best airport decks and best spotting area's in europe

[ironmaiden]

hi all i am coming to europe in three weeks time my first stop is england then off to the rest off europe,
i want to find out what airport has got the best airport viewing deck and what airport is the best to get to other spotting area's easy as i will not have a car,
i don't mind walking but within reason,

hope you can help,

regards iron

[seahawk]

Düsseldorf has 2 awesome spotting decks. Light is good till late afternoon, but even then you will still be able to take non backlit pics. (when the wind comes from a westerly direction)

[wrxflyer]

Amsterdam has a very large viewing deck. Sun is good in the afternoon.Other spotting points are not really within walking distance.

Frankfurt has a nice viewing deck. Open until 17h, but very backlit all day long.

Cologne/Bonn has a good viewing deck, but light is only good in the afternoon.

Hannover has a good viewing deck

Zurich has a viewing deck on terminal E (correct me if i'm wrong).

Geneva has no viewing deck, but all spotting locations are within walking distance.

London Gatwick has no viewing deck, but if winds are westerly, the only spotting location is within walking distance.

London Heathrow has no viewing deck any more, but spotting locations inside the perimeter are reachable with a free bus.

Paris Orly has a good viewing platform, but light isn't very good all day long.

[ironmaiden]

thanks

thanks for all the info,
so what would be the best to go to,
i have just looked on you tube and dusseldorf airport looks really good,

whats innsbruck like

iron

[wrxflyer]

whats innsbruck like

iron

Also a good one,yes!

[brianw999]

Not an observation deck as such but the landside cafe on the second floor of Heraklion in Crete is quite good in that it overlooks the ramp and runway. Ramp shots are OK but the runway shots can involve some heat haze. Just keep a low profile when shooting there as strictly speaking photography is not permitted. There are no-photography stickers on the windows but they are six feet above you ! If you do get challenged and have the stickers pointed out to you look surprised, apologise and put the camera away. I've never had any trouble there.
DO NOT, however, risk taking any shots through the outside fences close to the terminal. Local police don't have a sense of humour.

Another good one in Greece ? Skiathos, the mini St Maarten of Europe. Either shoot bang on the threshold with a beach behind you (picnic spot ?) or move up the road away from the airport towards Skiathos town for a couple of hundred metres and you'll find a Taverna on the waterside. Food, drink, toilets and aircraft passing by your nose on short finals.

Rhodes is another good one with a taverna on the threshold of 07. Sun on your back most of the day.

Canary Islands.
Tenerife Norte (North), An elevated position at the 30 threshold. Turn off TF24 here for parking and a cafe/bar plus others. GoogleEarth 28deg 28' 34.52" N 16deg 19' 42.45" W. Alternatively move across the road to the road running along the airfield fence for about 150 metres and park on the dirt on the left. Climb the (gentle slope) mound for a view across the runway 200-300 metres down from the 30 threshold. This location is just before an outside control tower. Take water, it gets hot here in the summer. You can also get shots of the far taxiway but expect heat haze when the sun really gets going.

Malta Luqa.
What a place for photography. Not a heavy flight schedule but you never know what's going to turn up here. Malta Aviation enthusiasts have built a platform on the Safi road close to the Medavia hangar traffic lights. ( keep an eye open for aircraft crossing the road here. Some shots like this can be had when that happens....
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Malta airport authority have put official large reinforced viewing holes in the fences all around the airport. Absolutely no hassle at all from authority unless you obviously trespass. Don't spoil it if you go there. I could go on forever about Luqa...better to go here for more info... http://sites.google.com/site/maltaai...aspottingguide

[seahawk]

From the "islands" I can alos recommend Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Madeira.

[DAIRD]

Frankfurt has a nice viewing deck. Open until 17h, but very backlit all day long.

Cologne/Bonn has a good viewing deck, but light is only good in the afternoon.

Hannover has a good viewing deck

Frankfurt viewing deck (Terminal 2 only) offers you light from front all day long and will be closed when traffic gets interesting (17:00h). No drinks admitted on the deck, you'll have to leave softdrinks, tea, etc. at the check-in. When you take a walk (ca. 30 min), you can reach pretty easy RWY 25 approach positions and the new spotters deck situated near the A5 autobahn.

Hannover has a viewing deck, but low traffic ( I think even XFW has more flight movements ).

Cologne: very good, but glass - not high, you'll need a 2 or 3 step ladder.

[seahawk]

new spotters deck???

[DAIRD]

Yeah, its a new platform close to the taxiway. I have a photo of it. Although there is a building in front of the platform, it doesn't disturb much. I made a lot of 07 t/o shots, they were all okay. Only the construction area at the taxiway is little eye-errating.
And please: do not mention the dustspots.

[DAIRD]

as this picture taken with wide angle

[philip]

Also a good one,yes!

Visitors deck is good but traffic is almost zero at this time of the year....

[davepotter]

Skiathos

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The above Monarch shot show the position of the runway in comparison to road. Ample oppurtunities with a variety wings and somewhere you can be all day. The shot was taken from Cafe Ammarettos which offers drinks (all you need is Mythos) & food from 8am until 2am. So it's as close as you need..

The privvy is taken from up by the terminal & there is a similar spot on the other side for the morning hours when the hour is that side (however, you do need to mount a retired trailer which isn't too difficult for anyone slightly energetic).

The traffic is good on Monday, Friday & Saturday but don't expect traffic levels like Greek airports Rhodes or Crete. The most movements you can expect in a day is 20 and that sometimes is pushing the limits so ideally stay local so you can pop back to the hotel during quiet spells. I recommend a scanner so you get an idea of anything happening in advance (otherwise you don't get much notice) but be careful with it as the are forbidden in Greece. I suggest headphones in your pocket or bag to be on the safe side.

Hope this helps & if you want any other information (plenty more available), let me know.

[ironmaiden]

thank you

thank you so much for all your replys,
so many replys thank you,

dont know where to go first now,

iron

[ezy6rm6nw]

Im going 2 Malaga 2moro 4 a week on holiday could some of u guy's plz give me some info on spotting location's advice when i go there

Can u use radio scanners there if someone could give me some info that would be great thanx