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Aircraft spotting or Plane spotting is the enjoyment, observation and photography of aircraft: gliders, powered aircraft, large balloons, airships, helicopters, and microlights. An Airbus A380, currently the worlds largest passenger airliner An aircraft is any vehicle or craft capable of atmospheric flight. ...
Gliders or Sailplanes are heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight. ...
USS Akron (ZRS-4) in flight, November 2, 1931 An airship or dirigible is a buoyant aircraft that can be steered and propelled through the air. ...
The Bell 206 of Canadian Helicopters Robinson Helicopter Company (USA) R44, a four seat development of the R22 A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors consisting of two or more rotor blades. ...
 Virgin Atlantic Airbus A340. Taken from Myrtle Avenue, an excellent aircraft spotting location at the south east corner of London Heathrow Airport. When spotting planes, observers notice the key attributes of an aircraft. They may notice a distinctive noise from its engine(s) or the number of vapour trails it is leaving against a blue sky. They will assess the size of the plane and the number, type and position of its engines. Another clue is the position of wings relative to the fuselage and the degree to which they are swept rearwards. Are the wings above the fuselage, below it, or fixed at midpoint, perhaps it's a biplane or triplane. The position of the tailplane relative to the fin(s) and the shape of the fin are also clues to its type. If it is an antique or light aircraft it might have a tail wheel. Some aircraft types have a fixed undercarriage while others have retractable wheels. Spotters view of a Virgin Atlantic Airbus A340. ...
Spotters view of a Virgin Atlantic Airbus A340. ...
London Heathrow Airport (IATA: LHR, ICAO: EGLL), often referred to as Heathrow, is one of the busiest airports in the world. ...
Hs123 biplane. ...
In aviation, the undercarriage or landing gear is the structure (usually wheels) that supports an aircraft and allows it to move across the surface of the Earth when it is not flying. ...
Other features may come into view, the speed, cockpit placement, colour scheme or special equipment that changes the silhouette of the plane. Taken together these clues will enable the identification of a plane. If the observer is familiar with the airfield being used by the aircraft and its normal traffic patterns, he or she is more likely to leap quickly to a decision about the aircraft's identity - they may have seen the same type of aircraft from the same angle many times.
Some spotters will note the markings, a national insignia or airline livery or logo perhaps, a squadron badge or code letters in the case of a military aircraft. Published manuals allow more information to be deduced, such as the delivery date or the manufacturer's construction number. Camouflage markings differ, depending on the surroundings in which that aircraft is expected to operate. A Boeing 747-400 of Virgin Atlantic Airways An airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight. ...
An infant Cuttlefish blends into the surrounding sand substrate. ...
Ancillary activities might include listening-in to air traffic transmissions (using radio scanners, where that is legal), liaising with other "spotters" to clear up uncertainties as to what aircraft have been seen at specific times or in particular places, and the drawing, painting, filming, tape-recording or photographing of aircraft. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2035x1339, 346 KB)Spotters enjoying the landing of a SriLankan Airlines Airbus A340 at Heathrow Airport, London, England. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2035x1339, 346 KB)Spotters enjoying the landing of a SriLankan Airlines Airbus A340 at Heathrow Airport, London, England. ...
London Heathrow Airport (IATA: LHR, ICAO: EGLL), often referred to as Heathrow, is one of the busiest airports in the world. ...
A Scanner is a radio receiver generally capable of picking up AM and FM (and sometimes SSB) radio signals anywhere from 100kHz to 2. ...
The hobbyist might travel some distance to visit a different airport from their usual one, to see an unusual aircraft or to view the remains of aircraft withdrawn from use. Some aircraft might be eventually be placed in the care of museums (see Aviation archaeology) - or perhaps be cannibalised in order to repair a similar aircraft already preserved. Aviation archaeology, also known as aerospace archaeology or wreck chasing, is a hobby actively practiced throughout the world by both outdoor recreationists and academics in pursuit of finding, documenting, recovering, and preserving sites important in aviation history. ...
During WWII and the subsequent Cold War some countries encouraged their citizens to become "plane spotters" in an "observation corps" or similar public body for reasons of public security. Britain had the Royal Observer Corps which operated between 1925 and 1995. Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000,000 Total dead: 50,000,000 Military dead: 8,000,000 Civilian dead: 4,000,000 Total dead 12,000,000 World War II (abbreviated WWII), or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict...
For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ...
The Royal Observer Corps (ROC) was, until stood down in 1991, a part of the UK Ministry of Defence. ...
Some spotters are competitive and may get a thrill from seeing all the planes of a particular operator, military or civil. Aircraft registrations can be found in serial books, such as Military Aircraft Serial Review. This Cessna 150 displays the registration G-AVIT. The G- prefix denotes that it is registered in the United Kingdom. ...
 The RAF Tornado can be identified by its large tail Airfields may recognise the public's interest in aviation as something to be encouraged and provide viewing areas in safe locations. Many organised airshows draw large crowds and some raise funds for charitable causes such as museums, organisations restoring historic planes, or bodies that assist injured aircrew or the dependents of Armed Forces' personnel. Some shows have a more commercial motive. Some aircraft photographers make a profit from their hobby, with the internet providing an outlet for their photographs. Download high resolution version (1500x1128, 419 KB) Tornado ZA463 at Kemble Air Day, Kemble airfield, Gloucestershire, England. ...
Download high resolution version (1500x1128, 419 KB) Tornado ZA463 at Kemble Air Day, Kemble airfield, Gloucestershire, England. ...
The UK Utterly Butterly wing-walking display team flying Boeing Stearman PT-17 biplanes An airshow is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their flying machines to the crowd. ...
The Louvre Museum in Paris, one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. ...
However, the possible legal repercussion of the hobby were dramatically shown in November 2001 when fourteen aircraft spotters (twelve British, two Dutch) were arrested by Greek police after being observed at an open day at the Greek Air Force base at Kalamata. They were charged with espionage, and faced a possible 20-year prison sentence if found guilty. After being held for six weeks, they were eventually released on £9,000 bail, and the charges reduced to the misdemeanour charge of illegal information collection. Confident of their innocence they returned for their trial in April 2002 and were stunned to be found guilty, with eight of the group sentenced to three years, the rest for one year. At their appeal a year later all were acquitted. [1][2][3]
 The high engine position on this USAF A-10 Thunderbolt makes identification easy Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1562x1042, 484 KB) USAF OA/A-10A Thunderbolt taxying at the Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford, Gloucestershire, England. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1562x1042, 484 KB) USAF OA/A-10A Thunderbolt taxying at the Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford, Gloucestershire, England. ...
See also
Bus spotting is a pastime in which one seeks to see all buses in a particular fleet or those produced by a particular manufacturer. ...
This article is about the hobby of train spotting, for other uses see Trainspotting. ...
Birding or birdwatching is a hobby concerned with the observation and study of birds (the study proper is termed American origin; birdwatching is (or more correctly, was) the commonly-used word in Great Britain and Ireland and by non-birders in the United States. ...
Butterfly watching (also called butterflying) is a hobby concerned with the observation and study of butterflies. ...
Airliners. ...
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