LtKernelPanic

I originally posted this in the spotting thread a couple days ago but with my flight being tomorrow I thought I'd post a new thread for visibility. Mods feel free to nuke if this is too redundant.

I've never done any "plane spotting" other than snapping a quick pic of my "ride" when I fly on a new type of aircraft for the first time. I have a 3.5 hour layover at ORD Thursday (and a 3 hour one on the way back on the 28th) and am curious if there are any good places to do some photography there without ended up in the pokey? I've never been to ORD so I really don't have anything planned to waste time between flights other than going to see the neon tunnel which looks really cool. I'll be flying in on American Eagle which typically arrives at the G gates and well be connecting to mainline AA which typically leaves from the G or H gates if that helps.

Thanks!

BeachBum770

Here is a link to a map that covers the prime spotting locations around ORD. The next decision is can you make it to any of them with the layover time you have and successfully return to make your flight.

ORD Plane Spotting

LtKernelPanic

Excellent. I'll save that to my iPad and take a look at it on the way there. I'm not sure if I'll risk leaving the terminal and missing my connection. This trip will be all NoS free so I'm not sure taking some pics is worth a groping to get back in. I may just try to find a place where I can snap some pics through the windows in the terminals. Probably have to use my P&S to keep from drawing attention cause you know only a terrorist would want to take pics of planes at an airport.

Once I get to PHX I should have some prime spotting opportunities as the friend I'm visiting lives about 2-3 miles as the plane flies from Sky Harbor.

BeachBum770

Can't wait to see the shots!^

briantoronto

Hi. Sorry for not responding there. I sensed you did not want to leave the terminal. I did some spotting in the C UA lounge back in the day, but it was mostly back-lit.

PHX is great. You can shoot from the parking garages no problem.

But for the help of others, here is my experience in shooting ORD.

I have some shots from my time in ORD here.

As for where, here is where I shot:



Red pin: Grassy park on Lunt Ave. Good early mornings and afternoon. I shot great landing shots on both 22R and 27R. I shoot FX, and was using my 80-200 here at 200mm.

Green pin: Scott St. Just off Mannheim Rd. Landing on 28 mid mornings. Convenient, but not my fav spot. FX 80-200 is fine here.

Aqua pin: Franklin Ave. OK for turning departures off 22L. FX 400mm at least (I was shooting 300 w 1.4x teleconverter)

Blue pin: Arthur Ave. Great for afternoon arrivals on 14R. FX 300mm

LtKernelPanic

You're right about not wanting to leave the terminal since this trip is the first time that I've flown through ORD. I ended up with damned near an 8 hour layover so it turns out I could have probably left and been fine. *grumble*

I've taken some pics from my friend's house but this trip all but a couple flights that have been outbound instead of inbound making for boring shots. My flight out of PHX is 6 am so I won't have any time to do any photography this time. Oh well I'm sure I'll have other opportunities at both airports since I fly to PHX at least once a year and all flights from my podunk hometown airport connect via ORD.

Thanks again for the for map and info. I'll be saving it to my travel docs folder once I get home for future reference.