Plane Watching

RDU is a great place with several plane watching options....

But first, AGC brings back fond memories. I saw my first planes there
in the 50s and 60s - same building, same wrought iron fence, and it's
still all there. My grandfather used to take my mother there when she
was young. Took my first lessons and soloed there around 1970. Very
busy then, - "Cessna14Golf, follow the 2 F4s and the Lear to the active"

Back to RDU. First there is an observation deck with an ATC radio on
the loudspeaker and a great view of 6L/24R. It's in the GA area north
of the terminal loop under the control tower.

Better yet is the new terminal building in the FBO area. The terminal
buiding is basically an empty marble shell with meeting spaces and big
lobby with *nothing* going on. You can't even open a door to access the
ramp from this "terminal building". But there's a giant glassed in front
with a second story sitting area with small grill adjacent. You can sit
in a/c comfort, eating a burger, looking down on a ramp full of the
latest GA iron and watching the traffic on 6R/24L. It gets real busy on
weekdays and I'm sure your radio would work fine. I would call it the
most comfortable and scenic plane watching spots in central NC. For the
most part, undiscovered!

If you need a fix of real GA, just go nextdoor to Southern Aviation and
sit in their new lounge or go upstairs and buy a chart.

KertDawg wrote:
Hello,

I'm looking for an airport in central North Carolina at which I can
watch airplanes and listen to them on my handheld scanner. I've done
this before in other parts of the country with some pretty good
results. For instance, at Allegheny County Airport (KAGC) near
Pittsburgh, PA, you can walk out in front of the tower and watch
private jets, helicopters, and quite a few light aircraft for hours. I
just like watching and listening.

However, in NC, I've not found a good airport at which to do this. For
instance, at the Piedmont Triad Int. Airport (KGSO) in Greensboro,
there are some pretty big jets, but you can't get close enough to see
much happening. At other airports, like KBUY or KIGX, you can get
really close, but you might see one or two planes per hour on a good
day.

Can anyone recommend an airport in central North Carolina (or close
enough for a day trip) to an airport that might be better suited?
Thanks for any replies.

- Kertis

I don't remember the address but the top deck of the parking garage on
San Diego's Lindbergh Field final approach course let's you check the brand
names on the tires and look for missing rivets.

If you want mostly commercial traffic with some GA as well, I'd say KRDU
(Raleigh-Durham) is the place to go.

Rod

snip

I'm looking for an airport in central North Carolina at which I can
watch airplanes and listen to them on my handheld scanner.

Agreed. And while it is primarily commercial traffic, a week day spent
around Piedmont or Southern will show you all of the best heavy GA
equipment... and even an occassional Maule.

Here's a plane watcher's test, what's in the big "private" hangar on the
north end of RDU? Has it's own road access and has more facility than
most of the freight operators nearby.

wrote:
If you want mostly commercial traffic with some GA as well, I'd say KRDU
(Raleigh-Durham) is the place to go.

Rod

snip

I'm looking for an airport in central North Carolina at which I can
watch airplanes and listen to them on my handheld scanner.

An interesting Plane Watchers note - KJNX - Johnston County airport was
recently *outed*.

Home of a great avionics shop - Sparkchasers - is also the home of a
mysterious (unmarked) set of hangars with some interesting equipment
inside. The NY Times outed them last week in a story about the the
movement of terrorists around the globe for 'intelligence gathering'.

I had heard that it was a CIA-type operation and it was reported as such
last week. Gulfstreams and other unmarked Fed equipment launch out
there for Gitmo and DC to pickup people to travel to the mideast and
Eastern Europe where 'intelligence gathering' is a core compentency.

I sped read the article and don't have the date - anyone want to help
here with a link?

Anyway, an interesting plane watchers stopoff though tourists are
probably not welcome. I've had a G4 launch up my rear and away on 2
occasions and seen an interesting looking DC3 in the hangar, along with
a crop duster of some sort a few years ago. Very mysterious but not so
secret.

KertDawg wrote:
Hello,

I'm looking for an airport in central North Carolina at which I can
watch airplanes and listen to them on my handheld scanner. I've done
this before in other parts of the country with some pretty good
results. For instance, at Allegheny County Airport (KAGC) near
Pittsburgh, PA, you can walk out in front of the tower and watch
private jets, helicopters, and quite a few light aircraft for hours. I
just like watching and listening.

However, in NC, I've not found a good airport at which to do this. For
instance, at the Piedmont Triad Int. Airport (KGSO) in Greensboro,
there are some pretty big jets, but you can't get close enough to see
much happening. At other airports, like KBUY or KIGX, you can get
really close, but you might see one or two planes per hour on a good
day.

Can anyone recommend an airport in central North Carolina (or close
enough for a day trip) to an airport that might be better suited?
Thanks for any replies.

- Kertis

Here's a link:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?U3272253B

Sorry if you have to subscribe but I don't think so.

Maule Driver wrote:
An interesting Plane Watchers note - KJNX - Johnston County airport was
recently *outed*.

Home of a great avionics shop - Sparkchasers - is also the home of a
mysterious (unmarked) set of hangars with some interesting equipment
inside. The NY Times outed them last week in a story about the the
movement of terrorists around the globe for 'intelligence gathering'.

I had heard that it was a CIA-type operation and it was reported as such
last week. Gulfstreams and other unmarked Fed equipment launch out
there for Gitmo and DC to pickup people to travel to the mideast and
Eastern Europe where 'intelligence gathering' is a core compentency.

I sped read the article and don't have the date - anyone want to help
here with a link?

Anyway, an interesting plane watchers stopoff though tourists are
probably not welcome. I've had a G4 launch up my rear and away on 2
occasions and seen an interesting looking DC3 in the hangar, along with
a crop duster of some sort a few years ago. Very mysterious but not so
secret.

KertDawg wrote:

Hello,

I'm looking for an airport in central North Carolina at which I can
watch airplanes and listen to them on my handheld scanner. I've done
this before in other parts of the country with some pretty good
results. For instance, at Allegheny County Airport (KAGC) near
Pittsburgh, PA, you can walk out in front of the tower and watch
private jets, helicopters, and quite a few light aircraft for hours. I
just like watching and listening.

However, in NC, I've not found a good airport at which to do this. For
instance, at the Piedmont Triad Int. Airport (KGSO) in Greensboro,
there are some pretty big jets, but you can't get close enough to see
much happening. At other airports, like KBUY or KIGX, you can get
really close, but you might see one or two planes per hour on a good
day.

Can anyone recommend an airport in central North Carolina (or close
enough for a day trip) to an airport that might be better suited?
Thanks for any replies.

- Kertis

"Jay Beckman" wrote

I was under the impression from a friend of mine who used to live in
Hickory, NC that KHKY lost their commercial carrier traffic?

- Has it resumed, or did it never go away?

Indeed, they used to have US Air Eagle, but that was lost, oh, I think
around three years ago. The new carrier is Deltas regional jet service. It
is now 3 per day to Atlanta, but if it goes well, they plan to start flights
to Orlando, and I *think* DC and New York.
--
Jim in NC

"Maule Driver" wrote

Here's a plane watcher's test, what's in the big "private" hangar on the
north end of RDU? Has it's own road access and has more facility than
most of the freight operators nearby.

SAS corporate?
--
Jim in NC

You are a winner. I think they have a B737 and some other equipment. I
hear the hangar setup is fantastic.

I had no idea until recently.

Morgans wrote:
"Maule Driver" wrote

Here's a plane watcher's test, what's in the big "private" hangar on the
north end of RDU? Has it's own road access and has more facility than
most of the freight operators nearby.


SAS corporate?

"Maule Driver" wrote

You are a winner. I think they have a B737 and some other equipment. I
hear the hangar setup is fantastic.

I had no idea until recently.

grin I've never even been to RDU. I have a sister in law that is one of
the early people in the start up of SAS. They are consistently in the top
in the country, of places to work. EVERYTHING they do is first class. The
employee's cafeteria is true world class cuisine. They have child-care, on
campus. They have their own doctor's office for employees, their own sound
stage, for recording training films. Working time is pretty much flex time.

Anyone in the computer scene would do well to try to get a job there.
--
Jim in NC