Will BAA ever open Spectator areas again
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Will BAA ever open Spectator areas again
Will BAA ever open Spectator areas again?
Especially Gatwick? I know they claimed a saftey reason to close them but please is'nt that overkill?
Especially Gatwick? I know they claimed a saftey reason to close them but please is'nt that overkill?
SAFETY / SECURITY is the weakest of all excuses and absolute tosh. A good spectators area, which can be made secure at night, at both LHR and LGW would pay for itself in terms of staff required for the provision of security checks upon entry. (Frankfurt, Zurich, etc). The truth is that, just as in ATC and the airline world, airports are now managed by beancounters who don't have an iota of interest in aviation! Of course there are SOME exceptions, but they are too few - especially in the UK, home of the aircraft enthusiasts.
To all airport managers let me repeat what I mentioned sometime ago, aircraft enthusiasts and the general public are one of the very best ways of protecting your airport.
To all airport managers let me repeat what I mentioned sometime ago, aircraft enthusiasts and the general public are one of the very best ways of protecting your airport.
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Avman
Couldn't agree with you more. Interesting to note that the viewing area at FRA is often quoted as being in the top three 'tourist' attractions in Germany. All for the cost of a couple of security personnel, security equipment and a some cleaners... Would guess that makes a nice profit. Accountants at BAA take note...
It's sad but gone are the days of the Queens building viewing area, where so many youngsters got the bug of aviation that probably led them to pursue a career in the industry....
It's sad but gone are the days of the Queens building viewing area, where so many youngsters got the bug of aviation that probably led them to pursue a career in the industry....
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Got to be honest here too, although it's easy to jump on the same P.O.V. wagon as everyone who has commented so far, I really couldn't agree more with them.
The saddest thing is I think that those with the power to re-open the spectator areas at LHR (for example) forgot about them the day they were closed.. as if they just dropped off the bottom of the priority list like an action completed, never to be thought of again - like a disused railway station.
We always talk about how the 'golden' days of aviation are gone: I say that imagination is all that will be left, without a viewing terrace and cockpit visits!
The saddest thing is I think that those with the power to re-open the spectator areas at LHR (for example) forgot about them the day they were closed.. as if they just dropped off the bottom of the priority list like an action completed, never to be thought of again - like a disused railway station.
We always talk about how the 'golden' days of aviation are gone: I say that imagination is all that will be left, without a viewing terrace and cockpit visits!
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Stansted's even worse......never had an official viewing area, and the BAA are now actively closing off and blocking all points from where a view may be had. Their latest stunt was to place a redundant airbridge on the ground in front of a gate to deliberately obstruct the view.
One really would think they had better ways to spend their money, particularly as they are not flavour of the month with the local residents. A bit of positive PR would do them some good.
Amsterdam-Schiphol has to be one of the best places for viewing. Last time I was there they had built a socking great car park alongside one of the runways, with no fence (but a large and deep water filled ditch for security) and a MacDonalds. Free parking and full of the public just having a nice afternoon out. Sadly until the BAA get their collective heads out of their backsides it ain't gonna happen at any of their airports.
One really would think they had better ways to spend their money, particularly as they are not flavour of the month with the local residents. A bit of positive PR would do them some good.
Amsterdam-Schiphol has to be one of the best places for viewing. Last time I was there they had built a socking great car park alongside one of the runways, with no fence (but a large and deep water filled ditch for security) and a MacDonalds. Free parking and full of the public just having a nice afternoon out. Sadly until the BAA get their collective heads out of their backsides it ain't gonna happen at any of their airports.
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The only time the BAA will ever re-introduce spectators viewing areas if they can stick an expensive shopping mall in it!!
They are the worse people in the world for anti-spotting. Even the Americans don't get that paranoid. Still, what can you expect from a company whose sole aim is to make money, never mind travellers or enthusiasts.
skiddy
They are the worse people in the world for anti-spotting. Even the Americans don't get that paranoid. Still, what can you expect from a company whose sole aim is to make money, never mind travellers or enthusiasts.
skiddy
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Slightly off-topic, but does anyone know what became of the aircraft/bits of aircraft (Herald, Comet nose, etc etc) which used to be displayed on the now-closed roof-terrace at Gatwick? Just curious!
Coppula eam se non posit acceptera jocularum
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Contrast this with the recently published guidelines from National Rail. In particular:
Funny Gatwick gets a mention here, as this was a popular destination, when staying with the relatives in Sussex, for my brother and I in our trainspotting days. When we got bored with the trains (and this is the Southern Region we are taling about!), we would go up to the observation deck to watch some beautifully noisy 1970's aircraft taking off.
The beancounters are very short sighted. Allow viewing access to capture the child's imagination today and you will have positive staff and passengers tomorrow. But of course, that does not pay the bonus this year. The problem is, like it seems every industry these days, managers with no background in the industry. To go back to the railway example, there was a time in the pre-privatisation era when it was held in bad taste for a railway manager to be enthusiastic about railways. Call me naive, but somebody enthusiastic is going to go the extra mile in their job. No wonder the railways are in such a mess today. Beware the aviation industry going the same way. Things such as closed viewing areas suggest the thin edge of a very divisive wedge.
Your presence at the station can be very helpful to us as extra "eyes and ears" and can be a positive security benefit.
The beancounters are very short sighted. Allow viewing access to capture the child's imagination today and you will have positive staff and passengers tomorrow. But of course, that does not pay the bonus this year. The problem is, like it seems every industry these days, managers with no background in the industry. To go back to the railway example, there was a time in the pre-privatisation era when it was held in bad taste for a railway manager to be enthusiastic about railways. Call me naive, but somebody enthusiastic is going to go the extra mile in their job. No wonder the railways are in such a mess today. Beware the aviation industry going the same way. Things such as closed viewing areas suggest the thin edge of a very divisive wedge.
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The Herald is down the other side of the control tower, along with the old Comet fuselage. You can see it when you taxy in or out. And just about from the North Terminal in Departures.
skiddy
skiddy
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Baffling isn't it, what damage could a terrorist possibly do on the Queens Building anyway? if you were a terrorist your aim would be "maximum destruction" "maximum effect" "maximum publicity" and they couldn't acheive that from up on the tower, they could however acheive those 3 from around the perimeter of the airfield, so the authorities are barking up the wrong tree imho.
Dean
Dean
having been in FRA for 3 days recently it is still one of the best facilites from which aircraft can be watched and photographed from. The security check is no different than if you were a passenger and is very good value at 3 euro. If you are lucky the cashier may be late and you will get in for free as I did 2 days of the 3.
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Will BAA ever open Spectator areas again?
Because you could take bit of Missile up there disguised as Camera Lens and stuff, and put it together and shoot a plane down and be really nasty!!!!1!!!
The above may have included an element of sarcasm.
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In a similar vein, anyone here the proud owner of a "stop and search" form from the local constabulary yet? I've managed to avoid them so far, but I don't get out to the "big" airports much (no-one seems bothered at East Mids!). I gather they are quite the thing to be seen with these days.....
Last edited by brookbj; 27th Jun 2005 at 16:09.
Because you could take bit of Missile up there disguised as Camera Lens and stuff, and put it together and shoot a plane down and be really nasty!!!!1!!!
Tell BAA we will all buy these camera lenses at the Heathrow Dixons. Then things will be approved in a moment.
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Well..
There are plenty of BAA employees who are enthusiastic about aviation and aircraft, who wish we still had the facilities of yore. We're proud of our airports and what we achieve and we genuinely want to share this with enthusiasts from around the country and around the world.
Mind you, personally I think someone who spends a couple of week's salary on a ticket to Japan just to get a few L1011 frames is suffering from an illness, not just an enthusiasm, but each to their own.
The faithful who gather at our various crash gates and undershoots have actually been recognised by Sussex Police as a resource and there are signs up asking the regulars to report anyone they don't recognise or who is acting suspiciuosly.
Finally, the LGW viewing area was shut to make way for the South Terminal Arrivals eXtension (STAX). It actually made money and like the FRA area, was a very popular leisure attraction. We've looked hard for another suitable replacement area, but so far, without luck.
Cheers,
TheOddOne
There are plenty of BAA employees who are enthusiastic about aviation and aircraft, who wish we still had the facilities of yore. We're proud of our airports and what we achieve and we genuinely want to share this with enthusiasts from around the country and around the world.
Mind you, personally I think someone who spends a couple of week's salary on a ticket to Japan just to get a few L1011 frames is suffering from an illness, not just an enthusiasm, but each to their own.
The faithful who gather at our various crash gates and undershoots have actually been recognised by Sussex Police as a resource and there are signs up asking the regulars to report anyone they don't recognise or who is acting suspiciuosly.
Finally, the LGW viewing area was shut to make way for the South Terminal Arrivals eXtension (STAX). It actually made money and like the FRA area, was a very popular leisure attraction. We've looked hard for another suitable replacement area, but so far, without luck.
Cheers,
TheOddOne
Finally, the LGW viewing area was shut to make way for the South Terminal Arrivals eXtension (STAX). It actually made money and like the FRA area, was a very popular leisure attraction. We've looked hard for another suitable replacement area, but so far, without luck.
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Not so long ago, a bloke went round with a patition to get the deck at Heathrow open again. i heard he got over 10 thousand signitures.
This obviously wasnt enough (no offense to the guy who did it) because it is still closed.
What i am proposing, if possible, Could we all start a similar project, we all want the same objective and that is millions around the world, not just a few plane spotters dangling round an airport!
If we were to get these mass patitions signed and sent to BAA, and again and again and again, maybe they would do something about it????
then again, they may just close off every single viewing point possible as they are doing anyway.
This prats are going to drive us to launching missiles, preferably at the BAA offices where these stupid decisions are made.
Before i finish, i would just like to thank the guy, if he looks on this website i dont know, who started the patition, was a great idea, i just think if we did it on a much larger scale maybe it could make some sort of difference?
This obviously wasnt enough (no offense to the guy who did it) because it is still closed.
What i am proposing, if possible, Could we all start a similar project, we all want the same objective and that is millions around the world, not just a few plane spotters dangling round an airport!
If we were to get these mass patitions signed and sent to BAA, and again and again and again, maybe they would do something about it????
then again, they may just close off every single viewing point possible as they are doing anyway.
This prats are going to drive us to launching missiles, preferably at the BAA offices where these stupid decisions are made.
Before i finish, i would just like to thank the guy, if he looks on this website i dont know, who started the patition, was a great idea, i just think if we did it on a much larger scale maybe it could make some sort of difference?