Aircraft Viewing Areas

[a300boy]

I think its £12 a day now !
My friend who has moved over there in the last few weeks has an annual pass so I will ask how much he pays for that.
I have never liked multi runway airports for the reason you bring up but at least it reverts to single runway ops for a large part of the day.
Brussels is annoying because the freighters and Military plus biz jets often land on 25R when you have set yourself up in a nice spot to see 25L arrivals and it is a fair distance between them.
I guess there are no plans to provide any viewing areas in the Lbia materplan ?

 

[Aviador]

Manchester is a good viewing area and always interesting. Shame it is always raining (every time I go anyway), very expensive parking now (cost £8 last time for a few hours only), and in the coffee shop next to the Concorde hangar (which has never been open when I have been) they serve what has to be the worst coffee in England. Some good aircraft to look at though although the far runway is too far away to get good photographs unless you have a powerful zoom lens.

Or you park at the pub and call in for a quick slurp of the non-alcoholic stuff before disappearing off to the Aeropark.

 

[ethanegcc]

Manchester is a good viewing area and always interesting. Shame it is always raining (every time I go anyway), very expensive parking now (cost £8 last time for a few hours only), and in the coffee shop next to the Concorde hangar (which has never been open when I have been) they serve what has to be the worst coffee in England. Some good aircraft to look at though although the far runway is too far away to get good photographs unless you have a powerful zoom lens.

The Aviation Viewing Park is £5 for 2 hours, now. I usually park further up the road and enter as a pedestrian - it does have a variety of facilities, including concorde, the aviation shop and the café, so a great facility, but in my opinion, not the best spotting place at Manchester.

 

[mdobuk21]

or you can go to the southside for 23l departures and park for free and spend all day there! 23r arrivals are a little far but ok with a 300mm lens.

 

[ethanegcc]

or you can go to the southside for 23l departures and park for free and spend all day there! 23r arrivals are a little far but ok with a 300mm lens.

yeah, that's what I was saying when I said there were better spotting places. When in the other direction, you can also get 05R arrivals with a decent lens, or you could walk further down Southside to the touchdown spot of 05L. I also like the Terminal 1 Car Park - I park at the Airport Pub for a relatively cheap price (£1.50/hr) and then walk down through the airport complex. The car parks (1 & 3) for spotting are £3 for half an hour!

 

[White Heather]

It would seem I need to do some research on where all these places are and how to get to them!

 

[oldendays]

I stop at The Clayton Hotel but do my viewing from the roof of the Terminal 1 car park. I like to be near the apron and taxiway activities as well as watching the landings and takeoffs. Obviously I recognise that such a spot won't be suitable for everyone.

 

[ethanegcc]

I stop at The Clayton Hotel but do my viewing from the roof of the Terminal 1 car park. I like to be near the apron and taxiway activities as well as watching the landings and takeoffs. Obviously I recognise that such a spot won't be suitable for everyone.

How much is it to park at the Clayton?

 

[oldendays]

I don't know ethan. I always go on the train. The info should be on the Clayton website.

 

[rangieowner]

When did this thread become about MANCHESTER AIRPORT? I thought I was logged on to the LBA forum?

 

[Aviador]

When did this thread become about MANCHESTER AIRPORT? I thought I was logged on to the LBA forum?

You're right but it just goes to show how little there is for spotters at LBA although to be honest there are some great places but there not easily accessible to the public.

 

[Seasider]

You're right but it just goes to show how little there is for spotters at LBA although to be honest there are some great places but there not easily accessible to the public.

There are, but you have to be prepared to walk, as you have to at Manchester if you are a photographer, as the Viewing park is no good until after 4pm.

 

[White Heather]

There are, but you have to be prepared to walk, as you have to at Manchester if you are a photographer, as the Viewing park is no good until after 4pm.

Why, what happens at 4pm? I was an MAN last year from late morning through to around 3pm and got loads of good photos as landing aircraft taxied in front of the viewing area. I also got quite a few take off's from the right hand runway. It was only towards the end of our stay that they moved take offs over to the Left runway and that was hopeless from where I was (I don't have a really big zoom lens).

 

[mdobuk21]

Because you are shooting into the sun for the majority of the day

 

[White Heather]

Because you are shooting into the sun for the majority of the day

Do they have sun at MAN? Must be a phenomenon I have missed. Agree it would be a problem though.

 

[ethanegcc]

Do they have sun at MAN? Must be a phenomenon I have missed. Agree it would be a problem though.

Haha, but seriously, when it is a sunny day, the RVP isn't very good, whereas southside is great. On the contrary on a beautiful summers evening the RVP is great and I have many shots from there with great lighting.

 

[rangieowner]

Still talking about MAN? ADMIN........ PLEASE!!!!!

 

[Seasider]

I haven't heard anyone mention that it is pointless taking pictures fro the Southside LBA because of the runway direction. It is usually 10am before the sun gets far enough round.

 

[White Heather]

I haven't heard anyone mention that it is pointless taking pictures fro the Southside LBA because of the runway direction. It is usually 10am before the sun gets far enough round.

Not with you there Seasider. If we had a viewing area it ideally needs to be on the Southside so the sun is behind (or early in the morning and in late evening to the side, when facing the runway. It would be hopeless for photography if it was on the North side of the runway as photos would invariably be into sun and aircraft would be silhouetted.

 

[Seasider]

The point I was trying to make is that even with the viewing points south of the runway, (Golf course, cafe, cemetery) the sun isn't behind you until after 10am. Any early morning photos will have to be from the "Hawthorns Pub" or further along the road to Sentinel Car Park. (north of the runway). You can also get to the north of the runway at 32 end if you follow the public footpath past the golf course and around the end of the runway. I am not too sure but I think you are a little lower than the runway but would be OK for landing shots.
I do not like taking photos into the sun, very few airlines/airliners look good back lit.
I hope you follow my meaning.