Ask nicely guys!

[astir 8]

Scenario - last Saturday at our gliding club (Weston on the Green). Steady rain, so no flying & the aircraft hangar was shut.

One of our members encountered an unknown person trying to open the hangar door.

Stranger: "The door's locked, I want to see inside"

Member: "Can I help you?"

Stranger:"I want to see the gliders, the door's locked"

Member: "Why do you want to see them"?

Stranger: "I'm a spotter, why is the door locked?"

Member: "Because it's raining and we're not flying. Come back when we're flying if you want to see the gliders"

We have been happy enough to accommodate polite spotters since EASA inflicted G-REG gliders on us but believe me in this particular case there was no way that the door was going to be opened for such a rude :mad:.

So if you're reading this matey, please say please next time! :ok:

[PPRuNe Pop]

Ummmm. Another example of ignorance in its widest sense. There are NO rights for spotters and this must be understood.

If you are friendly and polite it can work wonders.

[ericlday]

If you are friendly and polite it can work wonders....sadly manners are missing in todays world. Please and Thank You are becoming rare. It costs nothing to be polite.

[treadigraph]

Blimey, some people are unbelievable. When I woz a spotter, I usually asked before even going airside at airfields let alone entering a hangar.

Strange that now UK gliders exhibit G-REGS, spotters are taking more of an interest in them.

The odd one or two might even start jemmying open trailers...

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Of all the stupid people I have met on this earth, some spotters rank high on the list. I've been a spotter, lifelong, but would never behave in such a manner. My wife and I went to Lasham last year and were peering though our binocs to see a German registered aircraft in one of the hangars. One of the gliding-types asked what we were looking for and when we explained he took us on a walk around inside the hangar. On another occasion at White Waltham, Ruth was trying to read off something in a hangar... and one of the pilots took her by the hand and showed her around. Politeness works wonders, as ericlday rightly suggests.

[GANNET FAN]

Respectfully HD, you are of the age (and me too) when manners were part of the upbringing. Dad used to clobber me if I didn't call someone of his age Sir!

[goldox]

Reminds me of a time around 1968-9 when I wanted to visit Elstree aerodrome as a change from Heathrow and Gatwick. Not being too familiar with the location I got off train at wrong stop and had a very long walk to the airfield. I was rather disappointed to find very few aircraft on the field, but I asked a man VERY nicely if there might be any in the hangars?

He took me in a large hangar and it was an absolute wonderland, if I recall about 70 light aircraft and I was allowed to wander about them for ages, I had never been so close to so many aircraft before.

Amother time at Gatwick, using politeness and good manners, I was let onto a Lear Jet and sat in the pilots seat! That was awesome for a 14 year old!

Sad to say in these days of (rightly) enhanced security this is unlikely to be the norm...

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Yep... things have changed. However, there is one place where there is a more-enlightened attitude - New Zealand. Having been there a good few times but never done any serious spotting, on our last trip we did just that. Everywhere we went we were treated with friendship and hospitality, including cups of coffee. At one place we saw a new helicopter through a hangar window... then saw an engineer to explain what we were at. His reaction: "Pop inside and climb in"! I can just imagine that happening at that dreadful Fairoaks place.

[Entaxei]

The mention of Gatwick, circa 1957, brings back the memory of being stopped by the police on the peri track whilst spotting, having all details taken, subseqently charged in court with 'Trespassing under the military lands act - 1871', fined £5.

Now thats just one of those things, except - from 1972 onwards I was employed in the computer industry, subsequently with my own company, working on army and navy projects designing equipment - every single time that I had to renew my security clearance, average 2 yrs, down on the form had to go details of this criminal conviction, initially not too much of a problem, but looking rather silly after I reached 60 - such are the joys & legacies of youth.

On the subject of manners, I always asked for permission to go around the hangers, don't think I was ever refused, but it was a more polite society in those days (apart from the east end of London). :ok:

[goldox]

astir 8:

Sorry if this is rude/lazy/stupid....

I pass Weston about once a month on a Sunday and have noticed a Skyvan (?) probably used by those insane people who jump out of aircraft deliberately!

Do you happen to know the reg? Not sure where to look it up....

Thanx.

[WOD-DET-DVR]

Remember as a youg lad in the mid sixties spotting at LGW. No problem entering the hangar on the South Side but quite a long walk from the terminal. I remember a hangar full of Morton Air Services Herons and an Ace Freighters Connie. Those were the days. LGW in the 60's was a lot quieter than now but so much more interesting.
Lots of GA, RCAF Hercs and Yukons, CP Air DC8s , SAM and Sterling DC-6s and Spantax CV990s to name just a few.
The world is now boring in comparison.

[goldox]

I too have fond memories of Gatwick from my younger days, eg seeing a Jetstar like a little VC10 (did it really need 4 engines?) and many exotic visitors.

I recall a TU-104 having trouble taking off, it aborted a couple of times, and it appeared to taxi back beyond the runway threshold and started its roll before the runway proper (from grass??). Is that likely or is my memory playing tricks? I don't know what the problem would have been - maybe weight? Were procedures a bit more lax in those days?

Also saw my first close-up of a go-around, a BUA VC10, due to another aircraft (a small prop job I recall) being rather sluggish to exit the runway about half way down. Spectacular for me at the time, rather mundane I suspect for most of you. It seemed to go SO close to the ground before powering up and away...

[astir 8]

Goldox

I have not looked lately but it's probably the appropriately (for a Skyvan) registered G-PIGY

[goldox]

Many thanx astir 8 appreciated!
Like the reg!

[Callsign Kilo]

Good for you astir

I would have told him not to even bother coming back - rain, hail, snow or sun.

[west lakes]

I'm involved with the organisation of a fly-in at a local airfield. We were contacted last year by one spotter virtally demanding that a private hanger was opened for photography purposes

It wasn't!

[Hartington]

I have this vague recollection of a Connie at Gatwick about the time of the Biafran crisis. It had one reg one side (Cypriot?) some else the other (US?) and was using a different US callsign. Life was interesting in those days.

[treadigraph]

That surely was one of Hank Wharton's Connies, Hartington! From memory they were "registered" in Mauritania?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

5T-TAF perchance?

[Hotel Tango]

Wouldn't have found many aeroplanes in a hanger anyway :}

[neroliie]

A genuine smile, please and thank you - it's not rocket science!

[chiglet]

Politeness PAYS...
Got to sit in the T33,C47 and B17 cockpits at Duxford....with an apology...that the drew of the B29 had gone to lunch...so unfortunately couldnt get inside.
Also asked nicely at Llanberis, to look around the Loco sheds. The look on the [train] Spotters faces was a joy. The chappie showing us round said...
"All they have to do, is what you did.Ask [politely]" :ok:

[astir 8]

Hotel Tango

Eccles:- "Why do you need a hangar for your aeroplane?"

Neddy Seagoon:- "Because they lose their shape hanging on a hook"

[Mike Tee]

As others have said being polite and friendly works wonders. A couple of my own experiences are as follows. Many years ago early morning fog across the south of England had lots of the early morning arrivals diverting North and Teesside (now DTV) received a couple of BA 747's. Trying to take pictures through the fence into a bright morning sun was impossible. I was having a chat with one of the Security Chaps and explained my problem. "Walk round to the Departures Gate in the Terminal" and meet me there he said. Minutes later I was escorted through Departures and out onto the Apron, underneath BA747 Sir Francis Drake and allowed to take my Pictures with the Sun in my back !!.
Another time my Wife and I where at the Canadian Warplane Heritage at Hamilton, Canada. It was a quiet time, mid week and off season. The Lancaster was in the Hanger on Jacks with a couple of Engines removed. We where behind the Rope Barrier taking pictures when one of the Mechanics heard our English voices and asked where we were from. When we told him we had stared our journey from RAF Middleton St George (Teesside Airport) the barriers where lifted and minutes later we where in the Lancaster Cockpit. (bit of a struggle) Brilliant Experience. Later we where treated to Lunch and Coffee in the Canteen.
It pays to be nice, friendly and courteous.

[tggzzz]

Amother time at Gatwick, using politeness and good manners, I was let onto a Lear Jet and sat in the pilots seat! That was awesome for a 14 year old!

Sad to say in these days of (rightly) enhanced security this is unlikely to be the norm...Two years ago my daughter sat in a 757's P1 seat when she was 15.95 years old.

So, it isn't impossible, fortunately.

[scarecrow450]

Many years ago asked the air mechs at Portland open day could we have a look at their Lynx in the main hanger, they said sorry not allowed. OK sez we, thanks any way.
We turned to go and a shout said, ok come on in. Saw every one in there,
thanks again Senior Service.

Be polite, you never know :=

[robin]

Dead right.

As a pilot I'm appalled at the behaviour of some visitors. Most are good guys, but there are a few that don't seem to understand that my aircraft is owned by me and my group.

It costs nothing to be polite, yet some are amongst the rudest and pushiest people I've ever met.

Still, the worst I've ever met was the 'spotter from hell' at Kemble who threatened a 6-year old.

[astir 8]

Most of the replies to this thread have indicated an interest in actual aircraft and flying. Spotters who I have shown round our glider fleet didn't seem to care remotely what the reg was painted on as long as they saw the letters.

Am I missing something? They're welcome to see the registrations (if they ask politely) but I've been willing to tell them the glider type, its history, tell them how gliding works (ok I'm a fanatic too) but they seemed completely uninterested.

Each to his own, but could anyone enlighten me?

[goldox]

As a spotter / aviation enthusiast of many years I have a keen interest in aviation generally, and would have thought that "plane spotting" went hand in hand with an interest in aviation.

However it seems there are "box tickers" who just collect regs for the sake of collecting?

[treadigraph]

Mystery to me Astir 8, I would have thought that an interest in the registrations would have indicated an interest in aviation overall, but I certainly came across a few fellow spotters who had no real interest other than crossing the number off. They were in the minority though.

I can still remember my first visit to Lasham in 1978 - think it happened to be the Nationals - I spent quite a lot of time peering into cockpits trying to spot the BGA cert! My glider identification has never been that brilliant though...

Despite a very early gliding background, it was also the first time I became aware of the speed of the final glide and water dumping - happy memories of several sailplanes whistling across the peri track at not many feet, apparently under steam!

[astir 8]

Thinking about it, anyone involved in PPrune is going to have a bit more interest in aviation than lists of reg numbers. Still puzzles me.

But then my wife & I pass the time on road trips to & from Scotland by counting Eddie Stobard lorries!:uhoh:

[treadigraph]

counting Eddie Stobard lorries!

We try and read off the names... :ok:

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Oh yes... we have an "Eddie book" in each car!!

[B314]

Yup, I've found myself doing checking names too from a few months back. Aren't they supposed to be the cleanest trucks on the roads?

(Official disclaimer: Other operators are available with clean vehicles for hire..;))

[IRRenewal]

We play a game I call 'spot the spotter'. I can usually identify a spotter when they turn up in the car park, long before they have identified themselves as such (assuming they intended to do so in the first place).

Any other 'spotter spotters' out here who can identify the distinguishing features of a spotter?

[Sir Herbert Gussett]

Ah yes a brilliant hobby Spotting the Spotter is!

[LGS6753]

Large man with handlebar moustache to small (spotter) boy:

"What are you doing there?"

Nervous spotty spotter:

"Everyone's got to be somewhere!"

With apologies to messrs Seagoon & Eccles