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Manchester Airport: Difference between revisions
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13th Floor of Multi storey car park - Terminal 1 - Views of Runway 1 where you can view aircraft landing and taking off, also close views of aircraft parking and moving from Terminals 1 & 2 plus a good view of the Cargo area. Level 13 is now partially open after refurbishment. But there isn't any facilities here any more. Toilets are situated in Terminal 1 arrivals just get the lift down from Level 12. | 13th Floor of Multi storey car park - Terminal 1 - Views of Runway 1 where you can view aircraft landing and taking off, also close views of aircraft parking and moving from Terminals 1 & 2 plus a good view of the Cargo area. Level 13 is now partially open after refurbishment. But there isn't any facilities here any more. Toilets are situated in Terminal 1 arrivals just get the lift down from Level 12. | ||
There is an Aviation shop situated near the Car Rental Desks, and Post Office which is in Terminal 1 arrivals and stocks everything for the | There is an Aviation shop situated near the Car Rental Desks, and Post Office which is in Terminal 1 arrivals and stocks everything for the enthusiast, binoculars, telescopes, models, airband radios, scanners, DVDs, notebooks, pens, postcards, and the SBS Radar System. Some thoughtfully provided camera holes are in the security fences. Be warned however that this is a short-stay airport car park and is very expensive for vehicles! | ||
Up to 30 mins £2.10 | Up to 30 mins £2.10 | ||
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Arriva North West operates a daily service (bus 19, 19A, 19B, 19C) stopping at the rear of the World Freight Terminal from where the Aviation Viewing Park is approximately a 10 minute walk. Arriva 19/19B leaves The Station every half hour from 07.25 - 22.55 daily. Arriva 19A/19C leaves the World Freight Terminal every half hour from 07.30 - 18.00 Monday - Saturday. Some evening and Sunday services operate from the World Freight Terminal. | Arriva North West operates a daily service (bus 19, 19A, 19B, 19C) stopping at the rear of the World Freight Terminal from where the Aviation Viewing Park is approximately a 10 minute walk. Arriva 19/19B leaves The Station every half hour from 07.25 - 22.55 daily. Arriva 19A/19C leaves the World Freight Terminal every half hour from 07.30 - 18.00 Monday - Saturday. Some evening and Sunday services operate from the World Freight Terminal. | ||
==Other Spotting Locations== | ==Other Spotting Locations== | ||
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{{jplink|5636028}} | {{jplink|5636028}} | ||
== South Side (Runway2) == | === South Side (Runway2) === | ||
A disadvantage of the official Aviation Viewing Park (AVP) is that it faces into the sun until late in the day, making photography more difficult. Better photography is often offered by heading around to Runway 2 on the South side of the airport. Going there is easy by car. By public transport is possible too, but a bit of a handful. | A disadvantage of the official Aviation Viewing Park (AVP) is that it faces into the sun until late in the day, making photography more difficult. Better photography is often offered by heading around to Runway 2 on the South side of the airport. Going there is easy by car. By public transport is possible too, but a bit of a handful. | ||
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The closest bus stop to Runway 2 is at the Moat House Hotel (Holiday inn) on the A538 Wilmslow road . Bus service no 288 runs along the A538 and there is a stop near to the AVP at the junction with Sunbank lane – from the AVP this means walking back towards the main road (approx ½ mile). From this bus stop it is then 2 stops along to the Moat House Hotel (Holiday inn). The bus runs every 30 mins. | The closest bus stop to Runway 2 is at the Moat House Hotel (Holiday inn) on the A538 Wilmslow road . Bus service no 288 runs along the A538 and there is a stop near to the AVP at the junction with Sunbank lane – from the AVP this means walking back towards the main road (approx ½ mile). From this bus stop it is then 2 stops along to the Moat House Hotel (Holiday inn). The bus runs every 30 mins. | ||
By car, from the Junction 6 Roundabout off the M56, follow signs for Wilmslow along the A538. Approximately 1 mile along this road you will drive under the 2 runway tunnels. As you exit the 2nd tunnel you will come to a roundabout. Turn left at this roundabout and then turn | By car, from the Junction 6 Roundabout off the M56, follow signs for Wilmslow along the A538. Approximately 1 mile along this road you will drive under the 2 runway tunnels. As you exit the 2nd tunnel you will come to a roundabout. Turn left at this roundabout and then turn immediately right before the gate - Then park up on the left before the bridge, as this road becomes the Moat House hotel car park beyond the bridge. Do try to tuck your car into the hedge, as the hotel mini-bus screams up and down here every half-hour or so and its a narrow road!! | ||
DO NOT park anywhere between the roundabout and the gate - you WILL get a ticket or a tow - even on the grass verge. | DO NOT park anywhere between the roundabout and the gate - you WILL get a ticket or a tow - even on the grass verge. | ||
Once you have | Once you have reach the Hotel, you have two options. There are raised viewing mounds running the length of runway 24L. These are segregated by the road tunnels which allow the A538 to go under the runways. So your choice is to cross the road and go left and past the new fire station to get to the mid point and beyond of runway 24L for views of aircraft rotating and taking-off OR go right to the start of runway 24L for close-up taxiing and line-up views of aircraft. | ||
===Runway 24L - taxi and line-up=== | ====Runway 24L - taxi and line-up==== | ||
From the Hotel entrance, turn right and walk through the car park, over the small stone bridge and up to the top of this road. On the right is a black cattle gate. Walk through the gate and follow this footpath for approx half-a-mile. The path finishes at the runway security fence and you will see long earth mounds either side of you which offer superb elevated views of the first 1/3 of runway 2.Further around to the right is an elevated mound which is directly | From the Hotel entrance, turn right and walk through the car park, over the small stone bridge and up to the top of this road. On the right is a black cattle gate. Walk through the gate and follow this footpath for approx half-a-mile. The path finishes at the runway security fence and you will see long earth mounds either side of you which offer superb elevated views of the first 1/3 of runway 2.Further around to the right is an elevated mound which is directly in front of the link taxi-way between runway 1 and 2 - you can practically count the rivets on the aircraft as they line-up !!! | ||
===Runway 24L - rotation and take-off=== | ====Runway 24L - rotation and take-off==== | ||
The second option is to walk from the hotel back to the roundabout. On the other side of the road you just came in on, you will see a footpath of steep steps rising to the top of the hill. Follow this path for roughly 15 minutes past the side of the new fire station and up to the runway security fence. | The second option is to walk from the hotel back to the roundabout. On the other side of the road you just came in on, you will see a footpath of steep steps rising to the top of the hill. Follow this path for roughly 15 minutes past the side of the new fire station and up to the runway security fence. | ||
From here, you can go left and follow the path parallel to runway 2 down into a | From here, you can go left and follow the path parallel to runway 2 down into a valley and then back up again to raised mounds which offer superb views of aircraft rotating on runway 2 for take-off. | ||
As an alternative, turn left after the fire station and follow the path downhill to the lowest lowest point of the valley. Then turn right and follow the river through the tunnel under | As an alternative, turn left after the fire station and follow the path downhill to the lowest lowest point of the valley. Then turn right and follow the river through the tunnel under runway 2. As you exit the tunnel turn right up the hill for a viewing spot half way between runway 1 and runway 2 | ||
Please note that runway 2 is usually closed between 1200 and 1500 hours. Also check before making any journey which way the aircraft are flying!. For approx 20% of the year, the wind shifts and the flying changes direction. | Please note that runway 2 is usually closed between 1200 and 1500 hours. Also check before making any journey which way the aircraft are flying!. For approx 20% of the year, the wind shifts and the flying changes direction. | ||
=== Junction of Ringway Road & Shadowmoss road === | |||
== Junction of Ringway Road & Shadowmoss road == | |||
Not far from Terminal 1, this area gives excellent views of aircraft on final approach to Runway 24R. Be warned that car parking is limited because of parking restrictions. The local residents get rightly annoyed when thoughtless spotters park cars that partially block access to their driveways and the hand-painted yellow lines outside some houses show the level of feeling about this – please be considerate. | Not far from Terminal 1, this area gives excellent views of aircraft on final approach to Runway 24R. Be warned that car parking is limited because of parking restrictions. The local residents get rightly annoyed when thoughtless spotters park cars that partially block access to their driveways and the hand-painted yellow lines outside some houses show the level of feeling about this – please be considerate. | ||
=== Airport Hotel Public House === | |||
== Airport Hotel Public House == | |||
Next to the final approach to Runway 24R, the beer garden of this pub offer great views of landing aircraft and also aircraft holding for departure. Because it has become so popular with spotters, the pub has a pay-and-display car park. | Next to the final approach to Runway 24R, the beer garden of this pub offer great views of landing aircraft and also aircraft holding for departure. Because it has become so popular with spotters, the pub has a pay-and-display car park. | ||
==Locations to Avoid== | ==Locations to Avoid== | ||
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The areas offered as alternatives to the AVP (the mounds and the area beyond the new fire station) are public footpaths and you wont get more than a passing glance from the security staff when they are patrolling airside. | The areas offered as alternatives to the AVP (the mounds and the area beyond the new fire station) are public footpaths and you wont get more than a passing glance from the security staff when they are patrolling airside. | ||
The airport and council have always been fairly spotter-friendly so just read the notices and | The airport and council have always been fairly spotter-friendly so just read the notices and don't go or park where it says you shouldn't. | ||
==Regular Traffic== | ==Regular Traffic== | ||
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==Travel tips== | ==Travel tips== | ||
If | If traveling by car and you do not wish to pay for the airport car parks, you could always park your car at Heald Green Railway Station and catch the train to the airport for a cheap day return costing £1.10 or a single will cost £1.00 each way, fares may vary due to the general increase in fares. | ||
http://www.spotterswiki.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=29#p29 | http://www.spotterswiki.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=29#p29 | ||