Flightspotting JFK without car

[Lingus]

Hello,
My name is Erik Linge and I'm a Swedish aircraft-photographer visiting your beautiful city in just a week. I will be arriving for the first time ever in United States on Tuesday 18th and will be staying until the 22nd before heading south to Beach Haven.

During my time in New York I've been thinking about maybe taking a morning or an afternoon off and head to JFK to do some flightspotting. I won't have access to a car during this time so I will only be able to get around either by foot or by public transportation. I've read numbers of threads on this forum and found some very useful information. However, I'm a little bit unsure and concerned about how to really get around and where to go. I will try to plan my visit to get sunny weather if possible, which means that my dates are quite uncertain.

I don't know about anything about runway configurations at JFK and neither where to stand to get good shots with my 70-200mm lens. It would also be preferable to not have to get in contact with the authorities. What's yours opinions on my concerns?

I also plan to go to PHL to do some spotting, somewhere around the 22nd to 29th of June. However, I've heard from the forum at Airliners.net (where I actually was directed here, which I'm very thankful of since this feels like the best forum regarding my concerns) that PHL is a little bit more flightspotting-friendly and easier to get around by public transportation. I have lot's of concerns about that visit as well (...), but I think I will take one thing at a time and return to you when these dates approaches...

Thank you very much,
Best regards,
Erik Linge
Kalmar in Sweden

[Jared Blech]

Hey Erik, Welcome!
First, be sure to check out the plane-spotting guides here on the site.
http://www.nycaviation.com/spotting-guides/jfk/
Second, Sometimes JFK can be a very spotting friendly airport, others, not so much. Authorities can be friendly as long as you keep a smile and show your identification you should be fine. Although sometimes, you can have a "concerned citizen" who feels the need to call the authorities...Again most times, if you explain yourself you should be alright. About the transportation aspect, public transportation is good for most locations like Costco/Panera parking lots, and "The mounds". For other locations walking might be rather difficult like the "unofficial" Terminal 5 garage, which in that spot even a car can get you into a confrontation.
Also, on of the main things to do at JFK is be discrete, don't hide, but don't hold a sign up saying "I'm taking pictures of planes, Look at me".
Some of us should be out spotting so look for us and come over and say hello, everyone here is very helpful and very friendly.

[Lingus]

Jared,
Thank you very much! That spotting-guide is magnificent!

Thanks for calming me a bit regarding the authorities. In Sweden where I live, authorities are always very positive and interested so I'm a little surprised that the American authorities are so hard upon plane-spotting.

In that case, I will most likely stand at the Costco/Panera parking lots and/or "The Mounds". If I'm following the guide you sent earlier, is it easy to find the right location at "The Mounds"? I'm a very tall man (6'11) so I'm used to not hide... I will try to stay as discrete however! Yeah, I'll do that for sure! If someone here sees a very tall and probably a bit confused man during the time-period I wrote earlier, please come by and say hi! I'm just tall, not dangerous...! ;-)

Thank you once again,

Best regards,
Erik Linge
Kalmar in Sweden

[Jared Blech]

Erik, The mounds are not hard to find! Once you arrive at the soccer field.
You will see the mounds on the EAST side of the field.
Find a little trail leading up, wear long pants and bring bug spray!

[Lingus]

Jared,
Thank you once again! Then I'll probably stand at "The mounds" then. Just a quick question which not really is that aviation-related... Everywhere I'll read about these bugs - are they harmful or just annoying? My knowledge about the American fauna is far from good, so it could be good to know what to expect while "out in the bush".... :-)

Thank you very much,
Erik Linge