Photographing aircraft
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: England
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I think common sense needs to be applied in situations like this 
As an aircraft photographer myself I can see why people would want to take pics airside at airports so I have very rarely ever said anything to people at work I've seen taking pics in the terminal or the apron.
I regularly deal with football charter flights which get parked on remote. Try telling 300+ German football fans on a day out to watch their team play arguably one of the best teams in the world and probably the highlight of their year, that they cannot take photos while de-boarding / boarding the aircraft
On a few rare occasions I've had a few passengers who seem to think they are within their right to go wondering off the designed pax paths to get a 'nose on' shot of the aircraft, and even once try to sit their kid in the engine for a photo!
However, the airport I work at is very spotter friendly so I see little point in stopping someone taking a pic of a plane surrounded by service vehicles, while being surrounded by a few hundred other pax when 2 miles across the apron you can walk above fence height only a few hundred yards from planes landing and taking off.
As an aircraft photographer myself I can see why people would want to take pics airside at airports so I have very rarely ever said anything to people at work I've seen taking pics in the terminal or the apron.
I regularly deal with football charter flights which get parked on remote. Try telling 300+ German football fans on a day out to watch their team play arguably one of the best teams in the world and probably the highlight of their year, that they cannot take photos while de-boarding / boarding the aircraft
On a few rare occasions I've had a few passengers who seem to think they are within their right to go wondering off the designed pax paths to get a 'nose on' shot of the aircraft, and even once try to sit their kid in the engine for a photo!
However, the airport I work at is very spotter friendly so I see little point in stopping someone taking a pic of a plane surrounded by service vehicles, while being surrounded by a few hundred other pax when 2 miles across the apron you can walk above fence height only a few hundred yards from planes landing and taking off.
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Several years ago I was at London City Airport’s car park which affords a perfect view of the runway. After a short while I was approached by a policeman who asked me politely if I was aware that I was in fact filming on private property? He also requested that I did not film inside the terminal as the owners would get upset as permission has to be sought for any filming. I was aware of that but presumed it related to inside the terminal building as such and not the car park, but as they own all of it.......
He took my details in the event that in that should an incident occur I may have caught something useful on camera and tactfully suggested that I could film across the dock at a public location where incidentally I wouldn’t have to pay the car parking fee. Unfortunately the sun was shining towards the camera at that location so I gave it up. I wondered afterwards if a politely written request to the airport might have granted me permission but somehow I guess either some form of payment might have been required or else I’d have been denied a “pass” lest the word got out and hordes of video cameras would be there within weeks!
He took my details in the event that in that should an incident occur I may have caught something useful on camera and tactfully suggested that I could film across the dock at a public location where incidentally I wouldn’t have to pay the car parking fee. Unfortunately the sun was shining towards the camera at that location so I gave it up. I wondered afterwards if a politely written request to the airport might have granted me permission but somehow I guess either some form of payment might have been required or else I’d have been denied a “pass” lest the word got out and hordes of video cameras would be there within weeks!
Join Date: Jun 1999
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Wouldnt anyone with terrorism intent dress like a westerner and use a family to take recon photos? Easiest way to prevent this, just stop everyone taking photo's.
Join Date: Aug 2002
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London City airport suffers from being a small location so you get noticed easily and the Police get bored. VERY bored and a any spotter can get their undivided attention, guns and all. However the new ceiling in the Terminal does mean that your first view of the interior is no longer two men with machines guns parked at the top of the stairs though, I always found that menacing and in no way a detterent to Islamic terrorists who are willing to die....
There is a good photo option at the 27 threshold if a little under the aircraft or wait 'til the sun swings round and try the dock on the other side which is public but patrolled by a different set of plod who are equally excitable on occasion. Though as spotting becomes more common it's calmed down a bit
There is a good photo option at the 27 threshold if a little under the aircraft or wait 'til the sun swings round and try the dock on the other side which is public but patrolled by a different set of plod who are equally excitable on occasion. Though as spotting becomes more common it's calmed down a bit
Last edited by Skipness One Echo; 1st Jun 2011 at 13:04.
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Thanks SOE, the machine gun officers were the very first thing I noticed when I first visited the building. I suppose the other thing that aroused attention was the very small ulmost unrecognisable camcorder sitting on a rather large video tripod! Probably expected something much more professionally sized!
