How to spot a spotting spot - Spotting Locations everywhere! Q&A HERE
 

anyone know what the spotting's like at warsaw okecie airport? is there a deck? thanks:ok:

Top 5 UK Aiports For Spotting
 

hello all and merry christmas

i am looking for the help of all you spotters out there in order to find out what the top 5 UK airports are for spotting lets say for example:

1. Manchester (five stars)
2.
3.
4.
5. Luton (1 star)

i hope you can all help

In terms of real facilities I'm struggling to think of more than two. I guess Manchester must be tops. Perhaps B'ham comes next if you consider their outdoor and indoor "spotting" areas. It all depends on what you want. If you're a number cruncher there may be a few more. If on the other hand you're into photography, then very very few offer anything that's any good. It's usually a case of finding unofficial locations near the approach to the runways.

It all depends, if you collect numbers & want quantity, then places such as Heathrow, Birmingham, Stansted, Gatwick & Luton would be (possibly) the top 5 'spotting' locations.

However, if you collect numbers & you want quality, then places like Coventry (various old props, Dc3, Dc6, Electra & Russian Freighters), Biggin Hill (some interesting GA visitors & based aircraft) & East Mids (some nice freighters) would go into the list.

Same with photography, if you want photos of B747s, then Heathrow would be No1, if you want pics of Electras, then you'd make Coventry your No1.

I personally like looking at all those shiny nice bizjets at Luton (we can all dream) ;)

Fried Chicken

You can get some good views of the a/c at Carlisle...not a lot to see though :}

Top 5
 

Hi
Here is my top 5 for spotting regarding facilities.
1.Manchester
2.Gatwick
3.Birmingham
4.Heathrow
5.Liverpool

Top 5 regarding traffic variety
1.Heathrow
2.Manchester
3.Birmingham
4.Stansted
5.Gatwick

Thanks
Michael

Last time at LGW ( maybe a couple of months ago), the veiwing area was closed, and spotters we squatted, looking under a fence at the side of the runway...not spotter friendly in my view.

Stick to MAN, you cant go wrong for views or variety....

MAN No 1 on all counts :ok:

My five:

1. Luton
2. Coventry (fantastic selection of old propliners)
3. Heathrow
4. London City (fantastic approach)
5. Biggin Hill

FC

"TOP 5 UK AIRPORTS"

Any Scottish airports not worthty of being in top 5??? Aberdeen for one is excellent and have seen some cracking photos from Edinburgh....

Edinburgh is not bad for spotting, with good views from several off-terminal sites (the viewing gallery closed years ago) but the problem is in the variety of aircraft. Mostly Easyjet, BMI, BA, FlyBe and very rarely anything bigger than a 767.

http://www.pbase.com/glenns/image/38021705.jpg

Leeds Bradford airport is my local airport and it certainly aint bad at all for spotting from. Like EDI though the biggest your really going to get (unless you land very lucky) is a 767.

Birmingham is very good, got an area called Marston Green to the 15 end. You are able to stand/sit by the 2nd set of approach lights!

33 end you have the car park, and a bus if you want to get back to the indoor spotting area :)

wub, when and why was the Air France B747 at EDI?

You can spot planes easily at HUY but variety is in short supply

The AFR lump at EDI was probably bringing in French supporters for a Scotland Vs France rugby match. These Rugby matches (along with Scotland vs Ireland) bring in a large amount of visitors, both airline & GA to the airport.

The same goes for Cardiff airport for Wales vs France/Ireland rugby matches, the airport attracts plenty of fixed wing visitors (again airline & GA) with any overspill going to Gloucester, Bristol Filton & occasionaly Bristol Lulsgate.

Fried Chicken

I would nominate Prestwick.

Very good for photo's.........

The mound near to the control tower and the BAE gate at Monkton offer some good close up action, not the busiest airport in the UK but the quality of some of the visitors are unrivalled at pretty well any other UK civil airport.

Airhumberside; F_C is correct, the AF 747 was collecting French Rugby fans, back in March 2004. We had quite a selection that week from various charter airlines.

We also had a Tu-204 in November in connection with a football match.

When the Champions League Final was played at Old Trafford (Manchester, UK) last year or the year before, Manchester was crammed full of extra traffic, both airliners & bizjets. Does anybody know the total number of movements at manchester that day (possibly May 29th).

Some light aircraft & helicopters went to Manchester Barton & Liverpool aquired a few bizjets & a couple of airliners which couldn't aquire slots at MAN.

Fried Chicken

Lifted from the TAS magazine

Wednesday 28th May 889 movements
942 in a 24 hour period
highest runway use 61 per hour
Ah the memories
There is a very good DVD of the event available from the shop on level 13

Interesting is that the runway occupency
on some days in the summer wasn`t that far off last year just a little short of 800 on a week day ( perhaps someone in ATC can confirm) as for July/Aug 2005 well!

G-I-B

GIB,
I was on 2-10 then....same the following day :ok:
watp,iktch

Chiglet
Guess you earned your wages those days

Looked very impressive,

Went up to airport to see the biz jets depart after match, with at least 8/9 at holding point, probably we won`t see that again

G-I-B