CZECH REPUBLIC
KBELY
Museum is open from May-October 10am-6pm but closed on Mondays. For more info visit http://home.arcor.de/f111raven/ and http://www.vhu.cz/cs/stranka/letecke-muzeum/.
Added 22 March 2008
PRAGUE (LKPR/PRG)
On arrival you can stay airside for views of all stands on piers A and B, main runway 06/24, and can freely wander up and down these piers. There is a bar at the end of Pier A for a particularly good place to spend the day. Gate B16 also provides reasonable views. Pier C is currently being built but aircraft are parking there already. If they park on the other side then you won't be able to log them. On the first floor, there is a restaurant with a door leading to a viewing gallery. It's enclosed in glass and gives views of one half of Pier B and one half of Pier C. Pier A is not visible at all, however you will see everything that moves from here. There are views of one side of Pier A at the side of check in. GA and military are not visible from the terminal (landside or airside), as they use a separate area to the south. The airport has 3 terminals. Terminal 3 is used by the Exec traffic and is some way from Terminals 1 & 2. However all the aprons of this terminal can be seen from T2 but a good scope is needed to read off the contents. The main passenger complex consists of 2 Terminals (1 & 2) laid out in an 'L' shape. At the far left end of T2 is a glass wall which looks out over T3. T2 is used primarily by those airlines flying to the 'Schengen' countries, and it is from here the ATRs depart. Terminal 2 is used by all other airlines. Between the 2 terminals is a very small viewing area, which looks over a set of gates on piers of T2 (Pier C) and a set of gates of T1 (Pier B). Most movements use the runway directly in front of you so all arrivals can be watched. However the ATRs depart on a smaller runway out of sight of the terrace, which is at 90 degrees to the main runway. By far the best place to spot is once airside (and if travelling just for the day) then stay airside as long as possible - going landside only to check out maintenance/T3. Airside T1 you can see all the action on gates on piers A & B and half of C but there is no access to Pier C / T2. However all movements will taxi past either on arrival or departure. Best place to sit is at the end of either Pier B or C. Security is passed through at each gate individually so movement about T1 is easy. Car park C, directly opposite the terminal, is right next to the main runway so you can see all movements and some parked at the terminal and cargo area, from the top level. From a stair well at one end of the car park it is possible to record all arrivals using runway 24 and most of the departures. The exceptions being the ATRs, Dash 8s etc that tend to depart from half way down the runway. This spot also overlooks the stands used predominantly by the CSA A310s and one of the de-icing bays but only has partial views of most other stands due to the height of the terminal roof. It should be noted that there is also a cross runway, 13/31, (to your left and over your shoulder and joins the main runway in a T) which is often used by the smaller aircraft (up to ATR size) although with care, the majority of movements using this runway are identifiable from car park C. Mainly used by light aircraft, bizjets and ATRs they take off at either direction, seemingly at random so you need to keep an eye on this. No hassle on the car park and is a popular place for locals to wave goodbye. Behind you are the preserved DC-3, maintenance, GA, old terminal and military area. By walking around the car park you can log most parked by the hangars and on other empty areas but some are quite distant and at an angle. You can get a better angle on this from the top level of deserted car park A - for this, bear slightly right upon leaving arrivals/departures, cross the road keeping the new terminal on your right. I believe this car park A is now for employees, but no one seems to mind you being there at the moment. There are also reasonable views by turning left out of the terminal. Lighting on the ramp is reasonably good allowing most, but by no means all, movements to be noted after dark from the restaurant. Previous reports have suggested that, during summer months, a small viewing deck is accessible from outside the front of the terminal, cannot confirm whether this remains the case. There is certainly a small observation deck that is open year round although this is only accessible to departing passengers and is located after passport control. Bus 100, which goes to the metro station, stops at the GA area. The new hotel Ramada will have rooms with good views and it looks like the area to the left of the hotel will have views as well. For more info visit http://www.planes.cz/en/ and you can post logs and requests on their forum.
Updated 17 February 2008