A Happy Encounter at JFK on May 6
Greetings,
On May 6 (Sunday) I was at JFK doing my spotting thing solo-like and chanced across three amiable, middle-aged Britons doing the same thing at an indoor non-Terminal 4 location.
These gentlemen were really into the spotting thing
European-style?
so I introduced myself as a rank newbie to the scene. I was accepted on the spot and drawn into the world of aircraft spotting in a way I never expected.
These chaps each had a well-worn copy of air-britain.coms AFQR 2007 (Airline Fleets Quick Reference) where each airline is listed along with every aircraft in their inventory
by registration number
with engine type and airframe history
et al. Each time an aircraft landed
taxied by
or took off
one of them with binoculars calmly called out the airline and registration number while the others dutifully checked their AFQR to see if it was new to them. Usually they had seen it before
either here or somewhere else in the world ... as their AFQRs were copiously red-marked with hundreds of previous confirmations.
They cheerfully related their craft and experience to me
calling upon their m-a-n-y years of experience
replete with colorful anecdotes
in various parts of the world
including Europe, Africa, Australasia, etc. Ah
the stories and adventures they shared. Also
they knew
simply knew
instantly and on sight
almost every airline and aircraft type down to its modification type and probable history. For example
tidbits such as how to differentiate between a Boeing 777 and an Airbus 340 on the ground by its landing gear alone
three wheel sets rather than two
if I got that correctly. And how some of the newer Boeing 757s are coming out with winglets, etc. All of you know this of course
but it was new to me.
It was through them that I learned the existence of air-britain.com
and of course
nycaviation.com. So if anyone here wants to blame someone for pointing me in your direction
theyre the ones! [LOL]
We just stood around there
yakked
and spotted for easily two hours
in plain view
with passengers and airport types passing by in fits and spurts
and not a hint of undue attention. They took down their sightings while I photographed selected aircraft like it was the most natural and accepted pastime. I added to my limited ... but growing ... store of airline knowledge by the minute
learning more in just those two hours than I had in my entire life to date.
They had been stationed there for all that day plus 7-8 hours the previous day (SAT). They were certainly into their craft and provided me with a splendid introduction into aircraft spotting. I thought afterwards
if other aircraft spotters are even half as unselfish
sharing
and genial as these chaps
Ive come to the right hobby. Hopefully that will continue to be so.
We remain in touch via e-mail
one is a transplanted Briton now in Providence, RI while the other two are back in Essex just E of London
by now. Indeed
two of them are snail-mailing me separately ... as I speak
sample copies of air-britain.com publications to give an idea of whats available out there in the wide world of aircraft spotting. In their worldwide experience they concluded that our collective hobby seems to be more developed
more widely practiced
and more publicly accepted over there
especially in the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany
than on this side of the pond. Interesting.
Just thought Id share this
Mike (shamrock838)
