Belfast International Airport (Aldergrove)

Oriel

Hi Folks,
I love planes, I love photography and I live beside Belfast International Airport (Aldergrove).
The main thing that pisses me off about that airport is the fact that there isn't one decent place to get photos of planes touching down and taking off. That is, without going into the terminal building, which I don't wish to do.

From the closest place to photograph aircraft coming in, they disappear behind a (presumably intentional) bank of earth/grass. There are no vantage points from which to get a decent photo. This is mainly due to the fact that the entire East side of the airport is taken up by an RAF base, and due to the Troubles in NI, it's not going to be going anywhere soon.

A few questions:
Around the best places to view the planes, there is a "[SIZE=-1]Vehicle[/SIZE] Control Zone - No stopping allowed." Is this normal for airports - or is this just a NI thing?
Also, are the any pilots here to fly into/have flown into Aldergrove?

The following photo is the of main runway. The small gap in the hedge just before the runway is the closest I can get, but the view is of a grass bank.



Also, admire the dip in Runway 25

Steyr

Sir:Big Stepladder. The spotters friend and enemy depending on what kind of determined spotter you are!:)

RoundyMooney

We could do with more shutter jockeys here, mate:)

I've seen some of your stuff, and I'd love to look at what you could do with an aviation theme.

There are quite a few spotters here that may know the spots.

Btw, OT, welcome back.

RoundyMooney

And Steyr is the spotter/snapper in chief (among other things)

Oriel

Thanks Roundy!
See, I'd honestly never bring a step ladder anywhere near an airport - I feel bad enough bringing a camera and 200mm lens to the perimeter fence nevermind something as large as a step ladder.
Also, I'm probably going to take a daytrip down to Dublin airport sometime in the near future, so I'll be looking into the best locations for shooting there. Do many 474s fly in to Dublin?

Also, while I have the camera and lens to take some great photos, the only aviation photo I've taken and uploaded before is more of an "arty" shot:

pclancy

Yeah i remember seeing your stuff when i used to bounce around the photography forum, great work man. Dublin's got a couple of decent spots at various parts up and down 10/28 and an amazing spot at the threshold of 16 when its in use. I dont think any passenger 747s fly there any more but isnt there a cargo run by singapore cargo or someone?

Steyr

I may be going spotting at EIDW on April 5th for the day and having a night out in Dublin that night anybody interested?

Steyr

RoundyMooney wrote: »

And Steyr is the spotter/snapper in chief (among other things)

Thank you Sir.

Oriel

Steyr wrote: »

I may be going spotting at EIDW on April 5th for the day and having a night out in Dublin that night anybody interested?

I might very well make that my day for going then so.

Steyr

Oriel wrote: »

I might very well make that my day for going then so.

Cool PM me if you like