Watching the iron birds

Aircraft spotting or plane spotting is a quite new hobby of tracking the movement of aircraft, which is often accomplished by photography. Besides monitoring aircraft, aircraft spotting enthusiasts (whom are usually called plane spotters) also record informations of airports, air traffic control communications and airline routes.

But, in most cases the aircraft spotting (or, just spotting) is limited by shotting the planes with following placement of images in social networks in special grops with identification of plane board number and type.

In the states of the former Soviet Union the spotting is most developed in Russia, Ukraine. It is due to intensity of routes, a number of airports, active blogger movement and less destriction in accessing the airports.

In August end, 2016, the first official spotting had been carried out in Baku, at the International Airport after Heydar Aliyev under the support of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL). A group of professional and amateur photographers was provided a chance to shoot the planes during taxu at the flight strip and their flying-off as well as to visit Airbus 340-500 and parking of business aviation.

First, lets visit the flight strip and see how the planes taxing and flying-off.

Airbus A340-500

 Airbus A319-100

Boeing 747-8F

Boeing 767-300ER

Boeing 747 vs. Embraer 190

Airbus A320-200

 IL76-TD

  

Now, it is time to move forward. We are going to visit Airbus 340-500 "Karabakh". Besides the board number all the planes in AZAL have the name. It is the name of city of region in Azerbaijan. There are two A340-500 in AZAL. The first is named "Karabakh", the second one (we saw it above) is "Nakhchivan".

Airbus 340-500 "Karabakh"

The average weight of one wheel is about 250 kg.

Now we enter the business class. Bar for resting during the long-distance flight.

Economy class

The cocpit. Very often in movie or image it looks like a big enough space. In fact, it is narrow place, even in the new one plane. There is one more chair at the shooting location

 Engine blades

 These massive tubes are used to tow the planes. They are called tow bars. 

 Plane at long-term parking

After visiting Airbus 340-500 a brief look at the parking of business aviation

Red ribbons indicates the special plugs that protect some places like indicators and must be removed before the flight

 Gulfstream Aerospace G550

  
Our trip to the airport and spotting event is over. And finally my portret made by the colleague.