St-John’s, Newfoundland (CYYT)
A month in St-John’s, Newfoundland came to an end.
There is quite a variety of aircraft that come here. You just have to constantly watch the flight tracking apps (not just just FR24) and be ready to go at a moment’s notice. Also, it is hit and miss. Some days there’s several interesting movements, other days there’s nothing. Thankfully I stayed at a hotel close to the airport, and had full-time access to a car.
Spotting locations:
Landings Runway 29: Several good options along RCAF Road. Once there, you can position yourself for your favourite angle. You can also access dirt tracks that will take you underneath the approach lighting. Where RCAF Road takes a sharp left, there is a good spot on the side of the road where you can park and get good side-on shots of landing aircraft. Further up RCAF road, you can shoot from the parking lot at PAL Aerospace. There are lots of overhead wires so shooting time will be limited as the airport fence can be a bit high. A step ladder would be useful at this location so that you shoot above the fence.
Landings Runway 34/takeoff Runway 16: The woods near the parking lot of Service Canada on Hebron Way. You can park in the lot, or in the open gravel area next to it. Walk into the woods until you are at the airport fence. from there you can position yourself as needed. Shots of aircraft on the ground, or lining up for takeoff on runway 34 are only possible by shooting through the holes in the fence, or with a ladder. Takeoffs on runway 16 are possible without a ladder, but only with larger aircraft that rotate further down the runway.
I was unable to find suitable locations for aircraft landing on runway 11 and 16. Takeoffs from runway 29 also did not seem possible. The airport is mostly surrounded by inaccessible woodland and a few quarries.
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