Somewere nice and warm to spot aircraft Please.
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Somewere nice and warm to spot aircraft Please.
Hi all sorry for the rant and rave.
this is now really starting to get on my nerves.
I spot aircraft. I love the hobby, I started the hobby when I was in my early teens, whilst other people my age were becoming parents at 16 and getting hooked on drink and drugs, I would be seen at Heathrow busy writing down the numbers of the aircraft that were coming in. I love the banter, the people are great and I had a fantastic time.
Move on 15 or so years. Because of the Job that I do, I have to have an enhanced CRB check.
I work mainly with the Police but for my local council. On my days off you can now see me at airports throughout the uk.....BEING MOVED ON BY SECURITY STAFF AND WARNED THAT IF THEY CATCH ME AGAIN "ACTING SUSPICIOUSLY" I WOULD BE ARRESTED!!!!!!!!!!!.
All I am trying to do is find a nice place on the airport were I can view aircraft.
To my knowledge this does not exist. I think y ou can blame the attacks on America for that.
So I have a question
Why can't airports build a viewing lounge with a nice cafe were we can spot aircraft?
To gain a membership, you have to be CRB checked, You have to pay the necessary fees. I agree it could be expensive but worth it. (It all depends on how much you love the hobby.
With the proceeds BAA and other airports could provide us all with a nice environment to spot aircraft.
Surely, this would give us (the spotter) a nice warm place to meet with friends and spot aircraft and create hardly any worry to security.
Like I said previously I love my hobby, but I would not like to risk my career over it.
Any thoughs on this
And very sorry for the rant and rave I do feel slightly better.
this is now really starting to get on my nerves.
I spot aircraft. I love the hobby, I started the hobby when I was in my early teens, whilst other people my age were becoming parents at 16 and getting hooked on drink and drugs, I would be seen at Heathrow busy writing down the numbers of the aircraft that were coming in. I love the banter, the people are great and I had a fantastic time.
Move on 15 or so years. Because of the Job that I do, I have to have an enhanced CRB check.
I work mainly with the Police but for my local council. On my days off you can now see me at airports throughout the uk.....BEING MOVED ON BY SECURITY STAFF AND WARNED THAT IF THEY CATCH ME AGAIN "ACTING SUSPICIOUSLY" I WOULD BE ARRESTED!!!!!!!!!!!.
All I am trying to do is find a nice place on the airport were I can view aircraft.
To my knowledge this does not exist. I think y ou can blame the attacks on America for that.
So I have a question
Why can't airports build a viewing lounge with a nice cafe were we can spot aircraft?
To gain a membership, you have to be CRB checked, You have to pay the necessary fees. I agree it could be expensive but worth it. (It all depends on how much you love the hobby.
With the proceeds BAA and other airports could provide us all with a nice environment to spot aircraft.
Surely, this would give us (the spotter) a nice warm place to meet with friends and spot aircraft and create hardly any worry to security.
Like I said previously I love my hobby, but I would not like to risk my career over it.
Any thoughs on this
And very sorry for the rant and rave I do feel slightly better.
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I'm a lifelong spotter, so is my wife. Few things I enjoyed better than when my wife drove the kids up to Heathrow and we'd meet up after my morning watch and enjoy an hour or two on the Queen's Building. Sadly, it is no more. When I first used to visit, back in the 50s and 60s, the place would be full of spotters and Joe Public because aviation was all "the thing" and everyone wanted to watch aircraft. Unfortunately, diminishing interest made the roof gardens too costly to run for fun, plus the possibility of terrorist activities became very real.
Real estate on a major airfield is worth gold and there are plenty of commercial outfits willing to fork out the money for a piece. The income from spotters compared to the cost of providing facilities would be tiny. For Heathrow, there are a good few places off-airport where you can watch aircraft in total freedom.
I know other major airfields do provide for spotters and there are countless smaller places (eg Popham) where spotters have free access.
Just accept that things are the way they are. We derive as much fun sitting in the garden on a clear day doing our spotting with the help of our binoculars and SBS.
Real estate on a major airfield is worth gold and there are plenty of commercial outfits willing to fork out the money for a piece. The income from spotters compared to the cost of providing facilities would be tiny. For Heathrow, there are a good few places off-airport where you can watch aircraft in total freedom.
I know other major airfields do provide for spotters and there are countless smaller places (eg Popham) where spotters have free access.
Just accept that things are the way they are. We derive as much fun sitting in the garden on a clear day doing our spotting with the help of our binoculars and SBS.
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I agree with you, there needs to be more places at airports that offer good or unrestricted views of the taxiways/runways and also places that are protected from the elements.
Sadly though, BAA don't seem to be very sympathetic too spotters, they've closed the Queen's building at Heathrow for example which is now closed.
I understand that from managements point of view, spotters aren't going to be high on their priorities but if there were more locations to spot then a great atmosphere would be generated back towards the airport, the average person would walk past, see all the cameras and then realize that there truly is something special about aviation
Sadly though, BAA don't seem to be very sympathetic too spotters, they've closed the Queen's building at Heathrow for example which is now closed.
I understand that from managements point of view, spotters aren't going to be high on their priorities but if there were more locations to spot then a great atmosphere would be generated back towards the airport, the average person would walk past, see all the cameras and then realize that there truly is something special about aviation
On my days off you can now see me at airports throughout the uk.....BEING MOVED ON BY SECURITY STAFF AND WARNED THAT IF THEY CATCH ME AGAIN "ACTING SUSPICIOUSLY" I WOULD BE ARRESTED!!!!!!!!!!!.
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Get a grip man, freezing yer nuts off on some draughty airport car park roof whilst furiously scribbling down reggies is all part of the essential spotting experience ,its what makes spotting so much fun.
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studentpilotmcuk,
I really do sympathise with your post, especially if you have nothing to hide or are not breaking the law.
This is just a thought and i'm not sure how it would work, but if you popped along to your nearest airport police station with a copy of your passport/ID and also details of your vehicle and let them know where and when you will be spotting, and then if you are pulled up by any jobsworth security guard you could inform them that you have already informed the police of your presence. Would this work? just a thought.
Iain
I really do sympathise with your post, especially if you have nothing to hide or are not breaking the law.
This is just a thought and i'm not sure how it would work, but if you popped along to your nearest airport police station with a copy of your passport/ID and also details of your vehicle and let them know where and when you will be spotting, and then if you are pulled up by any jobsworth security guard you could inform them that you have already informed the police of your presence. Would this work? just a thought.
Iain
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You can see the 27 approach at Heathrow from my daughter's kitchen if that's any help...
FWIW, I have also been questioned a couple of times whilst at Stansted. My argument is if you're in a public area and "carrying out your lawful business" (i.e. plane spotting is not illegal) then you cannot be threatened with arrest.
Never had any real problems, the airport police have got more important things to do than to haul spotters off to the pokey. Be nice to them and they'll be nice back. As for airport security staff, just a bunch of jobsworths with no real authority. They would still have to call the police to do anything to you, and the police wouldn't do it if you've done nothing wrong.
FWIW, I have also been questioned a couple of times whilst at Stansted. My argument is if you're in a public area and "carrying out your lawful business" (i.e. plane spotting is not illegal) then you cannot be threatened with arrest.
Never had any real problems, the airport police have got more important things to do than to haul spotters off to the pokey. Be nice to them and they'll be nice back. As for airport security staff, just a bunch of jobsworths with no real authority. They would still have to call the police to do anything to you, and the police wouldn't do it if you've done nothing wrong.
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con-pilot offers the perfect solution. Warmth, something to drink and action all afternoon long.
On the south side at Malta, there is a viewing area that is raised above the security fence level for photographers.
A public beach runs almost the entire length around one side of Lanzarote's runway and approach.
There's a hotel that overlooks one end of Corfu's runway and they used to offer 'breaks' for spotter's / photographers - never been though.
There's an area on one end at Brisbane where you can - maybe past tense - view and take photographs. Melbourne's good too - but no drinks and no shade!
On the south side at Malta, there is a viewing area that is raised above the security fence level for photographers.
A public beach runs almost the entire length around one side of Lanzarote's runway and approach.
There's a hotel that overlooks one end of Corfu's runway and they used to offer 'breaks' for spotter's / photographers - never been though.
There's an area on one end at Brisbane where you can - maybe past tense - view and take photographs. Melbourne's good too - but no drinks and no shade!
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Totally agree with you comments. Spent many a happy day on top of the Queens Building as a youngster, trundle down to Heathrow on the 140 Bus and spot-away...would love a similar venue to bring the kids to but since the demise of the Heathrow Visiters Centre (unless they have reopened it...) there has been nothing of a similar nature to use...pity....
Somewere nice and warm to spot aircraft Please.
My roof terrace at Palm Mar on approach 08 at GCTS where current weather is
GCTS 181500Z VRB02KT 5000 HZ NSC 26/04 Q1022 NOSIG
GCTS 181500Z VRB02KT 5000 HZ NSC 26/04 Q1022 NOSIG
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Thanks for those comments. Its wonderful to see that people generally feel the same way. My father worked in london and had to be at work early, I used to get up with him at 6am to be down at Heathrow to watch concorde take off.
For all pilots/peple flying into Corfu.
what is the name of the bar, from which, you can sit on the balcony and spot aircraft? ( you can see Mouse Island as well) Aparently Corfu boasts the shortest runway is this true.
For all pilots/peple flying into Corfu.
what is the name of the bar, from which, you can sit on the balcony and spot aircraft? ( you can see Mouse Island as well) Aparently Corfu boasts the shortest runway is this true.
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How about by the holding point at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood Airport when they are landing on easterlies which is most of the time.
Nice clean car park, lovely warm weather and you can listen to the tower frequency over a tannoy - and a Dennys is not too far away!
Nice clean car park, lovely warm weather and you can listen to the tower frequency over a tannoy - and a Dennys is not too far away!
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Washington Reagan National has a small public park at the north end which offers excellent and close shots of aircraft landing or taking off (depending on wind etc...).
Is the old US Customs car park at JFK still open - very close alongside the middle of 13L/31R ?
Is the old US Customs car park at JFK still open - very close alongside the middle of 13L/31R ?
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Corfu
It used to be the Royal Hotel in Kanoni,don't know if it's still open?.The views from the bar/terrace were amazing.I once stayed at the Ariti hotel,and I had a runway view from bedroom,I know that is still open.
Would love to go back there!.
Would love to go back there!.
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Lisbon, Faro, Funchal, Barcelona, Zurich, Geneva, Dusseldorf, Warsaw, Hong Kong, Sydney, San Jose in Costa Rica. Some of the above are dependent on the season, of course! All non-stop from Heathrow except for San Jose - you can get there via Miami, another spotting favourite and near to Fort Lauderdale. The world is your oyster!