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hi all, i will be going up to Washington this november and would like to know where some good spots for spotting are. i know about the air & space museum at Dulles and Gravelly Point at National but would like to know if there are any others worth considering. i will most likely only be able to visit one or the other so any opinions on which to go to would be much appreciated.
IAD is a fantastic airport for spotting and very spotter friendly in fact. Below is a link to the spotting group for the D.C area. They have nice little site there that I've used a number of times when I've spotted down there.
Washington Baltimore Spotters Group is are a group dedicated to aviation buffs, spotters and photographers in the Washington DC, Baltimore and surrounding areas
all right i'm still torn between Dulles and National. i love to get up close and personal with the A/C (Gravelly Point) but i also love heavies (747, 777) or Dulles. so what would you suggest. i MIGHT be able to do one one day and the other the next. if so which one would you suggest i do on Friday evening and which one on Saturday morning/afternoon?
Chris, I would go to IAD in the afternoon so you can catch the eurpoean flights. That airport is my favorite of the two. I also think that airport has the best spotting (I reccomend the Air and Space Museam at Dulles) Spotting there is better in the afternoon anyway.
all right here's my planned schedule:
Friday (sometime in Nov.)
2:30 depart for D.C from richmond
go to IAD then check into hotel
Saturday
go to DCA, Gravlly Point.
leave in afternoon for home
this is the plan but there is a slight chance it might not happen because parents will be parents and they don't really like the idea of taking a detour to one airport when we're already going to gravelly point. i will do my best to go to both.
Sounds fun, Im jealous. Although during thanksgiving im going to LAX and hopefully my parents will let me take a detour to go spotting.
i would much rather be in my home state than this junkyard Virginia spotting. i love LAX. can't wait to see some of your pics. have a good time mate, and say hi to the celebs for me !
Thanks, first though I get a trip to DEN for a leadership conference so I wont really be able to really "spot" but I can take some pics out the window. Maybe I will be able to get my 4th pic on the DB.
Check the winds first. If it's southern winds, go to Gravelly Point at DCA. IAD pretty much sucks when they're using 19s, unless if you dont mind taking pics of RJs from the parking garage.
North winds, then go to IAD, unless you like to take pictures ofthe airplanes already at 500ft in the air departing over G.P.
...unless you like to take pictures ofthe airplanes already at 500ft in the air departing over G.P.
i don't like to...i LOVE to! i will probably only go to DCA. i'm only up there for an afternoon and a morning so i want to make the most of my trip(see the city, etc.)so i will probably go to Gravelly Point on Friday afternoon and night, and then would you suggest the terminal of Gravelly Point for Saturday morning?
I'm also going to say let the winds determine which airport to go to. If the aircraft are landing to the north, go to IAD. If the aircraft are landing to the south, go to DCA. Find the ATIS phone numbers for IAD and DCA to check runway usage/winds before heading out.
Watch out for high travel times between IAD and DCA. Rush hour is a pretty miserable time to do the drive. The weekends don't seem much better lately.
The air and space museum south of IAD charges $12.00 to get into the parking lot. There are no in/out privileges, but restrooms and a Subway restaurant are available in the museum. Contrary to what some websites and individuals are saying, DO NOT hang out before the gates of the museum on the side of the road! There is a very good chance you will attract some unwanted attention if you do this.
Last edited by Brick; 2007-09-24, 18:27.
Reason: Corrected spelling
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