I’ve put together some spotting guides in the drop down menu for airports I’ve spotted at. They include several areas to spot from, required equipment and a basic list of what you’ll see for aircraft on a daily basis. This is a hobby that has been under fire from local and federal officials, especially since 9/11. Most airports respect our hobby and request that you call ahead if you plan on spotting from certain locations(Parking garage at Logan being one). If you are asked to leave by police, don’t give them a hard time, kindly move onto another area.

Currently I have Bangor International as well as Tampa International. In the future I will be adding guides for airports around New England including Portland Jetport, Logan, Providence and Hartford.

Some basic things you’ll need when you go out:

• Camera with a lens that will reach at least 200mm
• Batteries
• Identification
• Sunscreen
• Scanner for ATC communication OR LiveATC.net app for your smart phone
• Smartphone tracking apps such as FlightAware or FlightRadar24
• iPad/something to document tail numbers
• Water and snacks

There are several pages and groups on Facebook dedicated to spotting. You can get info for incoming flights and events going on that might be bringing in some cool aircraft. PHX Spotters, Charlotte/Douglas Overlook and NYC Aviation are a few as well as the Boston Logan group.