So I'm sitting at my gate with a long layover, and where I am at we are facing a huge couple story glass window wall. Most is blocked but the section directly in front of me is clear glass facing a parking structure. There was a Pakastani / Indian looking guy standing on top of it for 40 minutes with binoculars and taking pics. The people sitting next to me noticed it as well. Finally we stopped a security guy who was walking by and pointed it out. He called it in and then a few minutes later the guy took off . About ten minutes later there were some kids there for a couple minutes then they took off.

Weird. Maybe it's a good spot for aviation photographers or something

Thats kind of creepy. Which terminal were you at?

JB

Aside from having to pay to park in the parking garage, I guess it'd be a decent spot for photos.
IAH also has a little parking area off the east end of runway 27 where inbound traffic flies directly overhead.

My office is also on the departure path of 15L, so we occasionally get a good view of 747s, 777s & A380s.
The smaller jets are usually a good bit higher, or already turned, by the time they fly over us.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: P250UA5,

Probably perfectly innocent, just like all the Japanese photographers who loved taking pictures of the natural beauty of Pearl Harbor.

Bruce

Terminal E

Its amazing to me that you can get in close proximity to runways and low flying passenger aircraft at nearly any large airport, but yet you have to take off your shoes to board a plane!

Probably just an airplane buff, but you never know.

You saw something. You said something.

-Rob

I've never done it myself, but it's apparently one of the spotting locations at IAH:

Houston Spotters

And this location in particular, requires notification:

"The garages are one of the spots that require you to inform HAS (Houston Airport System) security before spotting or taking photos there. Call in to security either when you get there, or shortly before."

at least they were not hounding you for autographs and getting all up in your business.

Seems like they should clearly mark them as such so concerned citizens would know.

I think I would have walked to the window, held up my phone and taken his picture, making sure he knew it.

quote:

Originally posted by Lord Vaalic:
Terminal E

Mainly international flights and United Express.
Probably nothing.

Not so innocent, they go by the "nobody will tell or notice" principle. I had a weird incident on a MIA to EWR flight and the Boys with Black suits and sunglasses dragged all 5 of them right off the plane, when it landed.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: downtownv,

when I was growing up, the local airport had an open-air observation deck on the roof of the terminal where you could walk out to the rail and look around the airport - wave to the old man as he went on another trip

personally, I think the security bullshit has gone too far and that people waiting for arrivals and departures should have access to an open air space where they can watch landings and take-offs if they want - it means they're probably interested in aviation

I used to drive down to the PCH and stand off the ends of of R24L and 24R watching them fly overhead at about 150 feet (explains my hearing loss) - and could even hear the wing tip vorticies when it got quiet

if I recall I think Pittsburgh has put together some sort of plan to allow people outside the 'sterile' area to look at the airplanes and operations

I don't see the harm in it - more hard done by the thieves and other miscellaneous felons the TSA has hired to either sexually molest you or to rifle through your luggage and steal your stuff

quote:

Probably just an airplane buff, but you never know.

Pretty common here in Pease. there are always several cars the park and watch and listen.

There is a web site dedicated to aviation photos from this source. We had the same that would wander into the rail yards. Harmless and could go on and on about a boxcar or a locomotive.

http://www.airliners.net/

I visited my brother at RAF Lakenheath England many years ago, when 48TFW had the F-111F, and he showed me "spy curve" just off base where the fanatic (perhaps an understatement) plane spotters were always taking pictures. Here's one of the many sites on the topic:

http://aircraftspotting.co.uk/

Still, the OP did the right thing by saying something.

I'm sure that's all it was, especially after seeing the links to the aviation watching site. Still just seemed odd, especially when he took off after security called it in. Maybe he didn't call ahead and get it approved