Following the launch of the observation deck at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) on Nov. 8, aviation enthusiasts have started sharing several locations they see as great spots for runway stakeouts and da tie niao, or the art of taking pictures of airplanes.
Taiwan has seen a boom in traffic over its airspace, but because of security concerns at its airports, most facilities are walled off and terminals are rarely designed to facilitate interaction between humans and aircraft.
Those reasons, as well as the direction of runways and constantly changing weather, are why it is hard to get good photographs of airplanes, or at least one with a blue sky behind it.
Photo: Lin Chia-chi, Taipei Times
However, Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) tower control staffer Lee Hung-ming (李宏鳴) said this also contributed to photographs that are characteristic of Taiwanese aeronautics, often giving aviation photography in Taiwan an interesting mix of elements.
Lee said those “difficulties” have prompted aviation fans to “find other ways” to get to spots suitable for observing aircraft.
Jim Hung (洪景川), an aviation enthusiast with 37 years experience, who works at the Taipei Astronomical Museum, has never allowed anything interesting happening in the skies elude his attention.
Hung said there are at least 100 serious aviation fans who get a kick from seeing planes take off, the roar of plane engines or the smell of burned rubber from the contact of aircraft tires with the tarmac.
“It gets us hooked like morphine,” Hung said.
Only fully civilian airports in Taiwan allow legal photography of planes, Hung said, citing Kaohsiung International Airport, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taitung Airport and airports in Penghu County’s Wangan (望安) and Cimei (七美) townships, Green Island (綠島) and Orchid Island (蘭嶼) as examples.
Taking photos of planes is acceptable as long as the photographer does not pose any danger to the aircraft, Hung said, adding that the recent hype with Taipei airport’s observation deck was because of its dual usage, with both civilian and military aircraft using its runways, making it a more sensitive location.
If one really wants to take pictures, Hung suggested taking pictures of civilian planes and not military ones.
Although the observation deck offers a comfortable view of the aircraft, Hung said Lane 180, Binjiang Road, in Taipei, which is right at the end of Taipei International’s airstrip, was the best spot for those wanting to take pictures of aircraft landing or taking off.
“It’s a popular spot that draws a great crowd in the evening and at nightfall, as you can actually see the planes go right over your head,” Hung said.
Kaohsiung International Airport is also a favorite, he said, because it is one of the few spots where you can openly observe planes at a close distance.
“You can even smell the burned rubber from the wheels,” Hung said.
However, Hung also reminded those wishing to observe planes to keep safety in mind, citing his own experience of being injured by the barb-wired fences outside an airport. He also said people needed to be careful not to disrupt aeronautic safety by damaging the environment.
Only then can these sites that are particular to Taiwan be preserved, Hung said.
Translated by Jake Chung, staff writer
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