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Manchester Airport: Difference between revisions
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{{categorywithregion|Europe|United Kingdom|England}} | {{categorywithregion|Europe|United Kingdom|England}} | ||
{{infobox|fullname=Manchester Airport|location=Manchester, England|iata=MAN|icao=EGCC|aptype=Commercial|website=http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk|mapurl=http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=53.354138,-2.279320&spn=0.029493,0.076484&t=h&hl=en|mapsource=Google Maps|atctower=118.625 ( | {{infobox|fullname=Manchester Airport|location=Manchester, England|iata=MAN|icao=EGCC|aptype=Commercial|website=http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk|mapurl=http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=53.354138,-2.279320&spn=0.029493,0.076484&t=h&hl=en|mapsource=Google Maps|atctower=118.625 (23R/05L)119.40 (23L/05R)|atcground=121.85|atcclearance=121.70 (delivery)|atcapproach=118.575 & 135.00|atcdeparture=118.625 & 119.400|atcatis=128.175 (Arrivals) 121.975 (Departures)|atcunicom=}} | ||
In 2004, Manchester International Airport (Ringway) was voted Britain’s premier spotting airport by a well-known aviation magazine, and anyone who has been there will probably agree with them. It is not a question of which is the best place to watch planes at Manchester, more a question of which spot do I want to choose? | In 2004, Manchester International Airport (Ringway) was voted Britain’s premier spotting airport by a well-known aviation magazine, and anyone who has been there will probably agree with them. It is not a question of which is the best place to watch planes at Manchester, more a question of which spot do I want to choose? | ||
MAN has 2 parallel runways, | MAN has 2 parallel runways, 23R / 05L (Runway 1) and 23L / 05R (Runway 2) . Aircraft movements are generally inbound on 23R and outbound on 23L. However the wind direction shifts approx 20% of the year and this flow is reversed. During the quieter period of each day from 12.00pm to 15.00pm, the airport reverts to single runway use and uses 23R / 05L (Runway 1) for both inbound and outbound flights. | ||
''' | '''Due to the shift in Magnetic North the runways have been re-numbered to 23L/05R and 23R/05L''' | ||
==Official Spotting Locations== | ==Official Spotting Locations== | ||
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===A.V.P. - Aviation viewing park=== | ===A.V.P. - Aviation viewing park=== | ||
The A.V.P is located approx 2/3 way along Runway | The A.V.P is located approx 2/3 way along Runway 23R (Runway 1) and offers excellent views of both flying and taxiing aircraft. It has 3 raised platforms for better viewing and photography, a very good snack bar, Family picnic areas and clean Male and Female toilet facilities. There is also a well-stocked aviation shop selling books, aircraft models, binoculars and radios etc. | ||
Signposted from main terminal areas and railway station. There is a small charge for admission £1 for pedestrians, £3 for a car & Driver and £1 per passenger, children under 16 free. This area also contains a British Airways Concorde (which you can book a tour of, for approx £12), BAe Avro 146-RX100, Monarch DC-10 nose section, De Havilland Vampire jet fighter (at the moment been removed for restoration), and a BEA Trident aircraft resplendent in full BEA Colours. | Signposted from main terminal areas and railway station. There is a small charge for admission £1 for pedestrians, £3 for a car & Driver and £1 per passenger, children under 16 free. This area also contains a British Airways Concorde (which you can book a tour of, for approx £12), BAe Avro 146-RX100, Monarch DC-10 nose section, De Havilland Vampire jet fighter (at the moment been removed for restoration), and a BEA Trident aircraft resplendent in full BEA Colours. | ||
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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!! | 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 reach the Hotel, you have two options. There are raised viewing mounds running the length of runway | Once you have reach the Hotel, you have two options. There are raised viewing mounds running the length of runway 23L. 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 23L for close-up taxiing and line-up views of aircraft. | ||
====Runway | ====Runway 23L - 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 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 !!! | 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 | ====Runway 23L - 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. | ||
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=== 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 | Not far from Terminal 1, this area gives excellent views of aircraft on final approach to Runway 23R. 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 | Next to the final approach to Runway 23R, 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== | ||