Fly-K From Germany, joined May 2000, 3120 posts, RR: 53 Posted (10 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 674 times:
Istanbul is an airport that has little spotter coverage, mainly due to tight security. Yet it is an extremely interesting place, due to the high number of CIS visitors, Middle East and North African and the local Turkish charter scene.
Last week I spent some hours inside the terminal before my departure (spotting from the outside is not encouraged) and took photos of some new subjects that are not yet displayed at a.net (to be uploaded during this week):
Onur A300B with green Saudia tail and titles (parked, TC-ONL?)
Onur A300-600 with green Saudia tail and Onur titles TC-OAA
Onur A320 TC-OND (new, ex-Alfa?)
Sudan B737-200 TS-IOE leased from Tunisair/Tuninter
Also parked was Sudan/Anatolia A300B TC-ANI, getting an engine change.
All in all I counted around 12 A300s from six operators, half of them inactive (including the Schreiner A300F) All three Bosphorus European A300s remain parked, as are some Alfa's.
Finally, TK 738 TC-JFT with winglets also passed by my camera.
Onur was really active that day, about 8 departures. PGT had a few too, but MNG Pax and Anatolia were inactive on my arrival and departure days.
Not too many unusual Russians that day, only Ulyanovsk TU154 in basic AFL colors and no titles (RA-85609) and Motor-Sich AN24 (or 26).
In the meanwhile you can check out some of my older pics from IST if you want to...
Konstantin
Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been...
Sabena332 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (10 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 630 times:
Hi Konstantin,
I saw the Onur Air A300B with the green tail a few weeks ago at DUS, I guess the registration is TC-OAB if I remember correctly. First I thought it was an ex PK aircraft, because of this I took a closer look.
Sabena332 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (10 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 608 times:
You were 17 minutes too late Max . Will you fly to IST for spotting only or do you want also go on a sightseeing tour across the city? Many people incl. my parents told me that Istanbul is a really interesting metropolis. I am also planning a visit within this year.
Godbless From Sweden, joined Apr 2000, 2751 posts, RR: 17 Reply 4, posted (10 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 594 times:
I will only have a little more than a day at IST so I don't know yet exactly what I will do. But at this point I only have planned to go spotting but time will tell...
Fly-K From Germany, joined May 2000, 3120 posts, RR: 53 Reply 5, posted (10 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 580 times:
So it means that both their A300-600s have the green tail, because I'm 99% positive it was TC-OAA. (BTW, I saw one of the two in DUS on Nov 30 as well)
Yep, Max, I hope to be there with you, but given the short time you have and the limited spotting opportunities, I'd suggest you rather go downtown...
The airport has a new metro link, and the bus to Taksim (main square) is very affordable too.
Konstantin
Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been...
Heinz From Germany, joined Feb 2000, 256 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (10 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 544 times:
Hi !
There is quite a nice spot in a recreational area by sea to shoot photos on approach. Didn't get bothered there.
Look at
http://www.airliners.net/photos/small/0/4/3/262340.jpg
(large)
and you will see a round structure right on the sea, in the extension of the shorter runway. The spot I'm talking about is roughly there. Just follow your nose and you will sure find it. Lots of picknickers there on weekends.
You can take the coastal train from downtown Istanbul to Yesilköy (across the street is the excellent Turkish AF museum) and then walk along the fence for about a mile or two, and then across the railway line. You can probably also take a somewhat closer station somewhat beyond Yesilköy.
It's quite far to walk from there to the terminal, so better take a taxi.
Hope this helps.
Heinz
Heinz From Germany, joined Feb 2000, 256 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (10 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 534 times:
Hello,
forgot to mention that I found the terminal windows quite heavily tinted (green). From inside the transit area, I took color photos, color slides and digital, and only the color photos came out nice colorwise. Digital was la-la and slides (K64) quite bad.
Inside the terminal building I guess you have to be discreet. I was approached quite rudely by plainclothes police (?) and airline employees, who ordered me to stop photographing. Anyway, there are quite a few structures behind which you can hide and work in a hit-and-run fashion.
Heinz
Fly-K From Germany, joined May 2000, 3120 posts, RR: 53 Reply 10, posted (10 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 517 times:
Heinz, thanks for the valuable tip. I have been told about that spot before, but didn't try it yet. Hopefully next time!
You are right about the green tint as well...
I took photos from inside about 5 times by now, last time for four hours, and never got bothered, I guess one really has to be discreet, I only took out the camera for the actual shot.
Konstantin
Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been...
Sponsor Message: 
From Germany, joined May 2000, 3120 posts, 
From Sweden, joined Apr 2000, 2751 posts, 
I wanted to say that with the "green" Onur Air A300 @ DUS... 
. Will you fly to IST for spotting only or do you want also go on a sightseeing tour across the city? Many people incl. my parents told me that Istanbul is a really interesting metropolis. I am also planning a visit within this year.
Printer friendly format 
