot is located on a small hill. |
| WHAT | You can see the whole runway and airport from this point therefore all actions. |
| TIME | This spot is best during daytime, from sunrise until about 1800-1900 at night. |
| MISC. | The airport terminal is mainly closed between the flights. Nothing nearby so take what you need with you and bring good shoes and clothes. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100-400mm |
Rottnest Island Airport - Australia
| WHERE | The Airport is the only one on Rottnest island, a small island around 18km westwards of Perth. The runway is only 800m long and there are there is only GA traffic with small props. To get there from the visitor centre head to the Digby drive, at the intersection (-31.996396, 115.539974), take a left onto Brand Way. Stay on the road till you reach the aerodrome. The island does not allow motor vehicle but the terrain to get there is flat and should not take more than 15 mins by foot. |
| WHAT | You can see the whole airport from the spot, the airport is quite calm so its better to go there on a public holiday to maximise the chance to see some planes. |
| TIME | Usually all year round. Depends a bit on how the aircraft are parked there. |
| MISC. | The aerodrome’s terminal is close, some toilets can be found in it. Otherwise, there is nothing there. Just be aware that it is Australia’s sun so bring sunscreen, water and a hat if you plan on staying there. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | If you want to take a GA aeroplane on the runway would need up to 300mm (beware of the heat haze) but for the parking with 30mm you’ll be just fine |
Saint-Brieuc - France
| WHERE | Saint-Brieuc Armor Airport (SBK/LFRT) is a small airfield in the northeast of Brittany and handles a few flightschool as well GA flights. In addition, HOP and similar companies such as Chalair or Regourd Aviation often send aircraft for maintenance/checks or storage here, so you also have bigger movements.
The airport can easily be reached by via the freeway N12, which runs just next to it. Leave the mentioned freeway and take highway D706 to the airport. Go straight for the main terminal, but instead of heading to the terminal itsself, take the road on the left which leads onto a little parking. From the frontline of this parking you have a great view and can vary your position along the fence. |
| WHAT | The main apron for active aircraft infront of you. You can also see the “storage”/maintenance apron partly left of you, but can’t be shot. You may also see the runway, but we are not sure whether the gears can be seen fully too or not… |
| TIME | You can vary the side you shoot easily by walking along the fence, so the face-to-face parked aircraft can be shot all day. Anyway, spot is best from the morning till early afternoon. |
| MISC. | Ladder useful, but not really needed as you can shot thru the fence as well, but then you may have dark corners. No facilities nearby, but enough space for parking your car. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70 – 400mm ATR72 face-to-face = 105mm |
San Marcos - USA
| WHERE | San Marcos Regional Airport (HYI/KHYI) is a small airfield in the USA. The airport can be found near San Antonio in Texas, the second biggest state in the US. The airport is mostly used by small sport and business aircraft as well as storage airport for some smaller turboprop aircraft like Dashs or Embraers. This spot is located at the end of an unnamed road at the airportfence. The just mentioned street can be entered from “Airport Drive”, just after you left the highway 21 into airport (so southern) direction. Once you’ve entered this unnamed street, drive till its end, park your car there and take your pictures there. |
| WHAT | Arrivals and Line-Ups onto runway 08 as well as the apron on the opposite side of the runway. |
| TIME | Apron has light from late midday till sunset. Runway from late afternoon till sunset (or on cloudy days). |
| MISC. | Ladder (or at least a car top) useful, but not really needed as you can shot over the fence as well. No facilities nearby, but enough space for parking your car. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 200 – 450mm |
Viru Viru Santa Cruz - Bolivia
| WHERE | VIRU VIRU (VVI – SRVL) This is the main airport in Bolivia, 17 kilometers away from the city center of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, which is also the largest city in the country. Due to the capital La Paz being in great altitude, 4100 meters, this hinders the operation of several aircraft, being chosen then Santa Cruz de la Sierra to be the main airport of the country. It is from Viru Viru that departs most flights from Bolivia to Europe and the United States with operations of Air Europa (A330) and American Airlines (B767) respectively. operates a single runway of 3500 meters (16/34), moved in 2017 1.2 Mio passengers. It is a hub of the two largest Bolivian companies BOA (Boliviana de Aviacion), Amaszonas and a third Bolivian company named ECOjet which operates with the AVRO RJ100 jets, ideal for the high altitudes of the Bolivian Andes.The main flights departing from VVI are to La Paz, but the main cities of the country are linked to this airport, such as Cochabamba, Uyuni, Sucre, Trujillo, in addition to the Latin American flights to Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Bogotá, Lima, Santiago.You can shot from the viewing deck on the top of the terminal (landside) but there is a grid with less space for your lens. After security through the glass (airside) from the international waiting area. |
| WHAT | You can get all movements from here. The runway is more far away so there can be heat distortion. Boliviana,Amaszonas und Ecojet are the most frequent visitors. International airlines airlines are AAL, Copa and GOL. |
| TIME | Only good in the afternoon for runway/taxiway movements. For side on shots on the ramp you can use the deck the whole day. |
| MISC. | Everything you need within the terminal. There is no shadow on the roof so be prepared with sun blocker. At the deck you have to shot trough a close-meshed fence which is suboptimal if the planes park in front of you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 20-400 mm, depends on RWY/Ramp photos |
Sayak Airport, Siargao Island Airport - Philippinen
| WHERE | Sayak/Siargao airport is the one and only airport of this Philippines island. Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines (PAL Express) and SkyJet are the only carriers who serve this airport, latter with their BAe146 (not shown on FR24). The spot is just next to the terminal on the mini bus parking lot. There is a fence where you can photograph through the mesh so no ladder is needed. |
| WHAT | You can see the right part of the apron and the single runway. |
| TIME | From morning till noon for the runway. Apron depends on the angle. |
| MISC. | You can´t access the terminal without a boarding pass but there is a toilet outside of the terminal building. A horn is blowing 5-10 minutes in advance of an arrival. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 17-200mm |
Seattle King Country Boeing Field - USA
| WHERE | Follow the signs from the airport to The Museum of Flight. |
| WHAT | The only spot allows pictures of approaches 31L early afternoon by taxi or a fence hole of parking. We need to step back to the static aircraft to be slightly above or providing a ladder. |
| TIME | Afternoon. |
| MISC. | Bring with you what you need. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 50-300mm |
Shenzhen Bao'an SZX - China
| WHERE | The spotting location is at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, which is just next to the airports terminal. The spot itself is on the terrace of the hotel, so you have to book a hotel room to get access. Once outside you have a perfect sight of the 34 arrivals. |
| WHAT | A wonderful place for all 34 arrivals as well as 34 line-ups in the distance. |
| TIME | From sunset until 10:00 |
| MISC. | This is a quiet place where you can easily take your photos without being disturbed. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 50-300mm |
Sibiu SBZ - Romania
| WHERE | Sibiu International Airport is the fith busiest airport in Romania and welcomed almost 800.000 pax in 2019 mainly on Ryanair and Wizz Air flights. The location itself is at the eastern corner of the airport at a farm track and only reachable by car. From the airport drive into the village of Sibiu and then turn right from the main road into the Str. Topârceanu. At a point the road turns into a farm track. Park there on the side of the road and continue by foot for aproximate 100-200 meters until you see a cemetery to the left hand side. This is your place to be! |
| WHAT | The runway is elevated and you can see the 27 arrivals only. |
| TIME | In winter all day long. In summer from later morning until afternoon. |
| MISC. | Absolutely nothing nearby. Be aware of dogs jumping around but usually they are not aggressive. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 737 = 150mm |
Taupo Airport - New Zealand
| WHERE | Taupo airport (TUO/(NZAP) is a small airport at the lake taupo, with regulars pax service from Air Newzealand to Auckland and Service Air to Wellington. To reach the location from the Volcanic Loop Highway, take the ANZAC Memorial Drive. Continue on the drive till you reach the main terminal here , park on the grass and then you can go and explore around the terminal by foot. You can get really close to the aeroplanes, just don’t cross the fence. No ladder will be required as the fence has only chest height.
The airport’s website can provide the weather updates and the scheduling of flights. |
| WHAT | You can see the whole ramp area and runway, depending on where you are, but exploring around the loop is worth it. Mostly GA and helicopters can be spotted, sometimes an Air New Zealand Dash 8. |
| TIME | Depends a bit on what to photograph but best time is in the afternoon until sunset. The heat haze might be an issue if you want to shoot planes on the runway during sunny days, refer to ZK-SDT’s picture. |
| MISC. | Everything you need is inside the nearby terminal. There are some picnic tables to sit down and relax. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | If you want to shoot a GA aircraft on the runway a 300mm or if you want to shoot the parked aircraft a 24mm will be more than enough. |
Tauranga - New Zealand
| WHERE | Tauranga airfield (TRG/NZTG) is a small airfield served only by small props and GA. The airfield is located northeast of the city of Tauranga and was opened in 1939. This spot is located just east of the terminal along Jean Batten drive. Just leave the terminal and search your favourite position outside along the fence. |
| WHAT | All runway movements and also some nearby apron/taxiway activities. |
| TIME | In winter all day; in summer only around midday. |
| MISC. | Everything you need is inside the nearby terminal. Ladder useful, but not needed as you can also shoot thru the mesh. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 50-250mm Dash 8-300 on runway = 185mm |
Tbilisi - Georgia
| WHERE | The spot is located on an elevated gully cover next to a parking lot. To get there you can just take the bus line 37 from Tbilisi City Centre to the Airport (costs around 0,5 Georgian Lari=0,17 Euro) and then just walk about 250 meters from the bus stop in front of the terminal to the named parking lot. |
| WHAT | Good overview on movements on Taxiway C and on the stands 116-100. In the distance you can also spot movements on the runway and the outer stands 108-111. |
| TIME | Sunrise – 11am |
| MISC. | The situation of aviation, airport and plane photography in Georgia is highly disputed. It is forbidden to photograph military territory, which the airport of Tbilisi somehow is. You might be send away by the police and you taking photos of airplanes might not be tolerated. It is important and recommended to keep a low profile. So don’t use a ladder and put your camera back into your bag immediately after taking the picture. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | FOCAL: Stands 116-100: 50-90mm Taxiway C: 70-120mm Stands 108-111: 180-220mm Runway: 350-450mm |
Tuxtla Gutierrez International Airport - Mexico
| WHERE | To get to this spot, instead of walking to the right-hand side of the terminal, continue walking another 20 meters to the left-hand side of the terminal if looking directly at it). If you come from the arrivals hall, ask how to get to the departures hall on the second floor. Once upstairs, exit the terminal and walk on the bridge to this spot. The spot offers a clear view on the ramp. |
| WHAT | From this spot, you will be able to look at gates 6 & 5. Gate 4 will probably be blocked by aircraft on gates 5 or 6. In the foreground, you will be able to loook at the runway but it will be too far away to photograph without any heat haze. |
| TIME | From May to October, it is much more probable to encounter a rainy day. With preceipitation bein the most likely in September and October. |
| MISC. | If taking pictures at night, use an 18-55mm lens and wait for the aircraft to pushback and turn on its engines. The gives you a minute window to take pictures of the aircraft clear of anything out in the open.
Read up on Spot 1 to deal with security. Restroom inside the terminal a few meters away. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | For A320’s = 55mm (closest gate) or 60mm (further gates) and 80mm for cloesups. |
Vancouver Harbour - Canada
| WHERE | The “Vancouver Harbout Flight Centre” (CXH/CYHC) is the city’s biggest water airport and handles some interesting rare aircraft and airlines.
You can easily shot from the waterpromenade as it’s higher than the normal sea level and the harbour airport itsself, so you can see the aircraft on the water well. Just search your favourite position along the front. |
| WHAT | Good for all airport activities. |
| TIME | The light is normally good almost all day. In the early morning or late evening you might have slight backlit or at least worser light. Due to the different positions an water airplane can be in, you might also have backlit during the day sometimes. |
| MISC. | Everything you need is nearby along the promenade such as restaurants, toilets or shadow. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100-500mm
Dash front shot: ~300mm / Dash back shot: ~450mm |
Vientiane Wattay - Laos
| WHERE | Wattay International airport is the biggest airport in Laos and serving the country’s capital, Vientiane. The spot itself is behind a neigbourhood between some trees. To get there you need a tuk tuk or taxi. Otherwise there is a Mini Bus (lines 30 and 49, last run at 17:15) that stops at the main road next to a B-Mart. From the B-Mart follow the streets as marked on the map trough the neighbourhood to reach the location. |
| WHAT | From here you can photograph the arrivals on runway 13, the one and only of the airport. This is also the major direction and 31 is rarely in use. |
| TIME | Perfect postion from noon until sunset. |
| MISC. | Before you go there buy your stuff at the B-Mart. The area itself is safe BUT all the private houses you have to pass on your way to the spot owning a watch dog. Some of them are straying on the street and sometimes they are very aggressive so be aware of it and maybe you wear a limb with you to protect yourself! At the spot itself there are no dogs! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | A320 = 180mm; ATR-72 = 250mm |
Winnpeg - Canada
| WHERE | Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International airport, is the main airport of the Province of Manitoba, Canada with a bunch of interesting and unique traffic as the newcomer Canadian Swoop or the local resident C-130 and Dash-8 in various variants of RCAF. Is located on the west, not far from the city centre in a very nice residential area and is also home of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada.
Morning: it is along Ferry Rd corner St Matthews Ave, south of the terminal complex. Parking is possible in St Matthews Ave. Afternoon: Drive from the morning spot south and turn right into Silver Ave. There is a sports park called” St. James”. After you have passed that turn right into a dirt path and drive up until the perimeter fence. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on RWY31 only. There are some ramps at both spots where you find some nice parked stuff. If you are looking for a busy airport this isn’t the best one, but if you are in Winnipeg (in spring or summer!) spending some hours at the airport is a wise choice. You can see Perimeter, Calm Air, Air Canada, Westjet, Flair and even the new LCC Swoop, plus a lot of aircraft and helicopter business and private traffic. A welcome add-on to that is the local RCAF’s Air Base with its C-130s and Dash-8s operating from the airport and often running take-off and landing training. |
| TIME | All day, just switch to the afternoon side once the sun moved over. |
| MISC. | You are in a industrial zone and not much is nearby. Some shadow spending trees are there. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Metroliner = 220mm; E190 = 100mm |
Morning Position:
Afternoon Position:
