Contrails15 From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 1181 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 years 9 months 3 days ago) and read 5004 times:
Came across this article and found it interesting. Never really thought about the fact that there really aren't as many as there used to be. I guess I never thought about as I work on the ramp so I'm in the middle of everything but growing up coming to the airport and looking out to all the activity was just as fun as the vacation I was going on. Being at the airport is unique experience I think even for someone that normaly wouldn't care or follow the industry outside of them traveling. When I fly with friends who really couldn't care less about aviation, for some reason when they get to the airport they always are looking out the window in the terminal and asking me questions. I think most airports outside of the US mainly make it a point to put some sort of observation spot in threre airports but there are a bunch still in the US.
I'd like to know all of your favorite spots and airports that you feel should have an observation area.
Jpiddink From Netherlands, joined Feb 2009, 104 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 4899 times:
AMS / EHAM has a quite large observation deck for visitors, which is well frequented by both plane spotters and families waving goodbye to pax. Obviously, the entrance is located landside.
The deck extends from the sidewall of Departure hall 3 over the rooftop of the concourse and Departure halls 1&2, offering views of D-, E- and F-pier with a nice mix of shorthaul and longhaul. Also, from an angle, one has a distant view over the 09-27 Buitenveldertbaan and 06-24 Kaagbaan.
Entrance barriers with a one-euro coin slot were introduced in 2007, but (fortunately) haven't been activated since.
Contrails15 From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 1181 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 4850 times:
I work at T5 at JFK for B6 and we have at the end of our main concourse between gates 14 and 15 a huge window which from what they told us is as close as you can get to the taxi way by law. There words not mine but for those that know what I'm talking about you are pretty damn close. Of course its not an observation deck nor is it where anyone can go but its cool that it was done on purpose as part of the design of the terminal.
KLM672 From United States of America, joined Oct 1999, 2343 posts, RR: 3 Reply 6, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 4765 times:
BTV has a nice one complete with ATC transmissions. YUL had a nice one but then they closed it up, I was pretty disapointed. AFAIK, BRE still has a nice one!
Jfk777 From United States of America, joined Aug 2006, 7348 posts, RR: 7 Reply 7, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 4743 times:
Why us it airport authorities close all these observation. Narita and Zurich have them, charge ten bucks to access them, many enthusiats will pay that. JFK, LHR are among airports where several hundred a day will pay.
Contrails15 From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 1181 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 4715 times:
It really surprises me that they would either close them or don't even make them. Airport delays are at an all time high, so give pax some place to hang out and parents to take there kids too.
Flywrite From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2009, 173 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 4590 times:
Manchester (MAN) in the UK used to have a great deck on top of the terminal and piers. This slowly got shortened and made smaller, until they finally closed it in the 1990s. But the aviation enthusiasts wouldn't go away, and would congregated on the multi-storey car park and around the airport perimeter.
Eventually the airport gave in and earmarked some land which is now the excellent Aviation Viewing Park. They even 'officially' allowed the top floor of the multi-storey as a viewing area, although this seems less official now, and just tolerated.
Spacecadet From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 3251 posts, RR: 14 Reply 10, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 4579 times:
Quoting Jfk777 (Reply 7): Narita and Zurich have them, charge ten bucks to access them
Are you saying Narita does charge ten bucks to access theirs, or that they should? When I was there last (at the obs. deck, I mean), there was no charge, but it's been a while. It would be a shame if they started charging.
Narita's deck is probably my favorite, because it's very close to the action and the place is still widebody central. It also is an odd airport in that it's a major international hub in the middle of nowhere, so the backdrop for taking photos there is just greenery. There's nothing to distract. I wish I took more photos there the last time I went on the obs. deck - I don't think I even had a camera at the time. But I remember watching several Northwest 742's landing and taking off in a row, and it was right around when they switched to the new livery so it was really neat to see them. JAL was also in the process of changing liveries so I actually got to see a nice variety of their color schemes (a mix of new, old, and the hybrid livery they had for a while, plus the Reso'cha livery).
I'm tired of being a wanna-be league bowler. I wanna be a league bowler!
Ferrydxer From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 50 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 4514 times:
Quoting Thorben (Reply 2): TXL has a great one. Too sad that you are hardly seeing any widebodies there.
I visited that one back in April of 1998 along with the one at SXF. Is the deck at SXF still there along with the great airline hobby shop just before the observation deck?
As i indicated in another post I wish the Port of Seattle would put an observation deck at KSEA to replace the old viewing park that was there before the third runway was put it. The best spot would be on top of the administration building that sits on top of the main terminal.
It could be like the I assume now closed spotters deck at LGW with a cafe/Starbucks and a airline hobby shop. it would have a great view of the more interesting side of Seatac, the S-gates ramp where most of the widebodies and international traffic from BA, DL/NW, KE, OZ, LH, AF, HU, AM, FI and soon to be gone SK. Oh well I can dream or better yet run for a POS commissioner!
ZRH From Switzerland, joined Nov 1999, 5540 posts, RR: 40 Reply 14, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 4470 times:
Quoting OA260 (Reply 1): Zurich had a good one which is now closed
Actually ZRH had two (B and E). B is closed but will reopen when Dock-B is rebuild. But, in my opinion the better Deck E is still open and reachable by bus every half an hour. There you are within the runways.
Quoting Jfk777 (Reply 7): Narita and Zurich have them, charge ten bucks to access them
Zurich does not charge ten bucks, this is nonsense. ZRH charges for the bus to terrace E (entrance included) CHF 2.-- which is about $ 1.9 or € 1.3; children up to 16 are free.
MtnWest1979 From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 2122 posts, RR: 1 Reply 15, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 4470 times:
Quoting Jfk777 (Reply 5): Lets hope they reopen the theme building deck at LAX
It is scheduled to reopen in October, as stated in a thread here from July 13. So at least got that going for us.
Connector4you From Canada, joined May 2001, 922 posts, RR: 2 Reply 16, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 4382 times:
Excellent outdoor observation deck at Paine Field KPAE at the top of Boeing's Future of Aviation building. Great chance of spotting Boeing's newest built aircraft plus live ATC !
Contrails15 From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 1181 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 4308 times:
To me it seems like airports outside the US seem to make more of an effort to have these Observation areas at there airports. I don't have a theory behind it, it just seems that way to me.
Heavy747 From Canada, joined Mar 2000, 96 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 4286 times:
YVR has opened up a new observation deck about a month ago. It is located in the domestic terminal, level 4. It is a great addition to the YVR! The area is filled with seats and tables, information about Vancouver International, an interesting "google like" fly game, and multiple FREE telescopes to watch airplanes. Its great if you have a long connection time, grab a bite to eat, sit down and watch planes for a while. The only "con" I will say about, is that you are only able to view inside the domestic horseshoe. At best you can catch an AC A321 in the shoe, however, all international and transborder aircraft, pass the horseshoe for departure on the south runway. (26L/8R).
Teneriffe77 From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 423 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 4271 times:
Here at SYR there is a parking area next top the terminal which allows a good view of the main runway, GA, ANG, and cargo areas.
Burj From United States of America, joined Nov 2007, 838 posts, RR: 4 Reply 20, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 4028 times:
ROC has a nice area landside where you can watch the runway. There are plenty of seats and chairs and even a cafe. I've seen plenty of people get to ROC early to drop off/pick up people and hang out there enjoying the view. Now all they need are more fequency and bigger planes!
AirframeAS From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 14150 posts, RR: 26 Reply 21, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 4001 times:
MSP has one on the D concourse, but it is an indoor observation deck, not outdoor.
A Safe Flight Begins With Quality Maintenance On The Ground.
Type-Rated From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 4350 posts, RR: 20 Reply 24, posted (3 years 9 months 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 3883 times:
I am glad to hear that some of the observation decks have reopened, even though they are now enclosed.
I am sure that there are quite a few in the Homeland Security area that are having a screaming hissy over this!
I say, too bad for them!
Fly North Central Airlines..The route of the Northliners!
25 AirlineCritic: Got lost in Frankfurt's maze of corridors, connections, security checkpoints and misleading signs?
26 Thomasphoto60: While IAH does not have "official" observations decks, the parking garages at "C" and "D/E" as well as the A/B garage are very much open to the public
27 GentFromAlaska: Are you sure about that. I can remember as recently as 2004 riding the the elevator to the top of the the concourse WN operates out of (not sure if i
28 CLE757: Yeah its still there, you just cant go up there. I dont remember exactly when it closed but its been ahwhile.
29 Dartland: MHT and HPN both have observation decks, although given the traffic at those airports, nothing to write home about. TPA has no sanctioned deck, but a
30 AirframeAS: It is a shame that the observation deck at LAX in Terminal 6 is closed.
31 YYZRWY23: How is the observation deck at BWI? I hear it is in-between Concourses A&B, but I am flying out of "E", so can I access it as my boarding pass with be
32 Lawair: It's between B and C, and outside of the secure area, so you'll be fine as long as you're there during operating hours (I think it's 8am to 10pm but
33 N623JB: If non-passengers were allowed in the terminal beyond the security checkpoints, I would be in T5 JFK all the time hanging out having lunch in my fav.
34 BMIFlyer: I like the observation deck at YYT You can read about it in my trip reports - Amazing Trip Across The Atlantic By A319 (Pics) (by BMIFlyer May 25 2007
35 InnocuousFox: There's that little tiny one at SJC, too. You can only see half the field and the traffic isn't that exciting, but it is something at least. (Of cours
36 GentFromAlaska: Although not a observation lounge. Indirect viewing from the metro train station (Yellow line I think) traveling from the Pentagon to Alexandria, VA.
37 EGCC777LR: The AVP is great, I visit frequently but IMHO even they have just missed out on a excellent opportunity to make it the best by a long way, they have
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 1181 posts, 
From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24910 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From Netherlands, joined Feb 2009, 104 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2009, 173 posts, 
From Switzerland, joined Nov 1999, 5540 posts, 
From Canada, joined May 2001, 922 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
