Civilian Aviation

The excellent weather was too good to resist today so I ventured down to Heathrow for my first full day there for over a year (well it would have been full but for the M25, managed 7 1/2 hours though ) took loads and there are 100 in my flickr album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/125470545 ... 816271236/

here's a selection, they were all taken opposite Cains Lane by the 27L threshold, some from atop my ladder on the footpath between the A30 and the peri road and others through the fence alongside the peri road on the airport boundary (NOT using a ladder, the powers that be dont appreciate it), I had a small kitchen single step stool to get me above the solid part of the fence while I was there, it only adds about 8 inches but it makes all the difference. Nearly all were taken using my Sigma 18-250 lens, the 100-400 was to much for this location especially with the 777-300s.

first some from the path between the 2 roads:

Nigel (Bat21) might recognise this aircraft:
6227 B2725 B787 China southern by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

3 British Airways classics, A380, B747 and Concorde:
3 British Airways classics, A380, B747 and Concorde LHR 17-02-2015. by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

5856 VH-OQD A380 Qantas by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

5665 ZK-DKS B777 Air NewZaland by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

5876 A7APD A380 QATAR by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

5819 YU-APA A319 Air serbia by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

i tried to get a bit of background in some of them them, especially with the 777-300s side on otherwise there's a lot of sky above and below, so it breaks up the space a bit
5921 SU-GDT A330 Egyptair by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

nice to see the old american airlines scheme:
5928 N39367 B767 American old colours by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

a couple of nice A319s:
the Qatar one is regular
6099 A7-MBK A319 Qatar by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

but this Gulf Air one was a nice surprise replacing the usual A330
6165 A9C-AM A320 Gulf Air by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

the very smart Jordanian 787
6129 JY-BAE B787 royaljordanian by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

tried to time this to get the fence to blend in with the hangars behind with this one
6125 N968AV A330 Avianca by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

5800 VP-AOE A321Aeroflot by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

driver's view (almost):
6060 BA777 over road by sickbag_andy, on Flickr


and some from through the fence after the 3pm runway change:
6254 C-FNNU B777 Air Canada by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

for some reason or other all the waiting departures were held for a while and this A380 and a couple of BA aircraft landed on 27L whith nothing happening on 27R
6286 9V-SKL A380 singapore airlines by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

6323 A7-BED B777 Qatar by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

6335 C-GHPT B787 Air Canada by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

6408 F.70 KLM & B777 Kuwait by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

6446 G-XLED A380 BA by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

6477 ZK-DKS B777 Air NewZealand by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

6547 9K-AOA B777 Kuwait by sickbag_andy, on Flickr

hope that's not too many for you, comments welcome and as I said plenty more in the flickR album (https://www.flickr.com/photos/125470545 ... 816271236/) , I may put some more in the album tomorrow if I have time.

Great shots mate! Love the Avianca 330 and BA 380, can I ask what lens they are taken with?

Excellent set, well done that man !

Danseaman wrote:Great shots mate! Love the Avianca 330 and BA 380, can I ask what lens they are taken with?

many thanks for the comment.

Re the lens, although I took my Canon 100-400 with me, that came off the camera very quickly as it was too large so I swapped almost immediately to my Sigma 18-250 and all these were taken using that. I used it on my EOS600D body and mostly at very low zoom, it was ideal for what I was doing yesterday especially as at 58mm dia you can focus through the mesh fence unlike the 100-400. If you look at the FlickR album (link in original post) you can see the camera data with the focal length used for each photo.

The Sigma is a great lens which cost about £250 new 15 months ago, about a 6th of the list price of the 100-400 although when I want to taken longer distance the 100-400 is a lot better. It had excellent reviews in the magazines when it came out and in the super zoom range (wide angle to moderate zoom) was rated overall best for value and performance. I bought it mainly for holidays so that I only needed one lens and to save hauling the 100-400 about.
As you can tell, I like it and the total rig new was only about £700 so not mega money compared to what some people use.

Looks like you had a good day out Andy. Tidy set with some glorious light. The BA A380 looks brilliant with the 747 and Concorde as a backdrop. Looking down the road with 777 above is eye catching and in a former life as a trucker, I used to deliver motors at the crossroads down there and the only time I had spare time to photograph, it was foggy So always wondered what it was like in the sun.cheers...JB

noryport wrote:Looks like you had a good day out Andy. Tidy set with some glorious light. The BA A380 looks brilliant with the 747 and Concorde as a backdrop. Looking down the road with 777 above is eye catching and in a former life as a trucker, I used to deliver motors at the crossroads down there and the only time I had spare time to photograph, it was foggy So always wondered what it was like in the sun.cheers...JB

Many thanks JB, I liked the opportunity to get the 3 classics together but a shame about the sign, still pleased with it though

Nice set Andy...

MIght try and get down to Heathrow at the start of March - hopefully in light like this!

Dan

From one Andrew to another.. or andy if you prefer
Very nice images, I presume you were one of the blokes on the ladders? Many movers across 27L for takeoff I was gutted to miss so I may try your idea sometime, no hassle from the blokes at BAA?

Nicely done Andy,a shot for picky of the month I think..cheers mate..

Andrew wrote:From one Andrew to another.. or andy if you prefer
Very nice images, I presume you were one of the blokes on the ladders? Many movers across 27L for takeoff I was gutted to miss so I may try your idea sometime, no hassle from the blokes at BAA?

hi Andrew (I'm used to Andrew and Andy), thanks for the comment.

Yes I was one of the ladder users, the one nearest Myrtle Avenue almost under a tree. I picked my spot to minimise the interference from the lamp posts but it was still quite a narrow angle for the more head on shots (and no end with the posts in them but it allowed me to get the side on pics when they were quite low so less 'belly' in them.

Didn't see anyone from BAA or if they saw me they weren't worried. I know they don't like step ladders near the fence but I'm sure my small stool wouldn't worry them, it only gains about 9" - if I was taller I wouldn't need it (I suppose high heels is the other option!). If I could reliably pan through the fence that would be even better as the top strand wouldn't get in the way and I could get some nice pics very close to touchdown. It was a bit lonely by then just me and a french guy who was visiting a friend for a few days but his friend had to work so he pursued his hobby for the day (beats Madame Tussauds).

EDIT- I should have added that I did move down the road to where the lamp posts are lower for a while and the angle was quite good but I was looking up at the aircraft a bit too much for my liking so I upped ladder and returned to the original spot and photographed a few more intruding lamp posts

noryport wrote:Nicely done Andy,a shot for picky of the month I think..cheers mate..

could be if it wasn't for that sign. If it had been later in the day the light would have been better on the Concorde, just had to make the best of the moment when I saw it occurring

Very nice, can't beat winter blue skies

andygolfer wrote:

Andrew wrote:From one Andrew to another.. or andy if you prefer
Very nice images, I presume you were one of the blokes on the ladders? Many movers across 27L for takeoff I was gutted to miss so I may try your idea sometime, no hassle from the blokes at BAA?

hi Andrew (I'm used to Andrew and Andy), thanks for the comment.

Yes I was one of the ladder users, the one nearest Myrtle Avenue almost under a tree. I picked my spot to minimise the interference from the lamp posts but it was still quite a narrow angle for the more head on shots (and no end with the posts in them but it allowed me to get the side on pics when they were quite low so less 'belly' in them.

Didn't see anyone from BAA or if they saw me they weren't worried. I know they don't like step ladders near the fence but I'm sure my small stool wouldn't worry them, it only gains about 9" - if I was taller I wouldn't need it (I suppose high heels is the other option!). If I could reliably pan through the fence that would be even better as the top strand wouldn't get in the way and I could get some nice pics very close to touchdown. It was a bit lonely by then just me and a french guy who was visiting a friend for a few days but his friend had to work so he pursued his hobby for the day (beats Madame Tussauds).

EDIT- I should have added that I did move down the road to where the lamp posts are lower for a while and the angle was quite good but I was looking up at the aircraft a bit too much for my liking so I upped ladder and returned to the original spot and photographed a few more intruding lamp posts

Sounds hassle free but a little challenging, I might try it sometime! Cheers for the info.

I've had a look at the full set on Flikr and you certainly made the most of your day and came away with an excellent set - well worth while.

I've not tried using a ladder down at Cains Lane end as it's bad enough with the abuse from passing mototrists at Myrtle Avenue. Maybe i'll take some ear plugs and a ladder and give it a try as the side on shots with a backdrop makes quite a difference to those I come away with from Myrtle Avenue.

Cessna

Great selection Andy. I like the shots with the maintenance hangar in background. Must get to that spot sometime.