Need advice

[AJ]

Can anyone tell me which airports in New Jersey are good for plane-
watching?

I was in the Home Depot parking lot adjacent to Linden Airport when
local police told me I couldn't be there, since it was a "restricted
area." There's never any point in reasoning with the local police, so
I left.

any help would be appreciated.

[Judah]

AJ > wrote in news:1186863454.821024.32260@
19g2000hsx.googlegroups.com:

> Can anyone tell me which airports in New Jersey are good for plane-
> watching?
>
> I was in the Home Depot parking lot adjacent to Linden Airport when
> local police told me I couldn't be there, since it was a "restricted
> area." There's never any point in reasoning with the local police, so
> I left.
>
> any help would be appreciated.

Instead of sitting in the Home Depot parking lot, take a ride around to
Linden Air Services. I've not been to Linden, but my guess is that if you
told them you wanted to hang out and watch airports, they would welcome
you...

I'm not sure which airports are convenient for you, but if you're going to
Linden, you are probably not too far from Morristown, Caldwell, Teterboro,
or Manville.

Old Bridge (which is actually in Englishtown, right next to Raceway Park)
is good for watching because there are parking areas right between the
racetrack and the runway...

Lincoln Park is not too bad - you can park right across the way from the
runway, but it might be further than you want to travel.

[AJ]

On Aug 12, 10:57 am, Some Other Guy > wrote:
> AJ wrote:
> > I was in the Home Depot parking lot adjacent to Linden Airport when
> > local police told me I couldn't be there, since it was a "restricted
> > area."
>
> How does that Home Depot stay in business if nobody is allowed to go there?

It seems that that section of the parking lot is off-limits to people
looking at things. Just go about your business and keep your eyes
down, citizen.

[Gig 601XL Builder]

AJ wrote:
> Can anyone tell me which airports in New Jersey are good for plane-
> watching?
>
> I was in the Home Depot parking lot adjacent to Linden Airport when
> local police told me I couldn't be there, since it was a "restricted
> area." There's never any point in reasoning with the local police, so
> I left.
>
> any help would be appreciated.

I would ask them very nicely whhere you could look up that law that says
that.

[Doug Semler]

On Aug 13, 9:50 am, "Gig 601XL Builder" <wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net>
wrote:
> AJ wrote:
> > Can anyone tell me which airports in New Jersey are good for plane-
> > watching?
>
> > I was in the Home Depot parking lot adjacent to Linden Airport when
> > local police told me I couldn't be there, since it was a "restricted
> > area." There's never any point in reasoning with the local police, so
> > I left.
>
> > any help would be appreciated.
>
> I would ask them very nicely whhere you could look up that law that says
> that.

Mmmmmm... "restricted area" BS notwithstanding, they (meaning Home
Depot) could ask you to leave based on trespassing laws. (the
standard "parking lot for customers only; two hour limit" stuff).
<shrug>

[Gig 601XL Builder]

Doug Semler wrote:
> On Aug 13, 9:50 am, "Gig 601XL Builder" <wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net>
> wrote:
>> AJ wrote:
>>> Can anyone tell me which airports in New Jersey are good for plane-
>>> watching?
>>
>>> I was in the Home Depot parking lot adjacent to Linden Airport when
>>> local police told me I couldn't be there, since it was a "restricted
>>> area." There's never any point in reasoning with the local police,
>>> so I left.
>>
>>> any help would be appreciated.
>>
>> I would ask them very nicely whhere you could look up that law that
>> says that.
>
> Mmmmmm... "restricted area" BS notwithstanding, they (meaning Home
> Depot) could ask you to leave based on trespassing laws. (the
> standard "parking lot for customers only; two hour limit" stuff).
> <shrug>

Of course Home Depot could do that but the OP didn't say that. He said the
local police came and told him it was a restricted area.

[Andrew Sarangan]

On Aug 11, 4:17 pm, AJ > wrote:
> Can anyone tell me which airports in New Jersey are good for plane-
> watching?
>
> I was in the Home Depot parking lot adjacent to Linden Airport when
> local police told me I couldn't be there, since it was a "restricted
> area." There's never any point in reasoning with the local police, so
> I left.
>
> any help would be appreciated.

You might want to look on google satellite map to check which might be
the best viewing areas. There could be other streets at a better
viewing angle that you might not be aware of. There is nothing illegal
about watching airplanes from a public space. I agree that you cannot
reason with a paranoid police officer, so you might want to make call
the sheriffs office about this.

[Doug Semler]

On Aug 13, 11:36 am, "Gig 601XL Builder"
<wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net> wrote:
> Doug Semler wrote:
> > On Aug 13, 9:50 am, "Gig 601XL Builder" <wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net>
> > wrote:
> >> AJ wrote:
> >>> Can anyone tell me which airports in New Jersey are good for plane-
> >>> watching?
>
> >>> I was in the Home Depot parking lot adjacent to Linden Airport when
> >>> local police told me I couldn't be there, since it was a "restricted
> >>> area." There's never any point in reasoning with the local police,
> >>> so I left.
>
> >>> any help would be appreciated.
>
> >> I would ask them very nicely whhere you could look up that law that
> >> says that.
>
> > Mmmmmm... "restricted area" BS notwithstanding, they (meaning Home
> > Depot) could ask you to leave based on trespassing laws. (the
> > standard "parking lot for customers only; two hour limit" stuff).
> > <shrug>
>
> Of course Home Depot could do that but the OP didn't say that. He said the
> local police came and told him it was a restricted area.

It begs the question: WHY did the local police show up?

[Mike Isaksen]

"Doug Semler" > wrote in message...
>
> It begs the question: WHY did the local police show up?
>

Because security agencies have well documented that prior to EVERY
"successful" threat event there was a significant period of local onsite
surveillance. The two common forms of data gathering involve civilians
photographing and audio recording. This message has been aggressively passed
down to governmental and corporate entities, to where "calls of picture
taking" are a significant number of local police stops.

The solution is to identify yourself in advance to the airport security and
inquire where you could setup for the best photos. Sometimes it's easier
just to ask.

[Andrew Gideon[_2_]]

On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 21:09:26 +0000, Judah wrote:

> Instead of sitting in the Home Depot parking lot, take a ride around to
> Linden Air Services. I've not been to Linden, but my guess is that if you
> told them you wanted to hang out and watch airports, they would welcome
> you...

The one runway remaining is also visible from a couple of areas where one
can park a car. I'm sure many an instructor and student has sat there
awaiting the other.

There's an Ikea near EWR which has a deck on which you can eat their
meatballs while watching the heavies. A little dull to my way of
thinking, but plenty of people like watching the cattle cars.

If CDW is using Runway 27, you get a terrific view from the parking lot at
the east side of that runway or even the deli across the street.

[There used to be a restaurant right there, but that's been torn down.
Presumably, they're hoping to grow a hanger there some day, but I don't
even see them watering seeds at this point.]

There used to be a picnic table near the base of the CDW tower, but I
don't know if its still there. People sitting there can make the tower
staff nervous. Once, early in my PPL training, I sat there with a radio
trying to get used to the chatter. Someone eventually came down to talk
to me.

They thought I was with the FAA and was "there to help" (ie. evaluate
them). Truly.

There's a bus stop on 46 right under the approach/departure for (if I
remember correctly) 1/19 at TEB.

Lincoln Park has a little restaurant right next to the runway, as does
one of the two Pittstown airports (I forget which). Flying W has a pool,
a restaurant, and even a motel (though I don't recall the layout to know
from where one gets a good view of the runway).

Ocean City, NJ (as opposed to the Ocean City a little further south) has
the restaurant on the wrong side of the building. Silly. But there's a
playground with a fine runway view. Belair too has a good view from its
restaurant.

I recall being told that there's a restaurant at Greenwood Lake in the old
airliner, but I've never been in there myself.

And I'm probably forgetting plenty of other places.

The thing to remember is that the view is far better from *within* the
airplane. And most of those places I've listed (excluding EWR {8^) have
flight schools. Take an intro ride.

- Andrew

[AJ]

Hi, I'm the OP for this thread. I want to thank all of you for all
the great advice and chat. That's what makes this NG so terrific.

AJ