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MSP adds new plane viewing area

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MSP has opened an officially-sanctioned place for people to view and photograph aviation traffic. (www.mprnews.org) More...

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mpmt06
Mark Thomas 6
Thats awesome! Definitely planning a visit to MSP now. A word to the wise… keep it clean!
ConcordeNick
I wish my airport would do something like this. This is really terrific. Perhaps I'll get the chance to go there some day.
pjholst
pjholst 4
Here is another article about this: http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_29060396/msp-airport-has-new-place-watching-planes
For the sake of full disclosure, I was interviewed for the article while I was there a few weeks ago. I am one of the two people in the picture.
corsair2
David Seider 1
Thank you, Phil, for the link. Do some bird-watching for me, while you're at it. KMSP > KGNV
tyketto
Now if they can only feed ATC to the area, like Las Vegas does.
TiredTom
Tom Bruce 1
get your own radio - then you can tune in to any freq you want... not expensive - radio shack used to have a good one for under $30
tyketto
I have one; I've had it for 17 years. My point is that for a dedicated spotting area, it would be great to have ATC piped over, say FM radio, to your car or area in question.

KLAS has this at their parking/spotting area next to runway 25L. KVGT (North Las Vegas Airport) has this in their parking area between the approach ends of runway 7 and 12R. At both locations, they have the Local Controller (Tower) fed through a given FM frequency to your car, where you can listen to it there, allowing you to tune to, say, the final Approach frequency, to catch a given flight from 30 miles out all the way down.

Also, for those without a scanner, they could tune their car stereo to that frequency and just hear tower.
TiredTom
Tom Bruce 1
OK stand corrected, I agree
yul222
yul222 -1
BE VERY CAREUL. IT'S UNLAWFUL TO HAVE A SCANNER IN YOUR CAR IN MINNESOTA.
rdlink
rdlink 1
What about one of the numerous apps available for your smart phone?
dtw757
mike SUT 3
So much for our cops at PDX telling us it's a crime to take photos or that we are trespassing or any of a million other reasons we are asked to leave.
RRKen
One of the few things that is allowed in Minnesota.
corsair2
David Seider 1
I know what you mean, Ken. I'm quite surprised (but happy) that the MAC OK'd this. I love MN, hate the politics.
corsair2
David Seider 2
Wow...this sure beats the daylights out of the Post Rd. location! I have to get back to my home airport to check it out! <3 MSP!
FuturePilot13
Yeah, me too
irmotom
Tom Fox 2
Finally.......money well spent for normal folks !!!
jwmson
jwmson 2
Super!
CyranoSmith
CyranoSmith 2
Glad to hear it - let's hope more airports will join in.
paul8626
Paul Smith 2
I also like to watch trains. After Rochelle Illinois installed their train watching area a lot of other communities have made official train watching areas too. Let's hope that the airports around the country follows MSPs example!
willhop66
FYI At SFo there's a 1 to 2 mile walk/park with an unobstructed view of Runways 19 L&R (the other two are more in the distance). There also a bunch of restaurants whose windows have a view of the runways. For the price of a drink (parking free with drink) you can watch aircraft from their patio and sit by the fire pit. (CA doesn't get too cold, but it gets chilly - won't impress folks from the east.)
FuturePilot13
Can't wait to check it out,my home airport,as well!
doublesharp44
doublesharp44 1
Really cool that they did this. I checked it out a couple weeks ago. Only downside is that the view is slightly obstructed if you're about 5'10"... the security fence is in a ditch which makes it lower, but the top bar was right at eye level for me. It's still way better than the snow fence at the cell phone lot though. Most people were standing on the tables and benches to get a clear view (hope they don't mind!)
TiredTom
Tom Bruce 1
the hill, multi level parking lot on 24 approach, and "in and out" at LAX, tram terminals at SFO, and MSP inside viewing deck my favoeites
damavab
Congratulations MSP I wish SEA would do the same.
Inky90
I'll have to check out my airport location to see if it's permitted. (Politics and Polytrics
SmokedChops
SmokedChops 1
DSM had an epic locale to view, park benches and all, right near the air Guard ramp overlooking 13/31. An expansion several years ago rerouted the road and now the area is in the middle of the Air Guard base. The guys at the gate with the M4's are not too keen to let gawkers wander in - especially now that the 132nd is a drone ops unit. Great memories, however....

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