Fast jet antidote - A380s landing at Heathrow

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MisterE

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Michael
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During my recent 2 month stay in the Renaissance hotel at Heathrow, I made sure that I had a room with a view every week. And not a bad view it was. Some 2800 pictures later.....

It wasn't as easy as it would appear. The room windows wouldn't open. although the glass was fairly clean. There were light posts and a couple of trees in the way, so capturing that puff of smoke on touchdown as in the last photo here proved to be few and far between with the 380, with runways alternating and me being able to see just one landing a day. I also got some good takeoff shots from another part of the airport, but that's another post sometime.

If anybody has the inclination, the Renaissance does spotters packages for about £105 a night. Better rooms - one floor up and so no lamp posts or trees in the way, plus other facilities.

Taken with Canon 5D and Sigma 80-400 OS



01

Yes, it's a Concorde in the background. G-BOAB

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02

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03

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04

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I like them all but No3 does it, anticipation of that last tiny bit to terra firma perhaps,
not sure why, great hotel huh!
 
#3 for me - has the least busy background and the plane stands out really well!

Also like #4 for that tyre smoke :D
 
spent a good year in that hotel when we was on T5, great place and the club rooms were always a bonus (y) I like the heat haze on #1 but prefer #3 for composition and the fact it looks like a genuine commercial shot. Ive actually stood 20ft from that plane when it was taxi-ing to take off, the thrust from the engines is out of this world, was hard to stand up!!! I personally like the qantas A380, the livery seems to suit it so much more.
One last thing, fair play on getting them through glass (y)
 
Dark Star said:
#3 for me - has the least busy background and the plane stands out really well!

Also like #4 for that tyre smoke :D
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Thanks DS. Yes, I like the unbusiness too.

bsmotorsport said:
spent a good year in that hotel when we was on T5, great place and the club rooms were always a bonus (y) I like the heat haze on #1 but prefer #3 for composition and the fact it looks like a genuine commercial shot. Ive actually stood 20ft from that plane when it was taxi-ing to take off, the thrust from the engines is out of this world, was hard to stand up!!! I personally like the qantas A380, the livery seems to suit it so much more.
One last thing, fair play on getting them through glass (y)
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Thanks bs. The head on shots weren't too bad but the angled ones meant a lot of manual focus. And a few times I was washing the inside of the windows with shampoo.

bartoszwozniak said:
I love #3! Absolutely fantastic catch, at the right moment. Well Done for this!. I want to go and try take some pics of some planes. Need to have a go sometimes.
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Thank you barto

wez130 said:
#3 for me :)
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And thank you Wez

jwr said:
great catches. amazing aircraft too
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Thanks jwr. I'm not a lover of Airbus aircraft but this one is an exception. It's so quiet too.
 
And isnt that Concorde peeping over the buildings at the back ???
Damm good pics , love the landing one (y)
 
hoseman-ade said:
And isnt that Concorde peeping over the buildings at the back ???
Damm good pics , love the landing one (y)
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Thanks very much. Yes it is a Concorde. G-BOAB - the one that hasn't been found a permanent home, has been moved around over the years, neglected and unloved. It's now parked in its engine run compound.
 
Yep, number 3 is a cracker. the others have a little too much DOF, mking them a little busy for me.
 
Damn these are niiice. #1 is my fav. I really like shots where you can see into the engines. :)


Sad to see Concorde all caged up like that though. She's too beautiful to be just sitting there. :crying:

Andy S
 
Wartypig said:
Nice shots....I travelled on it when we went to Bali..
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Thank you Warty. Must have been a memorable experience. It will be a while before it happens for me though.

EMA747 said:
Damn these are niiice. #1 is my fav. I really like shots where you can see into the engines. :)


Sad to see Concorde all caged up like that though. She's too beautiful to be just sitting there. :crying:

Andy S
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Thank you Andy. The Concorde's in not too bad a condition considering she's been sat outside for 6 years now. Nevertheless, neither this one nor any of the others will ever fly again.
 
Superb set of a great aircraft. 1 and 3 for me here. Lovely to see the Concorde tail peaking out in 1 too.
 
1and 3 for me couldnt really decide between them, great set
 
You certainly had a great view but how much sleep did you get with those big jets roaring overhead!
 
Hello Sandra! No noise problems whatsoever. Just a very quiet low rumble from the big ones on takeoff that was hardly noticeable. A great place to stay, if you can get one of these rooms.
 
Great pics, but how did you come to be living in a Heathrow hotel for TWO months?
 
MisterE said:
Hello Sandra! No noise problems whatsoever. Just a very quiet low rumble from the big ones on takeoff that was hardly noticeable. A great place to stay, if you can get one of these rooms.
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Hi Michael, I'll take your word for it! Actually, the old turbo prop airplanes like the Vickers Viscounts made a dreadful noise on take off that could be heard for miles around and if you lived beneath their flight path the din was earsplitting!
Sandra
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Edit: Michael, silly me ... I am on Mark's computer and forgot to login as myself!!! :wacky:
 
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Yep, number three for me. It's got all you need in a shot for an airliner like that :)
 
DekHog said:
Great pics, but how did you come to be living in a Heathrow hotel for TWO months?
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Thank you Derek. I was on a training course. It was quite relaxing studying in the evenings with the chair next to the window watching the planes at the same time. With a bit of food and drink on the table next to me of course.

mark greenhill said:
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Edit: Michael, silly me ... I am on Mark's computer and forgot to login as myself!!! :wacky:
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Yes, I worked it out. Had too much cough syrup again? :D

philipfirth1983 said:
Cracking Set! No3 for me.

Phil
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Thank you Phil

Bendihossan said:
Yep, number three for me. It's got all you need in a shot for an airliner like that :)
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Thank you Steffan! They certainly are slow and graceful coming in to land.

vulcan2912 said:
No 3 for me.Excellent capture.

Cheers
Gary
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Thank you Gary.
 
Stunning mate, I'm not generally into civil aviation but this is a really lovely set. Thanks for sharing.
 
Thank you Robert. I'm not an aviation anorak either, but one has to take what one can get.
 
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