Spotting at LAS

727LOVER · Tue Jan 30, 2018 4:23 pm

Hello,
I will heading to Las Vegas in mid-February...just have a few questions.

First off, should I have any worry about the weather. I am assuming LAS is great in February.

OK, one thing I notice about LAS pics is that they are not very descriptive. I see many pics from spot A, but still have no idea what runway this is.
Do I need a ladder at this location?
Also, where are these other locations?

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

I did find these guides

This 1st link, anybody got pics from these locations?
http://www.spotterguide.net/planespotti ... -las-klas/
http://www.nycaviation.com/spotting-guides/las
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mi ... 00001&z=14

Looking under REGULAR TRAFFIC, this is rather dated:
https://www.spotterswiki.com/index.php/ ... al_Airport

reply #6 in this thread, is this info still good?
viewtopic.php?t=921001

I will study these guides carefully, but I was just wondering if anyone had anything to contribute?

Max I can shoot is 300mm

jelpee · Tue Jan 30, 2018 4:31 pm

I have photographed from Spot 2 and Spot 3 on E. Sunset Road.(ref. the first link). Spot 2 (Rwy 23) is good for the touchdown shots. Spot 3 is good for departures with the a part of the strip in the background. You will need to get above the fence at Spot 2. Therefore a ladder or the roof of an SUV or other tall vehicle is needed (IMO). Perhaps there are others that have managed without one. I rented a large SUV and was able to use the luggage carrier on top of which I stood. A ladder would be safer, but I believe there are some restrictions on how close the ladder can be to the fence. Not sure if you can photograph through the fence with a smaller diameter lens. My 70 mm diameter lens would not fit. Rwy 23 is typically very busy. You should enjoy clear sunny weather. If Rwy 1 is in use, you can photograph from the parking garage with fabulous views of the hotels in the background. I understand that LAS is spotter friendly so you will find other spotters there and not too many issues with security except on private property.

Enjoy!

Jehan

727LOVER · Wed Jan 31, 2018 3:15 am

Thanks for the help.

What are the runway patterns?

FlyingColours · Wed Jan 31, 2018 9:36 am

I went last October and was limited due to being on foot, I walked down S.Las Vegas blvd from the Luxor (which took about 30/40 minutes just to get out of the complex given what happened the day before

) and turned at the Jack-In-A-Box (which is ideally placed for spotters on foot I might add) then walked along parallel to the runways along E.Sunset Rd with the aim of getting to the "viewing area" but gave up half way and instead opted to just stand on a 2 foot high wall and film over the traffic.

I don't recommend my choice of location if you are filming though given the noise of the traffic is a bit too much. It would be a reasonable spot for rotations though if you are after stills. My video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXSxLTHBhtM The first two shots are taken by a bus shelter adjacent to the big bus terminal, the rest of the shots are from further down the road near the Konami building.

Looking back at the map today it is apparent how close I got to the viewing area (I continued on until after the highway overpass before turning round - as I had my fiancee with me and she was getting less than impressed with my attempts at spoiling our holiday...)

Hope it helps

Phil
FlyingColours

dcaviation · Wed Jan 31, 2018 2:08 pm

Locations A and D are the same. Taken from observation park. You will need a ladder. What I do is to go to Home Depot near by, rent a ladder for 3 days then I return it. If I go for longer period of time I buy the ladder then dump it.
Location C is at the end of the same runway. There is a small shopping center and restaurant. Park close to the street and you will get arrival shots.
As for location E. I believe its near MGM Grand. I never go there because that runway is mostly for biz jets with occasional WN birds and Janet flights.
But if the airport is using cross runway arriving from the South West, there is a spot near Jack in the Box where you will catch all the arrivals.
LAS is one of the easiest airports to spot at in USA.

sovietjet · Thu Feb 01, 2018 3:12 pm

I took this photo from the top floors of the MGM Grand, through the window next to the elevators. Runway 19 was in use for departures, and this A-340 used it.

https://www.airliners.net/photo/Philippi ... BUyTNEg%3D

727LOVER · Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:27 am

Looks like I will have mostly E or NE winds...so spots A, C & D are out. Any suggestions?

Oh...and where can I get those Janet and 747SPs?

Moose135 · Mon Feb 12, 2018 3:42 am

727LOVER wrote:
Oh...and where can I get those Janet and 747SPs?

You can get both from the parking deck - the Janet terminal and Sands corporate hangar are across Runway 1/19 from the spotting location on the deck.

The Janet terminal is the low, white building in the lower right:

If they are using Rwy 1 with NE winds, you can get some good shots of aircraft in front of the casinos.

Sands 733:

727LOVER · Mon Feb 19, 2018 9:50 pm

jelpee wrote:
You should enjoy clear sunny weather.

Had to fight clouds the first two days. Also, first half of the final two days.

dcaviation wrote:
LAS is one of the easiest airports to spot at in USA.

I wouldn't go quite that far. It's certainly no TPA, MIA, FLL or CLT

It seems like LAS prefers landings on 25L, even if the winds don't justify it. Photo holes such as MIA would certainly help

dcaviation · Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:12 am

727LOVER wrote:

dcaviation wrote:
LAS is one of the easiest airports to spot at in USA.

I wouldn't go quite that far. It's certainly no TPA, MIA, FLL or CLT

It seems like LAS prefers landings on 25L, even if the winds don't justify it. Photo holes such as MIA would certainly help

The photoholes at MIA are gone. At LAS you are staying in the parking lot besides the 7-11 and you have most of the arrivals. For departures you can go to the other end.

scbriml · Thu Feb 22, 2018 1:54 am

dcaviation wrote:
The photoholes at MIA are gone.

They are????

I'm going there tomorrow!

Moose135 · Thu Feb 22, 2018 4:56 am

They were closed back in January, but should be open again now. It was discussed on a South Florida aviation photography FB group page - not sure of the reason behind the closure, but things should be back to normal.

scbriml · Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:13 pm

Moose135 wrote:
They were closed back in January, but should be open again now. It was discussed on a South Florida aviation photography FB group page - not sure of the reason behind the closure, but things should be back to normal.

Hope so! I'll confirm later today. Thanks, Moose135.

scbriml · Sat Feb 24, 2018 10:50 pm

scbriml wrote:
Hope so! I'll confirm later today. Thanks, Moose135.

I can confirm "the holes" are alive and well. It's a shame that finding somewhere close by to park your car is such a challenge.

jelpee · Sun Feb 25, 2018 5:04 pm

scbriml wrote:
scbriml wrote:
Hope so! I'll confirm later today. Thanks, Moose135.

I can confirm "the holes" are alive and well. It's a shame that finding somewhere close by to park your car is such a challenge.

Never had a problem parking close to The Holes. Usually there is room across the road.

Jehan

scbriml · Mon Feb 26, 2018 7:23 pm

jelpee wrote:
scbriml wrote:
scbriml wrote:
Hope so! I'll confirm later today. Thanks, Moose135.

I can confirm "the holes" are alive and well. It's a shame that finding somewhere close by to park your car is such a challenge.

Never had a problem parking close to The Holes. Usually there is room across the road.

Jehan

I parked on the west side of 65th Ave. There are "no parking, tow away zone" signs on the east side of the road. I was there for about three hours, then spent another two-three hours round by the 09 threshold and got the best of the day's weather.

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