Anybody sit at the airport?

marcoseddi

marcoseddi

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marc
I'm sure I can guess the answer but anybody just go sit at the airport the days you can't fly and just watch and watch?
 
marcoseddi said:
I'm sure I can guess the answer but anybody just go sit at the airport the days you can't fly and just watch and watch?
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Only when the renter before me leaves the master switch on, and I'm waiting for the battery to charge back up.
 
On days that I need to do something at the hangar or on the airplane I will finish up and then get the lawn chair out and watch the airplanes come and go.
 
:)
marcoseddi said:
I'm sure I can guess the answer but anybody just go sit at the airport the days you can't fly and just watch and watch?
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As often as possible.... Lucky I live right next to KJAC... Give me my scanner and anytime is airport time..
 
I'll usually arrive for my scheduled flight a half hour or so before the plane will be mine. I like seeing what's going on on the ramp and look around.
 
I'm just a few minutes from KPdK and sometime go over just to sit and plane spot. Or grab a beer at the restaurant overlooking the field :).
 
The thrill and exhilaration can actually be added to considerably more by bringing your hand held along with you so that you can listen to the pilots and the tower....just the pilots if there is no tower.

For extra fun, you can add another airplane into the mix from your lawn chair, but don't get caught doing that...they get real cranky. (Um..I am kidding, don't ever do that.....never.)

-John
 
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marcoseddi said:
I'm sure I can guess the answer but anybody just go sit at the airport the days you can't fly and just watch and watch?
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Yes.

Sometimes I'll just stop when I'm driving by. And a couple times when a friend died and I just wanted to sit.
 
Neither of the airports that has traffic are all that busy. I do go a little early if I'm taking a plane out to see who is around. We have one club member that I think just stays at the airport all the time...he says his wife doesn't like him sitting around the house so he comes out to the airport. If anyone goes to "KTDZ" (Toledo, Ohio) you'll see him in the FBO more then likely!
 
I do that all the time. There are other local folks that come out and plane spot when it's warm out. I took one of them flying last summer and he really enjoyed the flight.
 
Saw a guy flying below a diamond 20 it looked like such a nice plane very cool wanted to take a ride with him.
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I love watching me some airplanes. We have a pretty interesting mix at times.

Yesterday, I finally saw a Diamond DA42 take off; holy cow, it was quiet!
 
Today was like ideal flying day I didn't though but it makes me excited to get a ppl
 
I usually go by the airport everyday. Just the ambiance is sometimes enough of a fix. In the spring and summer I fire up the grill at the hangar. Pilots come out of woodwork for hamburgers and brats.
 
I'm at my airport pretty much every weekend even though I fly only once every 4 weeks or so. I bring lunch and my handheld. Others hang out too. It's a great environment. We have a big covered porch with picnic tables. Students (and other pilots) spread out their sectionals, sometimes instructor might be doing ground school with a student, others are on their i-tabs showing people their latest aviation apps. Sometimes we get to see a student solo. There's always something exciting going on. But only because people are there.
I remember when I was a student, I looked up to the licensed pilots and also to the students who were ahead of me and were allowed to take the planes and fly away out of the area. Wow! I looked forward to becoming just like them. I spent hours one day watching everyone do crosswind landings. So later when I passed my checkride, I remembered that the newer students look up to me and that they observe and can learn from me. That behooves me to be there for them. And besides, I just enjoy being there anyway.
 
I can see the approach path to LGA runway 31 from my balcony. As the landing traffic gets very close to the airport, they go behind an apartment building... this allows me to "score" the landings as to on glide path, above or below. Great fun at happy hour in good weather! Fresh air (well, as fresh as it gets here in the City), a glass of wine, some cheese and crax, and airplanes!

-Skip
 
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Seanaldinho said:
If the airport was closer indeed I would.
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Same. An hour and fifteen minutes just to watch doesn't quite work....

jspilot said:
I'll usually arrive for my scheduled flight a half hour or so before the plane will be mine. I like seeing what's going on on the ramp and look around.
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...though I definitely do this when I can. I got into a great conversation with one of my instructors, catching up with him. Great fun!
 
Been stuck for days in several places in the SE. Weather moves slow in the south. :yes:
 
Yes, I still love to walk the ramps at airports. When I go on vacation I will usually visit my airplane daily and walk the ramp. I use the fbo's computer to check my email if they are not busy.

I just like spending time there.
 
I wish my home airport had an FBO and was GA friendly, but sadly it isn't.

Though, I love to sit under final for 27 and watch the planes approach and land. Mostly piston with the occasional King Air, or Citation/Hawker or helicopter practicing from another airport.

Spending time at the airport doesn't seem to grow old. Even if it's just admiring the hangar queens.
 
sure do. i'm 5 min. from 4b8. it's a nice little field for plane spotting.
 
I live at the airport. If I'm not flying or off driving somwhere, I'm at the airport.
 
I sit here almost every day, like I'm doing now. Normally I'm watching a shop-full of mechanics rather than airplanes in the pattern.
 
Despite all my friends thinking I'm a huge dork for doing so, sitting and watching planes is probably one of my favorite things to do.

I like it so much, that when I lived in Raleigh, I found a spot by RDU that was right under the centerline for 23R and 5L. But, it was right up against the airport fence. I was told to leave :/. No big deal, I just park on a road about 100 feet away.

Here in D.C., I frequent Gravelly Point. It's perfect.
 
patmike said:
i didn't know that. occasionally i'm one of those planes practicing at ijd. there's always someone on the dam waving. look for the ctls. might be me
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Will do! Nice little airport isn't it? :)

Also I'd love to check the plane out sometime!
 
I'll go and hang out at the FBO either before or after a flight but the FBO location isn't that good for viewing the runways. If I had a hanger, and the airport were closer, I'd be there a lot more than I am now.
 
If the sitting location is close to short final for the runway in use that day, there is no better way to learn how not to land on the nosewheel...if a pilot is going to louse up a landing, it will be apparent from the time s/he is 50 feet up.

Bob Gardner
 
I'll go and hang out at the FBO either before or after a flight but the FBO location isn't that good for viewing the runways. If I had a hanger, and the airport were closer, I'd be there a lot more than I am now.
 
bobmrg said:
If the sitting location is close to short final for the runway in use that day, there is no better way to learn how not to land on the nosewheel...if a pilot is going to louse up a landing, it will be apparent from the time s/he is 50 feet up.

Bob Gardner
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PAO has long had a couple of folding chairs right next to short final for 31 (just outside the fence). This is on regional park land, not far from the duck pond. These are often occupied by an old guy and a little kid; I often give them a wave after run-up. There also used to be (until very recently) a "CFI bench" next to the parallel taxiway, but it was removed due to lots of pedestrian movement area incursions.

And yes, you can watch all the bouncing very nicely from there, especially on a nice Saturday.

But my favorite is the park bench at Columbia (o22) next to the terminal (with a nice view of the turf runway), with an overhead sign labeled "airport bums." And it is frequently occupied by several older guys who really look like the label....
 
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