Spectators Balcony (Spotters Corner)If you're not a professional pilot but want to discuss issues about the job, this is the best place to loiter. You won't be moved on by 'security' and there'll be plenty of experts to answer any questions.
In the last 17 years of visiting Alicante I have never landed over the coast. I have taken off over the coast but the plane always turns back over land.
So I would say left side of plane for landing and right for taking off. But landing direction depends on different situations regarding weather etc so it will probably depend on the day.
Although I very much doubt you will be able to get a picture of Javea. It's situated way away up the coast from Alicante.
I live in La Nucia, and have traffic flying overhead towards the Polop VOR after leaving Alicante.
As NCLRULES stated, sit on the left for arrival and the right for departure. This has always worked for me when I want to see my own house, which is 20 miles south of Javea from where I live (by road, not as the crow flies).
Occasionally sitting on the right flying back to the UK we've passed to the west of Denia - with good views of the port and Montgo. Too high up, though, to make out individual buildings and a bit too far from Javea/Xabia. Sometimes good views of Valencia from the other side of the 'plane. Nearly always great views of Alicante city from left side, too. Twilight arrivals through the mountains to the west of ALC can also be visually appealing.
I tend to operate to ALC at least once a week......
Both the standard arrivals the way we come from the UK start at Valencia. More often than not during the summer, when the wind is light or there is an onshore breeze, we will fly the ILS approach to runway 10 (approaching over the mountains).
Sometimes from late evening until mid morning there can be an off shore breeze, and then we'll fly to a fix out to sea called POLOP (Javea on the left I'd guess?), and complete the VOR approach to runway 28. During this approach Benidorm and Alicante town can be see on the Right.
Our normal airways route from London is down the western part of France, passing Limoges and Toulouse, and then to Valencia.
Whichever direction for take-off, you can end up climbing out offshore with lovely views of Calpe and Benidorm on the left. Then you are usually taken almost directly over Denia. Not as often as you'd think that you get good views, but I have photographed Denia frequently, with Javea on the right. Very spread out place though. Never passed over this area on approach.
I will always remember a giant locust at ALC that landed on the windscreen on the ground and grabbed hold of the wiper blade. Showed no desire to move. I thought it would be interesting to see how long it hung on. So there it was, 12 inches from my nose looking in as we accelerated. It started getting buffeted, but hung on for dear life. I now know what astonishment looks like on a locusts face while an extraordinary gale started blowing up it's rear end! 150kts!- damn good effort I thought. And it had a leg missing.
Last edited by Rainboe : 15th August 2008 at 17:48.
This is all great stuff, guys, thanks a bundle, and if anyone has anything else to add, please keep it coming......And now for the most inane of questions..... I guess a few minutes on the flight deck, to calm my flying-nerves, is out of the question these days?!! :-)Tim
A flight deck visit won't be too much of a problem I don't think.
Routing from Southampton to Alicante normally takes you down central France, over the Pyrenees then down the east coast of Spain towards Valencia then approaching towards the east (normally easterly wind in Alicante).
Routing flying back normally goes towards Albecete then towards Madrid towards Bilbao, over the Bay Of Biscay then short distance to Southampton.
I fly to Alicante quite a bit, flying alongside the east coast of Spain and Pyrenees provide great views indeed!
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