Spotting at STN, LHR & LCY

Buzz · Post by **Buzz** » 23 May 2007, 20:37

Hello,

I am travelling to London Stansted (yes, for € 0,02

) at the end of june, and I wonder wich airports are worth visiting... I would love to go to LHR, but is there a viewing area that you can reach on public transport? Also, do they have airport tours?

Is it worth traveling to LCY to see that little airport?

Are there any intersting aviation museums in London?

And on a sidenote, does anyone know what's the cheapest option to travel to London from STN?

Thanks for all your help!

Ivan_Eagle · Post by **Ivan_Eagle** » 23 May 2007, 21:28

Hello

On the 3the of July I go to STN with ryanair.
Ofcourse is LHR always the best, but STN is also good (I guess)

Greats C.I.

airazurxtror · Post by **airazurxtror** » 23 May 2007, 21:28

There is the Imperial War Museum at Duxford : train from Stansted to Cambridge, then bus to the museum.
http://duxford.iwm.org.uk/server.php?show=nav.00d
Near London, there is the RAF museum at Hendon (Northern line).
http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/

airazurxtror · Post by **airazurxtror** » 24 May 2007, 10:26

About LCY (London City), there is a feature about spotting there in the English magazine "Airliner World" for June 2007, on sale now (page 74).
Excerpts :
- peak times are 0800-0900 and 1700-1800h
- aircraft seldom stay for more than one hour, (and often much less) and have to backtrack the runway for a westerly departure
- most prolific carrier at LCY : VLM with F50
- commonest type : BAe 146/Avro RJ of Air France/City Jet, BA Connect, Swiss European and Transwede
- also ATR42 and Bombardier Dash8 of Lufthansa Regional, Dornier Do328 of Scot Airways etc
- many business jets (around 20 on the ground at peak times).
- photography is good (with 200mm plus lenses) from anywhere to the south from a pathway alongside the short-term car park.
- there is an unobstructed view of the airport to the north of the Royal Albert Dock, but into the sun
- also an area to the east of the dock for good landing shots, accessed by walking from the car park
- access to the airport is by the Dockland Light Railway (DLR), from "Bank" in the city, to the airport (some 20 minutes) and to the Royal Albert Dock;

jumpjet · Post by **jumpjet** » 24 May 2007, 18:03

There are virtually no good places at heathrow itself to spot..though the roof of the terminal 3 car park can give good views. Also the lounge in the domestic departure terminal [passengers only] has great views.

Most good spots are either in public areas near the airport or from hotels nearby.

http://www.plane-mad.com/guide_view.php?guide=lhr

I live in the west of London and plane spot from the garden! If you are thinking of going to Kew Gardens [very famous botancial gardens] in south west london while here then make sure you take your binoculars and camera as inbound flights fly overhead and you would get some excellent shots in a very green and leafy environment...

LCY is a great airport to use as a passneger..ten minutes from touch down to light railway station... but proabbaly has limited appeal for a spotter ..but if you were there at peak morning slots you would probably see most plane types and operators in a pretty short time frame...and then hop on the DLR/tube and get over to Kew Gardens

Vinnie-Winnie · Post by **Vinnie-Winnie** » 24 May 2007, 18:56

From own experience if I remember correctly...

- Stansted if I remember well not much to see!
- London City amazing!!! You get an amazing view of aircrafts landing taxiing and taking-off because what separates you from the runway is a river not barbed wires or anything!
- Heathrow amazing as well due to cheer variety of airlines aircraft... but not that good for spotting because no large windows or anything

Buzz · Post by **Buzz** » 05 Jun 2007, 00:38

Some more questions:

- Does Heathrow have airport tours like other airports?

- What's the cheapest way to get from STN to downtown London?

Post by **Bruspotter** » 08 Jun 2007, 23:04

Hello

LHR is sure worth visiting, about STN I don't know really what kind a traffic is there, some cargo and a lot of Ryanair I guess.

LCY is worth passing by if you like VLM Fokker 50 and bizjets. It's also worth to see the 'dive approach' overhead the docks I think.

Best regards: Yannick

Rogerb · Post by **Rogerb** » 09 Jun 2007, 12:26

Buzz wrote:Some more questions:

- What's the cheapest way to get from STN to downtown London?

See below terravision bus services, much cheaper than Stansted Express, and journey time only 10 minutes longer than stansted express

A51 - Terravision Airport Shuttle - London Liverpool Street
Express coach service from Stansted Airport to London Liverpool Street - ideal for London's financial district and Underground, rail and bus connections Departing from coach bay 26. Adult tickets cost £8 one-way and £14 return and for children £4 one-way and £7 return. The journey time is approximately 55 minutes with departures every 30 minutes.

Buzz · Post by **Buzz** » 09 Jun 2007, 15:12

Thanks for the information guys! Only 16 days of exams to go...

I guess LHR doesn't offer tours or a visitor centre like BRU & MUC for example?

Any other tips & tricks about London & it's airports is greatly appreciated!

Rogerb · Post by **Rogerb** » 11 Jun 2007, 08:33

A50 - Terravision Express Shuttle - London Victoria (Central London)
A direct, non-stop service between Stansted Airport and London Victoria - ideal for visitors to Kensington, Notting Hill and perfect for Underground, rail and bus connections. Departing from coach bay 26. The journey takes approximately 75 minutes with departures up to every 30 minutes. Adult tickets cost £8 one-way and £14 return and for children £4 one-way and £7 return.

OO-JFP · Post by **OO-JFP** » 22 Jun 2007, 10:34

Posted: 09 Jun 2007 03:12 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for the information guys! Only 16 days of exams to go...

I guess LHR doesn't offer tours or a visitor centre like BRU & MUC for example?

Any other tips & tricks about London & it's airports is greatly appreciated!

Hi Buzz,

don't know if you made up your mind yet but I visted STN on Thursday June 20th. My third visit in 3 year's time and still logged about 35 new aircraft.

I've seen HA-FAH F27 Farner, G-CELP B733 Jet2, N926JS/N403JS B757 EOS, G-OOAH A321 FCA, HB-JIB MD90 British Jet, N767KS B767 PVT, EI-OZC A300 ex FPO, N322UP B767 UPS, G-CEJM/TF-FIT B757 GSM, LN-KKY B737 NAX, D-AHIE B733 Hamburg Int'l, OM-NGA B737 NE, HB-JIF MD90 Iceland Express, VP-BWR B737 PVT, HA-LPD A320 WZZ, G-GSSC B744F GSS, TC-API B738 PGT, N801DM B757 PVT, TC-JRB A321 THY, D-AGWA/D-AKNG A319 GWI, G-BWDA Atr72 Aurigny, G-BYAI B757 TOM, G-BXKD A320 TCX, N260MY B767 MaxJet, N596FE MD11 FDX (2nd one unread), Atr72 FDX (unread) SP-LLI B733 CLW, G-CDRA B733 GSM, G-XLAA B738 XLA, RA-13392 An12 Kosmos. In the maintenance area (a 1.5hr walk) A6-MMM B744 UAE, A4O-SO B747/SP PVT, N166FE B727/1 FDX, G-ZAPU B757 and G-ZAPN Bae146 TTN, N305PA DC9-15 PVT, EI-CNB BAe146 AFR/CTJ, G-BXAR RJ100 all white. Add to that some 7 - 8 bizz jets and a stored Tristar.
Upon take-off I also noticed MD82 Dubrovnik Airline and a B737 Air Italy and A300 Air Contractors.
Last but not least: around 40-45 different Ryanairs and about 20 different B737/A319 EZY's.
I admit that the Ryanairs become a bit boring in the afternoon as some of them make 3 - 4 visits a day.

Traffic was easy to read off along the railway line that links STN with London.

Enjoy your trip.

OO-JFP

Vinnie-Winnie · Post by **Vinnie-Winnie** » 22 Jun 2007, 17:23

Buzz wrote:Some more questions:

- What's the cheapest way to get from STN to downtown London?

The Bus!