Spotters at Sao Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport's control tower.

When spotting aircraft or "planes", observers notice the key attributes of an aircraft. They may notice a distinctive noise from its engine or the number of vapour trails it is leaving. They will assess the size of the aircraft and the number, type and position of its engines. Another clue is the position of wings relative to the fuselage and the degree to which they are swept rearwards. Are the wings above the fuselage, below it, or fixed at midpoint, perhaps it's a biplane or triplane. The position of the tailplane relative to the fin(s) and the shape of the fin are also clues to its type. If it is an antique or light aircraft it might have a tail wheel. Some aircraft types have a fixed undercarriage while others have retractable wheels.

Other features include the speed, cockpit placement, colour scheme or special equipment that changes the silhouette of the aircraft. Taken together these clues will enable the identification of a aircraft. If the observer is familiar with the airfield being used by the aircraft and its normal traffic patterns, he or she is more likely to leap quickly to a decision about the aircraft's identity - they may have seen the same type of aircraft from the same angle many times.

Spotting styles

Photographers watching the landing of a SriLankan Airlines Airbus A340 at London Heathrow Airport.

Ancillary activities might include listening-in to air traffic transmissions (using radio scanners, where that is legal), liaising with other "spotters" to clear up uncertainties as to what aircraft have been seen at specific times or in particular places.

The hobbyist might travel long distances to visit a different airport from their usual one, to see an unusual aircraft or to view the remains of aircraft withdrawn from use. Some aircraft may eventually be placed in the care of museums (see Aviation archaeology) - or perhaps be cannibalised in order to repair a similar aircraft already preserved.

Some spotters are competitive and may get a thrill from seeing all the aircraft of a particular operator, military or civil. Aircraft registrations can be found in serial books, such as Military Aircraft Serial Review, or magazines, like Scramble.

"Spotters" are generally regarded as a distinct breed, focusing only in getting the registration/serial number of an aircraft but with little if no actual interest in aviation history and operational use.

Aircraft photographers are not generally described as being "real" spotters due to their lack of interest in the registration number painted on the aircraft - they fall more in the category known as "aviation enthusiasts".

The English and Dutch spotters are usually considered as the most inveterate in their field.

During hostilities

During World War II and the subsequent Cold War some countries encouraged their citizens to become "plane spotters" in an "observation corps" or similar public body for reasons of public security. Britain had the Royal Observer Corps which operated between 1925 and 1995.

Air shows

Air shows usually draw large numbers of spotters as it is a unique opportunity to enter airfields and Air Force Base worldwide that are usually closed to the public and to see displayed aircraft at close range. The most popular event in Europe is the Royal International Air Tattoo in the United Kingdom.

Legal ramifications

The high engine position on this USAF A-10 Thunderbolt makes identification easy

Fight against terrorism

In the wake of the targeting of airports by terrorists, enthusiasts' organisations and the police in the UK have co-operated in drawing up a code of conduct. This attempts to both allow enthusiasts to continue their hobby and increase security around airports, by asking enthusiasts to contact police if they believe something they see or hear is suspicious. ^[4]

See also

Spotters and photographers enjoy seeing aircraft in special colour schemes. This is a Boeing 747-400 of Malaysia Airlines

• Bus spotting
• Train spotting
• Birding
• Butterfly watching
• Airliners.net
• Satellite watching

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Eden, Paul and Dave Windle. Civil Aircraft Recognition. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK: The Crowood Press Ltd., 1992. ISBN 1-84037-253-2.

External links

• Plane spotting links at DMOZ
• Plane Spotting World
• A Wiki for Spotters

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