Landing photographs

I notice that there are quite a few photo's of landings from aircraft on the net.
I am due to fly to SFO in early Dec and would dearly love some landing shots. Does anyone out there have any advice about taking such pictures?. Can i use digital during a landing?.

Hi toesupwa

Welcome to V-Flyer You'll probably get a more in-depth reply if you posted this on http://www.airliners.net in the photography forum, but here are my thoughts.

1. Get a window seat!
2. If you're in economy, go for a seat down the back cos if you're further forward you'll just get pictures of wing (and it's a very big wing on a 747!)
3. Autofocus can be a problem when taking photos through the window but you can't do much about that really, although a clean window helps.
4. I had a seat on the right the last time I flew into SFO and had fantastic views of the city and the airport as we flew down the bay before turning in to land.
5. AFAIK digital cameras are not on the list of 'things not to be used on t/o + landing' but some some cabin crew still don't like people using them.

Other than that, just snap away!

Cheers
Alan

Thanks Alan

That info is useful!.
I have been looking at the topics on airliners.net and also some of the landing / take off pics but an still a little confused with what is 'electronic equipment. Would a Manual camera (ie 35mm) be better to carry just in case the crew get 'iffy'?
I have flown in / out of Heathrow, Gatwick, Atlanta and Los Angeles but havnt had the courage to take any landing / takeoff pics.. Going in to SFO would be VERY tempting to have a go though.
Thanks again for the input.
Toesupwa

For those interested, this is an eye opening article...

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeroma ... story.html

Hi toesupwa

I've been asked not to use a 35mm non-digital camera on a flight once too, so I don't think that makes any difference. However, I think that it's mainly things like laptops, mobile phones, Gameboys, etc which are the problem.

Are there any cabin crew here who know what the official line is?

Cheers
Alan

[fozzyo]

On laptops and alike, do crew ask users to turn off stuff like Wireless networking and bluetooth etc?

Foz )

quote:Originally posted by toesupwa
For those interested, this is an eye opening article...

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeroma ... story.html

An interesting article..

I noticed boeing are yet unable to prove a link between PED's and interference with a/c systems.

The main reason for the cell phone ban was than an airborn cell is in range of far more base stations than a ground unit.

This Article is interesting although a bit old so I wonder if Britania got the OK for in Cabin WiFi

[mitchja]

quote:Originally posted by fozzyo
On laptops and alike, do crew ask users to turn off stuff like Wireless networking and bluetooth etc?

Foz )

Foz

Qatar Airways also ban the use of cordless mice at all times during flights. Technically bluetooth and wireless LAN cards should also not be used at any time as these both transmit/receive for normal use.

Regards

Hi there, I'm assuming that this is your first time to SFO. If so, here's some info...

Both the usual approaches to San Fran, regardless of whether the Bay Area airports are in "West Flow" (i.e. normal ops, landing on the 28s), or "East Flow" (landing on the 19s), are over the Bay itself.

Don't be surprised if you get a "wet feet" feeling on short final .

This is a pic of the airport from the air, flying downwind:

http://pics.smashing.net/p1935329.html

This is from a sequence taken from a seat on the right-hand side of the aircraft. You often don't get to see much of the downtown area, but you do get a nice view of the coast.

The airport is in the middle left of the picture, and the runways are in a "crossed" formation. You will land on one of the runway ends poking into the water.

In almost 6 years of regularly flying into SFO, I've never done an approach to the 10s or the 1s. They are surrounded by high-ground, and don't have any ILS. There are some published non-precision approaches to the 10s, but they are seldom used. The weather in the Bay Area has to be really screwy to make that happen!

Now, this won't take away the feeling of seeing it for the first time, but here's a nice pic or two of the Golden Gate bridge from the air (These are from a sequence taken from the left-hand side of the aircraft):

http://pics.smashing.net/p5150911.html
http://pics.smashing.net/p5150913.html

Finally, a wider shot further out in the approach:

http://pics.smashing.net/p5150908.html

Oakland and Alameda in the East Bay are in the left centre. San Francisco itself is dead centre. In the bottom foreground are the Marin Headlands and the towns of Sausalito and Tiburon. The Presidio of San Francisco is the green area in the right centre, next to the water. The Golden Gate bridge is just coming into focus, joining the Presidio and the Marin Headlands.

Cheers,
Mike

(Footnote: When one major airport in the Bay Area switches runway direction, all the others must switch too - this primarily covers SFO, OAK and SJC, but most of the minors will switch as well. This is what is meant by West/East Flow. Different arrival and departure procedures are used, dependant on flow.)

[mcmbenjamin]

a good place to take pictures at sfo is at the park right next to the marriot at the airport. and you can take there shuttle there too. the bar is located nicely to watch the planes . FYI

email me for some VS pics if you want
[email protected]


also - tylers on the whraf is cool (ferry terminal)

[mcmbenjamin]

ALSO - if you have the time, go to the Aviation Library at the International terminal at SFO. they have a lot of models and books ( figure that!!) also historical uniforms, etc.

Better yet it is next to the elevator to the clubhouse.

Mike

Thanks for posting those pics - almost felt homesick to see them! I love that descent into SFO - especially when you come in from the West of the bay, over the city then turn and land - excellent views of the GGB. CA can be so beautiful (roll on my next trip there at Christmas!) *sigh*

Cheers

Michael

[Bazz]

Thanks for the links Mike, you have some great shots on your site. As mcuth says, for those of of us that love CA it sure does tug at the heart strings! For me, well I have to wait until the end of February before I see SFO again [:(]

Thanks for all the useful info and nice pics guys, most appreciated!.
It looks as if i will be flying in to Seattle with another airline [V] but hope to fly out of San Fran early Jan .

quote:Originally posted by toesupwa
Thanks for all the useful info and nice pics guys, most appreciated!.
It looks as if i will be flying in to Seattle with another airline [V] but hope to fly out of San Fran early Jan .

Sorry, don't have any good SEA pics. It's usually been poor viz or rainy when I have been there.

SEA is usually on southerly ops. Therefore you can usually get a nice view of the downtown area if the cloud cover isn't nasty.

Another bit of fun is driving from Sea-Tac into the downtown area on I-5, if you happen to be driving past Boeing Field/King County (BFI), as a heavy jet is taking off.

It's quite surprising seeing a 777 appear over the horizon in front of you, looking for everything as though it's just taken off using the road you are driving along! I wish I had my camera ready for that!

Cheers,
Mike