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Airport Spotting Locations

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Kevin:
I may be going to St Maarten this summer which would be the ultimate spotting place. The one at RDU is really nice. There is a little park there with a deck to look out that ATC plays out. There's a great view of 5L/23R.

bradl:

--- Quote from: Kevin on February 08, 2010, 04:10:07 am ---I may be going to St Maarten this summer which would be the ultimate spotting place. The one at RDU is really nice. There is a little park there with a deck to look out that ATC plays out. There's a great view of 5L/23R.

--- End quote ---

+1 with TNCM.

Second place I believe would go to KLAS and KVGT. Both have parking areas next to the runways (LAS has theirs parallel to 25L/R, while VGT has theirs between the approach ends of runways 7 and 12R). Both areas have ATC being broadcast over FM radio, so you can park and listen directly to the tower on your radio, and have a scanner to tune to Approach/Departure.

Planespotting area at LAS

Planespotting area at VGT

I have yet to find a place that does similar.

BL.

Kevin:
That LAS looks really neat. Maybe I will get to check it out sometime. ;D

bradl:

--- Quote from: Kevin on February 10, 2010, 02:23:16 am ---That LAS looks really neat. Maybe I will get to check it out sometime. ;D

--- End quote ---

It's really cool around dusk turning to night. You can see the arrival streams for each runway configuration from just about anywhere in the town, but dusk is the best time. By that time you'll be able to see the landing lights of each aircraft as they join the arrival stream. Some you can see a good 10 - 15DME out. Add in those that are turning base to final into 25L, and you can see exactly how they sequence everything in.

What I tend to do is drive down to the Philly Cheesesteak Factory (one of the best places outside of Philly to get one!), head over to the spotting area at KLAS, back into a parking stall, tune the car stereo to the FM tower feed, open up the tailgate of my ride, tune the car stereo to the FM freq. for tower (IIRC, it's 101.1FM), tune my scanner to Final Approach, and I have the entire feed from approach clearance all the way down to the ground.

Fulfills a hobby, keeps me entertained, and is a hell of a lot cheaper than anything on Las Vegas Blvd., and keeps me away from the tourists!  :P

BL.

Kevin:
Yeah, weather is nice too. Takes away the fun to be standing out in 15kt wind and 28 degrees like I was in RDU. I think MKE also has a spotting location at the end of 19 if I am not mistaking. MCO has not spotting location to say, but you can pay 3$ and go to the top of a parking deck and see all of the 18s.

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