Northern Ireland Aviation Enthusiast's Forum

General Aviation Discussion => Spotting Trips => Topic started by: Squad 701 on October 07, 2009, 09:29:50 PM

Title: Madrid - 06/10/09
Post by: Squad 701 on October 07, 2009, 09:29:50 PM

Hi all,
Hammerhead and myself managed to brave the heat yesterday in Madrid, the mad-dog's we are ;-)
Snapping away at 27c from yet another mound, except whereas the one in Dublin has circling Buzzards,
this one had circling Griffon Vultures, but it was not us they were interested in.
A great day out was to be had, and despite the 2 hour plus Ryanair journey, it was well worth the visit,
and worth bearing in mind for the new year when cheap-flight's and guaranteed blue-sky's will be once again.
Here's the link for some of the day's pics.
Cheers.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/squad701/sets/72157622537278706/detail/

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Title: Re: Madrid - 06/10/09
Post by: Dave on October 07, 2009, 09:44:37 PM

 :o  :o  :o  :o :o :o

I've been trying to get around to booking a 2 or 3 day spotting trip to MAD as with Ryanair flying there from DUB, the whole trip could cost less than £100. Did you go for just the day? And would you recommend it? My only concern is getting to and from the spotting locations. Is the mound there easy to get to and what's the security like. Do tell more  ;D

Great set of shots, lots of heavies in the action which is one reason why I'm itching to head to MAD.

By the way, the Dreamliner 737 is based in Dublin now, have you guy's caught much of it recently?

Title: Re: Madrid - 06/10/09
Post by: casper on October 08, 2009, 06:59:57 AM

Quote

Snapping away at 27c from yet another mound

It's an awful job but someone's got to do it :)

Nice photos and quite a large range of aircraft and operators.

Title: Re: Madrid - 06/10/09
Post by: Squad 701 on October 09, 2009, 02:19:47 PM

Hi Dave & Casper,
I think just to lay on the mound at the airport without even taking a shot would have been worth it, considering how the weather was developing here.
It's one of those grab your flight at the right price spotting trip's. Hammerhead (The Don) managed to pick up the flight's for €40 return with Ryanair,
it was my first time flying with them, and was amazed by the amount of nervous people with very-heavy looking carry-on luggage (including myself).
I noticed one or two being apprehended for carrying more than one item.
Other than that, it was a nice smooth flight, 2hr25min down and 2hr10min back, it was an early flight heading out at 05.55 and returning into Dublin close to midnight.
When you arrive at Terminal 1 in Madrid, you take the long walk (a la Heathrow) to the very end of the building, where you will find the Metro station,
it cover's Terminal 1/2/3, there are plenty of automated ticket machine's there, which can be used easily in English, they are very similar to the Luas ticket kiosk's if you were ever down this neck of the wood's ;-) €2 will bring you one stop to Barajas (heading towards Terminal 4 station)
When you arrive there, turn left as you leave the station, as you walk downhill you'll notice allotment's on your left (Sunflower's/Cabbage etc.) take the first turn left after these and proceed down this road a short distance until you get to a white-painted footbridge, this will safely get you across the motorway to a large field, continue across the field veering right towards some fencing, here you will go back downhill to a roundabout, the mound is basically on the opposite side of the road. In all it's a pleasant 10 min walk from the station.
Make sure you stock up on water etc. before getting to the mound, there is a Burger king hidden close to the station for when you can pull yourself away, and cheap it is too, best burger I've had in a long time.
On the way back you can take an alternate route if you feel energetic enough, it's basically the road that skirt's the airport back to Terminal 1,
passing a lot of closed hanger's on the way, it take's a good 15mins.
Madrid airport itself was non-stop busy, with different runway's in use all the time, vertigo will set-in.
The lighting for photography only became really good from just after midday, as planes taxi by you'll have to dodge the huge amount of lamppost's, hedges and van's passing the perimeter road, so it takes a few minutes to settle-in, 100-400 should do the job.
I was very pleased with what I got, a few managed to escape me taking off from the rear of the far terminal 3, i.e. Lan etc. so a return visit will be in the pipeline :-)
If you can coincide cheap-fare's, good weather and great light, you simply can't go wrong.
Cheers.

Squad 701

PS the novelty of the dreamliner is slipping away, it was there when we were heading out, and there again when we returned.
     Madrid 06-10-09  http://www.flickr.com/photos/squad701/sets/72157622537278706/detail/

Title: Re: Madrid - 06/10/09
Post by: Dave on October 09, 2009, 03:33:42 PM

Thanks for the detailed reply Squad, a trip to Madrid is definately on the books for me, possibly January. I believe there is still an IL-96 putting in almost daily appearances there however the A340-600 is the big attraction to me.

Your shot's are stunning quality, and it does look like the lamp posts made things difficult. Were you using your 70-200mm or your 300mm prime there?

Also, while browsing your shots, I came across this one, which seems to have a formation of aircraft flying about in the background. Any idea what they were?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/squad701/3990101579/sizes/o/

The only downside I can see about MAD is that theres no where suitable for touchdown or rotation shots including the runway. Nether the less, I will look in to booking some flights. Thanks for the heads up guys.

Dave

Title: Re: Madrid - 06/10/09
Post by: Hammerhead on October 09, 2009, 08:41:20 PM

Quote from: Dave on October 09, 2009, 03:33:42 PM

 while browsing your shots, I came across this one, which seems to have a formation of aircraft flying about in the background. Any idea what they were?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/squad701/3990101579/sizes/o

Hi Dave.. the aircraft you can see in Squads pic are a formation of Canadair CL-215 fire fighting aircraft from Torrejón Airport http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madrid-Torrej%C3%B3n_Airport which is the other side of the hills you can see in the pics, We also saw a Boeing 707 a Hercules and a few FA-18's flying around but due to the distance and haze there was no point in trying to take any pic's,However if i get back to Madrid i will try and get over to have a closer look as there seems to be a collection of preserved aircraft on the base, also not too far away is the Spanish Air Force Museum which would be worth a visit http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=slv&lp=xx_en&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ejercitodelaire.mde.es%2Fea%2Fpag ;D

Title: Re: Madrid - 06/10/09
Post by: Dave on October 09, 2009, 08:48:21 PM

Nice one Don, I thought they looked like the Canadiar Firefighting planes but didn't think they'd fly around in formation! Interesting stuff, and great to cath the formation in a pic. Glad you guys had fun, you both are no doubt browner than the last time I saw you's down in Dublin  8)

Title: Re: Madrid - 06/10/09
Post by: Hammerhead on October 09, 2009, 08:52:15 PM

They were probably practicing for the 12 of October parade ...http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=slv&lp=xx_en&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ejercitodelaire.mde.es%2Fea%2Fpag ...and as for being browner the only way i would get browner is if you painted me... :LOL

Title: Re: Madrid - 06/10/09
Post by: Hammerhead on October 11, 2009, 09:58:08 AM

Quote from: Dave on October 09, 2009, 03:33:42 PM

Thanks for the detailed reply Squad, a trip to Madrid is definitely on the books for me, possibly January.

The only downside I can see about MAD is that theres no where suitable for touchdown or rotation shots including the runway. Nether the less, I will look in to booking some flights. Thanks for the heads up guys.

Dave

Hi Dave. i was just having a look at the weather in Madrid in January and i wouldn't recommend a trip then as the average temp is only 9C and i think the mound would be too exposed, its quite windy there and even with the temp up around 27c when we were there it never got too warm,also there is only 5 hours of sunshine on average during January so i think from the end of March to the end of May would be the best time for a trip as the temps are not too hot and the sunshine is back up to 9+ hours a day.         

As Squad said the amount of aircraft movements can be quite disorientating over there, i counted up to 16 aircraft moving at the same time and that doesn't include to ones on approach so keeping track of them all can be quiet a job,as for getting landing or takeoff shots it can be done, but it means going to where you cant see whats happening anywhere else in the airport so you run the risk of missing something good arriving or departing when you are away from the mound, I'm hoping to get back there too in the near future.

Heres a few shots that show how busy it was...

(http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk308/doncashen/Madrid06-10-09269.jpg)

From the mound all movements can be seen

(http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk308/doncashen/Madrid06-10-09242.jpg)

Aircraft lining up on the nearest runway..Madrid has 4 to keep your eyes on.. 8)

(http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk308/doncashen/Madrid06-10-09118.jpg)

And one for the youngsters... ;D

(http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk308/doncashen/Madrid06-10-09338-1.jpg)

Title: Re: Madrid - 06/10/09
Post by: Dave on October 11, 2009, 11:21:45 AM

Mmmm that's a point well raised, and after January and Easter, it's still a tad cool in Spain. I wonder if it's possible to squeeze in a trip before the year is finished providing some cheap flights can be found..

Those are great shots Don, I like the last livery  :angel: