Selection at AMS?

Will go with BMI Baby i think when they start ops from BHX next year.

Will go with BMI Baby i think when they start ops from BHX next year.

Thanks Tom 🙂

Thanks Tom 🙂

Hope you have a good time Matt! 😀 I am also definatley planning a trip for next March when its my birthday!

Hope you have a good time Matt! 😀 I am also definatley planning a trip for next March when its my birthday!

Thanks Tenthije, lot’s of good information there, and thanks for the website airband1 😉

Thanks Tenthije, lot’s of good information there, and thanks for the website airband1 😉

the runway operation was very confusing, I still have no idea how they work it!

Attached you will find a quick drawing with the most usual runway operations. In blue the wind direction and in red the direction of the planes.

the runway operation was very confusing, I still have no idea how they work it!

Attached you will find a quick drawing with the most usual runway operations. In blue the wind direction and in red the direction of the planes.

Is there a good selection of aircraft at AMS on a saturday? Not just KLM?

It is a different airport then MAN. As such there are always airlines you don’t see at MAN. Or airlines bring in different equipment then you are used to. As such ANY trip to a large sized airport you have never been to will yield nice results! AMS definately is not an exception to that. There is a timetable at the aircolours site which you may find of use.

#Would anyone reckon AMS is bigger than MAN, Im hoping it is then it would be great!

AMS has 6 runways. During the day there are always 3 runways in operation except during the very quiet moments or during very rough winds from particular directions.

#Can anyone sort out some directions or a map to the best spotting areas where you can get photos with hardly any zoom? (As we all know how dodgey my zoom is on my camera) :p

See my website for a map.

The best spots for you are (of course) the observation platform. It is huge, but faces the sun for most of the day. The runways are far away, well outside your cameras range. The planes taxi and park very close by though. Entry to the platform is 1 or 2 euros if I am not mistaken. Not been there since it got “pay-per-view” so am not sure.

Another nice spot is the taxiway over the A4 (see my site). Here the planes taxi by close enough regardless of what lens you have. You could probably still make great shots with a fish eye! This taxiway is not always busy though. Half the day it is used extensively and half the day it is used hardly at all. This all depends on the runways in use.

The final spot that might be of use for you is the Kaagbaan. About 15 minutes by bus and another 15 minuts walk. This is the spot where I shot yesterdays photos. The runway is close by and a full-frame side-on shot of a 747 requires about 70mm. A full frame side-on shot of a 737 can be done with 120mm.
The taxiway to the Martinair cargo apron is there as well. A full-frame side-on shot of a 747 requires at most 50mm! A fish eye lense would be a great option here! Even with your camera you can probably count the number of nose hairs of the captain.

You may have heard a lot of good things of the Mac Donalds spot. Don’t bother going there. The runway is nowadays hardly used and if it is used photography is crap since you’ll be facing the sun.

Do you get any military, antonovs or anything out of the ordinary on Saturdays there?

The only operator currently flying Tupolevs is Pulkovo. Regrettably they do not fly here on Saturdays. Only Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Occaisionally we get a antonov freighter (12/22/72/74/124, still waiting for the 225 :D).

The Military does not fly here often. If they do it is just transport. Mostly the RNLAF fokker F70.

#Thanks in advance 😀

You’re welcome!

http://www.b7e7-pictures.4t.com/ (my site! Fire up the pop-up killer, you’ll need it! Sorry!)
http://www.aircolours.com/ (excellent site with great timetable)
http://www.schipholview.nl/ (not updated recently, has been rather dead)

Is there a good selection of aircraft at AMS on a saturday? Not just KLM?

It is a different airport then MAN. As such there are always airlines you don’t see at MAN. Or airlines bring in different equipment then you are used to. As such ANY trip to a large sized airport you have never been to will yield nice results! AMS definately is not an exception to that. There is a timetable at the aircolours site which you may find of use.

#Would anyone reckon AMS is bigger than MAN, Im hoping it is then it would be great!

AMS has 6 runways. During the day there are always 3 runways in operation except during the very quiet moments or during very rough winds from particular directions.

#Can anyone sort out some directions or a map to the best spotting areas where you can get photos with hardly any zoom? (As we all know how dodgey my zoom is on my camera) :p

See my website for a map.

The best spots for you are (of course) the observation platform. It is huge, but faces the sun for most of the day. The runways are far away, well outside your cameras range. The planes taxi and park very close by though. Entry to the platform is 1 or 2 euros if I am not mistaken. Not been there since it got “pay-per-view” so am not sure.

Another nice spot is the taxiway over the A4 (see my site). Here the planes taxi by close enough regardless of what lens you have. You could probably still make great shots with a fish eye! This taxiway is not always busy though. Half the day it is used extensively and half the day it is used hardly at all. This all depends on the runways in use.

The final spot that might be of use for you is the Kaagbaan. About 15 minutes by bus and another 15 minuts walk. This is the spot where I shot yesterdays photos. The runway is close by and a full-frame side-on shot of a 747 requires about 70mm. A full frame side-on shot of a 737 can be done with 120mm.
The taxiway to the Martinair cargo apron is there as well. A full-frame side-on shot of a 747 requires at most 50mm! A fish eye lense would be a great option here! Even with your camera you can probably count the number of nose hairs of the captain.

You may have heard a lot of good things of the Mac Donalds spot. Don’t bother going there. The runway is nowadays hardly used and if it is used photography is crap since you’ll be facing the sun.

Do you get any military, antonovs or anything out of the ordinary on Saturdays there?

The only operator currently flying Tupolevs is Pulkovo. Regrettably they do not fly here on Saturdays. Only Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Occaisionally we get a antonov freighter (12/22/72/74/124, still waiting for the 225 :D).

The Military does not fly here often. If they do it is just transport. Mostly the RNLAF fokker F70.

#Thanks in advance 😀

You’re welcome!

http://www.b7e7-pictures.4t.com/ (my site! Fire up the pop-up killer, you’ll need it! Sorry!)
http://www.aircolours.com/ (excellent site with great timetable)
http://www.schipholview.nl/ (not updated recently, has been rather dead)

Try this website http://www.schipholview.nl/index_spotinfo.html it should have all the information you require

Try this website http://www.schipholview.nl/index_spotinfo.html it should have all the information you require

Never knew how big it was untill now! Back in 2001 it was the 9th or 10th biggest airport in the world passenger wise, thats probably from all the KLM and Martinair flights!!

Never knew how big it was untill now! Back in 2001 it was the 9th or 10th biggest airport in the world passenger wise, thats probably from all the KLM and Martinair flights!!

I’m possibly going to AMS in Feb! I’m looking forward to it actually!

I’m possibly going to AMS in Feb! I’m looking forward to it actually!

So am I! Wots wrong with us all!!!

Dont know – Its been going round my school.

Mark – Will teach me to try and talk about somewhere I havent actually been!

So am I! Wots wrong with us all!!!

Dont know – Its been going round my school.

Mark – Will teach me to try and talk about somewhere I havent actually been!