View Full Version : How often do you get Snapped?
Always amazing me how obsessed the plane spotters are taking photos with sophisticated camera equipment!
Taxiing in you Can see them Cameras pointing through security barriers in their droves.
Staying in a Hotel by Luton a whole club had booked rooms and chatting to some of the guys they knew every detail of my movements into Luton.
It must cost them a fortune charging around the countryside just to take photos and grab numbers and I for one cannot see the appeal or the obsession?
Googling your aircraft reg brings up some pretty good shots of your aircraft in varying locations.
What is the appeal of all this because there must be one?
Do they ever annoy you with an invasion of privacy or wandering around smaller airfields into various hangers?
Pace
goldeneaglepilot
14th Jun 2012, 20:09
Don't be shy!! They are looking to check your tan after your visit to the south of France.
S-Works
14th Jun 2012, 20:09
Nope. Each to their own. I see no point whatsoever in 22 over paid ponces swanning around a patch of grass kicking a pigs bladder. Clearly many millions don't agree with me.
Our aircraft are unusual enough to bring them out in droves. Makes me feel like a minor celeb.....:p
Davjet
14th Jun 2012, 20:09
It's quite scary those spotters log quite a few bits of info such as; time of arrival, nature of visit and time of departure, just another avenue for the wife to verify whether you really flew to blah blah... on a particular day and question - "who's the blonde perched on the wing" (the new refuelling girl)! :O
frontlefthamster
14th Jun 2012, 20:18
On one occasion, I took some notable people somewhere in a very distinctive and classic big aircraft. Having parked up, I opened the DV window and relaxed into the turnaround chores before we went for our day-stop.
A few days later, I was informed of a few pics on a well-known spotters site, perhaps one where airliners get caught in the things fishermen use. They were close-ups of me through the DV window... The comments had more detail about the aircraft and trip than my passengers would have been comfortable with.
Naturally, my handsome radiance causes these problems from time to time, but I thought: this is going too far.
I emailed the photographer with my concerns and he pulled the images straight away, and sent me a high-res one which I have printed on my office wall.
INNflight
14th Jun 2012, 21:49
I find it very amusing actually, being both a pilot and photographer at the same time.
Truth is, there's a ton of people out there who know a s**tload about aviation and the aircraft that come to their airports. They can probably tell you the previous five owners / operators from the top of their heads.
If you have ever been to LSZS you'll certainly be familiar with dozens of them around the perimeter fence and even on the apron (the airport is very cooperative there, having guides for them and making them take briefings online, similar to the one crew have to do).
Even though I am crew I still like to occasionally wander around the airport in my free time and snap some photos when the light is nice or the aircraft are somehow rare.
I don't get the "logging registrations" thing really, I just like combining two passions - aviation and photography. I also do commercial work for various business aviation operators, simply because a photographer who has a passion for aviation will certainly supply better material than one who doesn't care much.
That being said, if you don't like a photograph of your jet / yourself online, a short email usually makes the photographer remove it.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2197/5697256370_fa66fd5e94_o.jpg
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3020/5716153822_75ecae94d9_o.jpg
Davjet
14th Jun 2012, 22:03
Innflight
Stunning photographs!
AdamFrisch
14th Jun 2012, 22:03
Nice photo of the Legacy landing (it is a Legacy, right?).
INNFlight
Have to admit that second shot is stunning (You can take a few shots of the old girl whenever you want) :E
First one looks a bit more like MSFS?
Not against the photography at all but just found it hard to understand a plane spotter club booking themselves into Luton to mark every detail and movement at vast cost to themselves?
Even at small airfields I have seen some drive 100s of miles just to check on a beat up old single sitting at the back of a hanger!
Cannot get my head around it??
Pace
Newforest2
15th Jun 2012, 06:58
Believe it is G-THFC, EMB-135BJ.
Photos: Embraer EMB-135BJ Legacy Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled-(London-Executive/Embraer-EMB-135BJ-Legacy/1938070/L/&sid=ba0473e99ebaf3521abafae3cb52aced)
S-Works
15th Jun 2012, 07:10
Cannot get my head around it??
I can't get my head around football, yet people spend a fortune following their teams around the world.
I can't get my head around children put people keep on breeding....
Each to their own!
INNflight
15th Jun 2012, 08:57
Not against the photography at all but just found it hard to understand a plane spotter club booking themselves into Luton to mark every detail and movement at vast cost to themselves?
I totally am on the same page - I'd rather not sit out there getting sunburnt all day scribbling down your ATA and ATD. Still I guess it's better for 'em than sitting at home all day in front of their telly. :cool:
The first picture isn't MSFS - was taken on a lovely evening in LOWI.
I can't get my head around children put people keep on breeding...
Bose
Always loved the Durex advert! That Horrid child running riot around a supermarket, throwing itself on the floor in temper tantrums and the Dad pulling his own hair out not knowing what to do.
Then the simple advert for the above product flashed across the scene:E
Think how simple life would be without all the procreation thing between sexes;) We would not be here churning out all the rubbish in these threads that we do ;)
Pace
Evanelpus
15th Jun 2012, 09:14
It's quite scary those spotters log quite a few bits of info such as; time of arrival, nature of visit and
Really, nature of visit, I don't think so. Did you include these three words to try and give your post some credibility?
I know spotters who record dates, times and even parking places but not the nature of visit of a particular aircraft. Unless perhaps they have a link to the database of a particular handling company!
Davjet
15th Jun 2012, 15:18
Evanelpus.
Take it easy dude, was just kidding. I've seen some photos where spotters have put details down, like so and so's private jet here for the Euros and so on... landed at such time and departed at such time. Was making a joke about ones wife or girlfriend using those pics as reference to verify trips.
Genghis the Engineer
15th Jun 2012, 17:30
I don't get the "reggie-spotter" thing either. When I used to work in sport aviation, it wasn't unusual for spotters to try and be the first person to spot a new kitplane as soon as it was registered - when said aircraft was currently three rivets and a bit of bent tin in somebody's garage. Some people need to get out more, and the same reggie spotters can often be an almighty safety hazard around things like fly-ins and busy smaller airstrips.
However, I'm another person who both loves aviation and photography - my personal aircraft photo library is a few thousand good images, and I spend my life around aeroplanes, which has opened up a few pretty good opportunities over the years.
Plus images of aeroplanes I'm either privately or professionally involved with have, over the years, often been quite useful - photographers are generally very happy to provide a good quality copy in response to a polite email, and I've yet to see any harm done.
G
Elvis26
15th Jun 2012, 21:10
Innflight, absolutly brilliant pictures! Any more?
E.
nomorecatering
16th Jun 2012, 01:29
2012 Spotting Weekend Photo Thread - Sydney Airport Message Board (http://yssyforum.net/board/showthread.php?t=8203)
Have a look at some photos on this thread. Photos of plane spotters.....spotting. There is some seriously expensive lenses here.
The group is from the Sydney airport message board, and several of the airfield ops managers are also members, so they organised a day for the spotters to sit right next to the runway.
Good on the spotters I say, I have been flying myself for 22 years and still love a day down at an airport just watching, and munching some fish n chips. But I have to say nothing beats a day steam train chasing, especially when its chugging up a steep hill.
What ever the activity, if it gets people out of the house, active, doing stuff, living life then fantastic. Much better than the losers who just drink and do drugs.
ShyTorque
16th Jun 2012, 10:30
I agree, some of the stuff published would be seen as a total invasion of privacy if it was a car rather than an aircraft.
I once landed a corporate helicopter on privately owned land (with the owner's permission, the passengers were there for an arranged meeting with the titled landowner). A member of the public immediately marched up and took some photos of us. He then approached the aircraft and demanded to know who my passengers were!
Needless to say, he didn't get the answer he was hoping for; I simply told him I wasn't at liberty to tell him. He angrily stomped away, as if I'd paid him a terrible personal insult.
Try that in a a private car park.....(as if anyone would) and the answer might not be so polite; might be just two words, the second one of them being "OFF!".
rightbank
17th Jun 2012, 09:28
Believe it is G-THFC, EMB-135BJ.
Don't think so as it appears to have a German flag on the fin. There are many Legacies around with that colour scheme.
con-pilot
17th Jun 2012, 18:41
I don't have any problems with spotters that take photos of corporate jets. As if not for one, I would not have a picture of an aircraft I was flying when we were in Beijing sitting on the ramp.
The picture must have been taken just after we had landed, as the paint still looked white, when we left three weeks later, it was brown from all of the pollution in Beijing.
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c246/con-pilot/0840400.jpg
paulc
17th Jun 2012, 20:22
As an aviation photographer I often write down the registration to confirm the type at a later date particularly if a unusual design (ie at Oshkosh) or if uncertain of exact type.
Having said that some places are not keen on seeing people write down reg's but are quite happy fo them to take photos - had this happen at a show last year and could not work out the reasoning behind it at all. (so just took a photo making sure the reg was visible).
Aircraft during the course of their 'lives' may change registrations several times and it is always of interest (to me) to trace their history. At my local there is an AA5 which on doing a bit of research was one that I flew in the mid 80's when doing my ppl.
INNflight
18th Jun 2012, 07:03
The Legacy pic I posted on the previous page was a German one indeed - would have to look up the reg.
I'll post a few more pics in the Bizjet photo thread later on.
Anthony Supplebottom
18th Jun 2012, 22:54
con-pilot - how do you cover the centre engine, do you have to sit on the roof while you push the blank in? ;)
Davjet
19th Jun 2012, 11:59
Exactlty what I was thinking, how do you cover up that engine?
Arkwright
19th Jun 2012, 12:11
50, 900 and 7X you have to stand on the starboard wing beside the over-wing exit.....look carefully and you'll see a long rod between the centre of the engine cover to a point on the fuselage above the emer exit.......its a nightmare when:
a) The wings are wet,
b) Its windy.......trying to balance a round disk, connected to a long rod on a flexible coupling, and you're at full stretch.............. :mad:
con-pilot
19th Jun 2012, 19:14
con-pilot - how do you cover the centre engine, do you have to sit on the roof while you push the blank in?
It is just as Arkwright said. As I am 6ft 5in tall it was not all that difficult for me to install the number two engine cover. I could stand on the wing and put it in place, on both the 50 and the 900. With shorter pilots it was/is a bit more challenging, so to say.
As I posted prior, we were parked at Beijing when that photo was taken. We stayed for three weeks and when we left, I of course removed the number two engine cover, then I had to change my uniform pants. As the aircraft was so dirty from the pollution my black pants turned brown from being on wing and leaning against the fuselage. From there we flew to Singapore and on approach I flew through a light rain shower in an attempt to wash off all the pollution. It worked, mostly. Still had to have the aircraft cleaned in Singapore.
NuName
20th Jun 2012, 04:46
Dont want to get picky but on mine its the port side, best to make sure your insured before you do it, especialy with ice or rain about. Just got "snapped" out of LFPB, best photo ever, my thanks to the photographer.
Sir Niall Dementia
20th Jun 2012, 07:40
I'm flying rotary in and out of Royal Ascot all this week and we often buy pics from the spotters to use in advertising, there are some remarkably skilled snappers out there doing it for a hobby. I've also found myself in the same situation as ShyTorque, usually I tell them to snap all they want but to please respect the privacy of the pax and neither approach them or photograph them, I've never had that request refused.
It does amaze me when I'm on the jet just how much info they have about our movements, if the Olympic Security people for London knew what info is out there they would probably shut down all UK airspace for ever!
SND
INNflight,
Was it really necessary, to wake the ol' aviation-photgraphy ghost in me?! ;)
Flying biz-a/c in one of the worlds most beautiful country, I really should lug around the cam-bag a bit more often! :8
Thread ref.; I too share the passion, for both aviation and photography. Not keen at all on the reggo-thingy though....
Photography and number taking etc are totally different! Many of us like taking pics of our aircraft and I agree I have had some good pics of the jet I fly.
Its the guys who walk into hangers with notepads taking down details of every flying object tucked away in the depths of the hanger and others who record every movement.
These people travel the length and breadth of the country seeking out obscure airfields at a huge financial cost to themselves! There must be an attraction/addiction? But I fail to see what it is?
Photography is a hobby in itself and I can fully understand that but I get the impression that in this context the camera is a recording tool for most rather than a creative tool.
There is always the danger that some owner may not want his movements put on the net or the jets occupants displayed in a similar fashion for a number of reasons I can think of!
Pace
what next
20th Jun 2012, 10:19
There is always the danger that some owner may not want his movements put on the net...
He must switch off his transponder then... Otherwise there are websites like flightradar24.com or radarspotting.com where all movements can be viewed in real time. All the time. By every person on this planet who has internet access.
If that is the case then why not plane spot from home :) You can record the landing/ takeoff times and aircraft reg from the comfort of the computer chair?
My reference to photos was more concerning occupants.
Pace
what next
20th Jun 2012, 11:31
You can record the landing/ takeoff times and aircraft reg from the comfort of the computer chair?
You don't even have to bother yourself! Just download the protocols from time to time... I did once because I was not sure if I had noted the takeoff-time correctly. Can be useful even to us from time to time.
My reference to photos was more concerning occupants.
I have never seen a photo of a business aeroplane on the web where you can see the occupants. Apart from some deliberate paparazzi shots of course, but those are not aircraft spotters.
INNflight
20th Jun 2012, 13:01
Now, I agree that there are some individuals (as everywhere) who get carried away or go to places they should not without permission (hangars, private ramps,...), and these definitely deserve to be put into their place or removed from property.
I have myself bumped into a few down the road, and while most enjoy aviation, they do not always know the rules associated (e.g. that a section of the apron can be private property) and usually apologize for their mistakes. If not, well get them the f* outta there! :E
de facto
20th Jun 2012, 13:46
It is just as Arkwright said. As I am 6ft 5in tall it was not all that difficult for me to install the number two engine cover. I could stand on the wing and put it in place, on both the 50 and the 900. With shorter pilots it was/is a bit more challenging, so to say.
So SOPs dictate the tallest pilot of the two or the FO to do the job?:8
Seems like the legacy is very bug friendly:E
con-pilot
20th Jun 2012, 18:01
So SOPs dictate the tallest pilot of the two or the FO to do the job?
More common sense than anything else. True I was the tallest pilot, I was also the Chief Pilot of the company, but I never stood on any type of privilege. So when I was on the aircraft, because I was tall, I assumed the job of placing the engine covers on the aircraft when parked overnight.
Unless we had my director of maintenance with us, then he did it, after all, he acted like they were his aircraft. ;)
However, being tall I also used as an excuse for me not to service the lav on the 50. For some completely unfathomable reason, the service access door is dead center on the bottom of the fuselage on the 50. So that was some of the old RHIP. (Rank Has Its Privilege) :p
knot4u
20th Jun 2012, 22:47
Falcon 50 is a nice aircraft, but whoever engineered the lav dump should be drawn and quartered.:ouch:
ehwatezedoing
23rd Jun 2012, 18:16
He must switch off his transponder then... Otherwise there are websites like flightradar24.com or radarspotting.com where all movements can be viewed in real time. All the time. By every person on this planet who has internet access.
Likewise flightaware, owners have the option of removing their aircraft from the list so they won't show up.
I fly DC3T among other things. Those are attention getter for sure!