Visit to JFK

**torch** · 2013-07-04, 07:22 PM

Folks

Allow me to introduce myself - I am a new member of the forum living in Toronto. Enjoy your website very much. I have not been on a photography trip to JFK since 1983 when I did all of my photography from the roof of the Pan Am Worldport. I am planning another trip for 2 or 3 days at the beginning of August and have just a few questions that I'm sure you folks could help me with.
1/ My son lives in Lower Manhattan, close to the Brooklyn Bridge - looking for the quickest route to JFK from there
2/ I enjoy your shots from the Terminal 5 garage - should I venture up there or will I be harassed by security?
3/ I've noticed on the flight trackers that Turkish operate A330's to JFK as well as the 777 - do they ever bring the Manchester City aircraft in, or are they all -300's
4/ I'm a little concerned with all the talk of "ticks" by the mounds - are they really that bad?

I'm sure I'll have more questions before I come down and I look forward to perhaps meeting some of you in early August

Cheers

Trevor

**megatop412** · 2013-07-04, 08:10 PM

Hey Trevor, welcome. After the Bklyn Bridge you might want to take the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway(BQE) up to the Long Island Expwy(LIE), then the Grand Central to the Van Wyck, to JFK. Other option would be the long loop of the Belt Parkway via the Gowanus Expwy. Yes you can take local roads in Brooklyn but it's a crapshoot how much faster that would actually be.

I've still got to try T5 myself but it seems pretty much everyone has some kind of encounter with the FJC folks. I'm sure the view is worth the hassle.

Not sure about Turkish.

Yes ticks are a problem at the mounds in the warmer months. Bring insect spray.

Enjoy!

William

**RomNYC** · 2013-07-04, 10:37 PM

Although William's route to JFK is indeed the shortest, depending on the time it is, it can also be the longest! Before you're ready to go, it might be worth checking out how long it'd take you to get on FDR all the way up to the Triboro bridge, then Grand Central, Van Wyck... You wanna avoid BQE, LIE as much as possible past 2pm. Re: T5. I understand the hype for the view and all, but I'm happier with a long laid-back afternoon at Costco or Mounds. As for ticks, they can be annoying but way less annoying than your regular mosquito, imo (do bring bug spray though).

Enjoy your trip!

**Landing Lights** · 2013-07-05, 07:30 AM

Welcome aboard, Torch! Regarding the T5 Garage, it is likely that you will be approached by somebody from FJC Security if you are up there, and they will try to tell you that you can't take photos up there. As long as you assert your rights (there are norules that say that you cannot) they will probably end up just driving off. In the few instances lately where they have called the PAPD in (on others, not me), the police have sided with the spotters. As for views, it is probably the best spot available when there are arrivals on 13L.

As for The Mounds, yes there are bugs and lots of them. The location is actually a soccer field with an earthen berm along easternmost edge, closest to the planes. The whole place is more or less surrounded on three sides by wetlands. Lately many of us have started spotting from the opposite side of the field from the actual berm where the insect threat is mostly mosquitoes and similar insects, not ticks. The berm itself is a nice place in the cooler months, however this time of year it is a bit overgrown with tall reeds that will get into some of your shots. If you walk across the field and to the right from where you park, there is a little bit of shade and plenty of space to spot from without getting in the soccer players way.

Hope all this helps, and be sure that you post when you're going to be out and I'm sure some of us will come out.