You might be an aircraft spotter if...
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CAMRA Member trumps Tractor and Bowser spotters
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
At the Leagate, a CAMRA pub I am told, one night was a bearded sandalled (well he should have been) type proping up the end of the bar and nursing a bottle of beer.
As it was our party, and he appeared to be sort of watching, we asked him what he was doing, polite like. He was waiting for pubset and then going to try and exchange his bottle of beer, a spare, with one mine-host had, that he wanted for his collection.
As it was our party, and he appeared to be sort of watching, we asked him what he was doing, polite like. He was waiting for pubset and then going to try and exchange his bottle of beer, a spare, with one mine-host had, that he wanted for his collection.
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Brokenlink I won't have a word said against Stobart spotting. My Basic course at Linton had a Stobart spotting contest which was fiercely contested.
Admittedly it was all done from 250 ft and perhaps we should have been paying more attention to our navigation....
Admittedly it was all done from 250 ft and perhaps we should have been paying more attention to our navigation....
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Depends what you class as spotting -
I don't class taking great photos of aircraft doing their thing as being spotting - mind you I mean military aircraft - nothing interesting about civvy airliners flying straight and level.
But I do know of a civvy ATCO who is a real spotter. He notes down reg numbers and scores them off in a book.
Seemingly there is a large loose-leaf publication with all the worlds aircraft reg in it, which is updated yearly. He gets a new copy every year for his Christmas, then spends the next few days cross referencing the old and new book so that he can score of all the aircraft he has seen in his new one.
That's what I call spotting
I don't class taking great photos of aircraft doing their thing as being spotting - mind you I mean military aircraft - nothing interesting about civvy airliners flying straight and level.
But I do know of a civvy ATCO who is a real spotter. He notes down reg numbers and scores them off in a book.
Seemingly there is a large loose-leaf publication with all the worlds aircraft reg in it, which is updated yearly. He gets a new copy every year for his Christmas, then spends the next few days cross referencing the old and new book so that he can score of all the aircraft he has seen in his new one.
That's what I call spotting
One person's harmless hobby might seem utterly bizarre to others...
Train spotting? Watching some steam locomotive in the 1950s thundering across the contryside in a fury of smoke, steam and mechanical mayhem I can understand. Sitting on a platform recording numbers - well, that's another matter.
Eddie spotting? A clever marketing move by Mr Stobart who was determined to raise the profile of long distance hauliers. So he insisted on smartness for his drivers and vehicles - and all his trucks had individual girls' names. Hence his company became a household name, thanks to the interest this generated. Name one other truck company*?
Bus spotting? Anyone visiting Oxford doesn't have any choice, there are so many of the damn things driving round with probably just half a dozen pensioners aboard enjoying their free journey.
Aircraft spotting. Photographing rare types and (perhaps) airline liveries is one thing. Recording serial numbers; well that appeals to some, I guess. We once had a letter asking whether the next time we delpoyed to Leuchars, we could please take a particular airframe as the letter writer had seen all the others we had, but not the one in question. We politely told him that we'd love to, but the thing had been tits-up with fuel leaks for over a year and we too would like to see it back again!
The very first encounter I had with a 'spotter' was at a static at Brize some years ago. His question? Could he please have a copy of the safety card from the seat back as his hobby was collecting the things.....
But as we had lots of spares, I gave him what he wanted and he went away a happy shareholder......
*OK - Norbert Dentressangle. Another?
Train spotting? Watching some steam locomotive in the 1950s thundering across the contryside in a fury of smoke, steam and mechanical mayhem I can understand. Sitting on a platform recording numbers - well, that's another matter.
Eddie spotting? A clever marketing move by Mr Stobart who was determined to raise the profile of long distance hauliers. So he insisted on smartness for his drivers and vehicles - and all his trucks had individual girls' names. Hence his company became a household name, thanks to the interest this generated. Name one other truck company*?
Bus spotting? Anyone visiting Oxford doesn't have any choice, there are so many of the damn things driving round with probably just half a dozen pensioners aboard enjoying their free journey.
Aircraft spotting. Photographing rare types and (perhaps) airline liveries is one thing. Recording serial numbers; well that appeals to some, I guess. We once had a letter asking whether the next time we delpoyed to Leuchars, we could please take a particular airframe as the letter writer had seen all the others we had, but not the one in question. We politely told him that we'd love to, but the thing had been tits-up with fuel leaks for over a year and we too would like to see it back again!
The very first encounter I had with a 'spotter' was at a static at Brize some years ago. His question? Could he please have a copy of the safety card from the seat back as his hobby was collecting the things.....
But as we had lots of spares, I gave him what he wanted and he went away a happy shareholder......*OK - Norbert Dentressangle. Another?
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A pal of mine went for an interview with one of those "Janes: All The World Aircrew" type things once and as part of the interview process, he was asked questions like "Do you hang around airbases taking pictures in your spare time, because we do?" and "do you collect aeroplane serial numbers?". Sounded too much like "Do you hang around schools taking pictures in your spare time, because we do?" and "do you collect illegal images on your computer?" 
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One development of the spotting game that I came across a few years back, was a RAF ground equipment fitter who not only collected Houchin (ground power set) numbers but actually took brass rubbings of the manufacturers data plate. 
....right, where did I leave my thermos?...
....right, where did I leave my thermos?...
Odd collections
For Beagle.
Seat back cards are small beer - the chap who ran the motion-sickness desensitisation trainer at Farnborough had (so he claimed) the world's biggest collection of honk bags. As I mentioned that I was going on hols to Vietnam soon and would be flying with Air Vietnam from KL he was keen I should fetch one of theirs back. Strange!
The Ancient Mariner
Seat back cards are small beer - the chap who ran the motion-sickness desensitisation trainer at Farnborough had (so he claimed) the world's biggest collection of honk bags. As I mentioned that I was going on hols to Vietnam soon and would be flying with Air Vietnam from KL he was keen I should fetch one of theirs back. Strange!
The Ancient Mariner
A story I recall at Laarbruch as Tornado was being introduced, they got a call reporting someone acting suspiciously outside the fence.
It turned out the call was from a (possibly Dutch?) spotter who had noticed the activity and informed the guard room. The suspicious vehicle was one of those seemingly immune Soviet diplomatic "spy" cars that appeared to have free roam about BFG.
So, I guess there is some use for spotters.
It turned out the call was from a (possibly Dutch?) spotter who had noticed the activity and informed the guard room. The suspicious vehicle was one of those seemingly immune Soviet diplomatic "spy" cars that appeared to have free roam about BFG.
So, I guess there is some use for spotters.
There was also a spotter who take a series of photos of the FG1 which pranged at Alconbury when the radome folded on the approach - I gather his photos (of good quality) were very helpful to the accident inquiry team.
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Similar story to FedEx727's post:
RAF Waddington about 10 years ago. Watched a member of the public taking a rubbing/impression of the numbers and text from a man hole cover. When I asked him why, he said that military establishments often had quite old and rare examples of the things, because they don't get replaced as often as those out there in "the real world". Wasn't sure what to make of this unique pastime of his, so decided to return to the beer tent to carry on with mine!
Also flew with a chap on the E3 who would come up to the flightdeck during AAR to get the tail number of the tanker. We'd ask the boom operator for their number and he would make a note of it. Still had to see the aircraft with his own eyes or it didn't count apparently. The boomer (sp?) would often query why we had asked for his tail number, as that wasn't the norm. Never knew how to explain it without sounding too daft. This chap would take serious banter from the rest of the crew but just didn't care. Water off a ducks back. Good for him.
RAF Waddington about 10 years ago. Watched a member of the public taking a rubbing/impression of the numbers and text from a man hole cover. When I asked him why, he said that military establishments often had quite old and rare examples of the things, because they don't get replaced as often as those out there in "the real world". Wasn't sure what to make of this unique pastime of his, so decided to return to the beer tent to carry on with mine!
Also flew with a chap on the E3 who would come up to the flightdeck during AAR to get the tail number of the tanker. We'd ask the boom operator for their number and he would make a note of it. Still had to see the aircraft with his own eyes or it didn't count apparently. The boomer (sp?) would often query why we had asked for his tail number, as that wasn't the norm. Never knew how to explain it without sounding too daft. This chap would take serious banter from the rest of the crew but just didn't care. Water off a ducks back. Good for him.
None of you has found the really esoteric spotting subject - try this website:-
Drainspotting
Just DON'T ask how I know about it!
Drainspotting
Just DON'T ask how I know about it!
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JEM60
must be another one(!!!), the one I know works for NATS, is in his late 20s now and got picked up by the FBI for loitering around a couple of American airports a few months after 9/11.
He was picked up once and let go, then he did it again the same weekend. His girlfriend of the time (who had gone off to do her own things whilst he spotted) had to vouch for him and get him sprung.
He had only just started training in ATC at the time, but you'd have still thought he would have had more sense.
I think she still regrets ever having vouched for him. Fortunately she has come to her senses and is no longer with him!
must be another one(!!!), the one I know works for NATS, is in his late 20s now and got picked up by the FBI for loitering around a couple of American airports a few months after 9/11.
He was picked up once and let go, then he did it again the same weekend. His girlfriend of the time (who had gone off to do her own things whilst he spotted) had to vouch for him and get him sprung.
He had only just started training in ATC at the time, but you'd have still thought he would have had more sense.
I think she still regrets ever having vouched for him. Fortunately she has come to her senses and is no longer with him!
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Bit off message but I once went on a steam railtour from Worcester up to Scotland to ride behind Union of South Africa. Bit like Mallard but not quite as fast. Don't know the number because I'm not a spotter.
Any way, my point is as we went through Crewe every one except me and Lorna, (the reason I went, she thought the trip sounded romantic), stood up and started calling out all the numbers of everything in sight into dictaphones. As we continued on our journey all these numbers were transcribed into books. All of a sudden one of the chaps in our compartment let out a strainge cry of joy that was immediatly stifled by sheer pain. He had now spotted everything on the network. He sat there broken harted, What could he do now for the rest of his life? "Start again?" suggested Lorna. At first he seemed a bit confused that a girl had spoken to him. Then He smiled, thanked her profusely and did just that as we went through Preston.
Any way, my point is as we went through Crewe every one except me and Lorna, (the reason I went, she thought the trip sounded romantic), stood up and started calling out all the numbers of everything in sight into dictaphones. As we continued on our journey all these numbers were transcribed into books. All of a sudden one of the chaps in our compartment let out a strainge cry of joy that was immediatly stifled by sheer pain. He had now spotted everything on the network. He sat there broken harted, What could he do now for the rest of his life? "Start again?" suggested Lorna. At first he seemed a bit confused that a girl had spoken to him. Then He smiled, thanked her profusely and did just that as we went through Preston.
I wasn't taking down numbers! Honest!!
Just watching the antics of the sky gods of the jet age in their aerial steeds...and wondering whether one day I might perhaps become one of them.
Beat watching Marsh Warblers swooping in the undercroft!
Living there was like having a non-stop air display in those days! Although there was an excellent air show in later days - eveything from a Bleriot IX to a VULCAN B1 as well as the superb Black Arrows.
Just watching the antics of the sky gods of the jet age in their aerial steeds...and wondering whether one day I might perhaps become one of them.
Beat watching Marsh Warblers swooping in the undercroft!
Living there was like having a non-stop air display in those days! Although there was an excellent air show in later days - eveything from a Bleriot IX to a VULCAN B1 as well as the superb Black Arrows.