Help about spotting in New York

[muellae]

hey,

i will be in new york city in a few days and want to visit all the new york airports. I would prefer EWR and LGA, but maybe -if time allows it - I would like to see JFK aswell.
Unfortunately I didn't find good infos on the internet. Does anyone of you know a good link?
Or what places can you recommand? Anything else I should know about?
I heard from a friend of mine about planeviewpark at LGA. How do you like that place?

thanks a lot for your help!

sincerly

manuel

[tommyalf]

Here's some great info.. www.nycaviation.com We have spotting maps that will guide you to the locations. However just some info.

LGA.
Plainview Park in the morning until 11 if 4 is being used.
Herman McNeil park in the morning if the 22 is in use.
Worlds Fair Marina in the afternoon if 31 is in use.

EWR....don't even bother, you'll get booted.

JFK
31R/L are afternoon spots
22L is an afternoon spot and a morning spot from another location.
4s are strickly a morning spot.
13L isn't good this time of year.

Check out the website, you will need a car to spot at JFK. The WX isn't looking good the next few days so I don't think to many folks from our group will be out.

[Petertenthije]

EWR....don't even bother, you'll get booted.

I would not say so. I spend a day and a half spotting from the terminals without difficulties. You don't have to bother going to the top floor of the P4 parking area (next to terminal C) as you will indeed be booted. Also, photography in the skytrain is going to get noticed.

There are large windows in terminal A and B. They have a colour cast but that can be edited out or even prevented using white balance. On top of that there are two tiny balconies on either side of terminal A. One balcony has a view over a cul-de-sac with Air Canada and AirTran operations.

The other balcony looks over another cul-de-sac with KLM/NW and US Airways. In the distance both 22/04 runways can be seen. Photography with a 200mm is barely enough with some cropping, though 300 would be better. Heat haze was a killer when I went there last year august, though with some luck that wont be an issue now.

Airside is doable too at least in terminal B. I did so on the day the would-be terrorists where arrested in London. Despite paranoid security, and looooong lines, noone seemed to be interested in me making photos and writing down registrations.

[tommyalf]

Well if I was spending money to come to NY and went spotting I want minimal chances of being kicked out, and that's not EWR. The fact is EWR is not a spotter friendly airport and any spotting outside the airport in the quote unquote spotting locations will get you booted 9 out of 10 times.

I would not say so. I spend a day and a half spotting from the terminals without difficulties. You don't have to bother going to the top floor of the P4 parking area (next to terminal C) as you will indeed be booted. Also, photography in the skytrain is going to get noticed.

There are large windows in terminal A and B. They have a colour cast but that can be edited out or even prevented using white balance. On top of that there are two tiny balconies on either side of terminal A. One balcony has a view over a cul-de-sac with Air Canada and AirTran operations.

The other balcony looks over another cul-de-sac with KLM/NW and US Airways. In the distance both 22/04 runways can be seen. Photography with a 200mm is barely enough with some cropping, though 300 would be better. Heat haze was a killer when I went there last year august, though with some luck that wont be an issue now.

Airside is doable too at least in terminal B. I did so on the day the would-be terrorists where arrested in London. Despite paranoid security, and looooong lines, noone seemed to be interested in me making photos and writing down registrations.