In December last year Perth Airport opened a
viewing platform for aeroplane enthusiasts to get a close up view of incoming and take offs on the main runway. Yesterday we drove out to the airport to have a look for the first time. It was so interesting to see that although Perth is definitely not the busiest airport in the world, there was a steady flow of aeroplanes of all sizes coming in and taking off all the time. The viewing platform is only 12 kls from the city centre, so looking this way we have the runway, and standing in the same spot looking the other way was this glimpse.....
Drink check, sandwiches check, pout double check.....! Not everyone was happy about being dragged along to watch the aviation action.....!
Awaiting take off, coming in to land ..and if you look very carefully you'll see another coming around to get into position.....
When I was Googling to find out a few more details about the viewing platform I noticed that whereas all the planes we saw today were taxiing up towards us, going around and taking off away from us, in the links the planes are taking off towards the viewing platform creating much more dramatic images, this apparently is all to do with the way the wind is blowing, next time we visit we'll have to make sure that the wind is blowing from the south in order to snap some overhead shots! Ahh! I could stand and watch planes take off and land for hours, so much more enjoyable than actually being ON them haha! Hope you have a fab Friday, the weekend is nigh upon us, take care.....
Such a great idea! I could, I have, spent hours watching planes coming and going at the harbour aerodromes in Vancouver and Victoria, but no such welcoming platform to do it under.
ReplyDeleteFlughäfen faszinieren mich auch immer wieder, doch in der Nähe wohnen möchte ich lieber nicht...
ReplyDeleteLieben Gruß
CL
Love watching planes as well! Nice shots Grace. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteI've got other things to do with my life.
ReplyDeleteI love watching planes, nice shots, Grace!
ReplyDeleteSo cool ..
ReplyDelete"Oui j´irai dimanche à Orly.
ReplyDeleteSur l´aéroport, on voit s´envoler
Des avions pour tous les pays.
Pour toute une vie... Y a de quoi rêver.
Un jour, de là-haut, le bloc vingt et un
Ne sera qu´un tout petit point." Becaud
Clever idea as many people enjoy looking at planes. Your first photo is a good one.
ReplyDeleteI love to watch planes, too! And what a great place! Both of your views are terrific! How fun! I look forward to the next set of pics!! Hope you're getting ready for a fun weekend!!
ReplyDeleteJa Flugzeuge beobachten ist klasse.
ReplyDeleteGruß
Noke
Lovely pics - I do enjoy planespotting.. but shhh, don't tell anyone!
ReplyDeleteIt's good that you have a separate viewing area, nice way to while away the time... I like the first picture.
ReplyDeleteNice bit of plane spotting.... airports are such exciting places! All those potential destinations...
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. I wish we had something like that here. My grandson would love it. I definitely agree with you that watching is much more enjoyable than actually being on one!
ReplyDeleteLovely stuff!
ReplyDeleteHow anyone could fail to be amused beats me.
The wind is crucial in take offs and landings, although it usually comes from
the same direction in most places.
At Heathrow you can see one plane touch down and watch FIVE more following on.
Ridiculously close to me but it can be that busy. Not that busy over me but constant flights pass overhead.
I'm not sure they have this at CDG or Orly... Probably best that they don't considering that a plane lands and takes off every minute! I would thoroughly have enjoyed this, I love take-offs and landings (not so much the boring bit in between though!)
ReplyDeleteRe. your question: I suppose I don't go to Paris that very often. For work I do but for leisure? Maybe once a month, if that...
When I was a kid, we could do the same at local airport in Nice; THen terrorism arrived, and now , it's strictly forbidden to climb on roofs to look at planes.. A pity, I remember spending sunday afternoons
ReplyDeletedreaming to travel while looking at planes..
I never tire of watching the odd plane take off/land. At home I watch them go over head and wonder, who, where, why, what, about everyone on board.
ReplyDeleteWe have 42 sleeps till I have my first ever flight together with my husband and we are coming up to 21 years married.
Enjoy your Friday too. :)
I remember when we were younger we used to go to the airport just to watch the planes. now you can't get anywhere near the place without a lot of money (for a ticket or parking!) I still get a thrill when I see one overhead from the highway.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea ... I only wish we had a viewing platform here ... There's something magical about watching these huge heavy metal birds speed down the run-way then up up and away into the blue yonder.
ReplyDeleteWe have a lovely berm at our Botanical Gardens that you can climb and watch the planes take off. We have spend some time there, just photographing the action. What is it about the mystery of the planes going up and coming down? Don't know, but I love it! Have a great day today, Grace!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a fantastic idea! When I was a child, I loved watching planes taking off and arriving (the Honolulu airport wasn't far from any point in Honolulu :) That first photo is especially lovely. Hope the week is winding down nicely for you!
ReplyDeleteWonderful where alike is possible. And yes, miss traveling much. Please have a good Friday.
ReplyDeleteThese are really cool to look at....they certainly make the mind wander:) I remember living on the island of Sal in Cape Verde where there was the international airport. Our home was directly under the South African flight and at night, I'd sit on top of my roof with a drink, my kitty, looking out at the ocean and plane flying over my head dreaming of escaping the island. It was such a beautiful thing to see.
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent idea
ReplyDeleteThe viewing area here in Brisbane is currently under threat as they plan to build a second runway...we are hoping that there will be a new one built...so much fun to watch the aeroplanes coming and going. However, I always wish that I could be ON them, jetting off somewhere.
ReplyDeletePerth is lucky to have an irport so close to the city. It makes it easy to get in and out.
ReplyDeleteThat is neat. I wish all airports had these. I've loved watching planes since I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteWe took my niece to see planes landing and taking off at a small airport. I was excited to see a helicopter take off very close by. Little Jo was not interested in planes or helicopters at all. My grandfather used to take us to the same airport when we were kids and we would sit in the parked car and watch the planes and we loved it.
ReplyDeleteWheels UP!
ReplyDeleteAloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
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> < } } ( ° >
> < } } (°>
Trying to get back to normal life here...
ReplyDeleteWhen I was growing up in Queens we loved riding our bikes to La Guardia Airport and occasionally all the way to Kennedy (then called Idlewild). We, too, could spend hours on the viewing decks watching the planes come and go. They are now unheard of in the US and most of the world. Security, of course. That says something nice about Perth.
That’s a great idea. I’ve always wanted to witness the plane’s landing and take offs a little closer (but not too close:D ).
ReplyDeleteLos pájaros de hierro en el cielo...
ReplyDeleteSaludos y un abrazo.
Magnificent set of pictures, love the perfect timing and composition of the first one! Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteWish most airports had those. Good idea right?
ReplyDeleteStudies suggested the view of a look out do help people with more positive outlook. Certainly for plane catchers
ReplyDeleteI didn't know we had this ... I remember the good old days when you could always wave everyone off at the airport and watch the takeoffs outside. Great first pic too ... love it!
ReplyDeleteSome great shots here, Grace; esp. the young girl and the last one with the smoke coming from the wheels. This is a great viewing platform. I wish more cities would put them up. What would young girls do without cell phones?
ReplyDeleteFun way to spend an afternoon! You got some great ones.
ReplyDeleteBon weekend Grace!
V
ca doit etre superbe a voie en vrai ;o)
ReplyDeleteSuperbe photo of a plane! Arianna
ReplyDeleteWonderful series of photos. We used to have one of those observation platforms but nothing is simple anymore at airports. Even the access road along one of the airport runways in Minneapolis-St. Paul has been shielded by passersby's by a fence that obstructs the view. Irritating because we loved to drive on the road to watch take-offs and landings.
ReplyDeleteI stop there almost every Friday while I wait for my husband´s call to say he has landed (from Adelaide). I quite enjoy seeing some guys that stand there for hours taking notes and photos of every plane that takes off or lands. The other day in the 15min I was there I counted 6 planes that took off and 3 that landed, so quite a lot of activity, although most flights would be interstate or from the mines at northern WA.
ReplyDeleteYou caught the plane of the right place on the top shot. Great composition, Grace!
ReplyDeleteExcellent shots of the planes.
ReplyDeleteDarryl and Ruth :)
This viewing platform is a great initiative. If they install one in the tiny airport of my city, I´m sure I´d go to see planes landing or taking off.
ReplyDeleteThis is great. In these times in the UK, most of the largest airports have closed heir viewing platforms to the public because of the threats. I remember years ago taking my tripod to Heathrow, and all I had to do was ask the BAA public relations manager for permission, he then inspected to make sure it wasn't a ground to air missile!
ReplyDelete