If you like to photograph and shoot video of US Airways aircraft, then Philadelphia International Airport is the place to be. There are several places around the airport that can make for some excellent photo locations, like any other major airport, you are bound to get stopped and questioned by security. PHL has four runways, with normal operations taking place on either the 9s or the 27s, with commuter and regional jet traffic landing on runway 35. Runway 8/26 is used, but not as often as the 9L/27R and 9R/27L combination.

This particular map comes from Google Earth, with modifications made to show the different spots around Philadelphia International Airport.

About the Spots/What You'll See

I have spotted at Philadelphia International Airport four times since making the page, and have visited five of the spots:  B, C, D, E, and F.  The best way to get there is via Exit 15 off Interstate 95 (if you're heading south) for Enterprise Avenue.  Once you get off the off ramp, it will put you on Enterprise Avenue. It is a four-lane road, two lanes in each direction. There will be a three-way stop coming up. You'll want to turn left at that three-way. Stay on the road, which becomes Hog Island Road. When you reach the spots, pull completely off the road, as UPS has 18-wheelers go by often and they may try to give you a beating, if you know what I mean. Stay on the side of the road that is not on airport property (the side closest to the Delaware River, or the same side as the checkered oil tanks).

If the 9s are in use, traditionally 9L will be used for departures and 9R for arrivals. Runway 35 will be used for arrivals as well. You may also see departures on Runway 8, if you're lucky. If the 27s are in use, 27L will be used for departures and 27R will be for arrivals. Runway 35 will also be used for arrivals as well and the same goes for 26. You will sometimes see departures from 26, but aircraft using 26 will be small planes.

As I stated above, you will see A LOT of US Airways aircraft. About 70% of the aircraft movements will be US Airways and US Airways Express planes.  Increasing amounts of Southwest Airlines aircraft have been noted as Southwest has been increasing their number of flights at PHL at an alarming rate.  There have also been an increasing amount of An-124 operations for reasons unknown to me, but as of lately, the An-124 movements have been dwindling.

Spot A is utilized strictly for 8 departures or 26 arrivals.  I have yet to check this spot out since there aren't a lot of aircraft that use this.  Aircraft using this runway are either Regional Jets, Dash 8s, or biz jets and other planes that are going to park at Atlantic Aviation.

Spots B and C are good if you want more belly shots of arrivals into 27R.  If you are shooting video, you can get great sound as the jets will fly almost over you on their way to 27R.

Spots D and E are on opposite sides of the entrance-way to the Hog Island oil tanks owned by Sunoco.  You can get good belly shots of departures from 9L and side shots of arrivals to 27R and provide good chances to get arrivals to 35 as well.  If you are shooting video, the D and E will be excellent for you if you are catching 9L departures (that's if you want to get jet noise in your video).  You will need 300+ mm if you want to shoot traffic into 35.

Spot F is located in the Employee Parking Lot for the UPS facility at PHL.  You cannot get shots of arrivals onto 26, 27R, and 35 because you are distant from the thresholds of those runways.  The specialty here is for 27L departures.  Most of the smaller planes will take off using less runway than the larger planes (717 and larger), and you have the high airport perimeter fence in front of you, preventing you from getting pictures of the aircraft rotating.  You will need 300+ mm if you want to shoot some traffic departing from 27L.

Spot G (unlisted) is actually a gravel parking lot that I have yet to visit but I have heard about it.  Essentially I believe this is also another departures from 27L spot and is also good for arrivals to 9R.

Spot H (unlisted) is on Hog Island Road by Runway 35.  Usually CRJ, ERJ, and Dash 8 traffic will go in on Runway 35.  You will be getting belly shots but the aircraft are incredibly low.

Spot I (unlisted) is in Fort Mifflin.  I have yet to visit this spot, but have been told that it offers many amenities that none of the other spots offer.  You get traffic arriving onto 27R and you are able to get as many different views as your heart intends on getting.  Andrew from FlyAwayPhotos has visited that spot and has given it some rave reviews.

Security

I have been to PHL twice already and the first time I had no problems with security. In fact, I was there for about two hours and did not see a single squad car pass by. The second time I was there, I had someone from the Coast Guard (he pulled out of the area where the checkered oil tanks are) come over, ask for my ID, and gave me a head's up that I might be arrested for shooting video. I have taken it as fair warning, but still stayed at the spot, only shooting video from inside my truck. However, I have heard and read about horror stories about photographers being given a hard time by the Airport Police and by the Philadelphia Police Department. These stories include equipment being confiscated, equipment being deliberately damaged, to getting arrested and detained by the police.

Your chances of getting questioned at PHL were very high, considering you have a major fuel storage facility between you and the airport (depending on where you're spotting from). Don't let that discourage you from going to PHL for the day. As long as you're cool about why the officers are there and you keep yourself collected, they should determine you are not a threat and will leave you be.

Update for October/November 2007:  A new Philadelphia Police Department chief has stated that he got an order from DHS which prohibits parking anywhere along Hog Island Road.  As of this day, a Lieutenant in charge at the PPD is in good standing with several members of PHLAirline, and has stated that his officers will leave spotters alone if they continue to park on the side of Hog Island Road that is opposite that of the airport perimeter fence.  There will be "No Parking" signs erected along Hog Island Road, but possibly not for a while.

© 2004-2007 Steven Holzinger