Aircraft Spotting 102: Off-Airport Spotting

Usually, aircraft spotting is done at airports whether it's normal traffic patterns or a special day such as an air show of some sorts. But aircraft spotting can also be done off-airport, or in other words anywhere other than at an airport. Off-airport spotting can be tricky, however. Half an example would be at an aviation museum not near or next to an airport. Now I say half because it's technically aircraft archaeology; for the most part the aircraft is not gonna go anywhere if it's a museum piece. Also, most aviation museums are already located on the grounds of airports. In fact, most static displays (with the exception of air shows) including military "gate guard" planes/helicopters is considered aviation archaeology and aircraft preservation and not really spotting just because they sit there and do nothing and easy to photograph. But photographers are still free to take pictures of them since they do have their own unique history and museum photos make an excellent addition to ones collection of aircraft photos.

Spotting is not limited to, but leans more towards aircraft movements. A true example of off-airport spotting would be taking a photo of an aircraft higher up in the air and the photographer is some significant distance away from the airport of origin. Of course, a really good camera with telescoping lens capabilities is most likely need, but it can be done.

Referring to notable examples on Airliners.net, common subjects of off-airport spotting are Hot Air Balloons and helicopters because of their ability to land practically anywhere. Fixed wing aircraft also fall into the category as well. Common examples include very old vintage aircraft that can take off from a field or an open patch of grass. Another common example would be the fly-bys over a sports stadium.

Another common off-airport spotting technique is taking aircraft photos from another while riding another. Commonly called "In Flight Spotting" or "Chase Spotting" (referring to a chase plane tasked with taking photos), most common results found when typing "In Flight" on the Airliners.net search engine are interior photos of passenger cabins, the cockpit when access is granted, and the wings of the very aircraft the photographer is travelling it. But taking photos of aircraft from another aircraft are possible but more difficult to get, especially when it's done from a commercial airliner. It takes perfect timing and location but for the most part, you're never going to see another aircraft from a commercial flight real well in the first place. And you'll need to sit in a window seat to even have a chance to photograph anything that's flying with you...

My first off-airport shot took place in a small rural Idaho town with no public airport. The aircraft was a Life Flight helicopter taking off from a church parking lot just across the street from where I was staying. It was by far one of the easiest off-airport spotting.

In fact, here's that photo:

N160AM takes-off from a rural town with no public airport.

 But every spotter has in their own right a different definition of 'off-airport spotting'. It's doable yet, complex at the same time. Take your pick! Either way, it's a fun thing to do!