What do the number writers do with the information they collect?
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Berkshire, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 8,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Everyone to their own thing. I'm told that there are thousands who pay to watch a couple of dozen obscenely overpaid, intellectually deprived cretins kick a ball around....! Now that I really do not understand.
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Driving a Train.
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Everyone to their own thing. I'm told that there are thousands who pay to watch a couple of dozen obscenely overpaid, intellectually deprived cretins kick a ball around....! Now that I really do not understand.
Its a Barmy World.
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Lower Troposphere
Age: 65
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm with you re the football HD, now we also have two not quite so overpaid people hitting a ball back and forth between themselves all day on the telly. Whats all that about?, if they both don't want it why not just walk away. Any way I used to spot many years ago. I can remember when I gave up - May 1978 walking round the ramp at Fort Lauderdale, (bet you can't do that nowadays) writing down all these N numbers. Thought to myself, what's the point? they all look the bleedin' same. Threw my notebook in a bin.Took up aircraft photography instead, still do it when I can. Went to Farnborough yesterday spent a few hours sat in the sun at the end of the runway, took some piccies. Quite a pleasant way to spend a sunny afternoon. Met some weirdos in my years around airfields but they are not a patch on bus spotters, went to a bus do at Brooklands a few years back, jeeeesus they are strange.
D
D
A very interesting thread, this one....
What's coming through is that we don't seem to take ourselves too seriously, do we? That's great.
Years ago I went on an organised trip to what was then the Jaguar museum at Coltishall. Later in the bar I got talking to the bus driver, who gave me ear-ache about silly people logging airframe numbers etc. He then told me he was a bus spotter....did you know that London transport had 5000 big red buses, whilst there were only 500 in all of East Anglia....
Each to his own. It's legal, and doesn't frighten the horses, so carry on folks!
Just off to buy a new numbers book, and get the anorak dry cleaned. the airshow season's under way.
Finmally, thanks to the member who started this off. Sadly I didn't make the Fly-in this year, but I know that I, and all the other anoraks, do appreciate that people fly their aircraft down there, for we penguins to look at.....
Years ago I went on an organised trip to what was then the Jaguar museum at Coltishall. Later in the bar I got talking to the bus driver, who gave me ear-ache about silly people logging airframe numbers etc. He then told me he was a bus spotter....did you know that London transport had 5000 big red buses, whilst there were only 500 in all of East Anglia....
Each to his own. It's legal, and doesn't frighten the horses, so carry on folks!
Just off to buy a new numbers book, and get the anorak dry cleaned. the airshow season's under way.
Finmally, thanks to the member who started this off. Sadly I didn't make the Fly-in this year, but I know that I, and all the other anoraks, do appreciate that people fly their aircraft down there, for we penguins to look at.....
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Turning base leg
Age: 65
Posts: 4,717
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Better get some extra white coats down here, and a padded van too. My wife and I are aircraft spotters, Eddie collectors and birdwatchers! We don't twitch now for health reasons but we used to collect lists of birds seen by the month, year and all-time. Is there a place in Heaven for such illustrious souls I ask?
RR
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Lower Troposphere
Age: 65
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Careful Bobward, using the A word. I once posted a question and finished it with "just wondered if any fellow anoraks out there can help". All I got was a load of abuse along the lines of " don't expect any help if you call people names " etc. Some people.
D
Motto: Never take life too seriously, you will never get out of it alive.
D
Motto: Never take life too seriously, you will never get out of it alive.
Great replies one and all
Personally, I have worked in the industry as have most of my family - thus aviation is in the blood.
Collecting registrations is something I have been doing for 30 odd years for no other reason than the pleasure it gives me in analysis of the data afterwards - which aircraft I have seen before, which have changed mark etc etc. Probably pointless in the grand scheme of things but it's harmless and gets me out in the fresh air.
I also maintain production lists of an aircraft type which is close to my heart - collecting data on changes of registration and ownership, collecting photos and anything I can get my hands on relating to this aircraft type.
When I pass on to the great airport in the sky - I'm sure it will all be binned straight away by my horrid children
- but heck it's given me some pleasure and in the end .. that 's what counts
Personally, I have worked in the industry as have most of my family - thus aviation is in the blood.
Collecting registrations is something I have been doing for 30 odd years for no other reason than the pleasure it gives me in analysis of the data afterwards - which aircraft I have seen before, which have changed mark etc etc. Probably pointless in the grand scheme of things but it's harmless and gets me out in the fresh air.
I also maintain production lists of an aircraft type which is close to my heart - collecting data on changes of registration and ownership, collecting photos and anything I can get my hands on relating to this aircraft type.
When I pass on to the great airport in the sky - I'm sure it will all be binned straight away by my horrid children
- but heck it's given me some pleasure and in the end .. that 's what counts
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Chedburgh, Bury St.Edmunds
Age: 81
Posts: 1,175
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes
on
5 Posts
ART SMASS. As you say, pointless. But then, that sums up most hobbies, be it modelling, painting soldiers, fishing etc., It's the pleasure it gives to the individual, of course. Beautiful women were my hobby for many years. Totally pointless, as I was already and still am married to one, so could only look but not touch. Pointless!! but pleasurable.
Other hobbies are, of course, more useful with a permanent end result, like DIY etc. But for those of us who don't do that, perhaps registrations are fun.
I cannot, however, forget the time in South Africa, when the silver two seat Lightning [sadly no longer extant] is being crewed up and about to start, forgive the couple of English spotters who left, saying 'no, we don't want to see it fly, we've got the numbers so we're off.' Those two had no soul.
Other hobbies are, of course, more useful with a permanent end result, like DIY etc. But for those of us who don't do that, perhaps registrations are fun.
I cannot, however, forget the time in South Africa, when the silver two seat Lightning [sadly no longer extant] is being crewed up and about to start, forgive the couple of English spotters who left, saying 'no, we don't want to see it fly, we've got the numbers so we're off.' Those two had no soul.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Turning base leg
Age: 65
Posts: 4,717
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I suppose JEM60 it is whether you are an aviation enthusiast that also "spots" or simply a plane spotter. Both are pointless by your good definitions and illustrations but the latter do lack something!!! I am certainly one of the former. RR
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Wet Coast
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
but heck it's given me some pleasure and in the end .. that 's what counts
Maybe I should start a new thread: Why do those who hate number writers have nothing better to do ?
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: London
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I started "spotting" aircraft when I was about 8 years old!
I remember buying the Ian Allan "reg" books from around 10 years old. There was enormous satisfaction (at the time) in managing to spot and log all aircraft in a particular fleet. I used to spend free afternoons with my friends at Boarding School spotting aircraft in the Ockham stack above us.
Then I "grew up" a bit and started collecting nav charts! I used to have thousands of Aerad and Jeppesen maps/books/SIDs/STAR charts covering the entire world. Why? Not entirely sure...but I do still love maps.
Then I learnt to fly at 18 and it all took on a whole new meaning!
Spotting is a hobby pure and simple. Nothing wrong with it. So why be so critical about people who enjoy it?
I remember buying the Ian Allan "reg" books from around 10 years old. There was enormous satisfaction (at the time) in managing to spot and log all aircraft in a particular fleet. I used to spend free afternoons with my friends at Boarding School spotting aircraft in the Ockham stack above us.
Then I "grew up" a bit and started collecting nav charts! I used to have thousands of Aerad and Jeppesen maps/books/SIDs/STAR charts covering the entire world. Why? Not entirely sure...but I do still love maps.
Then I learnt to fly at 18 and it all took on a whole new meaning!
Spotting is a hobby pure and simple. Nothing wrong with it. So why be so critical about people who enjoy it?
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Chedburgh, Bury St.Edmunds
Age: 81
Posts: 1,175
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes
on
5 Posts
TRAFFIC PILOT. O.K. I confess. I too had the Ian Allen Reggie books and collected at Heathrow for a time, entering the where and when seen etc., Smoking radials, Dc6s 7s Stratocruisers etc. etc., What memories. I too grew up, but it started, as I suspect it did in many people, a love of aviation that endures to this day, although the overseas airshows have stopped [Teresa has discovered cruising], tho' we did manage a day on the beach at St. Maarten recently. People move on from the reggie books, as you and I both did, we both learned to fly, glide, skydive etc., but it all starts with registrations, and visits. At Oshkosh last year, I watched a very nice pilot lift a youngster up the better to see inside his Grumman Mohawk. The kid was wide-eyed and very pleased. I remarked to the pilot that his little gesture has probably started something for the kid, and we talked long in the hot sun about how all of us, reggie spotters included are simply Aviation Enthusiasts, and that, I am very pleased and proud to be!.
. People move on from the reggie books, as you and I both did, we both learned to fly, glide, skydive etc., but it all starts with registrations, and visits. At Oshkosh last year, I watched a very nice pilot lift a youngster up the better to see inside his Grumman Mohawk. The kid was wide-eyed and very pleased. I remarked to the pilot that his little gesture has probably started something for the kid, and we talked long in the hot sun about how all of us, reggie spotters included are simply Aviation Enthusiasts, and that, I am very pleased and proud to be!.
JEM60,
agree 100% re Oshkosh - in terms of friendliness and a willingness to encourage an interest in aviation. The EAA with the 'young eagles' programme does a great job in this respect. Another example is a particular P51 owner who encourages chldren to sit in etc - perhaps he more than most appreciates that the children of today are the pilots / engineers etc of the future. I wonder how many aviation careers can be traced back to a single incident such as you mention or even a simple flight deck visit.
As for me I would not have been to half the places and met many fascinating people without having such an interesting hobby.
agree 100% re Oshkosh - in terms of friendliness and a willingness to encourage an interest in aviation. The EAA with the 'young eagles' programme does a great job in this respect. Another example is a particular P51 owner who encourages chldren to sit in etc - perhaps he more than most appreciates that the children of today are the pilots / engineers etc of the future. I wonder how many aviation careers can be traced back to a single incident such as you mention or even a simple flight deck visit.
As for me I would not have been to half the places and met many fascinating people without having such an interesting hobby.
.
Papertiger
I've met lots of nice people through this hobby including many policemen - not everyone in that profession is anal about aircraft spotting. As long as you obey the local laws (and I'd be the first to admit that some in the spotting community do not - and they deserve everything they get
) I have found the security community to be pretty good in general.
But this is a digression from the original point of this thread which was 'what do the number writers do with the numbers'
AS
I've met lots of nice people through this hobby including many policemen - not everyone in that profession is anal about aircraft spotting. As long as you obey the local laws (and I'd be the first to admit that some in the spotting community do not - and they deserve everything they get
) I have found the security community to be pretty good in general.But this is a digression from the original point of this thread which was 'what do the number writers do with the numbers'
AS
Fancied a jolly up into East Anglia one fine Sunday a while ago.
Landed at a grass field up there where two kids were sat by the ops room with half a page of registrations all they had to show for their time spent there that day. But now including mine. "We haven't got yours before" was their comment to me when I enquired.
Glad to have obliged
Landed at a grass field up there where two kids were sat by the ops room with half a page of registrations all they had to show for their time spent there that day. But now including mine. "We haven't got yours before" was their comment to me when I enquired.
Glad to have obliged
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Wet Coast
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
WHBM: Aaah, 50 years ago (well, maybe a bit more 
) that could have been me. It's nice to know that some kids still spend a lazy summer's day waiting for a Moth or Auster to float into a pastoral English airfield.
Maybe all is not lost.
) that could have been me. It's nice to know that some kids still spend a lazy summer's day waiting for a Moth or Auster to float into a pastoral English airfield.Maybe all is not lost.
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: london
Age: 59
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Actually how anyone can compare standing on some airport terrace mindlessly scribbling down aircraft reg numbers as they trundle past with hobbies that require a fair bit of effort and skill such as fishing / painting/modelling is beyond me