Advice for San Francisco please

San Francisco

Andy,

Thank you. I will do my best at this location. If anything decent results, I will post them here.

Do you know if there is any benefit in going to Oakland ?

The bayshore path – a walking path along the bay front – on Old Bayshore Highway in Millbrae is the place to go (the only viable place really), although it needs a fairly long lens. Mornings allow sun-favourable pictures of departures off runways 1L/1R – which are almost always used for departures except the really heavies – and most of the day is sun-favourable for all landings and the few take offs that use 28L/28R. The 28s in particular need a long lens, and even though its all water inbetween Bayshore and the runways heat haze can be an issue – although its going to be less of an issue in March than in the summer. There are benches along the path, so you can sit and watch the airplanes, but other than in the nearby hotels there’s nowhere to get food and drink.

If you don’t have a car and want to get to Old Bayshore Highway and the bayshore path, its quite easy. From the city, take the BART (subway train – its safe!) to Millbrae, turn left out of the station, walk along the road over the 101 freeway and you’re practically there – its a five minute walk, and the bayshore path is on your right once you’re over the freeway. If you’re already at the airport, easiest way to get there is to take the shuttle to one of the hotels on the bayshore – the Marriott, Westin or Clarion hotel shuttles are probably the best, as all of these hotels are within 2 minutes or less walking of the bayshore and it’ll be obvious where to walk.

See this map to understand what I’m talking about. You want Bayshore Highway. The red circle is pretty much right on top of the BART station.

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?local=h&scale=50000&lon=-122.38758&lat=37.598469663531&icon=x

Examples from the bayshore…

Departures off 1L/1R in the morning (unfortunately a fence now goes a bit further out into the bay):
http://www.airteamimages.com/7138.html
http://www.airteamimages.com/7123.html

Landings/departures on 28L/28R:
http://www.airteamimages.com/7127.html
http://www.airteamimages.com/5076.html
http://www.airteamimages.com/4926.html

Taxi-ing to 1L/1R – this taxiway is nearer but is rarely used:
http://www.airteamimages.com/4924.html

Hope this helps,

Andy