Anyone like to help me with starting my hobby?

[JamieMac]

Hi People,

I have decided it is time for me to start my hobby of aircraft spotting and aircraft photography.

I am on here to ask if anyone could help me with where good places to go spotting and taking photos in scotland are?

Thanks

Jamie :)

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Aerodromes are quite good places, Jamie! There are several good museums in, and close to, Scotland too. Try the dreaded Google...

[ab33t]

There are many sites dedicated to plane spotting and you do not need to reinvent the wheel join one of these groups

[Newforest2]

You seemed to have started your Pprune journey as a wannabee pilot, changing direction to an engineer, another tangent to a photographer and now, the high ideal of a spotter!;)

Most of us do it the other way round.

[OntimeexceptACARS]

Jamie, a good place to start is Scotavnet ...... to join, go here :

scotavnet : Scottish Aviation Network (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scotavnet/)

[toscana24]

Good luck Jamie with the new Hobby.

Ian Allan publish two books each year - Civil Aircraft Markings and Military Aircraft Markings. These will help you identify what you see. (Look at the Ian Allan Publishing Website.)

As regards photography best advice is to go to your nearest airfileds and just practice taking photographs. Two choices really - pictures of aircraft on the ground (easy if you can get access to locations where there is an unrestricted view) or by waiting parallel to the runway ends to get approach or take off pictures (needs more skill and practice). Weather is the key to photography and you really do need a bright sunny day (and the sun needs to be behind you).

Have fun!

[Planemike]

Would reccommend you join Air Britain..........

Planemike

[DeepestSouth]

Jamie,

Not entirely tongue-in-cheek, you might want to use a bicycle - or motorbike. You can often find interesting view points on airfield boundaries which you miss if you travel by car - or from which you'll get moved on if you park nearby. As a lad a bit younger than you, I spent many happy hours around Midlands airfields (including the V Bomber base at Gaydon and the AW engineering/test flying base at Lutterworth) and saw many interesting and unusual sights. It's also worth trying to get hold of an aviation map of your area (available on line) and you might well spot airfields you don't know about, some of which might be active.

Best wishes

DS

[INNflight]

....and just in case you still aim for being a pilot, taking nice photos which others can see (who are in the business already), can be a GREAT networking tool to get your first job. Seriously.

Plus, it's all about the fun..... big machines.....different weather....making friends :)

Example:

Falcon 7X (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled-(NetJets-Europe)/Dassault-Falcon-7X/1639109/L/)

[adamgraham]

Go to edinburgh palace