Superspotter

A good post but it will unfortunately fall on deaf
ears/blind eyes etc.

MM

Thats true superspotter. I love the AVP and will go there even when they carge you 10 quied for car and driver.:ok:

You want your head examined then?

As with everything these days , prices are going up , recession or not, and no doubt the money has to be found to pay for the shiney new tent we have covering concorde, on another note , does he airport have any say in the running of the pub or is it privately owned, if so , surprised MAG hasnt bought the place as a money spinner, surely has potention as a visitor attraction, what ever your thoughts of Mag , chances are they would make it more vistor friendly than what it is now, which is when last time i drove in car park, got viewed upon by 3 burly blokes as something they could practice with their fists on,sure it has nowt to do with me being gay like(u would know to look at me!!") :ugh::ugh::ugh:anyway thought twice about it and drove off,as did a family in a people carrier tooo ,for the occasional spotter it would make a great alternative to the AVP

From what i am told...and its only what i am told, the airport hotel is the most profitable pub owned by the "Robinsons Brewery" the chances of MAG getting their grubby little retail driven mits on it are slim to none.

The rooms are also fantastic value for anyone spotter looking to overnight at Manchester and for what you pay are a decent standard, just wish someone would tell the Chinese?Eastern lady who works behind the bar that she does not need to be such a miserable cow all of the time and the smiles are infectious some of the time.......

Talking of Airport Hotel has the Guinness improved at all there?

Last time I had some there I threw it away.:yuk:

Might consider going there if its drinkable.

Happy Spotting


Donnlass

Operated into MAN for the first time in quite a few years the other day. The weather was glorious, and it was a weekend. How nice to vacate 23R and be greeted by several hundred happily waving people (some in deck chairs).....

Took me back to the late 70's and as a kid spending time at STN usually on a Saturday watching going's on (not that the BAA ever laid on such a good spot to spot!). Ahhh, happy days!

DH

Likewise, I remember being a kid on the other side of the taxiway wanting to over "there" now I'm over here, I'll never pass an opportunity to wave at anyone that wants to do likewise !

Happy spotting :)

Went last Saturday for the first time this year and was quite happy to pay a fiver - even though I could only stay til 2pm.
MAN is still the most spotter-friendly airport in the UK.

If you want something cheaper try the free facility at Gatwick where you have to queue to peer through a hole in a metal gate, or give yourself backache trying to see under it !

... and we should appreciate that right now the airport will be making plans to accommodate an influx of spotters for the Man Utd flights on 27 May, providing a relaxing and enjoyable day like previous footy events at MAN - if Chelsea or Arsenal had got through Luton/Stansted airports would be having talks with the police on how to discourage spotters from turning up, and how to prevent those who do from hanging around.....

Let's appreciate what we've got eh ?

Steve

Well it was always going to happen!

New prices again. :ugh:

Cars

£3 for up to 1 hours stay
£6 for up to 2 hours stay
£9 for up to 3 hours stay
£12 for over 3 hours stay

Im not being funny but arnt there better ways of spending twelve quid, i mean for gods sake, once youve seen one a321 or 757 land /take off you have seen them all, its hardly edge of you seat stuff is it watching a tommy cook airbus land and trundle onto a stand:ugh:

The car prices just for the car? How much is it for each passenger then? ;o

Why not go for the £25 ticket? Lasts for....25 visits and it's not got date restrictions I believe. Or get the 50 or 100 visit cards? Honestly, work it out for yourselves - if you normally stay more than 4 hours every time you go, on your 3rd visit you would already be well into the money-saved scenario as 2 visits per the new pricing regime is £24 i.e. pay £1 more and have a further 23 visits. Even if you went 8 times for an hour or less we're talking £24 with these prices...the season ticket cost £1 more with 17 more visits allowed! Then add in that there's no charges for passengers in the car and you can see how getting the season ticket is good value.

Kevlarcarl
You'll note this section is called spotters corner.
You may have access to aircraft in your job but there's plenty out there that do get (in various degrees of) pleasure in seeing a A321 roll onto stand.

Yes it might be sad but it's better than loitering on street corners looking for trouble or making childish comments on web sites :\

Well here’s my 2p’s worth. If the Management of the Viewing Park are reading this I want to say thank you for making it what it is today. I visit on a regular basis with a mate and in the Summer with the family.

My little girl can run around on the grass safely and has a great time while her Dad watches the movements and her Mum watches her.

For me it’s the whole package. A few years ago my Mrs purchased me a surprise tour around Concorde but on every visit I have a look around the statics and thoroughly enjoy the whole atmosphere.

The guys in the aviation shop and the people serving the food are always pleasant. The new Concorde hanger is great.

I would happily pay £15 for what I consider to be an excellent day out. Dont get me wrong I'm not fantastically well off but how much do you pay to go to the Cinema or Pizza Hut or the Zoo etc ? If you don’t like the food prices then take your own ?

If you’re a die hard spotter who goes every weekend then as discussed earlier in the thread there are ‘better places’ that you don’t have to pay for.

I’m looking forward to my next trip.

Just on to the pub thing again, forget the 'orrible Airport Hotel and head down the road towards Heald Green/Styal if you're waiting for a flight to arrive and try the Tatton Arms, wonderful pint of Robbies and only 2 mins away. A lot of ground staff go in regularly and the atmosphere's always pleasant.

On a nice day you can sit out back and it's right under the flightpath, 400yds from the threshold. Ok, so you only get to see the undersides of the a/c :\ but hey, better than a crap pint and unfriendly locals in the AH.

Would agree with Nick H.Still a reasonable price.Most Gatwick/Heathrow spotters would love such a facility.
We should be grateful it is available.

I remember the "Viewing Balcony" and Piers at Manch. Entry was a "Shilling" [5p] with a furthur 5p for each pier. When Pier C was opened there was a flat rate of 2 bob [10p] for unlimited access, good value or what?
There was a photo in Flight yonks ago of the first B747 landing at Manch, and the end of the piers looked like a bee hive with spectators climbing off the ends [yes, you "could" get on the Apron, through (unlocked) gates]
How times have changed....:{

ahh! chiglet happy days, i use to love going on the piers as a kid,guess we were spoilt back then being able to watch all that went on so close up, :ok:p.s. check out you tube memories of manchester airport. see how many people are on the piers on the first pic. im sure there are more vids of the piers but cant find them at mo:ok:

Some get harmless pleasure from watching aeroplanes, any aeroplanes; whereas some seem to get pleasure from posting garbage on forums, with the clear purpose of winding others up eh Kevlarcarl?

Anyway, happy days.

http://http://www.airliners.net/photo/Balkan---Bulgarian/Tupolev-Tu-154B-1/0708116/L/

Photos: Boeing 737-204/Adv Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Actually chiglet id say things have changed for the better the last thing the pros on the apron want is a bunch of clueless spotters milling about getting sucked into engines, run over and generally getting in the way ,keep the spotters where they belong, ie as far away as possible

Why oh why would you come into the spotters corner and make a post like that, can only think of two reasons.

1. For attention.
2. Your a plank.

My money is on the latter.

P.S. I am a spotter, have full ramp access at Manchester, driving pass the lot...but hey...just coz i am a spotter you must tar me with the same brush.

Like i said....Plank.

Well said manofman what rude person he is , why is it that spotters are viewed as some type of misfit by a lot of people, i mean if you told the average person you were a pilot or a aircraft engineer or air hostess etc they would generally view that as a interesting worthwhile job yet mention to the same person your a spotter and your viewd with a mixture of contempt and pity , i dont get it at all
WHY??????
:mad::mad::mad::mad:

He's trolling - don't rise :ok:

To be fair though I know his point about endless A320's and 737's, even I get a bit bored of them after a while!

OK kevlarcarl, I'll bite
Please tell me just where I said this in my post.
BTW, I have just retired as an ATSA after 42 years. One of my jobs was as a "Runway Controller"...not a vehicle moved at Manch without my say so....:D
Spotters...ATC is full of them. Wandering around the Apron? Anyone with an Airport pass could wander to their hearts content [Didn't have "Airside" passes then]
I seem to think it was called "Awareness" and Public "Responsibility"
Addendum...
Remember the traffic lights at the 06 threshold? That the Old Wilmslow Road is now a major Taxiway
Yes things HAVE changed...but are they really worth it?

avp
 

Will it be free entry to the avp today? :)

kevlarcarl
 

what have you got against spotters?
if you think they are so sad why come on to a spotters forum to mock people with posts like that?

what have you got against spotters?
if you think they are so sad why come on to a spotters forum to mock people with posts like that?

As explained yesterday...coz he is a plank, with a small penis and the schools are on holiday.

manofman
 

i think there is a bit more to it than that.
i dont have time to explain fully at the moment as im going away for the weekend.
but i smell a rat:ok:

In that case send for a cat...............(or a terrier) !!!!

Planemike

I am not a spotter, I am someone who works in the avaiation arena with an interest in aeroplanes.

I dont frequent the AVP much now because of time, only occasionally and like others have said think many airports would be much better for a similar facility. It is not a bad price for a day out that people derive pleasure from.

My elderly mother died last year at the age of 91, regularly when I visited her at her home in Sale at weekends, when we had a nice day, I would ask would she like to go out somewhere and invariably she would say can we go the airport. I was happy to sit watch the planes land and take off and see the smile on my mothers face as she watched, cup of tea in hand. That to me was pricelass and a happy memory I will carry forever.

So thank you to all the people responsible for this facility and the services provided there, long may it carry on.

Hi All, I recently saw while viewing the airport on google earth, a sign for the AVP on the other side of the airport near the fire station, so on investigation and looking at the plans for the future airport to 2030, it looks like the AVP will be on the move to the other side. This I think makes a lot of sense as you get a better view of the airport, and you have the sun behind you for photographs. Well done whoever decided that move.

Indeed it would be a great place for a viewing. In fact not very far from where it used to be before the new runway was built.

:D:D:D nice one

The south side location for the viewing park on Google is correct, it was allocated for the role years ago as the present location of the AVP was thought to be temporary, at the time all the area behind the hangars was destined to be covered in concrete for aircraft parking. Unfortunately predicted growth did not occur so the plans although not cancelled have been put on hold. In addition the airport has invested a large sum of money in the concorde visitors centre so I think its highly unlikely that the viewing park will move to the south side anytime soon.

Gentlemen

Lets not this thread run away with itself

If People want to go to the AVP Let them they do no harm to anybody they enjoy taking there family to see A/C landing and Taking off no problem there.

There are more fortunate people who are employed at the Airport who have the priverledge to be able to go Airside most of whom appreciate that Spotters do exsist and always will (They do no harm to anybody in the AVP) They are happy doing what they enjoy,No Harm in that.

I Have had the fortune to work on the Airport since 1968 and have had acess to the Ramp/Apron all that time and I have seen many changes in my lifetime at the Airport I know all the ATC Guys who were intrested in Aircraft and all the Airport staff that were intrested in Aircraft.

Its like an Illness yu cant shake the Airport off but you love it.

All the years I worked at Northern Executive I never thru a wobbly with anybody on the Airport it was a You Scratch my Back etc and it worked well everbody knew everbody and we all worked together to get the job done. (Anybody remember the Xmas Parties on the South Side with David A making his Hot punch (2 Parts Avgas 1 Part Meths 2 Parts F N W)
It all went thou.

Lets stop this Silly Talk and take it There will always be spotters of many shapes/Sizes?Religions/ and make the AVP a happy Place.



Incidentally Men with Small Penis s are not all bad

1/Anything that wont fit in there Mouth inst worth Having anyhow

2/ It not the size of the Wave its the motion of the Ocean


Regards to all who know me


Monster DxxK A K A Gerry X Northern exec

nimrod xv231 arrived wednesday lunch time,soon to be displayed on the avp. (for those that didnt know already)

As a southerner almost devoid of any officially-sanctioned viewing areas at all my local airports I have been a fan of the AVP at Manchester and try to visit on 2 or 3 weekends during the year.

Previously the admission charge was of the order of £4 to £5 for car and driver and you could stay for as long as you liked. I was somewhat taken aback recently to find that the new scale of charges now adds up to £12 for a stay of more than 3 hours.

I'd be interested to know if such an inflation-busting price rise has put people off and perhaps resulted in less revenue - for the park itself, and also for the shop and snack bar/restaurant. I will certainly be more likely to seek out one of the "free" vantage points on my next visit to Manchester.

Rhys.

I haven't been since last March and certainly not since the prices went up recently. £12 for >3 hours. I think not. I'll park somewhere around the perimeter for free. I guess they have to pay for the white elephant hangar somehow. It is a shame such a great facility has effectively priced itself out of the market for many of us.

A Dakota would be a far better exhibit than that obscenity, its awful.

£ Entry = Free
 

I just walked in the weekend before last......