Amsterdam Schiphol Airport: Difference between revisions

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Schiphol has three official viewing areas: The observation deck at Schiphol Plaza, the McDonalds overlooking 09/27 (Buitenveldertbaan), and a parking lot alongside 06/24 (Kaagbaan).

===Observation Deck===

The airport hosts a large outdoor observation deck with great views of the terminal. There is also Dakota's Café & Bar, just inside the observation deck with good view if the weather is bad. Unfortunately the platform faces the sun most of the day. For photography it is therefore not too great. If you want to catch registrations this is a great place though! Just don't forget to bring your binoculars!

Operating hours:

*Summer 07:00 - 20:00

*Winter 09:00 - 17:00

This spot is really excellent, and quite possibly one of the best of the world. You are just a few hundred metres away from the Kaagbaan. This runway is used almost all day, and offers a view without fences. A levy prevents you from entering the runway, along with video surveillance and regular driveby's by police.

To get a full frame side-on shot of a B747 you should need no more then 50mm. An F50 or ATR can be had at 200mm easily.

 

 

'''PLEASE NOTE:''' This spot will be closed some time mid may 2007 due to expansion of the cargo aprons. The whole of the southern side of the Kaagbaan will be closed.

=== 06/24 Kaagbaan ===

You can get into the approach of the Kaagbaan, but you are not allowed to park here. You can easily park your car at the local McDonalds though, and walk the last 5 minutes. Just take the exit towards Hoofddorp/Aalsmeer on the A4 motorway. Park the car at the McDonalds across the intersection, and walk under the bridge towards the runway.

 

 

=== 18R/36L Polderbaan ===

 

 

This spot can not be reached by public transport, so a car or a bike will be required. When coming from the A4 motorway you must take the exit to Hoofddorp. At the exit go to the left and follow this road.

 

Now you have two options. You can take the exit onto the N520 towards Boesingheliede. At the end of this road you must go to the left (onto Schipholweg), and then at the first crossing again to the left (IJweg). At the end of this road you can park and look over the Polderbaan from the east.

The taxiway linking this runway to Schiphol is also accesible. However, this place is always very busy. There is a fence so a step ladder will be required. To get here get onto the N520 as mentioned earlier. After a few minutes you will drive under a bridge, this bridge is the taxiway. You can park your car at the cemetary just in front of the bridge on the western side of the river. Of course you can also park your car at the crashgate as many others do, but I would ask you not to. This place has attracted a lot of attention from the local autorities for all the wrong reasons. A lot of people park their car here rather dangerously. If this goes on this spot might well be closed.

Schiphol East (Oost in dutch) is the maintenance and executive part of the airport. You can see a limited part of East. This includes the police air wing (Bo-105, C.172), the hangars of the DDA Classic Airlines and some Martinair hangars like 4-RUYS were the Fokker´s 70 and 100 are maintained. The biz jet ramp can also be seen.

There are a lot of private planes based at Schiphol East but in the weekend there is allways a VLM Airlines, Transavia or KLM Cityhopper. Planes from football clus that come to visit Amsterdam can also be seen like the Yak-52 that recently visited Amsterdam. The Netherlands Cost Guard is also based at Schiphol East

Adria Airways, Aer Lingus, Air Astana, Air Baltic, Air France, Air Malta, Air Memphis, Air Moldova, Air Zena, Aeroflot, Alitalia, AMC Airlines, Antonov Airlines, ArkeFly (TUI group), Asiana Cargo, Atlasair, Atlas Blue, Atlasjet, Armavia, Austrian Airlines, Blue 1, BMI Baby, BMI British Midland, British Airways, Bulgaria Air, Cargo Air Lines, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, China Southern, Continental, Croatia, CSA, Cyprus Airways, DAS Air Cargo, Delta Airlines, DHL, Dragonair Cargo, Easyjet, Egyptair, El Al, Emirates Skycargo, Eritrean, Estonian, Ethiopian, European Air Express (will start flights march 6th 2006), Eva Air, Finnair, Fly Air, Fly Me (will start flights summer 2006), Helios Airways, Iberia, Icelandair, Inter Ekspres, Iran Air, Israir, Japan Airlines, JAT, Jet2, Kalitta, Kenya Airways, KLM, KLM Cargo, KLM Cityhopper, Korean Airlines, Kuzu Airlines, Libyan Arab Airlines, Lithuanian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lotus Airways, Lufthansa, Macedonian Airlines, Maersk (to be rebranded as Sterling), Malaysia Airlines, Malev, Martinair, Martinair Cargo, Meridiana, MNG Airlines, Nippon Cargo Airways, NWA Northwest Airlines, Olympic Airlines, Onur Air, Pegasus Airlines, Portugalia, Pulkovo, Qatar Airways Cargo, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, Scot Airways, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Sky Airlines, Sky Europe, Slovak Airlines, Smart Wings, Sterling (will start flights march 26th 2006), Surinam Airways, Swiss, Syrian Airlines, TACV, TAP Air Portugal, Thomsonfly.com, TMA, TNT, Transavia, Tristar Airways, Tunisair, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International, United, US Airways, Varig Brasil, Virgin Express, VLM, West Air Sweden, Wizzair (will start flights december 1st 2005)