My favorite spot...

[Wing Nut]

This is my favorite spot when I need to get out of the house and away from the twins for a few.  You're looking at runway 4R at O'hare airport.  It's a lot closer to the runway than it looks!  I can read the tail numbers and watch the thrust reversers as easy as can be.  I was there tonight in the middle of a snowstorm and it was closed, but the trucks were cleaning it off.  There must have been two dozen plows, salt trucks, de-icers or whatever...

[Craig.]

must be a great spot. How do you get so close, i have read numerous cases of people being questioned and even arrested when watching from close up.
Your lucky thats for sure

[Wing Nut]

I don't do stupid things like stand out there with a camcorder or binoculars...  ::)

[Mr. Bones]

that's a nice photo Pip...i didn't know you live close to O'Hare...

when you look to this runway, it seems that the touchdown zone covers almost the whole runway, why is it all black? and not at the beginning of runway 4R (where they also turn alot)?  ;)

[Wing Nut]

I don't know.  The takeoff and touchdown point are just about even with where I park and I've seen planes as big as a 747 take off from there.  BTW, that's not my pic.  I found it at airliners.net

[awash2002]

Pippin I am flying there as part of my around the US flight tonight at 10:00PM


BTW I will do a lowpass over your car if i can find it

[SaVas]

[quote]I don't do stupid things like stand out there with a camcorder or binoculars...

[Hagar]

its pretty sad that people who enjoy airplanes cannot enjoy the hobby without the threat of being arrested thanks to over-paranoid governments, police, and a politically correct society that sues at the blink of an eye in the American Get Rich Scheme

I have to admit the same thought occurred to me. Not being in the US I decided not to comment before. I would strongly object to being stopped from harmlessly using binoculars & taking photos of aircraft - or anything else I've been doing for most of my life for that matter. If that ever happens here I will emigrate. I won't be going to Greece.

[Jared]

Cool! I wish that i could do that! Closest I'll get to that for awhile will be running to the KSU airport in Kent (About 1:15 from home) to watch the 172's 152's and such...

[Politically Incorrect]

must be a great spot. How do you get so close, i have read numerous cases of people being questioned and even arrested when watching from close up.
Your lucky thats for sure

That is true!!
I was at McGee-Tyson in Knoxville and they wouldn't let me take photos and I was threatened to be hauled of to jail if I didn't leave!!
All I had was a camera. I offered to let them search me and my car, but they said leave or jail.
It isn't right, how is that protecting anyone? I'm a 1/4 mi from the closest runway what am I going to do throw a bomb at the plane? Give me a break.
America was a free country but because of a few evil people the whole world is becomeing a prison!
That is why I hang out at my local airport not to many real big planes but I get the Warbirds to watch and that makes up for it!! But hell I'm coming to Chicago in Feb, I might have to steal Pippin's parking spot!!

[Wing Nut]

Where I sit isn't really airport property, but a parking lot for one of the shipping companies.  Plus I usually keep a pretty low profile when I'm there just for the reasons mentioned.  I almost didn't even start this thread for fear the spot might get popular and then closed down...

[Scottler]

I'm often found at KALB (Albany International Airport) with my camera and binoculars.  There are quite a few decent viewing areas (despite the ugly green fence).

I think that as long as you're not on airport property, they don't really care too much.  Besides, if they say anything, just cooperate and leave.  No harm done.

[Fitter]

I will land!!! I will Land!!!!