Hello,
In June me and a friend would like to make our first spotting trip to a foreign airport. But since this will be our first trip I would like to ask you guy's for some "tips and tricks". What are the most interesting airports to go to? In the close (with the car or a max 1h30 flight) region of course. And where can I find the good spotting locations at these airports? Maybe there are specific websites for that kind of info? I hope someone can help me, so we will have a marvellous trip.
Thanx
My first spotting trip
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airtrainer
- Posts: 490
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- Location: Waremme
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Re: My first spotting trip
Hi, definitely consider MAN : it´s cheap to get there with Ryanair from CRL and you can make it as a daytrip thanks to the nice schedules. From the terminal you can go to the Airport pub located at the end of the runway, it´s only 10min walk and you get very close of the action. You can have some food there (and beer, of course !). You can also take a bus to the Aviation Viewing Park located at the other end of the runway, a few aircraft are on display, including Concorde G-BOAC (visiting the Concorde is not free). There's also a bar that serve decent food and a souvenir shop.
Apart from MAN, ZRH is a must for aviation enthusiasts. You can even book a guided tour of the airport that include a stop at the famous runway cross. Two visitor terraces are also available for a small fee. I've been told that it's possible to rent a bike to go to some other spotting places but I've not experienced it myself.
If you need more details, feel free to contact me via PM
Apart from MAN, ZRH is a must for aviation enthusiasts. You can even book a guided tour of the airport that include a stop at the famous runway cross. Two visitor terraces are also available for a small fee. I've been told that it's possible to rent a bike to go to some other spotting places but I've not experienced it myself.
If you need more details, feel free to contact me via PM
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cathay belgium
- Posts: 2379
- Joined: 18 Aug 2008, 00:17
- Location: Lommel-Belgium
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Re: My first spotting trip
Hi,
MAN is a must indeed.
Consider GVA , MXP and if you like props BMA..
All easy access with easy and SN...
FR has great fares for daytrips but their airports are mostly FR runned, so MAN,DUB are the best ones..
Daytrips Bergamo,Stansted,Treviso are possible but not intresting for aviation..
BUD has also a nice sovjet museum,outside the terminal..
WAW you can spot the 787 in a few weeks..
Greetz,
CxB
BTW : join our avgeek trips! LYS in october..
MAN is a must indeed.
Consider GVA , MXP and if you like props BMA..
All easy access with easy and SN...
FR has great fares for daytrips but their airports are mostly FR runned, so MAN,DUB are the best ones..
Daytrips Bergamo,Stansted,Treviso are possible but not intresting for aviation..
BUD has also a nice sovjet museum,outside the terminal..
WAW you can spot the 787 in a few weeks..
Greetz,
CxB
BTW : join our avgeek trips! LYS in october..
New types flown 2024 : DO228, A338 , PC6
Re: My first spotting trip
Thanx for the tip Airtrainer. I never even considered MAN.
The list of interesting airports is growing
Combining the trip with a flight is the best option I think.
And what about FRA and CDG. They receive some nice airlines I think, or are those airports not very "spotter friendly"?
The list of interesting airports is growing
Combining the trip with a flight is the best option I think.
And what about FRA and CDG. They receive some nice airlines I think, or are those airports not very "spotter friendly"?
Re: My first spotting trip
MAN is also top in my list. A must, by all means!
ZRH and FRA are also nice for spotters. FRA has a terrace (it will cost you a few euros) and an incredible number of foreign airlines (but not SN...).
ZRH and FRA are also nice for spotters. FRA has a terrace (it will cost you a few euros) and an incredible number of foreign airlines (but not SN...).
André
ex Sabena #26567
ex Sabena #26567
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Bruspotter
- Posts: 2068
- Joined: 04 Sep 2004, 00:00
- Location: (Antwerp/Belgium)
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Re: My first spotting trip
Hi
Why not start off with AMS or DUS? Both are nearby (DUS is even the closest probably, depending where in the country you live ...) and are spotter friendly and have a spectators terrace. However AMS is a bit harder with the frequent runway switches but if the correct runway is in use (36L/18R) it's simply marvelous and not so hard at all and you are at clsoe range. Same for DUS, not so hard to get to ... good and easy spotters facilities on the spectators terrace, simpy isn't any better spot you could wish for IF runway 23L is in use that day. Both spotters terraces (train station and main building) are interesting and there is only a minor fee (something like a couple of euro's 2,2 or 2,5 I believe it is) and it includes transport to/from the train station (you have a spectators terrace there for the Runway 23L landings Runway 23L line up for departure - sun is good most of the day) up to the main terminal building should you so wish to go out spotting on the main visitors deck (on top of terminal).
It has a good variety of airlines especially if it's your first trip abroad I guess you haven't seen a lot of airlines that NOT fly in/out of Brussels so you should meet quite some of them (American still flies there, Lufthansa flies with A330 + A340 , Etihad A330-300 (often a special livery), Mahan Air A310-300, Emirates 2x B777-300ER daily , and often upgrades to larger aircraft from regular airlines like Turkish ... often quite some special liveries to see there (TuiFly , Turkish, Etihad, Sun Express , ...).
So overall a nice airport I think and very accesible, not to expensive to drive there by car, it's probably nearer then AMS and much closer the for instance FRA (which is not worth to visit for just 1 day imo, you would at least need 2 days to make it worth the drive over there ...). I recommend DUS beause I frequently go back there and it's always nice there you sure won't regret.
Greets, Yannick
Why not start off with AMS or DUS? Both are nearby (DUS is even the closest probably, depending where in the country you live ...) and are spotter friendly and have a spectators terrace. However AMS is a bit harder with the frequent runway switches but if the correct runway is in use (36L/18R) it's simply marvelous and not so hard at all and you are at clsoe range. Same for DUS, not so hard to get to ... good and easy spotters facilities on the spectators terrace, simpy isn't any better spot you could wish for IF runway 23L is in use that day. Both spotters terraces (train station and main building) are interesting and there is only a minor fee (something like a couple of euro's 2,2 or 2,5 I believe it is) and it includes transport to/from the train station (you have a spectators terrace there for the Runway 23L landings Runway 23L line up for departure - sun is good most of the day) up to the main terminal building should you so wish to go out spotting on the main visitors deck (on top of terminal).
It has a good variety of airlines especially if it's your first trip abroad I guess you haven't seen a lot of airlines that NOT fly in/out of Brussels so you should meet quite some of them (American still flies there, Lufthansa flies with A330 + A340 , Etihad A330-300 (often a special livery), Mahan Air A310-300, Emirates 2x B777-300ER daily , and often upgrades to larger aircraft from regular airlines like Turkish ... often quite some special liveries to see there (TuiFly , Turkish, Etihad, Sun Express , ...).
So overall a nice airport I think and very accesible, not to expensive to drive there by car, it's probably nearer then AMS and much closer the for instance FRA (which is not worth to visit for just 1 day imo, you would at least need 2 days to make it worth the drive over there ...). I recommend DUS beause I frequently go back there and it's always nice there you sure won't regret.
Greets, Yannick
Re: My first spotting trip
Thanx for all the info.
I think I have some preparation work now.
I think I have some preparation work now.
Re: My first spotting trip
A bit further, but Madrid Barajas is also a must. It's 1h50 flight, but it can be cheap as well with RYR (and even IB has often has cheap fares of around 80 euros). Been there several times and the traffic is very nice and diverse.
Manchester is attractive as well, but I would book then 1 night. The holiday Inn is not too expensive and is located just a 10 min walk from the most famous spot at 23L. Only reason I don't go there anymore is the weather, often very bad.
Other nice airports for car trips are of course Dusseldorf, Amsterdam,... ZRH is great as well, and AB has some good prices from DUS. I combined it with 1 day DUS and then 2 nights ZRH.
Also Geneva is nice for a one day trip. With EZS you can fly for around 65 euro andn the hours are perfect for a day trip. Nice traffic and spots as well.
Places enough
Manchester is attractive as well, but I would book then 1 night. The holiday Inn is not too expensive and is located just a 10 min walk from the most famous spot at 23L. Only reason I don't go there anymore is the weather, often very bad.
Other nice airports for car trips are of course Dusseldorf, Amsterdam,... ZRH is great as well, and AB has some good prices from DUS. I combined it with 1 day DUS and then 2 nights ZRH.
Also Geneva is nice for a one day trip. With EZS you can fly for around 65 euro andn the hours are perfect for a day trip. Nice traffic and spots as well.
Places enough