Airport Spotting Locations

[Kevin]

What are some great airports to spot at?

I can think of: DFW, DCA, RDU, CLT, and what are some other good ones.

KB

[cmpbllsjc]

If you are talking about realworld spotting. I like KFLL because they have an actual spotting area next to 9L with a loud speaker so you can listen to ATC talking to the planes. Everytime I go on vacation in Ft. Lauderdale I go there.

However the ultimate spotting I have been to is in Rio de Janeiro at Santos Dumont airport.

I guess in Brasil their idea of airport security is a lot different that what it is in the US. I was able to walk all the way to the edge of the taxi way area near runway 02L and 02R, cross a little road, and stand about 50 feet from runway 02R next to a little guard gate. I have never been to an airport that was so lax about security. I was able to snap pics for an hour of TAM, Gol, Flex, and Tripp airliers landing and taking off. It was amazing how close I was.

Another cool one I haven't been to but have seen video of is runway 9 or now is runway 10 at St. Maarten. You can stand on the beach and the planes come in about at what looks like less than 100 feet over your head. The name of the beach is Maho beach and you can find video on youtube showing it.

[skimmer]

Remember,in real life standing under low flying aircraft you take a chance of getting bolts,aluminum slivers and a lot more dropped on you.

[Bruce Hamilton]

If you're referring to the holding tanks, that doesn't happen unless the seal fails at high altitude.  Contrary to what some believe, they don't empty them during the flight.

[msalo]

I did some spotting last November at KBWI when I was traveling for work.   There is a park that is an aircraft observation area that is located just south of the airport right across the road from the start of runway 33L.   Great close up view of landing aircraft when 33L is in use for landings.   I took about 2 hours of HD video footage while I was there.   It's a great location.

Here is the location on google maps -
 http://maps.google.com/maps?q=39.16258,-76.663383&num=1&t=h&sll=39.175278,-76.668335&sspn=0.038855,0.079009&ie=UTF8&ll=39.162477,-76.663349&spn=0.005773,0.010611&z=17

-m@

[Kevin]

I may be going to St Maarten this summer which would be the ultimate spotting place. The one at RDU is really nice. There is a little park there with a deck to look out that ATC plays out. There's a great view of 5L/23R.

[bradl]

I may be going to St Maarten this summer which would be the ultimate spotting place. The one at RDU is really nice. There is a little park there with a deck to look out that ATC plays out. There's a great view of 5L/23R.

+1 with TNCM.

Second place I believe would go to KLAS and KVGT. Both have parking areas next to the runways (LAS has theirs parallel to 25L/R, while VGT has theirs between the approach ends of runways 7 and 12R). Both areas have ATC being broadcast over FM radio, so you can park and listen directly to the tower on your radio, and have a scanner to tune to Approach/Departure.

Planespotting area at LAS

Planespotting area at VGT

I have yet to find a place that does similar.

BL.

[Kevin]

That LAS looks really neat. Maybe I will get to check it out sometime.

[bradl]

That LAS looks really neat. Maybe I will get to check it out sometime.

It's really cool around dusk turning to night. You can see the arrival streams for each runway configuration from just about anywhere in the town, but dusk is the best time. By that time you'll be able to see the landing lights of each aircraft as they join the arrival stream. Some you can see a good 10 - 15DME out. Add in those that are turning base to final into 25L, and you can see exactly how they sequence everything in.

What I tend to do is drive down to the Philly Cheesesteak Factory (one of the best places outside of Philly to get one!), head over to the spotting area at KLAS, back into a parking stall, tune the car stereo to the FM tower feed, open up the tailgate of my ride, tune the car stereo to the FM freq. for tower (IIRC, it's 101.1FM), tune my scanner to Final Approach, and I have the entire feed from approach clearance all the way down to the ground.

Fulfills a hobby, keeps me entertained, and is a hell of a lot cheaper than anything on Las Vegas Blvd., and keeps me away from the tourists! 

BL.

[Kevin]

Yeah, weather is nice too. Takes away the fun to be standing out in 15kt wind and 28 degrees like I was in RDU. I think MKE also has a spotting location at the end of 19 if I am not mistaking. MCO has not spotting location to say, but you can pay 3$ and go to the top of a parking deck and see all of the 18s.

[jf5999]

The park right next to KDCA (I can't remember the name of the park) is a great place for spotting. Also a personal favorite of mine is the In-N-Out Burger next to LAX. Not only do you get some awesome shots of everything from 737s to an A380 but you get an awesome lunch as well. Best burgers around IMO.