What side of the plane to sit on ... view?
 

It's been so many years since we've vacationed in Russia, I can't remember anything about the layout of the airports. I am coordinating flights for two other couples and us.

We are flying LH FRA-DME and then returning on LH LED-FRA.

On these two flights, is there consistently one side of the plane or the other that gives a better view on approach in DME or departure from LED? Or, does it all depend on the weather and various approach patterns are the norm?

It doesn't matter which side of the plane you're on when you land. SVO's approach is more aesthetically pleasing to DME or LED but overall I wouldn't worry about it... 50% of my trips have seen me land in packed clouds. Taking off at LED will see you go over water within minutes of taking off.

:-( So the flight patterns at neither airport offer interesting viewing.

Too bad .... as my regular airports (Frankfurt, Heathrow, Syd, SFO) all offer good visuals on one side or the other.

thanks for the reply.

Here's a few of coming and going out of DME, nothing too special.

[IMG]http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/a...wDre/11407.jpg[/IMG]


http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/a...wDre/11400.jpg

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/a...owDre/1876.jpg

Great photos!

I have been in and out of SVO countless times, and DME a few times, and can't really remember anything catching my eye.

The most breathtaking sights I have seen from the air in the last few years have been Kennedy Space Center in Florida (launch pads, Vehicle Assembly Building), Niagara Falls on the way to Toronto, and a pair of B-2 bombers over South Carolina. Nothing like that over Moscow, yet.

FYI planes normally don't fly over Moscow as airspace over the city is closed, except to special transport.

I flew to Kazan recently out of SVO and we had very nice, albeit distant, views of Moscow from the right side of the plane. Doesn't really help the OP, but if heading east out of SVO, you might try it.