CYYT / CYQX Spotting

[NF Spotter]

Hey Guys,

Just curious if there is anyone else here who spots at either CYQX or CYYT. I live in St. John's but Gander is home for me. I have been been spotting at both for years and it would be a nice change if there were others around to share spotting news with (ie what is , or will be on the tarmac...)

I was home in Gander last weekend and was treated to the usual cargo flights, and a KC-10 from McGuire doing touch and go passes. Here are a few queued pics of my weekend's spotting finds:

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewqueued_b.php?id=1320047

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewqueued_b.php?id=1320074

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewqueued_b.php?id=1320081

While CYYT gets a lot more traffic than CYQX , CYQX seems like it was designed with spotting in mind. It is possible to get very close to the departure and approach ends of each runway. Makes for great photography, now if it only had the traffic levels it did in its glory days!

cheers

Mark

[Andrew Wettlaufer]

Can't see the pics.

I have done a few shots from CYYT -although I never had my ladder handy.

[C-GEPA]

Hi ya NF Spotter.
I am also from YQX living in YYT. I worked at YQX for over 6 years now working for AC at YYT. There are several of us in the YYT area that are aviation fans.
Here are some pics from YYT. (not mine)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/todd_baker/sets/72057594089895261/

My pics aren't on Jetphotos because I only shoot film and need a film scanner for better quality.
Did you see the white KC-135 from an unknown airforce that did three touch and goes on Monday around 11:30am at YYT? You never know what will pop into YYT. Usually just AC EMB190s, A319s and WS 737s

Happy spotting

Frank

[NF Spotter]

Don't need no stinkin' ladder

Hey Gents,

2 of my three photos made the cut and are now in the database. I guess thats why the queue links no longer work. Try these (I also have a few yyt/yqx shots on plane pictures) links:


http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5920134

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5920128


Haven't tried a ladder. In winter the snow banks are rather helpful and in the summer I can center the lens on a hole in the chain link. When I do need some height, however, I stand on the tailgate of my Element, which is a little less conspicuous than a ladder.

Prior to moving out to St. John's I worked in Gander for three years. When I wasn't on the road I was lucky enough to have a boss who tolerated my airband radio and my abrupt absences from the office when something of interest was on approach (Thats the beauty of YQX, even from town you are still only 5 minutes from the end of any of the runways). My favorite surprise was in the summer of 2004 catching the 6 jaguars, and IL 76/78s the Indian Air Force were sending to Alaska for the Cope Thunder Exercises. I managed to catch them going both ways.

I am not so lucky here however. I can see the approach to 34 from my office but alas I usually can't have the radio on and well it is too long a drive from downtown to catch things during the week so most of my spotting is now during the weekends and on summer evenings.

I missed the kC-135 on Monday though I have seen scantily marked white US 707/135 types in town before. May have been an Israeli 707 tanker though as they are fairly non descript and one cold saturday morning last year in Gander I saw one do a number of low approaches on 21 (not low enough for good photography though) and then head back towards the states.

You are right about YYT not having much variety but there are still enough surprises to keep me interested... still waiting to catch an AC-130 in the air... it seems I can only see them on the ground.

cheers

Mark