Hi friends! About twice a week I drive to SEA (just 20 mins drive) and watch the planes. There is a good viewing spot just 300 yards west of the Tower, in the old United Cargo parking lot, right up on the fence next to the action. I just park there for about 3 hours and closely observe landings and departures. I have binoculars and also check on Flightaware for destinations, etc.

Though I have about 4500 hours PIC time, it nonetheless fascinates and entertains me to watch these planes. In an odd way, it is also relaxing or comforting to me, as it somehow makes me feel "in touch" or connected with the nation or the world. I love seeing the Hainan 787-9 depart for Beijing or the Icelandair 757-200 arrive from Rekjakvic, or the Emerites 777-300 ER come in from Dubai, or the Fed-EX MD-11 depart for LAX.....or even just the Delta E-175 arrive from Boise.

I often invite my wife to accompany me, but she is having none of it. She thinks I must have some problem in the head, that maybe I am mal-adjusted to life or reality, or have some other mental deficiency. Perhaps I do? Anyway I just tell her I like to go and watch the airplanes.....

Divorce her and watch more planes

Everyone has their hobby, tell her to be more open minded!

Welcome to the club

Explain to her why you love watching airplanes and maybe she will join you. My wife loves to accompany me and we even have a name the plane competition

A friend of mine once told me that Airliners.net was my airplane porn. lol

I once asked the wife of a person who was very much a 2nd dad to me, if it bothered her about all the time and money her husband spent fishing, hunting, boating, etc...

She told me that it really bothered her the first few years of her marriage... and then she learned that almost all the husbands of her girlfriends were hanging out in the bars... spending more money than her husband did, and getting drunk a lot and into other problems. That put it into a different light for her... She would much rather see him do what he does on his free time than head to the bars (or the strip club).

I'm not sure of the polite way to pass that on... but; she has the ability to make choices... and learning to live with someone's hobby that does not normally get them into trouble is not the worst thing in life...

I wish you the best,

Have you ever thought that she might be right?

What's wrong with plane spotting? ...far better than having a smoking, beer-burping slob of a husband who sits on the couch all day watching football on TV...

I have a few possible responses you could share with your wife but you'd have to change the title of this thread in a few months to...

"I watch/spot airliners; ex wife thinks I am nuts...."

So probably best not to comment on the money she spends on shoes and makeup

& you married this woman? What’s her hobbies? Shopping & reality tv?.....

When I got home from plane spotting, I told my wife she had drawn her eyebrows too high.
She looked surprised.

Yeah, 2 or 3 guys we know, have other hobbies like going out drinking late at night or playing poker and losing tons of $$$. My wife should not complain too much about MY hobbies.....could be much worse.

727glasair wrote:

Yeah, 2 or 3 guys we know, have other hobbies like going out drinking late at night or playing poker and losing tons of $$$. My wife should not complain too much about MY hobbies.....could be much worse.

Are there any "official" spotting locations at SEA? My wife couldn't care less about watching airplanes, but at MSP they built a spotters park with a few benches & picnic tables. When the weather is nice she tags along to at least sit outside on a nice day. If there is something like that near you, it may be a way to get her to tag along.

You could also take her to one of those Caribbean Islands where you can do spotting, and experience the thrill of the planes up close. She might appreciate it then

groundbird wrote:

When I got home from plane spotting, I told my wife she had drawn her eyebrows too high.
She looked surprised.

Ha ha I love this thread. To be fair, she probably has a point in saying you're obsessive, people in my life have told me that since I was a kid. My response is always to ask what the harm is in it, and that usually shuts them up. The other week I impulse-bought a $150 747 kit that will take me 50 hours to put together. That's pretty cheap entertainment if you ask me....

Bring back all airport observation decks... So proper and ideal place for families

2175301 wrote:

hanging out in the bars... ,

Hang on, are watching planes and drinking mutually exclusive?
I normally try to combine the two....


No Tax On Rotax

chrisp390 wrote:

Everyone has their hobby, tell her to be more open minded!

Yup. I don't nag to my wife about her excessive cleaning. I let her do it

I just started my own blog called flightmap, which actually was her idea. She said I should target my enthusiasm to something useful.
http://flightmap.livejournal.com/

But let's see what she says when I get started. My plan is to write at least 5 posts a week And I am a slooow writer.

Its simple really...
You: I am going to the peeler bar...
Her in an alarmed state: NO YOUR NOT
You: Then can I go watch airplanes?
Her: Ugh Ok
Let her make the decision for you

Not much happens at YYB or that's were I would be instead of on my PC. My wife only joins me when the Snowbirds are in town and loves it, but other than that, that's the extent of her caring about whats flying over head .

There is an unfortunate consensus (at least in my experience) that an aviation love/hobby (no WN pun intended) is something for children and people "grow out of it", as if it's any different from people extremely passionate about cars, which seems to be more socially acceptable. Once your wife gets past this, she'll be more manageable.

I guess I should consider myself lucky. My wife gladly goes with me spotting, and she was never into aircraft before she met me. In fact, the other day, she saw an aircraft at altitude making a hard left turn and asked me if it was being vectored to a particular waypoint. I asked her how she knew about vectors, and she said, "I live with an avgeek!"

rotation18L wrote:

I guess I should consider myself lucky. My wife gladly goes with me spotting, and she was never into aircraft before she met me. In fact, the other day, she saw an aircraft at altitude making a hard left turn and asked me if it was being vectored to a particular waypoint. I asked her how she knew about vectors, and she said, "I live with an avgeek!"

I am officially jealous. And for the record happily divorced.

But I'm raising two awesome daughters that know Daddy is happy receiving Lego airplane models as gifts and expect daddy to be looking at planes at or near the airport.

You have to train them early!

Lightsaber

lightsaber wrote:

rotation18L wrote:

I guess I should consider myself lucky. My wife gladly goes with me spotting, and she was never into aircraft before she met me. In fact, the other day, she saw an aircraft at altitude making a hard left turn and asked me if it was being vectored to a particular waypoint. I asked her how she knew about vectors, and she said, "I live with an avgeek!"

I am officially jealous. And for the record happily divorced.

But I'm raising two awesome daughters that know Daddy is happy receiving Lego airplane models as gifts and expect daddy to be looking at planes at or near the airport.

You have to train them early!

Lightsaber

These days, the good news is that you can add "likes planes" to your profile and then people who have an issue with that self-weed without you having to do anything.

Cheaper than golf My wife would go watch the planes on weekends at SFO with her dad during her high school years.

You are nuts! Welcome to the nuthouse!!

September11 wrote:

Bring back all airport observation decks... So proper and ideal place for families

You got that wright. I can't even watch planes at the perimeter fence without being told to leave. let's face it a lot of the enjoyment has gone.

727glasair wrote:

Hi friends! About twice a week I drive to SEA (just 20 mins drive) and watch the planes. There is a good viewing spot just 300 yards west of the Tower, in the old United Cargo parking lot, right up on the fence next to the action. I just park there for about 3 hours and closely observe landings and departures. I have binoculars and also check on Flightaware for destinations, etc. Though I have about 4500 hours PIC time, it nonetheless fascinates and entertains me to watch these planes. In an odd way, it is also relaxing or comforting to me, as it somehow makes me feel "in touch" or connected with the nation or the world. I often invite my wife to accompany me, but she is having none of it. She thinks I must have some problem in the head, that maybe I am mal-adjusted to life or reality, or have some other mental deficiency. Perhaps I do? Anyway I just tell her I like to go and watch the airplanes.....

LH707330 wrote:

Ha ha I love this thread. To be fair, she probably has a point in saying you're obsessive, people in my life have told me that since I was a kid. My response is always to ask what the harm is in it, and that usually shuts them up. The other week I impulse-bought a $150 747 kit that will take me 50 hours to put together. That's pretty cheap entertainment if you ask me....

I hear you, as do many on this forum. I don’t watch the planes all that often unless time permits to the relaxation of it, but I know to tell no-one (family, friends, loved ones) where I am going. I tell no-one where I’ve been the last few hours. Not that I need to, but I do often do other things when I am out also, so I’ve been to the shops, out for a drive, or whatever, half true. Um, it’s not like I’ve been up to something terrible LOL. The most often answer I then get is ‘I tried to call you..’ or, (me) ‘oh,is my location services OFF? – or, the phone rings because I am expecting a call I need to take, and …where are you? Saying, that I don’t rule out trying it on someone new, just to test their reaction LOL.

It is time-out, in the way you describe. It is also an opportunity to spend time with ‘my people’ as on weekends there are often others, even families doing the same thing. It makes a change from the online world LOL. I also love the noise and the odour and the lights – normally I am not into these things and quite sensitive. I haven’t been to the major airports spotting locations where are crowds but I hope to when more time permits. It is good to use watching the planes to get away from people though too. People often sit in their cars, maybe some music going etc. Aviation can also very often be an expensive hobby and this is a less costly alternative to spending time. I like the spontaneity of it too, rather than a planned event. I get it is a fix. I call it an equalizer. I’m in the Cloud.

The people that I have taken plane-spotting, generally end up whining and complaining about the weather or where they would rather be, and ‘we’ve been here long enough- it is cold, windy, it’s started raining’ and just spoil it. It does seem odd to a lot of people; and other hobbies, just not so odd to a lot of people. I accept that. I have learnt from it and try to minimise the negative feedback because it makes me start to question it and I don’t need to. The Internet has sure made it seem easier because you realise there are so many more people like yourself! Very normal.

VapourTrails wrote:

I hear you, as do many on this forum. I don’t watch the planes all that often unless time permits to the relaxation of it, but I know to tell no-one (family, friends, loved ones) where I am going. I tell no-one where I’ve been the last few hours. Not that I need to, but I do often do other things when I am out also, so I’ve been to the shops, out for a drive, or whatever, half true. Um, it’s not like I’ve been up to something terrible LOL. The most often answer I then get is ‘I tried to call you..’ or, (me) ‘oh,is my location services OFF? – or, the phone rings because I am expecting a call I need to take, and …where are you? Saying, that I don’t rule out trying it on someone new, just to test their reaction LOL.

It is time-out, in the way you describe. It is also an opportunity to spend time with ‘my people’ as on weekends there are often others, even families doing the same thing. It makes a change from the online world LOL. I also love the noise and the odour and the lights – normally I am not into these things and quite sensitive. I haven’t been to the major airports spotting locations where are crowds but I hope to when more time permits. It is good to use watching the planes to get away from people though too. People often sit in their cars, maybe some music going etc. Aviation can also very often be an expensive hobby and this is a less costly alternative to spending time. I like the spontaneity of it too, rather than a planned event. I get it is a fix. I call it an equalizer. I’m in the Cloud.

The people that I have taken plane-spotting, generally end up whining and complaining about the weather or where they would rather be, and ‘we’ve been here long enough- it is cold, windy, it’s started raining’ and just spoil it. It does seem odd to a lot of people; and other hobbies, just not so odd to a lot of people. I accept that. I have learnt from it and try to minimise the negative feedback because it makes me start to question it and I don’t need to. The Internet has sure made it seem easier because you realise there are so many more people like yourself! Very normal.

Dear Diary,

I'm convinced my husband Bob is cheating on me. He randomly leaves in the middle of a Saturday afternoon, doesn't tell me where he's going, and then doesn't pick up his phone when I call or text him. When he gets back, he seems to be in a good mood, but when I ask him about it, he waffles or gives vague answers like "I was out for a drive" or "I went for a walk." I know he's not the biggest fan of driving because all of those Prius drivers clogging the left lane, and it takes a half hour to get out to the back roads, and he usually just walks to get places like the corner store. He doesn't smell like beer, so I don't think he was in the pub, which he knows I don't care about because we go together to watch games all the time. I wonder if that new marketing person who started three months ago has anything to do with it, I think they email a lot, maybe I should investigate. Our relationship has been pretty solid so far, but these random outings sometimes leave me wondering what's going on.

/diary

I don't know, I always tell people early on that I like planes, if they don't like it they can keep walking. If I've got nothing to hide, I don't, but YMMV....

Start spotting other women, let's see how she reacts

Get her to go, teach her a little about aviation... she might enjoy doing it too!

Ten years ago, when I first met my wife, one of the few warnings I said about me was “I’m an aviation nut, I spend money, time and energy in this.
Now when she wants to do something alone in the house she “ask” me: why don’t you go fly somewhere with FSX, or watch some “aircraft porn” in Airliners.net?
Usually I’m obedient!!!
Rgds.
G.

727glasair wrote:

Hi friends! About twice a week I drive to SEA (just 20 mins drive) and watch the planes. There is a good viewing spot just 300 yards west of the Tower, in the old United Cargo parking lot, right up on the fence next to the action. I just park there for about 3 hours and closely observe landings and departures. I have binoculars and also check on Flightaware for destinations, etc.

Though I have about 4500 hours PIC time, it nonetheless fascinates and entertains me to watch these planes. In an odd way, it is also relaxing or comforting to me, as it somehow makes me feel "in touch" or connected with the nation or the world. I love seeing the Hainan 787-9 depart for Beijing or the Icelandair 757-200 arrive from Rekjakvic, or the Emerites 777-300 ER come in from Dubai, or the Fed-EX MD-11 depart for LAX.....or even just the Delta E-175 arrive from Boise.

I often invite my wife to accompany me, but she is having none of it. She thinks I must have some problem in the head, that maybe I am mal-adjusted to life or reality, or have some other mental deficiency. Perhaps I do? Anyway I just tell her I like to go and watch the airplanes.....

I feel you and have a similar story with my parents; whenever I travel with my parents by plane, I always have the opportunity to bring my dad's DSLR to plane-spot jetliners while waiting to board our flight to anywhere. But when it comes to traveling with parents by plane, my mom thinks that I'm a kid just by wasting time taking photos of airplanes and even filming from the cabin watching my aircraft taking off and landing, all of which I STRONGLY disagree with her because plane-spotting is my hobby at heart and that anyone of all ages can do all sorts of plane-spotting. It seems like my mom doesn't respect my plane-spotting hobby very well, in which I find it very discouraging, but what my mom doesn't fully understand is that plane-spotting is my therapeutic activity, so whenever I feel stressed, I would either view photos of aircraft on airliners.net, or sometimes drive down to my local airport and take a couple photos of aircraft taking off and land from there, when time permits.

When my wife and I bought our first house the agents and a lot of the paperwork made it abundantly clear to us that we would be living within airspace used quite a bit by the air force (close proximity to a base). We were puzzled why it was a big deal. We asked "Is that normally an issue for people? We WANT to live near the base so I can watch them fly!" Their faces were priceless. I'm glad I married a person who is as passionate about airplanes as I am. Almost 10 years later and now I have a pool I can lounge in while spotting. As a bonus they've also adjusted a couple of inbound routes for my commercial airport. Get a FedEx 767, a Southwest 737-800 and a couple Delta CRJ200's that fly over, usually right on time. My kids have latched on as well and will tell me if I'm not paying attention. Can't beat that!