I'm sorry if this sounds like a silly question, but as a pilot I can't wrap my head around this one and would love to know the answer.
I am aware there are different types of spotter.
The photographers, the listeners, the casual observers, but it is the notepad holding reg collectors that intrigue me.
I was at the North Weald classic fly in on the weekend just gone, with my aircraft, a Sportcruiser/Pipersport.
Stood by it, few had any questions to ask me. Most asked if I would mind standing out of the way whilst they photographed it, but many leaned around, wrote down the registration and serial number, and without a word shuffled on.
I tried broaching the subject with a couple of these chaps, but apart from discovering that they all seem to possess an encyclopaedic knowledge of aircraft and their individual histories, I didn't get a straight answer.
What do they do with all this data?
Of course, I used to think live and let live, they could be out murdering people in their free time, but this seems to be a peaceful hobby that doesn't hurt anyone. That was until one chap asked my colleague in his best nasal voice (and I'm not baiting, it was very nasal)
"Errrrr, this aircraft was at Connington on" ... flicked through his note pad ... "Wednesday wasn't it?"
Well, yes it was. I flew there. No flight plan and just a polite ppr. It seems a little akin to the aircraft having a stalker.
Do these guys upload the information onto the internet?
Are all my aircraft movements collected in some mutual, shared by all database?
Some of the hangers on the airfield were deliberately left open so these guys could peek in, and on the doors the registrations were listed for them, to save them having to enter the hangers which were off limits.
I asked one chap if he'd ever flown in a Sportcruiser. This was a leading question, as I probably would have taken him for a quick flight just to get the answers to the questions above, but was mystified by his answer.
"Oh no, I have never been for a flight in a small aircraft. I don't think I would like that at all."
The internet is plastered with pictures of me taxiing, flying and even standing by the aircraft.
Really I just want to know where all that data goes, and why do they collect it? Is there an end once they have every registration or is it the movements that they are interested in? If there is a central bank of data, could someone post a link? I'd be very interested to see how the information is displayed.
thnx and apologies if this seems woefully naive, placed in this forum.