London city spotting video

[Jeff]

www.facebook.com/ITVLondon/videos/10154558779122944/

[davidallum]

Nice video,but would have to disagree with the statement that the majority of spotters are young,whenever I go to an airport or event,we bemoan the fact that not enough youngsters are coming into the hobby.

[graham]

Very true Dave, I can't claim to know or even to have met more then 40 or so members of AFA at various events but the vast majority of those I have met are in the 40+ age range and most of them are 50+. I do often wonder why they are so few younger spotters. Many of us started our hobby in the 60s and 70s when there was no 24 hour TV ( and only three channels), no gaming consoles, no skateboard parks and so on, it was a hobby that got you out of the house, not that I ever needed any encouragement, and for a bus ride and a cheap pair of bins and a notebook, you could while the day away and talk to similarly minded people.

Some of the happiest days of my teens were spent atop the QB at Heathrow but even if it were still open today, most kids would think we were crazy. Maybe it's deemed as "old hat" or "square" these days? Who knows?

[Jeff]

I am on various Facebook groups which revolve around spotting, the members on these seem to be of the younger variety and FR24 seems to be the tool of choice. I do wonder if the youngsters are out there but things like spotting books, mailing lists and forums are deemed old hat, perhaps we have just been left behind! There are other issues that may make newcomers wary of posting on forums ie: being admonished for making a simple mistake or similar, while we here at AFA are welcoming and encouraging every forum has people who seem to take pleasure in telling you 'your wrong'

[graham]

That's true Jeff, I have had the distinct displeasure of having pot shots taken at me on other aviation forums where you are treated like an idiot for just asking a question. One forum, a large one specialising in military. told me I couldn't post photographs alongside my log for a chopper base in Cornwall and it all got a bit heated. But as you say, a lot of people are put off from joining online communities for various reasons - simple lack of confidence, fear of putting a foot wrong, on line bullying, the thought that they might not be able to offer anything useful, constant changing of rules and what is and what isn't allowed, and so on.

I used to do a lot of paid travel writing for those contemplating visiting Greece, not big bucks, but small articles for which I might have been paid fifty quid or so. These articles were published on various online travel websites.As with anything online, some of the info is bound to be out-of-date almost immediately. The verbal abuse I received because a cafe, bar, activity or restaurant I had recommended had closed was unbelievable. "You don't know what you're talking about" was the most regular comment I would get, or, " we went there last month and the bar you recommended was boarded up, thanks for nothing", when most of the idiots sending these messages were people I was trying to help and had never even visited Greece previously.

It does make you ask yourself, " why do I bother?".............

[davidallum]

Well,it's a real pleasure being a member of AFA,very nice people who try and help other people and long may it continue.

[billsamuels]

Hi Guys,

Think you're right but we shouldn't forget that we do have a few young'un's coming through - Dylan, for one, who is very active AFA'er and on some of the aviation groups on FB... He posts regular logs and great photos from his (and his grandad) many trips around the UK... Always willing to communicate and a thoroughly nice guy...

I think when we were kids planes were a little more interesting too.  Propellers always made me feel good, the high pitched screech of the Viscount and ear pearcing sound of the Vanguard were moments when on top of QB you had to shove fingers into your ears!!! But watching Dakota's, Britannia's, all of the Douglas big prop's, Lockheed's Connies and Electra's and even the old Air France Duex Ponts, all had individual characteristics - not really seen in today's modern aircraft.  Nowadays they are all very efficient, sterile and extremely effective and some might say a tad boring....

I went to the recent Aviation Enthusiast show at Kempton Park and it struck me then that there were quite a few dad's and grandad's present with their young off-spring... That has to be the first step... So if you have any youngsters in your life - take then to an airfield or airport and see if you can spark a bit of interest....

Good luck folks.

Bill

[Jeff]

I think the likes of FR24 planefinder etc could see the younsters return, before these apps it was just a plane going over, now you have type destination and most importantly the registration, its only a small step from there to the collecting of reggies 😊 perhaps I should mention 'Civil Aircraft Markings' on these groups 😂

[lordevanelpuss]

There was certainly more individuality in the types you could see at LHR & LGW (and, of course other larger airports where airliners went in & out of) in days gone by. My regular visits to both LHR & LGW began in the latter half of the 1970s when I started earning and there was a frequent coach service that called into Heathrow's bus station while en route to London itself. Air France had the following on it's various flights, Airbus was in it's infancy and both Air France & Lufthansa had A300s, AF also used Caravelles, Boeing 727s, TAT aircraft on some flights which were F27s & F28s. If you were lucky you got a B707 & 747 and even an Air Inter Dassault Mercure! Lufty also had B727s. At Gatwick, Spantax had CV990 Coronados (some ex Swissair, who used them into LHR in the early 1970s), DC8s. On the propliners I saw a Balair DC6 at LGW & one operated by Kar Air at LHR!. I still think that there is plenty of individuality in light aircraft, even the newer types, but my sister's criticism about aircraft looking the same is starting to come true when it comes to airliners, especially the smaller ones, with, even the narrow bodied Airbus types resembling B737s since they gave them large winglets, as does the EMB170 family.
On the subject of aircraft noise, Some of the aircraft that flew out of RAE Farnborough in the 1960s & early 1970s would certainly create interest if they were seen flying today. The likes of Blackburn Beverley, Handley Page Hastings, Avro Shackleton & Vickers Varsity (Last of these was retired sometime in the 1990s) I can still hear those sounds in my head now!!

[Dylan]

Half of the problem with the people my age is they want to fit in with everybody else - which clearly is being on the Xbox or whatever 24/7 (no, I'm definitely not on my phone 25 hours per day ). I'm quite sure if I offered any of my good friends (non-aviators) up to Heathrow or Gatwick for a day they'd be much more interested, it's just a matter of getting them to agree to it at first as to them I'd imagine it just sounds boring looking at planes and meeting new people every weekend. Funny isn't it, one of my friends (same age as I am) doesn't see the point in our hobby at all, yet he knows full well how happy I am and how many great people I know through it - again, I think it's a "Nobody else does it so I'm not" thing.

For me there's nothing better than after a long week jumping in the car with my Grandad and going and seeing new aircraft - and lately been taking photos too (which I'll start uploading after this reply). We've had multiple offers to take us up as well from very generous owners. I remember a few years ago at Wormingford (glider field in Essex), a lad in an old Land Rover pulled up alongside us and was very interested in the hobby and offered us up in a glider as they didn't have as many bookings turn up as they thought would. People like that make it even better than it already is! As you say Graham, I'm sure if they re-opened the terrace at Heathrow then many of us would get some strange looks nowadays.

Bill, I made the short train journey to Southampton the other day and just before leaving the house my 10 year old sister asked to come with me because she wanted to see some trains and planes. I was well n truly shocked mate! I read off a Cheyenne up there as the usual German one which is always in there, but Holly turns round and goes "Are you blind Dyl? That's D-ISHF!" Which made me chuckle. Told her I'll make a spotter of her yet - got the filthiest look ever - we shall see won't we!

Cheers guys.
Dylan

[graham]

Good for you Dylan, you have Kev who has presumably fostered your interest in the hobby which is fantastic. My eight year old grand-daughter said when she came to stay last time that she wanted to see some planes up close so when she makes her next visit at the end of May, we will take her to Old Sarum. She'll be thrilled I'm sure.

[mikeburdett]

Although I am sort of in the middle age gap now (30) I do class myself as one of the younger spotters. My dad got me into the hobby accidentally really. He has always had an interest in Aircraft and began spotting in the 80s. One weekend in the 90s we took a day trip down to Gatwick using the trains (Class 73 London to Gatwick!) and while standing on the viewing deck looking at Air New Zealand B737-200 ZK-NAH that was on lease to Airtours I decided that was a hobby I wanted to do.

During my school years I was often mocked for my hobby and still get it now from some people, It doesn't bother me as I like to think I am doing something better than most of these people.

More younger people are getting into Aviation photography but not the logging side of things. I even notice more females are getting into aviation photography. My Mrs uses a database and collects aircraft but not quite on the scale of me, she likes to go out and see them and log up. Even out little 6 year old girl has a UKQR book but she has lost interest in it now.

Cheers

Mike B

[lordevanelpuss]

May 17, 2017 8:47:12 GMT mikeburdett said:

 

During my school years I was often mocked for my hobby and still get it now from some people, It doesn't bother me as I like to think I am doing something better than most of these people.

More younger people are getting into Aviation photography but not the logging side of things. I even notice more females are getting into aviation photography. My Mrs uses a database and collects aircraft but not quite on the scale of me, she likes to go out and see them and log up. Even out little 6 year old girl has a UKQR book but she has lost interest in it now.

Cheers

Mike B

I think that might be part of the problem too. The general image that hobbies like ours has, be it aircraft, trains, buses or even Eddie Stobart's Juggernauts! The tabloid press just loves to label us transport enthusiasts as 'Anoraks', with images of 'saddos' hunched in a corner of a railway platform with a notebook, or at the roadside waiting for the next bus or Stobart artic to roll by! It doesn't seem to occur to these critics of our hobby that if it carries on into adulthood, once you start earning, hobbies like these can & do take you to other countries, or even that participants may also have other interests besides transport, which may even be 'permitted' by the media critics, how many spotters are also footy fans? I suspect plenty are!

[davidallum]

Due to this wonderful hobby of ours I've been to many places around the world that I probally wouldn't have got to and always make sure I do the touristy bits whilst I'm there and I have other interests,I play darts for my local pub,I'm a massive football fan and have been a season ticket holder @ my home town of Reading since 2001.

And for what it's worth,I have never owned an anorak in my life

[lordevanelpuss]

For the record, I have been an aviation enthusiast all my life, the 'spotting' part of it came when I got my first pair of binoculars courtesy of my late mother who won £1000 in a competition back in 1972. The photography side came a decade later after I had got my own transport and discovered the wonders of Popham and other places. I too have taken my hobby abroad, to parts of Europe and Canada. I enjoy local pubs (please use them while you can, or risk losing them) I have made my own beer in the past (Drinking at home & in the local pub can co-exist, despite what some may say - I do both) Having an outside job & hobby gives me an interest in the weather, in particular those signs in the sky that forewarn of incoming poor weather.

[graham]

Many of us grew up with trains and buses as our first delight, and then we migrated across to planes. I was an avid train spotter, courtesy of my paternal grand dad having been an engine driver on the GWR, and the tales and stories he told me as a child simply fascinated me. He'd had the pleasure of piloting a clanking, fire breathing, metal monster from Paddington to the west country, a job he did for more than 20 years having graduated the way they all did, the hard way.

When I was 11 and went to secondary school, I met with Keithh and daveallum who then got me into aircraft, although I was a dual "train" and "aircraft" spotter for a couple of years before the attentions switched solely to planes.

Apart from the planes, I love photography, travel, home brewing and travel writing which has earned me a few crusts over the years.