ConstantFlyer, I guess you must be referring specifically to the London airports because in fact a great many airports around the world continue to provide spectator facilities, and this even includes airports in the UK and the USA, post 911.

Could not agree with you more mate, and well done for bringing up the subject.

That is a very strange thing to say by someone who is an aircraft enthusiast and frequents these forums HD. Why should spotters 'facilities' be of any greater burden on authorities than any other facility in an airport ? Of greater concern should be anywhere around the perimeter of any airport. If a terrorist wanted to do a 'nasty' they could do it from anywhere around an airport, with far greater ease, and with the added concealment of their car. Many, if any existed, spotters or viewing areas in modern airports were secure behind at least a wall of glass. Whats the problem with that ?
As we are going down memory lane, I remember staging through Birmingham three years ago, waiting for my Eurocypria flight, there was a very nice viewing area above the terminal. You had to walk through a model shop, pay a small fee if you were a non-flying passenger (fair enough), but lovely view, behind glass and secure. I heard later that it had been closed, pity. Jersey had a lovely viewing open air viewing area above the terminal, anyone know happened to that ? And, of course I remember the Queens building at Heathrow.

The enclosed section of the Spectators' Terrace at Prestwick re-opened about a year ago.

Jersey spotting
 

Jersey still has its viewing area on the first floor of the terminal building, but it is enclosed and is only available when airside. The entrance is a little tucked away, and is immediately after the duty free shop on the way to the gates. Still, it's a good location and very peaceful, with plenty of seating up there.

Scott

Scott, at Jersey, I remember you could walk out onto the roof of the building, overlooking the apron, and not airside. Its been a long time, but you'll have me trying to dig up long lost photos.

Is my memory playing tricks on me, or was there a time (1960s?) when you could view aircraft from a roof terrace on Heathrow's Terminal 3?

Yup - certainly in the mid/late sixties

Not T3 Dave, just the one on top of the Queen's Buildings as far as I remember.

Jersey - cyflyer
 

cy-flyer - open-air viewing at Jersey is no longer possible (I confess that I don't recall it anyway) from the terminal.

The upstairs viewing area is pretty good - obviously it's all enclosed, behind glass. It used to be accessible landside but the terminal was redeveloped probably 7-8 years ago, security was enlarged and that meant the staircase accessing it was located airside.

I'm less familiar with around the perimeter of the airfield but the aircraft can still be seen both on the runway and at the terminal but I'm really not sure what the attitude of the Jersey police is to spotters.

Scott

Thanks. I'm reassured to know that I wasn't imagining it.

I vaguely recall that you got to it by going up some stairs in T3 South Wing (the bit where BOAC Staff Travel and the Medical Unit were), but I might be wrong about that part.

T3 viewing terrace
 

I worked in BOAC load control in 1966. This was a windowless shoebox of a room, located behind the check-in desks in T3. During my meal breaks, to get some fresh air, I sometimes wandered up to the viewing terrace, which overlooked the stands on the west side of the building. How I got up there I can no longer remember!

Once you are airside and trapped in the terminal for several hours, watching the planes would be one of the best ways of killing time, but often until you get to the gate, you can't see anything at all of the airport from the terminal.

Certainly at Luton or Heathrow, until you get to the gate, you could confuse it for a railway station.

A bar / restaurant with an outside viewing area would do good business I bet.

Also alert spotters/passengers could help keep an eye on things, making sure engine cowlings were done up, that sort of thing...

That explains it scott. I'm thinking maybe 20 years ago, and more. So they went and messed up Jersey terminal as well.

If anyone is visiting Corfu this Summer there are two bars set into the sides of steep hills either side of the runway and approach offering great views of landing aircraft. There is a very narrow causeway/bridge linking the two across shallow water which passes very close to the end of the runway. no one sesems to be bothered about enthusiasts there!

Dave Reid/LCY.(Post 40)
 

Would not most spotters be videoing or taking photo's,but there no doubt someone with a long neck could differentiate between a guy recording reg's,to a guy recording flight times,(which are amazingly avalible from the net.):ugh:

I think it's such a shame Gatwick removed theirs. It was always buzzing when we used to go.

I think having a designated spotting area is only a good thing, it gets income for the airport and spotters would be very vigilant I think when it comes to knowing who is there for genuine reasons and who is trouble making if security is an issue for the airport.

They have no plans to make a spotting area.

They don't cater for spotters like they used to.................!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/r...LWjQ560_58.jpg

From a video I have, called 'Heathrow in the 50's and 60's', here's a little clip I uploaded. Look at where the spectators are. Can you imagine this today ?

There aren't many for sure, but Amsterdam's spectator area on 36L/18R springs to mind. Can't get much closer to the action than that.

Stansted spotters
 

The local police actively encourage spotters.




Airport Spotting Blog » Blog Archive » Stansted Plane Enthusiasts Scheme

cyflyer, you should not upload copyrighted material on to YouTube.

Groundloop, I uploaded a 'trailer', a five minute 'segment', to illustrate the point in question, for the benefit of all taking part in this pleasant discussion, from one of my own, and paid for, dvd's. I'm sure many found it quite interesting. Now, climb down from your high horse and tell me what is your problem ? Is this your only contribution to this discussion ?

You say you paid for the dvd. Therefore the first time you watched it you would have had to sit throught the copyright warning.

You obviously ignored it.

There is no reason whatsover for posting copyright material anywhere without the prior permission from the copyright holder. If you felt it was important, or helpful, for other people to see you should have contacted Avion for permission to post. You cannot ignore the law.

Groundloop, your only contribution to this discussion is becoming a bore. Go find another thread to annoy and stop trying to impose your jobsworth ideas where they are not wanted. If youtube consider something to be an infraction they deal with it. Don't like the video, then don't watch it. :mad:

Business lounges
 

In the absence of spectator balconies, often one of the best places for a good view of the apron seems to be the business lounge.

I don't know about London airports, as I rarely use them; but a lot of the places I do fly through (UK regional airports, C & E Europe) do have great apron views for the business travel regulars.

Quite true. I remember the KLM lounge at JFK as particularly good.

Queens Building Heathrow in the 60s
 

I remember seeing Yuri Gregarin (first man in space) arriving here on a visit. Have a photo from Queens Building somewhere in my shoebox.Those were the days. Used to spend the whole day there sometimes. Cafe, Shops, Toilets.

Houston
 

Houston (IAH, HOU and EFD) has several good places for spotters and photography, including a few provided by Houston Airport System.

They're described very well here HoustonSpotters.net

Also, from my days at DHL, I believe the mildly derogatory term "Ladderman" was used for spotters at LHR, as a ladder was used to defeat the plastic sheeting they attatched to the perimeter fence to prevent vehicle drivers going "Cool! A 747....<crunch of steel>"

Does anyone know if the United Club in Terminal E at IAH has any views of ops?

spotters balcony
 

I remember back in the eightes ,Manchester Airport allowed "airplane enthusiasts" and the general public to access B pier for viewing. I was just a young line eng at the time but got used to calls and comments from viewing public as we went about our work.there was one time, however ,when it was rather a hot day and we,ed put chairs outside our office to catch some rays.we.ed been out for a few minutes when my workmate said he thought it was raining as he.ed felt water hitting his head. it was a clear blue sky at the time so this was a bit improbable.it was,nt until we looked up and saw a small boy w**ing over the balcony that we reailised where the liquid was coming from.we jumped out of our chairs and remomstrated with the young mother in charge of the boy.all we got was a v sign in response and a greater awarness of where to place our chairs in future

From 1964 to 1969 (from 8 years old) my older brother I regularly flew between London Airport (LHR) and Kennedy NY or Dulles DC. and always loved going up on the roof to watch the planes and hear that wonderful din. Connies, DC3s Stratos, Viscounts, Comets, Caravelles, Britannias, 707s, DC8s, VC 10s and many others, all so distinctive and exciting.

Also a grandstand view of all the airport vehicles like fuel tankers with extra high windscreens and my favourite of all those lovely BEA AEC Regal coaches with the double-decker split windscreens and poop deck, one of which is briefly visible in cyflyer's (ahem!) video.

I bought a DVD of the Look at Life in the 60s Civil Aviation DVD and recommend it highly,it's all there to see and enjoy.

Back in those days everything about flying seemed to be exciting and the whole aviation industry seemed to party to this, including providing OPEN viewing areas. Ascending or descending the rear stairs at a VC 10 put you almost in reaching distance of the Conways and you could look right into them. A bus or articulated truck/bus conversion drove you to near your plane, then a car with on-built stairs arrived for you to climb up, and all the time you could gaze at the planes.

Flying nowadays has been sanitised and normalised. You only finally see your plane from behind double glazing at the gate. You can sometimes see planes to-ing and fro-ing outside but you can barely hear them. Then you walk through the tunnel straight into the plane. The person at the window seat keeps the shutter closed throughout the flight, there's no Junior Jet Club, no visiting or even seeing the flight deck and the company's magazine is full of just about everything except aviation.

Yes flying is now safer, cheaper and more reliable; security is now more important and processing millions of passengers is top priority for an airport. I understand all that, but the popularity of flying has made it a far less exciting activity.

JR you sum up my views to a tee...quite sad really.

Nick.

Yep. Agreed, again........

Planemike

Humberside Airport (EGNJ)
 

Hi all

If you come off the M180 and head for Humberside airport, you need to go past the airport and keep your eyes peeled for turn off to the right. Take the right hand turn off and you will see on the right there is a lay-by. When the crops are low the view of the threash hold and parking area is brilliant.

On cold windy wet days i would drive to one of the flying schools and park up. They always like a natter and the coffee is always good.

Also Doncaster Airport has a road that goes down the side of the airport. Great viewing to be had there.

Regards to all

Stude :)

SINGLEFISHED
 

Travelling to Bankok shortly and would appreciate some tips on Hotels and viewing facilities please.:)

Not exactly an international airport but Le Touquet has a great terrace area open to all.

I did read about a small viewing area at Bangkok, but it's quite difficult to locate. I seem to remember reading that the view was somewhat limited, and that it was mostly used by staff as a 'smoking area'.

There used to be a reasonable hotel about 2km north of the airport and between the parallel runways; it had a roof terrace, and the management were quite happy for you to spend time up there watching the aircraft land. There was almost no shelter up there; there was also no power (so no running a laptop); it was a 2 minute trek from the hotel to the nearest shop to stock-up on food and drinks.
You were marginally closer to the western runway; the eastern runway was further away and it was more difficult to take photos or note registrations.
(this was the "Queen's Garden Hotel")

However, that's all academic, as the hotel closed and was knocked-down about 2 years ago. For a while their web-site still existed, and would even take bookings (!), but you were transferred to a hotel called 'The Great Residence' which was 'nearby' (according to the web-site). That's being economical with the truth, it's about 3 miles away, much further to the east!. In fact, you'd have trouble taking photo's of stuff landing on the eastern runway, let alone anything on the western runway.

A quick Google found Plane Spotting Bangkok Suvarnabhumi | Plane-Spotting-Hotels . This refers to the "Phoenix Hotel (former "Queen's Garden")". If it is the same site as the QG then it is extremely good when they are using 19L/19R. I'd need to check out it's exact location to be able to say for sure.





Update: Just checked on Google Earth, and the 'Phoenix Hotel' is not the rebuilt/renamed QGH ... they are few 100m apart. Both hotels appear to be the same height, so the views from the top/terrace should be pretty much identical.

SINGLEFISHED
 

GoN. Thank you for taking the time to reply.Your information is greatly appreciated.:ok:

Another update for Bangkok ...

"If one has time to kill at BKK there's an Observation Deck on level 7 - from Departures row 'Q/R' take the escalator up 2 floors and then a ramp from Cafe/Post Office. View of runways is not fantastic but a close up look at the building structure may be of interest."

I've never been at Bangkok long enough to have the time to investigate this, so it would be nice to get an updated report, even if it's just to say "it's rubbish!".

I'm in ZRH at the moment for work. A little gift bag was given to us which included a free visit to the Viewing gallery at the airport here.

All I can say is it's brilliant. The Swiss really know how to make things work. They only charge about 5CHF for adults and less for children so it's not exactly bank breaking.I think it's free if you buy something from the fairly well stocked aviation themed gift shop as you enter. When you're there you have the choice of a restaurant, gift shop, and a small cafe. It's all open air, but has plenty of cover for if it rains. A play area keeps younger kids amused and the views of the runways and ramp area are just great. They have various interactive things, such as a screen above each stand which shows aircraft specs and the flight that's boarding from there. They have an area you can hear the air traffic control and live video telescopes which highlight various parts of the ramp and point out the odd flight with little arrows as they move around the airfield.

I see no reason at all why more airports can't offer the same thing as ZRH. They make money from it so LHR should be interested in that. As it's so good and so close to all the action and so cheap it attracts enthusiasts and because you have to clear security to get in it's secure too. They've turned going to the airport into a day trip, like it used to be.

Also, ZRH offers bus tours of the ramp area too. I believe the commentary is all German and it only operates on certain days, but at 8CHF it's also a pretty good deal. I have a free pass for this too, but won't be able to make use of it as there's no tours when I'm free! :ugh:

If UK airports still had any viewing areas worthy of a visit, they would do what all UK airports do exceptionally well, and that would be to screw you stupid for as much money as they could for the privilege.

Cheers.........H