Overhead Spotting

[PhilDernerJr]

A few months ago I bought a pair of binoculars at B&H for a good deal, and I keep them in the car.

While spotting lately I've been keeping them over my shoulder with my camera as well so I can view aircraft passing high overhead. The binocs let you see these aircraft much eaier and clear than a 400mm camera lens, allowing you to identify and enjoy the plane more.

It's added yet another level of enjoying aircraft, especially at an airport that has a lot of traffic that you're used to. You can see international or military traffic from many other airports heading to or from Europe. Stuff like BMI A330s, C-17s and Air Transat are some that I've seen while spotting at LGA...which is an added twist when LGA gets slow.

Anyone else do this?

[eric8669]

Yup, I do it.

Recently I have spotted a US Airways a330, a couple of Air Transat and some other stuff

[NIKV69]

Your just realizing this now Phil? :mrgreen:

[PhilDernerJr]

I'm just paying closer attention on a more regular basis. The binoculars make a huge difference.

[N221UA]

During the morning you can spot tons of Southwest flying Northeast to Southwest (duh!), C-17s and also South America/Caribbean flights from Toronto.

[Tom_Turner]

Yeah, binoculars are the way to go.

Spotted an Air Transat Tri-Star a few years back with Senga and Art Brett and another time in Manhattan was surprised to spy a MyTravel 757.

Always hoped to see a B-52.

Tom

[flyguy1]

I do this all the time. On a clear day you can say a lot of traffic inbound to Boston, and many of the transatlantic flights outbound of IAD, and ATL-depending on the winds. I have also seen some stuff into YYZ, and YUL. It definitely is an added bonus, to the great traffic we get in NYC.

[SevenSix]

I do this all the time! Mostly LGA departures flying overhead

[lijk604]

I do this a lot from my backyard, will have to bring out to spotting locations now.
I've seen AN124's travelling southbound and C5's going to McGuire. Usually when I'm just hanging in the backyard I have the scanner on BOS Center 135.8, so I can id what's travelling above me.

[Gerard]

I love spotting in my backyard. (I actually started a similar thread some years back on this board :) )
Nothing like chilling out with a cold one and the binocs and watching departs from JFK, 22 arrivals where
many times I dont even need binocs :D and FRG traffic.
One of my favorite moments was the days after 9/11 and on my deck when I saw a military plane high above me but something looked different. Grabbed my binocs and saw it was a tanker plane doing a mid-air
refueling of a fighter!!!!!! :D :D

[USAF Pilot 07]

Stuff like BMI A330s, C-17s and Air Transat are some that I've seen while spotting at LGA...which is an added twist when LGA gets slow.



You can lock on those C-17s for a while doing the incredible speed of .74 mach! :lol:

Sorry, probably more of an inside joke... Overhead spotting can be cool. There is a lot of stuff that flies over, and goes on above much of this area!

[Nick]

I love seeing the big wide vapor trails of a 747 or similar multi engine jet approaching from afar. Overseas the skies were filled with race track shaped trails from acft participating in some AR.

[727C47]

best catch was years ago,from the empire state building no less,one of BN's all orange 747s pulling a contrail europe bound.

[T-Bird76]

When I was a kid I use to take my father's binoculars climb up on the roof of his shed and spot the Trans Atlantic flights passing over inbound to JFK and noted down the airline and type. Only a couple years ago I found that note pad and was amazed at the types and airlines back 20 plus years ago...