Frequently Asked Questions - Aircraft Spotting
Q: Will I get arrested while spotting?
A: As long as you respect law enforcement during a questioning, you should be okay. If, when running your name for warrants, they find something outstanding, then yes, you will be arrested.
Q: Will I draw suspicion from anyone else?
A: Most likely. In the post-9/11 world, people who see something they think is suspicious - even if it's the most innocent of activities - will say something.
Q: Are there any responsibilities for me when I go spotting?
A: ABSOLUTELY - you are an extra set of eyes. Almost all experienced aircraft spotters will keep an eye out on his/her area(s) for almost anything out of the ordinary. This includes, and is not limited to, reporting any and all crimes witnessed, illegal activities (drug deals, observing usage of an illegal substance, illegal dumping, etc.), fights, motor vehicle accidents, reckless endangerment (on the ground, in the air, and on the water), medical emergencies, suspicious individuals, to name a few.
Q: I was at a general aviation airport and someone told me not to take photographs of a certain airplane at the airport. Why?
A: Most likely, the owner of that airplane does not want the airplane photographed at that time. The majority of the time is because of privacy. To give an example, an incident occurred at a busy general aviation airport where a photographer took several pictures of an airplane that had two well-respected individuals also in the photo holding hands as they were walking away from the airplane. Several days following, the photo was posted online on the photographer's website, and news broke out in tabloids and gossip websites showing the individuals together, illustrating the fact that an affair was going on.
There will be times where a specific airplane cannot be photographed at a specific location, but other times, the same airplane can be photographed without any problems. Just know that privacy is a huge issue here.
Q: When do you go out spotting?
A: I don't like saying when I go spotting at any location because it's a matter of privacy. I don't spot often because of time and money (think tolls and the price of gas).
© 2004-2011 Steven Holzinger