Planespotting at O'Hare: The Security Aspect

August 3, 2009 1:01 PM

What should we be prepared with if a friend and I want to go plane spotting at O'Hare?

I've got ideas on where we can watch planes from. As we check these locations out, it may arouse the suspicion of authorities who may come pay us a visit.

I plan on us taking our IDs, a camera and being honest about our motives with any security personnel we may encounter. Is this a good strategy? Does anyone have experience with plane spotting at O'Hare?

posted by bryanzera to sports, hobbies, & recreation (5 comments total)

This is a great question for Airliners.net. Run a search for "ORD" and "spot" in the photography forums and see what recent advice is out there. You've got to pay to join and ask a question, but it may be worth it if you're an aircraft enthusiast anyway.

More advice here and here.
posted by mdonley at 1:26 PM on August 3

Sorry for the stupid question, but do you need to be on the airport grounds for good planespotting? Because if you just sit in rush hour traffic on 294, you will have any number of planes fly directly over your heads during the interminably-long time it takes to get from Touhy to Irving. And you could probably see what magazines the passengers are reading.

Also, the strip on River Road, south of 90, is right under a flight path (inbound). Lots of hotels, and the convention center. Try and get into the parking lot of the Rosemont Theater (there is a big movie theater there too). You could probably sit for days in that lot.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 1:31 PM on August 3

Just FYI, there is a new runway where points C and D on your map are. So you probably can't watch from there anymore.

Also FYI, it seems the usual approach into ORD is from the right-hand side on your maps, to runways 27L/R (and the new one, I think it is just "28", but I could be wrong). I can actually get a pretty good view of arriving aircraft from the lakefront up between Belmont and Montrose. But obviously you will want to be closer :)
posted by jrockway at 1:39 PM on August 3

I've been planespotting at Midway in Chicago, twice.

Here are my observations from the 2 experiences:

1.When you bring white people with you, Chicago PD has NO PROBLEM with what you are doing. They even shoot the shit with you for a while

2. When its just 3 people who look middle-eastern, you get asked to move. They do it in a no-nonsense way that makes you feel as if you will be arrested if you don't move.

Good luck.
posted by hal_c_on at 1:56 PM on August 3

Irving Park Road south of the airport is a great place. Just pull off the road here. They go right over your head.
posted by goethean at 2:24 PM on August 3