Aerial shot provided by Google Earth with textual modifications to show the spots and the roads around Langley AFB.

About the Spots/What You'll See

Spot A:  This is in a shopping center parking lot.  You'll know it's the right shopping center because there is a bowling alley highlighting the places to go in that strip mall (I believe it's Thunderbird Lanes, but don't quote me on it).  The best route to here is to take US Route 206 (coming from Philadelphia via Routes 38 or 70) north, turning right onto Monmouth Road (County Route 537), and turning right at the light for Route 68.  At the next light, make a left and follow that road into Wrightstown.  You will know when to make the left turn because if you go further, you're going to hit one of the gates for the Fort Dix side of the base.  Follow that road into town and bear left after about two traffic lights (the McDonalds will be to your right).  The shopping center will be to your left.  You will get a great view of departures from Runway 36, but there are trees that will prevent you from watching the operations on the base.  I would imagine arrivals to Runway 18 will be really spectacular.

Spot B:  This is a cemetery off of Texas Avenue.  Follow the directions to Spot C but stay on 530 for a couple miles and make a left turn onto Trenton Road (its the next light past Juliustown Road).  In the past, this spot was available to anyone, but is now considered on base property, as there is a gate about ½-mile from the cemetery.  You are not able to see any of the runways here, but you can get close to arrivals to 6 and 36 and departures from 18 and 24.

Spot C:  This is closest of the parking lots to County Route 530 at the Burlington County College's Pemberton campus.  From Route 70, get on Four Mile Road at the circle with Route 72 (there is a sign pointing to Burlington County College) and when the road forks left and right, bear to the left and turn left at the traffic light.  Make a left into the next light and turn right into the first parking lot.  From Route 38 heading east, do not make any turns and follow 38 past its ending point at US Route 206.  It will turn into the Pemberton Bypass.  At the end of the bypass, make a right onto County Route 530 (Pemberton-Browns Mills Road) and make a right at the traffic light.  Pull into the first parking lot and park.  You are at least a mile and a half from the threshold of Runway 6 but you can see aircraft turning on their final approach for Runway 6, since that's where they make their turn from base to final.  Runway 24 departures are also spectacular, as they are about 1,000 to 2,000 feet up at this point.

Regarding what you will see at McGuire, the base is home to a squadron of C-17 Globemaster IIIs, two squadrons of KC-10 Extenders, and an Air National Guard unit consisting of KC-135E Stratotankers.  You will see those aircraft flying around for the most part, as well as a few civillian cargo aircraft going into McGuire from time to time (usually DC-8s and 747s).  The Army might have Blackhawks going into McGuire, as you have Fort Dix attached to McGuire AFB.  McGuire is one of the more active air bases, but is one of the worst in terms of security.  Below is a list of callsigns you'll commonly hear McGuire aircraft use.  The callsign of Reach is typically used when the aircraft are on actual missions.  Fighters and bombers come into McGuire, but not as commonly as transient transport aircraft.

Security

I personally have not had any instances dealing with law enforcement as of yet, but the one time I have spotted at Spot A, I have had a couple people (possibly) call the police reporting what I am doing.  I do not know of anyone who spots at McGuire AFB on a regular basis, so those phone calls were definitely out of the ordinary.  Back when Spot B was available (and before the gate on Texas Avenue was built), a friend of mine was stopped a number of times by local, county, and military law enforcement for his presence at that spot.  Needless to say, he is not allowed to spot there unless he wants to risk getting arrested.  Spot C is not a good idea especially if you are not a Burlington County College student because the parking spots are usually set aside for students only.  If you are a BCC student and your vehicle does indeed have a parking decal for the college, you could get away with spotting there, but the lots have cameras installed everywhere.

If you are dying to get some McGuire AFB spotting in, think twice before going out.  Even though there are only two spots that you can watch, the chances of getting questioned by law enforcement from any agency is just far too high.

More locations I have spotted at are located below. They are sorted by state. Locations not linked (when the rest have been linked) show places I have not spotted at as of yet.

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© 2005-2007 Steven Holzinger