Watching planes at LGA

[LauraB]

Hi all,

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, but I'll give it a try. I live in NYC, and I'd really love to go watch the planes land at LGA. From, like, close up. I was on my way home from the airport one night, and a landing plane passed soooo close over the road I was on...it was such a rush! I'd love to stand on that road and experience that again.

So I've done some research on the Web. There's a park in Queens where people can hang out and watch the planes passing overhead. But it only works when they're using a certain runway, which I assume depends on weather and other things.

Here is my question, then. Is there a resource on the Web or elsewhere that will tell you which runways are currently in use at any given airport? Because I don't want to take the bus out to Queens only to find that they're coming in over the bay. I suppose I could call someone at LGA, but I wouldn't know who, and they've probably got their voicemail on anyhow.

Thanks for your help!

[Falconer]

Hi all,
I'm not sure if this is the right forum, but I'll give it a try. I live in NYC, and I'd really love to go watch the planes land at LGA. From, like, close up. I was on my way home from the airport one night, and a landing plane passed soooo close over the road I was on...it was such a rush! I'd love to stand on that road and experience that again.
So I've done some research on the Web. There's a park in Queens where people can hang out and watch the planes passing overhead. But it only works when they're using a certain runway, which I assume depends on weather and other things.
Here is my question, then. Is there a resource on the Web or elsewhere that will tell you which runways are currently in use at any given airport? Because I don't want to take the bus out to Queens only to find that they're coming in over the bay. I suppose I could call someone at LGA, but I wouldn't know who, and they've probably got their voicemail on anyhow.

Thanks for your help!

If you're going to be in Flushing Meadows/Corona Park or near Shea Stadium area, you need them to be landing on runway 31.

Randalls Island - Runway 13 (not common)

Runway 4 traffic goes northeast to LGA from over Maspeth.

Runway 22 is the approach over the bay.

Hope this helps

[Airbus_A320]

Runway use depends on wind direction. If you want to watch planes, go to JFK. LGA is boring with a lot of RJ traffic, if you go to JFK, there is a lot more variety. There are also several good spotting locations there depending on wind direction. The LGA location you are talking about is called plainview park, off the end of runway 4, which would be used during northeasterly winds. Or 22 departures (southerly/southwesterly winds). Us photographers run into trouble with the fuzz sometimes because having a camera and taking pictures of planes = terrorist to some people. But if you just plan to stand around and watch, you shouldn't have to worry about that.
http://nycaviation.com/jfkspotting - JFK locations
http://nycaviation.com/lgaspotting - LGA locations

I've only been down there once, but if you go to the NYC Aviation forums, there are plenty of regulars that would be more knowledgeable.

[LauraB]

Thank you so much for the information, you guys! This is really exciting! As soon as it warms up a bit, I'm going to get out there and do this.

[Captain DT]

if you had gone out there a bit more than 30 yrs ago, you'd have seen me [or falconer 3yrs before that] taxiing out in this:

runway is lga 31 [i think -- don't jump on me if it's not, pls.]

4 [departure end] is up and to the left

thx to falconer for posting this pix

[BoeingKing77]

I don't know anything about LGA,but if u go to PANC, just go to the beach next to the airport.A great place to watch 74's and 76's come in.Or,if there not landing,they take off that way,almost always have planes to watch come in.

[HalcyonDays]

I would tend to agree with the statement that JFK traffic is more varied, more international and with larger airframes, especially if you get the time of day right. Even A380s make visits there now. In addition to what the linked website tells us, the curved Canarsie approaches into 13L/R make for fine viewing and can be seen from several locations to the west/northwest of the airfield, plus also some of the mall and airport parking lots in that general area. Jacob Riis beach and the Jamaica Bay bird sanctuary are not bad for 31L take-offs as well. Finally, a dramatic location and not mentioned is the US Border Patrol parking lot (of all people) hard by the middle of 13L/31R, and this is easily accessible with some discretion, especially weekends.

No-one has mentioned Newark. Well, now..... But seriously if you park in some of the long-term parking lots to the north or the one round the corner to the east of the field, there are some excellent vantage points.

[Alessandro]

Talk with the people at www.nycaviation.com they´re spotting all the time in the NYC area.

[LauraB]

I don't know anything about LGA,but if u go to PANC, just go to the beach next to the airport.A great place to watch 74's and 76's come in.Or,if there not landing,they take off that way,almost always have planes to watch come in.

That's a heck of a long bus ride from where I am.

[BoeingKing77]

That's a heck of a long bus ride from where I am.

Try flying.I did PHL-LAS-PANC and PANC-LAS-PHL.In the 60's,my dad was stationed at an airforce base.My grammom came to visit,and flew eithier LGA-PANC or JFK-PANC on a NW 707 or 720!

[Spad13]

I don't know anything about LGA,but if u go to PANC...

How about if she just skips all that and goes right to PHOG? I know a lot of wonderful spotting places there.

[LauraB]

Try flying.I did PHL-LAS-PANC and PANC-LAS-PHL.In the 60's,my dad was stationed at an airforce base.My grammom came to visit,and flew eithier LGA-PANC or JFK-PANC on a NW 707 or 720!

That sounds like a lot of flying. PHOG sounds outstanding, especially at this time of year. I am good and ready for Hawaii at this point.

I think the thing that got me excited about watching planes at LGA was being directly under that aircraft as it was landing. It was so thrilling! Those things are so powerful.

Who was it not too long ago whose car was too close to a charter jet and ended up getting picked up and thrown around? Was it Jeff van Gundy? Anyhow, that's way too close, but close-ish would be thrilling.

[Spad13]

PHOG sounds outstanding, especially at this time of year. I am good and ready for Hawaii at this point.

I can't think of any time of year when PHOG would not sound outstanding.