Aircraft chasers: Israelis who go out to "hunt" planes at Ben Gurion Airport

Whether on a regulated stage in Ben Gurion Airport or at secret points next to the fields that surround it - get to know the "spotters", aviation enthusiasts who spend many hours every week watching planes take off and land. And there are also guided tours

Eyal Shapira

12/07/2022

Tuesday, 12 July 2022, 08:18 Updated: 09:11

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Aircraft Spotting at Ben Gurion Airport (Photo: Eyal Shapira, Editing: Gilad Manheim)

On one of the spotting tours led by aviation enthusiast Motti Kaplan, he was surprised to find that one of the participants arrived with a ladder.

"Such a small scale, like that of Bezeq employees. I asked her what the matter was, and she answered very seriously that she wanted to be as close to the planes as possible as they passed her," he says.

"Later, on spotting tours I did abroad, I discovered that many spotters come to the area not only with a camera, but also with a ladder attached."

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Armed with cameras with huge lenses in the Ben Gurion Airport area and in secret points. The Spotters are in action (Photo: Walla !, Eyal Shapira)

This week's highlight: Biden's Air Force 1

Moti, a business consultant from Holon, is one of the enthusiasts of spotting in Israel.

You can find them, armed with cameras with huge lenses in the Ben Gurion Airport area and at more or less secret points, under the access lanes of planes taking off and landing. Give them a decent noise above the head, a winning photo angle - and they are happy. He's not tired of raising his head and looking for the next plane.

Biden's expected visit on Wednesday this week will also attract enthusiastic spotters, who will take comfortable positions to watch on Air Force 1 (assuming the security ring allows them to do so). Are considered the highlight in the resume of any self-respecting spotter. But we'll get to Biden.

About two years ago, Mutti began touring spotting tours, designed for groups or families.

The first point on the tour I joined was the "stage".

This is an elevated observation deck, near one of the three Ben Gurion Airport tracks.

The stage, located in the relatively western and remote parking lot of Ben Gurion Airport, was established about four years ago thanks to the stubbornness of spotters, including Moti himself.

"We drove the Airports Authority crazy until they agreed to build an observation deck, as there are at many airports in the world. Until then, we just climbed with the photographic equipment on the surrounding hills."

It is worth knowing that the stage is easily accessible, and is open to visitors without coordination.

As we climb with the rest of the tour participants to the high iron stage, Mutti urges me, "Come on, you're missing the Rainier taking off now!"

I answer him: "Okay, another one will come."

Mutti does not understand me.

"But the whole look is something else!"

"It's never boring and never gets tired."

Children while spotting (Photo: Walla !, Eyal Shapira)

Started spotting tours two years ago.

Moti Kaplan, a stage instructor at Ben Gurion Airport (Photo: Walla !, Eyal Shapira)

Selfie with the control tower, again

While talking to him, planes continue to take off in the background.

Mutti, by virtue of habit, intrudes into the conversation the type of aircraft, the name of the airline and its destination, and then continues the conversation from that point.

One should get used to such conversations.

Sometimes, he also notes with great joy? "Ah! It was a fantastic flight!".

It's hard not to get caught up in the enthusiasm of this lovable man and the percentage of frenzy.

In the third takeoff, I too am starting to develop symptoms of an avid spotter.

In between, Moti explains the principles of aviation in general and at Ben Gurion Airport in particular and talks about using real-time aircraft identification applications, such as flightradar24 - a necessary tool for every spotter and aviation enthusiast

. Necessary selfie with the control tower in the background.Because no matter how many planes you took - you must do a selfie on the control tower every time you come to the neighborhood.Such a kind of iron rule.At this point, you get explanations about the types of planes, their characteristics and other anecdotes.

The stage.

Elevated observation deck, next to one of the three Ben Gurion Airport routes (Photo: Walla !, Eyal Shapira)

A real spotter is never tired of raising his head and looking for the next plane (Photo: Walla !, Eyal Shapira)

The former flight attendant who continues to "hunt" planes

The third point on the tour is outside Ben Gurion Airport - an impressive vantage point that provides powerful views of the landings. Here, next to a pilots' junction near Bnei Atarot, I meet Gal Zuta, who was born and raised in the world of aviation. Law on aviation matters in the present. With all this impressive aviation resume, she was expected to stay as far away from planes as possible in her spare time. But it turns out to be just the opposite. Never boring and never tired, "she says, pausing for a moment." Wait, there's the DHL coming to land.

We'll talk in a moment. "

Later, after cries of admiration and the ticking of cameras, she tries to explain the source of attraction to her leisure pursuit.

"Unlike vehicles like cars, an airplane is not something we encounter closely on a daily basis. Add to that the fact that it is a very powerful vehicle, where you watch the most critical stages of its flight - takeoff and landing. But it seems to me that the most exciting thing lies in the fact that this powerful experience occurs "For just a few seconds. Maybe that's why we are not tired."

Terminal 3 area, from which the unloading and shuttle area at Ben Gurion Airport can be seen (Photo: Walla !, Eyal Shapira system)

Her father is a pilot, her husband is a pilot and she herself is a former flight attendant.

Gal Zuta on a spotting tour (Photo: Walla !, Eyal Shapira)

Travels abroad to do spotting

And if the phrase "not tired" comes up, then it's time to find out that Mutti has been a devout observer of planes since he was 13. "We lived in the Shapira neighborhood in south Tel Aviv, and that was a point from which I saw planes descend before landing. At every opportunity I have, "he explains.

"What about the road ?!

I travel especially abroad to watch planes! I recently returned from a 48 hour visit to Vienna, just to do spotting. There, the airport built for the spotters an amazing 300 meter promenade, just for observing planes. We have a lot to learn from them. I did spotting Also in Prague, Budapest and other places. "

"Today I no longer apologize for that. Some people chase hurricanes, some people shoot butterflies and some people hug beetles. I love airplanes," he laughs.

"It's hard to explain the enthusiasm. It's not something you get used to. I'm 59 and have been doing it since I was 13. How can I explain? I understand a thing or two in aviation, but when I see a 400-300 ton plane above me, it amazes me every time again. ".

About two years ago, he opened the "Spotting Lovers in Israel" Facebook page, to feel that he is not alone in this madness.

"I was sure that a maximum of 200-100 people would join. Today there are close to 7,000 members, and that is even after a process of sifting. In addition, I estimate that there are tens of thousands of spotters in the country, with different levels of involvement," he adds.

"We in the group also have pilots from Israel and abroad.

In fact, I recently did a tour of the El Al group.

I thought to myself, 'What can be renewed for captains?'

But their enthusiasm was great.

"Sure. I photographed the presidential plane on visits by Obama and Trump. There will be lots of planes and helicopters, literally an entire armada. It's like in the movie 'Apocalypse Now.' A real celebration!"

"Today I no longer apologize for that."

Kaplan in action (Photo: Walla !, Eyal Shapira)

Know more: Spotting tours

The price of a regular tour held on weekends: NIS 65 for an adult, NIS 55 for a child.

The price for a private tour depends on the number of participants and the time of week, and it ranges from NIS 290 to NIS 550.

The duration of the tours is 2-1.5 hours, depending on the air activity.

The tour takes place in the participants' vehicles and is conducted outside the airspace, so there is no need for prior coordination and approvals.

For coordination: 054-4646510.

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