Where to go plane spotting?
Discussion
My 8 year old is currently crazy about passenger planes.
Where is a good place to park up and watch a few of them land and take off ?
I am in East Anglia so the closer the better but guess I’ll only get to see an A380 if we go to Gatwick or Heathrow ?
I am assuming there are some well know places that the plane spotters use ?
Dave!
Where is a good place to park up and watch a few of them land and take off ?
I am in East Anglia so the closer the better but guess I’ll only get to see an A380 if we go to Gatwick or Heathrow ?
I am assuming there are some well know places that the plane spotters use ?
Dave!
Norwich International Airport (NWI) – This is a smaller airport, but you can still see a good range of commercial and private aircraft. There is a designated viewing area next to the terminal, which makes it easy to park up and watch planes.
Stansted Airport (STN) – This is a major airport, and you will see a variety of larger passenger aircraft taking off and landing. A popular spot for plane spotters is the perimeter road, where there are areas you can park and watch the action. The main viewing area near the runway is located at Belmer Road.
Cambridge Airport (CBG) – While primarily used for private and business jets, it still offers an opportunity to watch planes. You might not see the big commercial jets, but it’s quieter and more relaxed.
For the larger jets like the A380, as you mentioned, Heathrow (LHR) and Gatwick (LGW) are your best bets. Heathrow’s Myrtle Avenue is a well-known spot for plane spotters, and Gatwick’s South Terminal offers a viewing area with good visibility of landings and take-offs.
Stansted Airport (STN) – This is a major airport, and you will see a variety of larger passenger aircraft taking off and landing. A popular spot for plane spotters is the perimeter road, where there are areas you can park and watch the action. The main viewing area near the runway is located at Belmer Road.
Cambridge Airport (CBG) – While primarily used for private and business jets, it still offers an opportunity to watch planes. You might not see the big commercial jets, but it’s quieter and more relaxed.
For the larger jets like the A380, as you mentioned, Heathrow (LHR) and Gatwick (LGW) are your best bets. Heathrow’s Myrtle Avenue is a well-known spot for plane spotters, and Gatwick’s South Terminal offers a viewing area with good visibility of landings and take-offs.
Download FR24 and see what airports are local and what their arrivals & departures are like for variety then make a choice, if it's purely civilian then a trip to Heathrow would be my choice but if you fancy a more military flavour I'd get down to Lakenheath, the US love to put on a show on their daily ops
Myrtle avenue at Heathrow is a phenomenal place to spot
Myrtle avenue at Heathrow is a phenomenal place to spot
Luton is another possibility, but mainly low cost carriers. There's a spot next to the fence on the south side (shown on Google Maps) which has free on-road parking and isn't too far from the runway. There's also a multistorey short term carpark which is a bit further from the runway, but has a better view of the aircraft taxiways - parking could be expensive though.
RAF Mildenhall has some big planes - mainly tankers and the big galaxy/hercules type things. but lots flies in and out - including Air Force One a couple of years ago - so worth a goosey. And then pop 3 miles down the road to Lakenheath and watch some proper planes - Eagles and Lighnings and stuff.
paddy1970 said:
Norwich International Airport (NWI) – This is a smaller airport, but you can still see a good range of commercial and private aircraft. There is a designated viewing area next to the terminal, which makes it easy to park up and watch planes.
There’s also the helicopters going off to the North Sea oil rigs several times a day and the aviation museum with several Cold War jets (Vulcan, Jaguar, etc) across the road. Another vote for Mildenhall and Lakenheath. Weekdays mainly though, especially at Lakenheath.
If you get chance to venture further afield, then Manchester Airport is brilliant. There is a dedicated viewing park right next to the taxi ways and then 'Southside' which is National Trust land opposite will get you closer to departing A380s, A330s, 777s, A350s than you will get anywhere I promise you. Have a look at Airliners Live on Youtube, they broadcast live 3 days a week from Manchester and also Simon Lowe Aviation, Thinkplanes or Macc Aviation who regularly broadcast live also :-)
If you get chance to venture further afield, then Manchester Airport is brilliant. There is a dedicated viewing park right next to the taxi ways and then 'Southside' which is National Trust land opposite will get you closer to departing A380s, A330s, 777s, A350s than you will get anywhere I promise you. Have a look at Airliners Live on Youtube, they broadcast live 3 days a week from Manchester and also Simon Lowe Aviation, Thinkplanes or Macc Aviation who regularly broadcast live also :-)
As the enthusiast is your eight year old, why not write to each of your local airports, Lakenheath and Mildenhall to see if it is possible to be taken on a behind the scenes tour? You never know, they may consider it a good bit of PR.
Even if they can't give you a tour, they might send you some freebies. If you get your eight year old to write proper letters with picture and post them, you are more likely to get a positive result than with an email.
Even if they can't give you a tour, they might send you some freebies. If you get your eight year old to write proper letters with picture and post them, you are more likely to get a positive result than with an email.
Edited by GliderRider on Monday 7th October 02:31
paddy1970 said:
For the larger jets like the A380, as you mentioned, Heathrow (LHR) and Gatwick (LGW) are your best bets. Heathrow’s Myrtle Avenue is a well-known spot for plane spotters, and Gatwick’s South Terminal offers a viewing area with good visibility of landings and take-offs.
Sadly Gatwick is pretty useless for plane spotting these days. There are no viewing areas in the terminals if you're landside and the perimeter roads and Lowfield Heath Road at the Charlwood end of the runway are all double yellows and lacking places to park. Best you can do is probably the multi story car park at the South Terminal but expect to get moved on by security.My son loves planes too.
Gatwick (you can walk across the field to the viewing area)
https://www.gamc.org.uk/
Heathrow
Heathrow Viewing Stand
For his last birthday he caught an early morning return flight from Gatwick to Manchester with my wife. They went to https://www.runwayvisitorpark.co.uk/ by taxi and also caught the train into the city. They both really enjoyed it. Runway Visitor Park is so much better than what Gatwick and Heathrow offer.
Make sure you download Flightradar24 to confirm your spots and wrap up warm.
Gatwick (you can walk across the field to the viewing area)
https://www.gamc.org.uk/
Heathrow
Heathrow Viewing Stand
For his last birthday he caught an early morning return flight from Gatwick to Manchester with my wife. They went to https://www.runwayvisitorpark.co.uk/ by taxi and also caught the train into the city. They both really enjoyed it. Runway Visitor Park is so much better than what Gatwick and Heathrow offer.
Make sure you download Flightradar24 to confirm your spots and wrap up warm.
Edited by Greza on Monday 7th October 22:12
Another +1 for Manchester.
Taking my little lad to have breakfast with Santa on the Concorde in December.
https://www-2554n.bookeo.com/bookeo/startroute_425...
Taking my little lad to have breakfast with Santa on the Concorde in December.
https://www-2554n.bookeo.com/bookeo/startroute_425...
EGNX East Midlands is OK, just took my 8 year old there last weekend. There's East Midlands Aeropark right next to it, a pretty much outdoors only collection of aircraft with some good stuff like a Vulcan, and a Nimrod which you can get in, including getting into the cockpit and sitting in the seats (likewise a Vanguard nose section). It will keep him amused for an hour and it's cheap as chips. There's also a few viewing "mounds" directly overlooking Rwy 09/27, bring some chairs and a picnic (or use the permament benches) and enjoy safe in the knowledge you're not right next to a dangerous road and he can run around a bit if he gets bored.
In fairness it tends to be DHL freight aircraft and low cost carriers with a few biz jets but you are very close to the runway so it's good.
Disclaimer, I'm not a plane spotter, I'm a late stage student PPL with a shared interest with my son, but we enjoyed it, even if there probably are more "serious" places to go for the proper spotter.
In fairness it tends to be DHL freight aircraft and low cost carriers with a few biz jets but you are very close to the runway so it's good.
Disclaimer, I'm not a plane spotter, I'm a late stage student PPL with a shared interest with my son, but we enjoyed it, even if there probably are more "serious" places to go for the proper spotter.
balham123 said:
City airport from the excel centre, it's just over the dock so you can get fairly close. Planes every few minutes. A mix of commercial and private jets
The best DLR station is Royal Albert. Be aware, though, that it's much quieter at weekends and virtually closed on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.peter tdci said:
balham123 said:
City airport from the excel centre, it's just over the dock so you can get fairly close. Planes every few minutes. A mix of commercial and private jets
The best DLR station is Royal Albert. Be aware, though, that it's much quieter at weekends and virtually closed on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff