When I was a child, I often spent a lot of time with
my grandfather. Usually we spent time together in his
garden. It often happened that aircrafts passed overhead
on their way to and from Kastrup Airport or the now
closed airfield in Skovlunde. Often my grandfather
looked up and said "I wonder where is it going".
I believe this was the start of my interest for
aviation and for aircrafts.
As I grew older, I started to collect timetables from
different airlines and to visit Kastrup Airport.
At that time it was easy to look at the aircrafts. The
airport had observation-decks, which allowed one to come
very close to the aircrafts and to follow the activities
around them.
You could follow the work of the ground crew, baggage
handling, fuelling etc. Then the crew arrived and
prepared the flight. Soon the passengers arrived and the
aircraft was ready. Then the aircraft stated its engines
in a big cloud of smoke and soon after it taxied out for
take-off.
There was a special atmosphere at the airport at that
time.
Today it is quite different. In Kastrup Airport you
will find an atmosphere of paranoia. I can not find out
why. Of course it is for security reasons, but in other
countries in Europe you can find that many big airports
allow their visitors to spend time on their observation
deck.
It is a strange feeling, that you, in order to see
any aircraft at all, have to go far away to a private
cafeteria "Flyvergrillen".
However, there is always many different people at
Flyvergrillen because it has a sort of observation
platform with a very good view across the main runways.
You will find that people visiting Flyvergrillen have
different purposes. Some are just curious, almost naive
exited people, who just love to see and listen to an
aircraft taking off, while the aircraft-spotters can be
seen with their binoculars, cameras, radio scanners, and
notebooks.
I am a little of both. I love to see the aircrafts
and when I have the opportunity, I will put down my
observations to the notebook I always have with me.
On the other hand I feel very privileged because I work
at RDAF Airbase Vaerloese, where I have my office just
beside the platform.
But it will soon have an abrupt end, when the
airbase will be almost closed in 2004.
I take notes, I make photos but mostly I just look,
if I have time, at the aircrafts.
Other spotters are almost full-time enthusiasts. One
good example of this is a fellow from Holland, who
attended our "Open House" event at the airbase. On the
internet, the next day you could find a full list of ALL
aircrafts at the airbase - including those which were in
hangar the whole day. Very "clever". This kind of
spotting demands great enthusiasm and skills. However I
find it foolish to play with the military security. My
own enthusiasm does not permit myself to risk anything.
After all - it is only a hobby.
Do not bring yourself into troubles, when you are
spotting trains, cars, girls, birds or aircrafts.
Lately I have started to use ACARS as a supplement to
my joy of spotting aircrafts.
What is ACARS? - find the answer in the menu.
