Storms at Heathrow in early 2022 and their media coverage suddenly made everyone interested in planespotting. Events like this may draw attention, but planespotting had long been an established and popular hobby. Modern technology is making it even more accessible and enjoyable, too.
What is planespotting?
Similar to trainspotting, planespotting is the hobby of watching aircraft, photographing them or recording their movements. Spotters will spend time doing this, usually at or near an airport.
As with any hobby, spotters have differing motivations. Some people may just enjoy watching the aircraft land or take off. Others will want to record details and track airline fleets, while some may focus on photography or video.
The first planespotters
The term "planespotter" was first used during the Second World, when many countries encouraged civilians to observe aircraft for public safety. In the UK, this was organized through the Royal Observer Corps.
This activity even gave rise to a publication called "The Aeroplane Spotter." This was initially launched to help spotters with the identification of different aircraft types. It spurred interest, though, which lasted long beyond its retirement in 1948. Aircraft enthusiasts moving on to set up other groups and publications to share their experiences post-war.
Planespotting emerged out of this as a hobby from the late 1940s and has grown steadily since. Aircraft have continued to evolve and generate new interest. Just trains moved from steam to diesel, aircraft shifted to jets.
The introduction of new technology is always going to draw a crowd. There are always new aircraft generating interest - Concorde and the Boeing 747 stand out from the past and have long been popular with spotters.
Of course, niche events, such as rare flights, unusual aircraft, or (if the storms at Heathrow in 2022 are anything to go by) will draw larger crowds. Movements of aircraft such as the Boeing 747s used as Air Force One, or the one-off Antonov An-225 (before its destruction in 2022) will always bring out people. Maybe some people enticed to see such events will be converted to true planespotters!
Where to spot
Aircraft, of course, are not as accessible as trains. However, many airports have good areas close to the runways that are accessible to the public. For example, Myrtle Avenue and Bath Road have become well-known locations to watch planes near London Heathrow.
Some airports offer observation areas, although this has changed a lot with increased security concerns in recent years. Many open access outdoor areas have been closed. In fact, Heathrow still has a spotting area - it is located airside, though, so it can only be accessed by passengers (it is in Terminal 4 near gate 15).
Istanbul's new airport even features a purpose-built planespotting facility called "Spotter Area."
Modern spotting
Binoculars and a camera were for a long time the main "tools" of the planespotter. Radios have allowed spotters to listen in to ATC communication, although there are restrictions in many countries.
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These days, technology and accessible data add even more. Websites such as FlightRadar24.com and RadarBox.com allow planespotters, and anyone else interested, to track aircraft movements. These use data from the ADS-B satellite system to display the location, flight operating information, and key data such as speed and altitude. This makes spotting much more interesting! Arrivals and departures from airports can be tracked, and spotters can see aircraft details for the planes they can see - and those on the way.
Surely we have a large number of planespotters here on Simple Flying! Are you one of them? Feel free to discuss the hobby and which aspects you enjoy in particular in the comments. Do you have any more interesting stories about the hobby to share?