Spotting Locations at SEA or YVR?

[Iberia A340-600]

I'm off to Vancouver and Seattle this week to visit Boeing and other things and would like to include some spotting in the trip. I have some spotting information for YVR from Contrail Aviation Photography but was curious if anyone has spotted at SEA before and knows of any locations?

Thanks!

[stuart schechter]

OO, pick me, pick me!!

Refer: http://www.spotterswiki.com/index.php?t ... _(SEA/KSEA (http://www.spotterswiki.com/index.php?title=Seattle-Tacoma_International_Airport_(SEA/KSEA))

[Iberia A340-600]

Thanks, Stuart! I keep forgetting about Spotters Wiki... :(

[T-Bird76]

YVR is simply an amazing place to spot. Gordan all you have to do is drive around the airport and you'll see cars parked EVERYWHERE! Even right up against the fence, its simply fantastic. They have a spotter park but you don't need to use it. Spotting in YVR is amazing! If you have time drive to downtown Vancouver, amazing city! GOD I NEED TO GO BACK THERE! Right now it stays light until 9ish so you'll be able to capture allot of traffic.

[stuart schechter]

Gordon, Request... Shoot as many Alaska MD-80's as you can, they are being retired on August 25th. Thanks.

[Iberia A340-600]

Will do, Stuart. I was under the impression they had already been retired but I guess not!

Tomey, I can't wait for YVR. It looks like the airport has a decent amount of heavy traffic including a daytime arrival of a China Airlines A340-300! I plan on spending the day in the city on Thursday and Monday which I'm also excited about.

[jakbar]

Gordon, when you're in Vancouver, you should also check out the pier at Canada Place, which is downtown on Vancouver Harbor. You have an excellent and close-up view of a lot of seaplane action from there, and there's great background scenery.

By the way, when I was taking photos at YVR, I had to use a ladder for the Avis location, which is YVR's most well-known spotting location and provides for all of those beautiful touchdown shots with the mountains and city in the background. The fence is rather high there (see for yourself in this picture (http://www.pbase.com/joshandbrian/image/72360612)). I'm not sure how easy it is to shoot through the fence since I didn't really try it. If you can't obtain access to a ladder, and if shooting through the fence doesn't work, you might be able to clear the fence by standing on the roof of a vehicle -- but be forewarned that you'll be doing so in the parking lot of a rental car company, and they may frown on it.

Have fun!

Josh

P.S. - I'll be in Vancouver in two and a half weeks, and am really looking forward to it.

[Iberia A340-600]

Thanks very much for letting me know about the ladder, Josh. I was surprised it wasn't mentioned on the Contrail Photography website as they mention it for YUL. I guess I'll have to spend the morning looking around for a ladder!

[jakbar]

Gordon, let me know what you end up doing about a ladder, as I may need to make similar arrangements when I'm there in two weeks. Thanks, and enjoy your time at YVR!

[Iberia A340-600]

We asked the hotel if they possibly had a ladder that they could lend us but they said they couldn't due to liability issues. I ended up siting on the roof of the car with a decent view of touchdowns however I found the heat haze to be too much so I moved to a different spot in a large field located next to the Air Canada hangar.

I have to say that between 6:30pm and 8:00pm shooting is very tough because the light is right down the middle of the runway.

I'll be posting shots when I have time to edit them. It was a great day!