AUSTRIA
GRAZ (LOWG/GRZ)
Good viewing possible from landside and airside cafe area and from terminal gate area. Gates 1-10 are best, gates 11- 15 have a restrictive view and are accessed after passing through outward passport control. For more info visit http://www.planes-international.com/grz-e.htm.
Added 29 May 2007
SALZBURG-W.A. MOZART (LOWS/SZG)
There is a terrace accessed by steps from the terminal. Look out for signs for the "Airest" restaurant. The runway and ramp are clearly visible from the terrace though it’s often very cold. One level down is a cafe from which all movements can be seen. Quite a bit of the general aviation ramp can be seen by turning right outside the terminal - follow the road for about 200 metres till you reach the main road, turn right here, and you will see the GA on your left hand side. If you continue along this road under the tunnel under the runway, turn right after the end of the tunnel and follow the road for about 400 metres you will reach the “Red Bull" museum hangars with free admission. Photography of aircraft on the runway would also be possible from this side of the airfield with a decent lens. Also views can be had from either side of the terminal. Many Russian airlines visit at the start of January, with Saturdays being the busiest for all movements.
For more info visit http://www.salzburg-spotters.net/ and http://www.planes-international.com/szg-e.htm.
Updated 29 November 2007
VIENNA (LOWW/VIE)
Vienna has two runways - 11/29 and 16/34. Car park 4 (P4), level 8 seems to be the 'official' area - superb view of the airfield and arrivals on 16, but 11/29 is obscured behind the new terminal building. In the lowest level (arrivals), there are shops, possibly a supermarket and a McDonald's. Leave the terminal and walk across the road to the car park, just a few minutes walk. When the El Al flight is in, you may be moved on by the police, but you are allowed back once it has departed. In the meantime, use the restaurant (though it's expensive) one floor up from departures and overlooks the central stands. However you can only see one runway, so if they use the runway behind the terminal you will miss anything that goes on to the large apron to the left of the terminal, including all the regionals. P4 is under cover, but open to the wind and cold so during the quiet periods it may be advisable to return to the terminal to warm up. No need to worry about the Police helicopter that hovers nearby now and then. Car park P3 overlooks 11/29 and you can also read movements on 16 with a good pair of bins. Check the airport website http://english.viennaairport.com/airporttours.html for the bus tours - you will clear nearly everything. Great if you like biz as you can't see this area from P4. They start at the new Visitair center adjacent to P4, located here http://www.viennaairport.com/jart/prj3/via/resources/uploads/Zufahtsplan Visitaircenter neu1.pdf. The tours are Monday-Saturday (including holidays) from 09:00-17:00. No tours on Sundays. The tour goes every hour on the hour, is about an hour long, costs 7EUR and goes past GA, Cargo and maintenance areas. Phone number for reservations: +43-1-7007-22150 or email visitaircenter@viennaairport.com. If you're after photography positions, there's a website run by locals at http://www.vap-group.at, click on "Vienna information". If you need to, you can go to the top floor (level 8) of car park P3 to read off what's there (usually a couple of LET 410s). It's effectively the other end of the terminal, but the view for logging or photos is not as good as P4 and may not be necessary if you took the tour. It also depends on runway direction and usage. For the GA and biz ramp – it’s about a 40 minute round trip from car park 3. When you have passed the freight and maintenance area you come to a long stay car park, go past this and you come to some waste ground, cut across this, turn left and you are overlooking the large apron. Check the weather before your trip so you know the best place to go, and watch out for runway changes without warning. For more info visit http://www.planes-international.com/vie-e.htm.
Updated 27 February 2008