Heathrow Spotting Trip

[NeilP]

Hi Guys and Gals,

Just got back from a 3 week holiday in the Old Dart, and managed to squeeze in a days spotting at Heathrow from the Renaissance Hotel. Thought I might share some photos (out of the 700 or so I took from 6am to 9pm)...

I tried posting this a week or so ago from England, but was having issues...

Enjoy...

[NeilP]

...and some more...

[Radi K]

Awesome, its a great spot!

[Peter Agatsiotis]

Nice Neil, lots of memories from 2005 & 2008 although we got a bum deal and stuck on 2nd floor in 2008.
Are these photos from your room? mine came out a lot lighter (dirty windows). Also in 2008 they were using 09L so very few photos.

[NeilP]

Thanks Radi & Peter...

Yes Peter, from my room. This was on the second floor but I was standing on a chair all day to try and get above the lightposts.

Great spot, though. As was the Viewing Park at Manchester. Spent the whole day there too, until the rain came, that is...

Thanks again...

[Peter Agatsiotis]

Just a question Neil, what airline has two a/c parked in the SAS 737 shot?
Looks like the old Impulse scheme.

The rebuild of T2? is progressing well.

Good time of the year to go there as it's light from around 5am to 9pm. I had to go out for fresh air every few hours as too much to stay in the room all day (plus the staff needed to get into the room).

[John Arena]

What are the views from the Sofitel Heathrow, i am staying there, and am wondering what sort of pics ll ed up getting??

John

[Nathan Long]

Looks like Eurowings CRJ900 and Contact Air Fokker.

The breakfast at the Renaissance is really nice. :)

[Anthony T]

Nice shots

Stayed at the Renaissance Hotel, when it first opened back in 1975 as the Heathrow Penta, Dad spent sunrise to sunset spotting from the hotel room.
Even having room service bring meals up to the room, as soon as the bottle shop in Hounslow was open Mum & me were despatched on a bus to get a couple of Watney's Party Fours. (4 pint cans of beer, if I recall)

Cheers
Anthony T

[NeilP]

Just a question Neil, what airline has two a/c parked in the SAS 737 shot?

Good time of the year to go there as it's light from around 5am to 9pm. I had to go out for fresh air every few hours as too much to stay in the room all day (plus the staff needed to get into the room).

Hi Peter, Nathan is correct re the two parked aircraft.

I too went out for a smoke break every now and then. I tried poking the lense through the bottom of the fence along the roadside, but was politely asked to move along. I did so and found some picnic tables in the grounds of the hotel. Standing on top of those proved quite fruitful aswell. Also found, to the left of the hotel (as you look toward the runway), two properties along, that there was actually a viewing "grandstand" that was very popular inside a carpark. There were many spotters parked in the carpark too which had a pay & display requirement.

[Peter Agatsiotis]

Thanks Nathan, Neil

Eurowings it is (have a couple of BA146 photos from Dusseldorf).

We had a smoking room so that may have changed by now as we found in 2008 most hotels are smoke free (we cheated at a couple of Ibis hotels). Out the window or a cup of water:D

Those benches at the front I remember and in 2008 this 'large' photographer decided to stand on the bench and.... two pieces, never saw him again.
That building to the left used to be the Spotting/Visitors centre that had exhibits, model cockpits, books, food etc. On weekends, as you say, it is a spotters carpark all with their scanners SBS-1 receivers etc.

Anthony, I remember Watney's as I worked a couple of bars in London (second job 1968/69) to save up for my wedding/honeymoon.

In the early Heathrow days the area in front of the hotel used to be the cargo area (I think they had one on the other side too)

Lots of memories.

[NeilP]

Peter, the Visitors' Centre was still there but closed down, according to the sign in the window, due to "lack of interest".

In the same building though, tucked away around the corner is the Aviation Shop. Books, magazines, models, paraphernalia, etc... Spent a few quid in there once the missus went back to the hotel...;)