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