Click on picture for a larger view

Welcome to our Plane Watching Page.   All our activities are spent at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).  PHL has many  great spots to watch airport activities.  The primary runway for landings is 27R/9L, while the primary take-off runway is 27L/9R. Prevailing winds usually dictate 27 as the active runways though.  There is also a runway for smaller aircraft, 35/17.  A new runway, 26 is in the process of being constructed.  The location of this runway has displaced a favorite viewing spot for landings on 27, but our search has turned up a couple of new locations that rival the old location.

How to get there

From I-95, take Enterprise Avenue to Hog Island Road.  Follow this road under the new runway and around to the other side of the airport. 
From Rt. 291, take Island Avenue past the old Overseas Terminal to Enterprise Avenue.  Look for Hog Island Road, and follow the instructions above.

Where to watch

Just past the entrance to Fort Miflin, will put you directly underneath the arriving aircraft on 27R.  If you follow the road a little further, you will be along side the arrivals.  Many of our photographs are taken from this location.  From here you can get many different angles to photograph.  Traveling a bit further down the road but before the tower will put you under the arrivals for 35.  Again, this spot is great for photography as the afternoon sun is at your back.  If you want to see take-offs, keep going down the road to the UPS terminal.  You can either watch from the side of the road, or from the UPS employee parking lot.  We've never been hassled by security or police while in the lot.  Just respect the fact that you're on private property at this point, and you shouldn't have any problems.

The Pictures

All of our photographs were taken with a Nikon F2 body with a 70-206mm zoom lens, and 200 speed film.   Shutter speeds were around 1/250 sec. while using a small f stop for maximum depth-of-field.  Click on any photo to enlarge.

US Airways Boeing 757 for 27R.

A rare sight at PHL; landing aircraft simultaneously on 27R & 27L .
(no enlargement)

A BAe HS125 crosses the road and above a street light on the way to 35.  One of our favorite shots!

A flying antique! A Northwest 727-200.

US Airways Express DASH 8.  This exposure was too fast, stopping the props.   Commuters are Tom Jr.'s favorite aircraft.  He's been fascinated with them since he was a old enough to talk.

A dirty British 747-200 makes it daily stop at PHL.

A Swiss Air 747-300 crabs in a strong cross wind for 27R.

A Grumman Gulfstream III on a final to 27R.

A Canadair Regional Jet.  This is a stretch version of the Canadair CL600 Challanger Jet.

A brand spanking new "Speedbird" triple 7 pays a visit to PHL.  This was the first time we saw one land here.  What a thrill!  It's big and beautiful.

A US Airways Boeing 767 crosses Hog Island Road headed for a touchdown on 27R.

An ancient DC-8 Series 70 flown by Airborne Express makes its schedule stop at PHL

A British Aerospace HS125-800 also known as a Beech Hawker drops in on runway 35.

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