rkkwan

When I was living in Washington, DC, I often went planespotting at Gravelly Point, just north of DCA. But I didn't take many pictures back then (1992-95), and all it's all narrowbodies at DCA.

I went to IAH for some planespotting yesterday with my new Canon 70-300 IS lens. Even though it was rainy and dark, still got some decent pictures:

rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p143469308/

Besides all the Continental planes (including 3 777s in the afternoon), I also saw a KLM 744, AF 772, LH 346 and others. Not a bad short outing.

First, I was at an parking area just off Lee Road (south of Will Clayton), which is about 0.5 east of Runway 9/27. Great view, but you can't see the other runways. They even have a port-o-potty there.

Then I parked at the top of the Terminal C garage. Cars cannot go between the C and E garages, but one can walk over easily. Great view of planes coming into C, D and E; as well as Runway 8R/26L.

One spot I didn't go to yesterday is the Terminal A garage. It would be a very nice spot to see planes taking off from Runways 15L/33R and 15R/33L.

J62

Great pictures.

Favorites are

1. KLM on final approach
2. KLM reflection in the sun
3. Of course, this one http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p46365946...89F7#380471799

rkkwan

J62 - Have you seen these ones from my trip to China last year?

rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p507563364/?photo=27850352
rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p507563364/?photo=532460503
rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p507563364/?photo=755908229
rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p507563364/?photo=865987989



China Southern, China Eastern and Shenzhen Airlines.

lynnejoel1015

great pictures!

SFO is a great airport to planespot! i flew out of there today, my first time at SFO. many, many 777's and 747's- incl several Air France, Air China, Virgin (Atlantic- the Penelope plane and <i>Virgin America</i> which started this weekend, right?), many United 747's, and i thought i even saw an emirates - but that makes no sense at that airport.

rkkwan

Well, I uploaded a couple of the KLM pics to airliners.net. Hope I don't get rejected this time.

earthhopper

Nice photographs, Raymond

HKP

Curious about something: a friend plane-spotter got her wrist slapped by airport security for taking photos near the approach to RDU -- TSA and feds were concerned about why she was doing it.

How are they thinking now about Gravely Pt. (used to spend Sundays there myself) now, and/or IAH, and other such plane-spotting places? Do you have the sense the security people are ignoring them, monitoring them, or even trying to shut them down?

rkkwan

HKP - I didn't think about that when I went, as it was kind of a last-minute thing. Since then, I've looked up info on a local spotter's group, houstonspotter.net. They say it's totally fine to spot at the Lee Road lot at the end of one runway now, though it was shut down for a while after 9/11.

However, one needs to notify the airport police to spot from the garage. Which I will do next time I go.

P_M

rkkwan, this takes me back to a happy childhood memory. Our family didn't have much money so Mom was always looking for cheap or free ways to entertain us. I remember one time when we spent the afternoon watching planes take off and land. At that time I had never been on a plane, but I knew then that I would be a traveler someday. Thanks.

going_2_africa

rk, I love the pics of the flight maps. It never occured to me to take a pic of that. Thanks.

rkkwan

going_2_africa - When I'm on a 15-hour flight, I have to think of activities to do!

going_2_africa

I absolutely agree. I watched the flight plan incessantly when I flew from YVR to HKK. It just never occurred to me to take pics of it. I think it's a fantastic idea.

going_2_africa

My bad, that's supposed to be HKG.

wally34949

Is that a 777 that BA uses in Houston? Didn't look like it.

dfr4848

wally - BA has 3 flights a day from IAH to London (2 to LGW; 1 to LHR) The LGW flights are on 777s; the LHR flight is currently using 767, but sometimes 747).

rkkwan

wally - Did you see a BA plane in my gallery? What have you been drinking?

The earlier of the two LGWs non-stops BA2025 wasn't scheduled until 2:05pm, but the thunderstorm had moved in by then. It was diverted to DFW, and didn't arrive IAH until 5:13p.

BA203 LHR-DTW-IAH is always a 767-300.

dfr4848

ray - I'm not doubting you on the LHR flight, but when my daughter took it last year they had a 747 (maybe just for that day) which stopped in ORD.

rkkwan

Yes, it used to be ORD, and they did use a 744. But it's been switched to a 763 via DTW since sometime last summer or last fall.

wally34949

Is it possible to purchase a ticket for just the Houston Detroit portion of the BA flight?

It must have been the 767 I saw. Not enough wheels.