Plane Watching

"Skylune" wrote in message
lkaboutaviation.com...
Does anyone know of a good airport in the northeast where there is a good
chance of witnessing a crash? They have alot at Leominster, Mass, but
most have gone down short of the runway.

Sick.

On the troll - a - meter, that isn't even a "1".

Does your mommy know you are playing on her computer?

*plonk*

Skylune wrote:
Here's a good site to watch.

http://www.lookatentertainment.com/v/v-732.htm


The announcer says, "There's a crazy landing going on here."


- Kertis

I know - no where near NC, but since someone mentioned San Jose.....

For plane watching - no light GA, but does have biz jets and the
airliners - is MSP. They have a parking area off of Post Road, just
for plane watchers. Never stopped by there when there were less than
three families sitting atop thier car watching the planes go by. The
spot is towards the south end of on of the two parallel runways.

If you want small craft - in the Minneapolis/St Paul area - Crystal
Airport on the north end of the metro and Flying Cloud near the south
end - are usually quite busy, especially on nice weekends.

Randy

" wrote)
[snips]
For plane watching - no light GA, but does have biz jets and the
airliners - is MSP. They have a parking area off of Post Road, just
for plane watchers. Never stopped by there when there were less than
three families sitting atop thier car watching the planes go by. The
spot is towards the south end of on of the two parallel runways.

It's got a Drive-In Theater, before the first movie starts, feel to it
sometimes doesn't it? People hanging out on the hood of their cars, sitting
in lawn chairs, sitting in their cars eating a Subway sandwich, kids running
around some days, limos parked waiting to roll, guys with scanners, etc. I
go there and sit - killing time, before heading to the terminal for a
curbside people pick-up.


If you want small craft - in the Minneapolis/St Paul area - Crystal
Airport on the north end of the metro and Flying Cloud near the south
end - are usually quite busy, especially on nice weekends.

Crystal (MIC) is being kicked around as an airport that might get closed.
Stay tuned.

Flying Cloud (FCM) is the busiest reliever airport (1 of 6) in the MSP /
Twin Cities area. You'll see some corporate jet traffic.

Anoka County-Blaine (ANE) is our second busiest reliever airport. You can
park by the tower, but there's no 'plane watching spot.' No tables or
benches, no deck, no speakers, no group hang-out feel to the place like MSP
has. All that MSP has is a long parking area - but it still has that certain
'here's where you can watch planes' feel to it. To be fair, the parking lot
next to the tower at ANE is a good spot to see planes - it just doesn't feel
like a public viewing area.


Montblack

ASH is a rally good spot. Park right behind the chain link fence off of
Runway 32. There are no amenities, but you can get right up next to the
runway. I usually see some guys hanging out there with pickup trucks, or
lately some bikers. (Its motorcycle week here in NH.) Below is there
website. They have a really good restaurant at the airport too!

http://www.nashuaairport.50megs.com/

Well let's see - An NTSB database research shows eight crashes at Leominster
in the past 40 years. So what you have to do is find a good spot, stand
there, or sit, but do not sleep. You may not divert your attention at any
time, even for a moment. Theoretically, within five years (43,800 hours) you
should see at least an incident, if you do not lower you level of vigilance
for even one of those 2.6 million minutes.

Of course, probably no more than any two or three of these incidents would
have been visible from any one vantage point, so you will have to chose
carefully, and probably increase your wait time expectation by at least
10,000 hours. General aviation safety records have improved significantly in
the past 40 years as well - pad another 20,000 hours to your wait time
expectation.

You may choose to believe that the recent incidents there (you cite seven in
as many years) represent more than a coincidence, perhaps an identifiable
trend. So go for it! If you think one per year is a good bet, that's only
8760 hours (still add the "right spot at the right time" multiplier though
- say 12,000 hours expected wait time).

I think you're on to something. I would strongly suggest you do this.
Don't forget to send us your videos!

G Faris

" wrote in message
ups.com...
I know - no where near NC, but since someone mentioned San Jose.....

For plane watching -

On Bermuda, you can sit along a road, at the runway fence, that is close
enough you can wave to, and see the pilot wave back to you. The road also
crosses the centerline of the runway, also very close.

I have to admit, I wanted to sit at the end until a big one went over, to
see if the wake turbulence would make you do cart wheels, like in "Pushing
Tin."

BFG
--
Jim in NC