London Gatwick spotting facilities

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 22 Oct 2003, 23:07

I was wondering if someone could tell me if there are good spotting places in Gatwick and if those are easy to reach from the airport itself

For those who allready spotted at Gatwick airport, could you tell me your experience

Many thanks in advance
Chris
8)

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 23 Oct 2003, 10:22

As far as I know LGW has a dedicated viewing area, I think you pay to get in though. There is a Comet's nose on display there as well. I saw this on a TV travel show earlier this year.

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 23 Oct 2003, 11:31

Thanks for your reply Comet

Are there any other members that have been to LGW

Ciao
Chris
8)

Post by **sn26567** » 23 Oct 2003, 11:46

Avro wrote:Are there any other members that have been to LGW

As I told in another mail, I once travelled on the Sabena B747 flying BRU-LGW-ATL in codeshare with British Caledonian. That was at least 15 years ago and I remember LGW as a small provincial airport at that time...

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 23 Oct 2003, 11:47

My last visit to LGW was a little bit before Andre's, but I have read about the spotting area in "Airliner World" and seen it on TV.

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 23 Oct 2003, 11:50

sn26567 wrote: As I told in another mail, I once travelled on the Sabena B747 flying BRU-LGW-ATL in codeshare with British Caledonian. That was at least 15 years ago and I remember LGW as a small provincial airport at that time...

I knew that

I actually meant, people who allready went to LGW to spot planes, because I'm planning a spotting trip to LGW.

Chris
8)

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 23 Oct 2003, 11:59

Chris - check this link, it's from the official LGW site

http://www.baa.co.uk/main/airports/gatw ... frame.html

That mentions the area I am taking about which has a nose of a Comet.

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 23 Oct 2003, 12:03

Thanks for the nice link Louise

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 23 Oct 2003, 12:08

Comet wrote:Chris - check this link, it's from the official LGW site

http://www.baa.co.uk/main/airports/gatw ... frame.html

That mentions the area I am taking about which has a nose of a Comet.

The Skyview area is listed in the Facilities link in the side menu if anyone else is interested.

I would love to visit that facility at LGW, it sounds good, but I never get chance to go to Gatwick. I wish Manchester had something similar.

website-info · Post by **website-info** » 23 Oct 2003, 13:27

Hi Guys,

Dont hold your breath on LGW facilities anymore, the Herald has been removed from the roof and placed on the fire dump. There are alot of building works going on at Gatwick right now, badly affecting any good views from the Roff terrace,

Rgds
Tony

Sabena_690 · Post by **Sabena_690** » 23 Oct 2003, 16:28

Hi Chris,

Honnestly, I recommend you LHR

No, if you are in the LON area, the best thing you can do is combine LGW with LHR, since LGW will maybe 'bore' you if you are there a whole day.

I'm planning an itinerary for next summer, and the BRU-LON flights will probably be BRU-LGW on SN and LHR-BRU on BA (with hopefully some additional flights leaving from LHR).

Anyway, in your case: I would for example do BRU-LGW on satuday (the 7am flight of SN) and returning on sunday evening with the 19h35 flight of BA (a B763).

Book LGW not too much in advance, since it is rumoured that the viewing area will close.

And now you are in London, please do make a trip to LHR!

LHR is the best...

You can overnight in LHR for 44.95 pound in the Ibis and for 49.95 pound in the Travelinn, all located very good for spotters. Note that this rate only counts on nights between friday and monday.

Feel free to contact me for any more info (you have my email).

Regards
Frederic

Regards
Frederic

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 23 Oct 2003, 16:38

Whilst on the topic of London spotting I am going to be thoroughly predictable and suggest London City. It's the easiest airport in England to spot at, there is a walkway with seating just across from the runway, and if you are taking photos you are guaranteed to get good take off and landing shots. And if you are really lucky you will see aircraft landing away from the terminal end and doing their superb, steep, nose diving approach.

And if you are a fan of VLM I cannot recommend it enough!! And it's great for seeing Avros, that I can promise you.

All my spotting next year will be at MAN (which can be good) and BRU (which had better be good because I'm trying to set that up as a spotters meeting!!)

Sabena_690 · Post by **Sabena_690** » 23 Oct 2003, 18:15

Comet: I think that Chris wants to see more than 5 aircrafts a day, so LCY is IMO not really an option

Frederic

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 23 Oct 2003, 18:38

Frederic - LCY is not that bad!!! OK, it's not as bustling as LHR, but not many airports in Europe are, but for ease of spotting it is unrivalled.

Whilst there in August I filmed four VLM landings (and the take offs), a Scot Airways take off, a SWISS landing, a BA landing and a LH landing - all within less than an hour. Then the following day I bagged a Saab 2000 of SWISS as it took off (and I had wanted that type on video for a long time!)

I love to spot at LHR, but I also enjoy seeing some of the smaller aircraft, and at LCY you get airlines you certainly never see at LHR.

alfazulu · Post by **alfazulu** » 23 Oct 2003, 20:42

hi,

Photo location at LGW west wind (runway 26L )
Go to the South terminal and follow the sign International arrival at the end you see on your right site a bar and on your left site a elevator(s) take this to the ground level (service area) you come now on a public road go right and follow this road when you passing the landings light's from the runway here you can make pictures from landing aircraft's like in Brussels (25l)This is from the terminal 10min walk.
Photo location at LGW east wind ( runway 08R )
Same way, but by the photo location from runway 26L go straight on and you comes by a sphere point(rond punt) go here right till the following sphere point(rond punt),go right follow till at the airport fences and go here left ,straight on and you comes automatish by the photo location runway 08R.(landings shots)
Around 2pm the sun is good for ground photo's when the planes are on a taxieway to runway 08R (photo's taken through a gate of a emergency exit)A english spotter pick me up and drive with me to that location,I guess 60-75 min walk from the terminal.
You can go from LGW to LHR with a bus (around 15 pond one way around 20pound retour and 90min drive )
Sorry for my poor english hope this help you.

cheers

Sabena_690 · Post by **Sabena_690** » 23 Oct 2003, 21:19

Hi Alfazulu,

I believe that the one-way fare from LGW to LHR is cheaper, and there are normally discounts for students (which Chris is).

Comet: I fully understand that LCY is news, but if I have to choose between a VLM F50 or B777's, B747's etc which thunder around your ears in LHR, my choice is made very fast!

This is a small example of LHR, below you see the departures in a 30 minute timeframe from 13.51 till 14.21 (GMT). 11/10/2003

AAL047 N765AN B772 KORD 1351 318 09R
EIN715 EICXK B734 EICK 1353 186 09R
LAJ6711 GMEDH A320 HEBA 1355 401 09R
EIN165 EIBXI B734 EIDW 1356 190 09R
BAW289 GYMMJ B772 KPHX 1357 431 09R
BAW189 GVIIY B772 KEWR 1359 453 09R
PJS103 HBVMX C650 LSZH 1401 RS1 09R
VIR011 GVBIG B744 KBOS 1402 302 09R
BMA195 GBVJC F100 LFMN 1405 15L 09R
UAL931 N794UA B772 KSFO 1406 321 09R
BAW035 GBYGD B744 VOMM 1408 411 09R
SAS1530 SEDMF MD90 ESSA 1411 303 09R
BEE3041 GJEAX BA46 LFBO 1412 214 09R
KLM1018 PHBDD B733 EHAM 1414 415 09R
ACA865 CGHLM A333 CYUL 1415 328 09R
BMA7HY GMIDR A320 EGPH 1417 109 09R
BAW081 GBNWR B763 DGAA 1418 418 09R
BAW147 GCIVN B744 VECC 1419 406 09R
BAW348 GBNWY B763 LFMN 1420 240 09R
BAW049 GBNLO B744 KSEA 1421 403 09R

Regards
Frederic

Sabena_690 · Post by **Sabena_690** » 23 Oct 2003, 21:23

Especially the early morning arrivals are breathtaking, this is an example (look closely at the aircraft types, and you will see what I mean):

UAL930 N798UA B772 KSFO 0502 314 09L
BAW074 GCIVZ B744 DNMM 0503 409 09R
CPA255 BHUJ B744 VHHH 0504 332 09L
BAW028 GCIVL B744 VHHH 0505 419 09R
AAL108 N796AN B772 KBOS 0506 315 09L
BAW106 GZZZC B772 OMDB 0508 408 09R
SIA322 9VSMZ B744 WSSS 0509 331 09L
SAA234 ZSSAK B744 FAJS 0511 134 09L
CPA007 BHIH B742 OMDB 0512 609 09R
ACA856 CGHKW A333 CYYZ 0513 326 09L
BAW262 GVIIS B772 OERK 0514 456 09R
BAW092 GBNLJ B744 CYYZ 0515 407 09L
BAW184 GVIIX B772 KEWR 0517 420 09L
AAL100 N799AN B772 KJFK 0519 317 09L
BAW056 GBNLF B744 FAJS 0521 452 09L
BAW018 GBNLC B744 WSSS 0522 422 09L
BAW124 GBNLP B744 OBBI 0524 451 09L
BAW20M GCIVE B744 KMIA 0526 334 09L
QFA001 VHOJN B744 VTBD 0528 410 09L
VIR602 GVAIR A343 FAJS 0529 325 09L
JAL6401 JA8165 B742 PANC 0530 607 09L
SAA220 ZSSAU B743 FACT 0532 123 09L
RBA097 V8RBG B763 OMDB 0533 06L 09L
VIR012 GVBIG B744 KBOS 0535 309 09L
BAW23F GCIVO B744 KJFK 0537 411 09L
BAW4L GBNWU B763 KDTW 0538 453 09L
BAW9271 GEUUI A320 EGCC 0540 236 09L
SAA226 ZSSAL B742 FAJS 0542 125 09L
UAL920 N659UA B763 KIAD 0544 322 09L
BAW078 GBNWR B763 DGAA 0545 418 09L
BAW072 GVIIN B772 OMAA 0547 431 09L
KQA102 5YKQX B763 HKNA 0549 417 09L
GFA007 A4OLE A343 OBBI 0551 329 09L
BAW066 GBNLT B744 KPHL 0552 404 09L
ACA852 CFMWP B763 CYVR 0554 324 09L
BAW142 GBYGG B744 VIDP 0556 406 09L
UAL958 N793UA B772 KORD 0557 318 09L
UAL956 N771UA B772 KJFK 0559 319 09L
AAL086 N754AN B772 KORD 0601 328 09L
BAW216 GVIIF B772 KIAD 0602 432 09L
GFA009 A4OKF A332 OMAA 0604 308 09L
BAW058 GBNLH B744 FACT 0606 412 09L
THA910 HSTGY B744 VTBD 0608 335 09L
ACA860 CFCAF B763 CYHZ 0609 302 09L
BAW138 GCIVF B744 VABB 0611 409 09L
BAW174 GBNLZ B744 KJFK 0612 407 09L
DLH5960 DACPL CRJ7 EDDS 0615 211 09L
UAL906 N773UA B772 KEWR 0616 363 09L
BAW665 GBNWX B763 LCLK 0618 146 09L
BAW925 GEUPB A319 EDDK 0620 116 09L
CYP332 5BDBS A332 LCLK 0622 134 09L
BAW054 GCIVP B744 FAJS 0623 408 09L
AFR1070 FGRHL A319 LFPG 0624 215 09L
SVA107 HZAKK B772 OERK 0625 322 09L
BAW296 GVIIU B772 KORD 0627 452 09L
VIR004 GVFAB B744 KJFK 0629 327 09L
DLH5934 DACPN CRJ7 EDDL 0631 202 09L
LGL401 LXLGW E145 ELLX 0632 210 09L
BAW935 GEUOC A319 EDDL 0635 150 09L
VIR022 GVGOA A346 KIAD 0636 340 09L
MAU042 3BNBE A343 FIMP 0638 336 09L

meerkat · Post by **meerkat** » 24 Oct 2003, 08:49

Sorry to come in late to this discussion.

Gatwick, whilst not a Heathrow, Zurich or Frankfurt can be very worth a visit, particularly in the mornings with plenty of heavy metal on view. Spotting is becoming less easy but not yet impossible.

@Comet

Whilst Manchester does not have a terminal top facility similar to the one at Gatwick, the top floor of the carpark has a spotters area complete with shop and snack bar which gives great views of the ramps to the western side of MAN particularly Terminal 2. Add this to the off airport viewing enclosure and Manchester becomes a worthwhile place to visit - just a shame that the traffic is not quite that of Heathrow, although the dot spotting at Manchester is usually pretty good, being nicely placed under several major airways.

Meerkat

Post by **sn26567** » 24 Oct 2003, 08:58

Comet wrote:hilst there in August I filmed four VLM landings (and the take offs), a Scot Airways take off, a SWISS landing, a BA landing and a LH landing - all within less than an hour. Then the following day I bagged a Saab 2000 of SWISS as it took off (and I had wanted that type on video for a long time!)

Comet,

If Chris goes on a week end, LCY might be pretty dull! I guess you went there on a weekday...

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 24 Oct 2003, 09:51

Andre - I was at LCY for my first spotting on a Sunday afternoon (31st August 2003) the day before I flew out to Antwerp!!!!!

Meerkat - I know the area you mean at the top of the car park at MAN, but it is very difficult when you are trying to film aircraft on video because of the wire mesh in front. I had to film my first Sabena 737 in manual focus to blur out the wire.