Plane spotters: high on flying

By ALAN PERROTT

Plane spotters have always been among us, but it took a blazing Concorde to bring them out of obscurity.

One moment they were dotted anonymously around Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris waiting to photograph everyone's favourite airliner - the next day their pictures were on the world's front pages.

As you read this, there are binoculars trained on airfields all over New Zealand.

Auckland International Airport has two special viewing parks, each ideally placed at the eastern end of the runway.

Jumbos and private planes alike seem to roar by within spitting distance.

Both parks were full of spotters when the Herald visited - not a space was spare.

There they were in their natural environment, with packed lunches, flight schedules and peeled eyes.

Each arrival and departure is met with binoculars, pointing fingers, clicking cameras and recitals of aircraft type and airline.

For Phil and Pam Havill, from Warkworth, their hobby has special significance.

"We used to come here when we were courting. We'd ride our bikes out through Mangere to watch. That was 40 years ago, and the airport was just a tiny strip with two sheds and old Tiger Moths and Fox Moth biplanes."

These dedicated plane spotters don't even need to see the planes. Phil has a high-frequency radio to listen to pilots in midflight and a smaller handheld receiver to pick up the chit-chat between aircraft and control tower.

Is that exciting?

"No, there are no great dramas. I just like to listen to it, really."

His ears prick up and he puts his camera and binoculars down as the tower directs a pilot to his assigned runway.

The Havills are in town to watch their daughter fly off to Baltimore with her husband, who is about to represent New Zealand in an international tree-climbing competition.

Interesting hobbies in this family.

And here is an interesting fact most of us have never noticed.

Flights with odd numbers are going out, those with even numbers are coming in.

Solo watcher Craig West normally turns up only on Sundays, but he has dragged along his dad, Arthur, to teach him the ropes.

Craig has been watching planes all around the world for 18 of his 38 years.

He says it is just something to fill in time, but he turns up with his flight schedule every week.

"There's always heaps of people, so you get to meet others who like the same things."

For everyone you talk to here, nothing beats a Concorde, so it is no surprise that so many watchers were on hand in Paris.

Craig's eyes sparkle as he talks of climbing on board the supersonic airliner at Duxford airport in England.

In a nearby car sits Brian Trim, who is sharing his hobby with wife, Brenda, on her day off.

Brenda is so enthusiastic that she hasn't taken her seatbelt off.

Brian's passion predates their marriage. He has spotted and photographed planes since he worked in reservations for the old National Airways Corporation.

So he is particularly proud that his son and daughter both work for Air New Zealand.

"This must look like it's got all the excitement of train spotting. But they just look for the numbers of each engine. I couldn't do that."

So what is Brian looking for?

"Well, sometimes different aircraft types come in or you see something new."

To illustrate, he points at a Thai Airlines 747 with a war canoe painted along its fuselage. "That's got a new finish on it," he notes happily, before pointing over his shoulder. "That's a 737-400 landing."

Brenda is not so keen. She is happy that they can do something together on such a nice day, but isn't likely to be back in a hurry.

"I know Brian will be back, but I don't know about me. I hate flying. I have to get valium first.

"But back at home, Brian has bookcases full from floor to ceiling with books on planes and trains. It doesn't matter where we go, if he sees a book like that he'll buy it.

"But it's better than the TAB."