AMS Spottersplaats info

[SP-LPB]

I came across this picture:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1147019/L/

The comment surprised me, Spottersplaats one of the best spotting locations in the world "is going to be history soon." If that's true I'm highly disappointed because I was planning to visit this spot this vacation. If anyone has further detail I'm really interested to know what the future of this place near 'Kaagbaan' is going to be.

[T-Bird76]

Yes this area is closing on 6/24 as the airport is going to be expanded, very tragic. Here's the plans for AMS

http://www.atcbox.com/albums/album01...schiphol_1.jpg

[SP-LPB]

Thanks for the info Tommy, very sad to see this spot go. :( Do you know when the expansion is going to begin and when will the spot be inaccessible?

[T-Bird76]

June 24 of 2007 it will be closed. Its a morning spot so the afternoon spot will still exist.

[G-BOAD]

so are they going to make a runway 24/ 6 L and R now? i dont know why, they need a new runway. When I went things went quickly, much shorter wait then JFK, EWR, ORD...

[petertenthije]

The new runway 06/24 shown above is not likely to happen. The airport does own the land, and from what I know some preliminary red tape has been cut too. However, the political situation at the moment will make any new runway impossible. At best we can expect the runway at Lelystad to be enlarged to take 737 sized planes. This should open up LEY for charters, low-cost and as an overflow for AMS.

However, the cargo area between the two 06/24s is very real. Well, will be anyway. For those familiar with the local situation, the sierra cargo apron (Martinair, DHL/Exel, FR8) will be extended all the way back to the N201 motor way. This includes the spottersplaats. The houses and church have already been torn down. The spotters site should go mid to late may.

Long term plans are for the cargo apron opposite the spottersplaats (romeo apron: KLM, Singapore Airlines, MASkargo, El Al etc) to be closed. All activities will be moved to the new aprons. The current romeo apron will be turned into the commuter ramp. Where the commuter ramp is now, the A-pier will be build. As you may know, Schiphol does not have an A-pier. Reason for that is because the English A is pronounced like the Dutch E. In the past this might have been confusing during PA announcements. Nowadays this is not an issue anymore since the A pier would be schengen and the E pier would be non-schengen. Thus, seperate announcements and no more confusion!

Due to the new A pier the new terminal north of the 09/27 won't be necessary. Therefor the chance of that being build anytime soon are nill. Other drawings I have seen showed a new terminal between 18R/36L and 18C/36C. This too is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

For what it's worth, there will be a "new" official spotters side on the western side of the Polderbaan (18R/36L). Of course this is not really a new spot, as people have been going there since the runway opened. However, it is nice that now I will be able to park my car there without having to dig it out at the end of the day. Photography wise I would have preferred the eastern side of the runway though. Ooh well, can't win them all.

Regards,
Peter ten Thije
http://www.schipholspotter.com

[SP-LPB]

Thanks a lot for the info Peter, it's good to hear that AMS will remain a good airport from a spotter's point of view. As you said "can't win them all", big pity seeing 06/24 spot go, tons of great pics will serve as a memory of the about-to-become legendary Spottersplaats.