The 170-500 would be good to have, but only if you can afford something good (as Andy says) in the 28-135mm range along side it. 170mm could be quite restrictive at some airports, and I can think of many places (around UK airports) where it’d be far too much zoom to do what you want.

Well done on the shots Elgan. How about the Fokker cockpit then, small eh? I got in one after my flight on a Malaysia Airlines one last year, and could hardly fit through the door (I’m a skinny b@stard too!).

Great stuff Graham, you seem to have changed camera since the last time you posted?

In answer to Q3:

I’m 16, currently doing GCSE’s. I’ve wanted to be an airline pilot since my first flight at 5 years old, but it’s always very touch-and-go due to the ups and downs of the industry. I have currently come to the decision that I shouldn’t worry too much until I’ve finished 6th form, because most routes I take will favour A-level students (although this isn’t always the case, as seen with Martin_EGTK). Upon completing 6th form, I’ll be able to make the best decision, taking into factors such as price of courses, state of industry etc.

These will revolve around:

a) Looking for a sponsorship, to gain all licenses and experience needed (PPL, CPL, ATPL, night rating, instrument rating, etc) to become an airline pilot. At the moment they are few and far between, but I’m hoping that within the next couple of years they may be back as common as they were before September 11th.

b) Find a way of doing everything myself, which would probably mean paying for a full course to take me from no hours, all the way to owning a frozen ATPL. These kind of courses exist around the World….the most famous one in the UK being at Oxford. It would probably mean finding some kind of loan.

I’m not gonna give up easily! If everything along those routes fails, then Air Traffic Control appeals to me. I did my work experience in the Stansted tower, and it’s a fantastic job. But I’m not sure if I’d particularly enjoy being in an indoor control centre, and this is where a majority of new recruits would go.

Another option would be professional photography (preferably aviation) although I’ve yet to find out anything in much depth about that.

In the last 10 years:

Air Uk Leisure 767-300 x2
Virgin Atlantic 747-400 x2
Virgin Atlantic 747-200 x2
Airtours 767-300 x2 (6 individual flights though, with stop-overs!)
Britannia 757-200 x8
Britannia 767-300 x2
Air World A320 x2
Airtours A320 x4
AOM DC-10 x2
Delta MD-11
Delta 767-300 x2
Delta MD-80
Atraeus 737-700 x2
Thomas Cook 757-200 x2
Easyjet 737-300 x4
Ryanair 737-300 x2
Ryanair 737-800 x4
BA A319
Qantas 747-400 x2
Australian Airlines 767-300
Qantas 767-300
Malaysia Airlines 737-400
Malaysia Airlines Fokker 50
BA 767-300
MyTravel A320 x2
Go 737-300 x2
CSA 737-400
CSA 737-500
Lufthansa A321
Lufthansa A320
Air UK Fokker 100 x2
Bmi A321 x2
Jet2 737-300 x2
Germanwings 717-200
Germanwings A320
American Airlines 777-200 x2
American Airlines 767-300
American Airlines 767-200
American Airlines 757-200
American Airlines MD-88

Hmmm too many 767’s for my liking….