Help Spotting Newbie JFK

**carli1987** · 2008-05-03, 12:33 AM

Hey there, I am Colombian I am visting NY for 6 months, its actually my first time here, I will be gone by the last days of July. I got busted by cops a couple of weeks ago while I was spotting way too close at La Guardia, but now I am planning to go for some pics at JFK but I dont want problems with the police, so I would really appreciate if you can give me some tips or maybe if someone is going I can join him or her. I was thinking in going to Howard Beach, Google Earth shows me a nice green area close to RWY 13R, will it be good to go there???...by the way here are some pictures I took before the cops got me hehe bye.

**moose135** · 2008-05-03, 01:01 AM

Welcome to NYCA! Unfortunately, they don't like it when you get up close to the fence like that! Most of the spots we use are off airport. Check out the spotting locations maps here http://nycaviation.com/jfkspotting for more details. Also, keep an eye on the forum here - many days when the weather is good you will find some of us out (doesn't look like this weekend will be cooperative). Just about anyone here will be happy to meet you and show you some of the better spots.

**njgtr82** · 2008-05-03, 01:10 AM

If the forecast holds true I might go out to JFK on Monday afternoon to shoot some arrivals.

**Delta777LR** · 2008-05-03, 03:57 AM

Welcome to NYCAviation.. When it comes to spotting around the airports, youre probably going to get hassled by cops at times but as always, carry ID and if they question you, just be honest and explain the reasons why you are spotting at the planes or taking pictures and dont be nervous about it.. As Moose said, Just look at the spotting map for ideas where the best place to spot or take pictures of the planes.. Being to close to the fence at LGA is totaly not a good choise but if you like to take pictures at LGA similar to where you were at, You can visit Planeview Park on Ditmars Blvd/ 85th St next to the Grand Central Pkwy to watch the planes, The views there are good for in the mornings mostly when traffic is used on rwy 4.. Or if youre there on a Saturday, you probably be lucky to be there if they use rwy 22 for take off in which you can get excellent shots from there.. But rwy 22 is rarely use for departures unless rwys 13/31 is closed, which would be mostly on a saturday...

**carli1987** · 2008-05-03, 04:04 PM

Thank you all for your help!...so my camera is pretty bad, well it has a 21.9mm lens, and in the link moose wrote they say I need a 400 mm, but I thought from Howard Beach I could get nice pictures because it looks pretty close, any tips?. I dont have a car, but I think I can get the Q11 bus to Howard Beach and it will leave right there before the water that separates that green zone from the RWY (Google Earth). Do they usually have RWY 13R for landings?...thanks again.

**carli1987** · 2008-05-03, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by njgtr82

If the forecast holds true I might go out to JFK on Monday afternoon to shoot some arrivals.

Great! please let me know if you are going so may be we can meet there

**wunaladreamin** · 2008-05-03, 04:52 PM

They use 13R for departures mostly, so I don't know what kind of shots you'd get anyways. Out of curiosity what camera do you use?

**carli1987** · 2008-05-03, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by wunaladreamin

They use 13R for departures mostly, so I don't know what kind of shots you'd get anyways. Out of curiosity what camera do you use?

Samsung NV15 , I dont know anything about photography or cameras, but the lens I think it is 21.9 mm.

**wunaladreamin** · 2008-05-03, 05:13 PM

Nice camera. Unfortunately the limited zoom means limited options at JFK. With the short reach, you'll be kept to decent shots at 13L and 31R. That was my experience at least with a point and shoot.

**nikon50bigma** · 2008-05-03, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by carli1987

Originally Posted by wunaladreamin

They use 13R for departures mostly, so I don't know what kind of shots you'd get anyways. Out of curiosity what camera do you use?

Samsung NV15 , I dont know anything about photography or cameras, but the lens I think it is 21.9 mm.

When they are using 31R for landing, you'll get some great shots over by Burger King.
Especially with the 777's and 747's.

**Delta777LR** · 2008-05-04, 11:21 AM

Carli, I can tell you also that the mounds is one of the best spots to be at only when rwy 22L/22R is in active.. They use those runways often.. The Q113/Q111 bus could get you there easily.. take one of those buses to 229th or 230th St/ 147th Avenue and you can walk south one in a half block until you see a soccer field there in which you can get some nice views of the landings and you can get good shots from there.. Thats where most of the major european flights use when rwy22s are active.. Best place to be

**carli1987** · 2008-05-04, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by Delta777LR

Carli, I can tell you also that the mounds is one of the best spots to be at only when rwy 22L/22R is in active.. They use those runways often.. The Q113/Q111 bus could get you there easily.. take one of those buses to 229th or 230th St/ 147th Avenue and you can walk south one in a half block until you see a soccer field there in which you can get some nice views of the landings and you can get good shots from there.. Thats where most of the major european flights use when rwy22s are active.. Best place to be

Wow I was checking this spot at google earth, looks pretty good and specially kind of isolated from cops,I think I am going there, any tips for the times or days RWY22s are in use?.

**adam613** · 2008-05-04, 06:34 PM

Call JFK ATIS to find out what runways are in use...718-995-8188

They generally use 22L for European arrivals in the afternoons when the winds are from the southwest...it's a great spot in the summer if you don't mind getting eaten by mosquitoes :)

**carli1987** · 2008-05-06, 01:35 AM

Heyyy I am glad I registered myself to this website, your help was really useful and I really appreciate it. I went today to the mounds, spent like 3 hours there, although I expected more traffic, it was good enough. Its a very quiet and nice place there, I was about to wander into the shrubs (but I remember the advices on this site and so I kept myself where I was). Here are some pics I took there, I wish I my camera had a better lens. THANKS YOU ALL!