Hannover Airport
Continent: Europe | Country: Germany |
Please note that the use of airband scanners in Germany is illegal. |
Hannover Langenhagen Airport | |
Location | Hannover |
IATA code | HAJ |
ICAO code | EDDV |
Airport type | Civil |
Website | http://www.hannover-airport.de |
Overview map | www.aeropictures.net |
Communications | |
Tower | 120.175 |
Ground | 121.950 |
Clearance | n/a |
Approach | 131.325 |
Departure | 131.325 |
ATIS | 132.125 |
Departure | n/a |
Official Spotting Locations
Visitor Terrace
There is a visitors terrace in the building connecting terminals A and B. It is part of a exhibition (museum with hands-on exhibits opened in October 2008 ( http://www.weltderluftfahrt.de ) Access is from departure level. Minimum entrance fee now is €2,50 which includes part of the exhibition.
From the Visitor Terrace you have a view over the apron of Terminal A and a parts of Terminal B. Aircraft on some stands of terminal C are visible is some distance as is the remote parking area. Beside you can take pictures of aircraft taxiing to the runways. Also pictures of aircrafts which are landing or departing on 09R/27L are possible. The disadvantages are that you have to photograph through glass (dirty!) and the light is bad nearly the whole day.
Other Spotting Locations
Position No 2 "Parkhaus Nord"
You reach this position if you exit the motorway at the sign "Flughafen" (airport). Drive along the road and follow the signs to "Parkhaus Nord" (Car Park North), but be aware that it usually is closed off-season. This location can also be reached on foot from the terminals or by parking shuttle (if the car park is open).
The multi-storey Car Park near rwy 27R is good for pictures when runways 27 are in use and aircraft take the right runway for landings or take-off! It's possible to photograph aircraft after take-off on 09L but most of the stuff will be too high. The light is good from sunrise until 5p.m. I would recommend lenses from 150mm up to 400mm for shots on the runway and 70mm up to 180mm for shots on the taxiway
- PlanePictures.net sample photo: large
- PlanePictures.net sample photo: large
- Airliners.net sample photo: medium large
- Airliners.net sample photo: medium large
- Airliners.net sample photo: medium large
- Airliners.net sample photo: medium large
Position No 8 "Schulenburg"
Drive in the direction of the airport and do a left turn at the "Münchener Straße" (if you are coming from the airport, do a right turn). Drive along this road until you reach a small village named "Schulenburg". In this village you take the first road ("Dorfstraße") to the right. Drive this road until the end and you will see the runway in front of you. You can walk along the airport fence from here, too.
From the point "Schulenburg" you can take pictures of aircrafts which depart or land on 09R. You need a ladder (3 steps) at this position! The light is good from sunrise until 5p.m. I would recommed lenses from 70mm up to 400mm.
- Airliners.net sample photo: medium large
- Airliners.net sample photo: medium large
- Airliners.net sample photo: medium large
- Airliners.net sample photo: medium large
Position No 10 "Schulenburg-Nord"
This point is located in Schulenburg-Nord. To get there, follow the instructions given for point 8, but instead of turning right at the first road in Schulenburg, take the second one (Hannoversche Straße). You have to follow this road until Schulenburg Nord, where you have to turn left. Now you are heading directly towards a small parking lot next to the taxiway. From this point you have a great view over the northern runway (09L/27R) an its taxiways. For shots on the runway it's good to have at least a 300mm lens (for aircraft down to CRJ-size). The taxiway however is very close here, so you really need a wide angle lens (e.g. 30mm for a Yak42). If RWY 09L is in use, every plane will pass this spot during landing and take off, but smaller planes landing on 27R often leave the runway before they reach this spot. To get clear of the fence, a 3-step-ladder is necessary here. The sun is in your back from early morning until around 5 pm.
Münchner Straße
For those in a hurry, it used to be possible to get a quick glance at the apron and traffic on runway 09R/27L from the parking strips along Münchner Straße (located south of the airport), but more and more buildings (mainly freight forwarders) meanwhile are blocking those views. Still it is possible to park there and walk closer to the airport fence, but above mentioned spot #8 has the advantage of no thru-traffic (definitely no trucks).
End of runways
Those who like to stand directly underneath approaching (landing) aircraft can do so easily on 3 of the 4 ends at HAJ.
The far end of runway 27R is reached from Engelbostel via Resser Straße. It is possible to park a car there without problems.
The far end of runway 27L can be reached on foot from above mentioned positions #8 and #10. When coming from #10, park your car in the village itself, do not drive all the way to the designated area.
The far end of runway 09L is reached from Evershorst. You need to park your car in the very small village, as many roads are not open to public vehicles. On the road leading east from Evershorst to Kaltenweide, a bridge leads across motorway A352. From there head-on shots of approaching aircraft are possible.
The far end of runway 09R is the least good accessible one, as many areas are fenced off (being used as private parking lots for cars and trucks). Keep an open eye here and observe signs, as the situation changes rather frequently here.
Locations to Avoid
If you use the positions mentioned above you shouldn't get any problems.
Sometimes the airport security might bother you because your car might be parked at a wrong place and so on, but if you speak to them and explain them your concern they'll accept you!
Taking pictures of military aircraft is okay; taking pictures of military personnel should be avoided. It is a unwritten law at HAJ to not pointing cameras with big lenses at military personnel. This is to make sure that the BFG (Brtish Forces in Germany) feel safe and respected and are willing to continue their handling at HAJ in the open.
Please note, that it's forbidden to use an airband scanner in Germany, but use rarely get prosecuted. Just turn it off if the police approaches.
Regular Traffic
Air Berlin: Fokker 100, B738, B757, A319, A320, A321
Air France Regional: ERJ-145
Austrian Arrows: CRJ-200, Dash 8-400
British Midland: ERJ-145, A319, A320, A321 (all Airbus' are rare)
Cimber (for Scandinavian): CRJ200
Condor: A320, 753
Czech Airlines: ATR-42, ATR-72
Eurocypria: 738
FlyBe: ERJ-145, DHC-8-400, EMB-190(rare)
KLM Cityhopper: Fokker 50, Fokker 70, Fokker 100
Lufthansa: 733, 735, A319, A320, A321
Lufthansa Regional: ATR-42, ATR-72, CRJ-200, CRJ-700, CRJ-900, BAe-146/RJ85, BAe-146/RJ100
Swiss: RJ100; A319/320 as substitution during high demand
TUIfly.com: 733, 73G, 738
Turkish Airlines: 734, 738, A320, A321
Welcome Air: Dornier 328 Prop
Scheduled Highlights
Aeroflot: Tu-154M, A319, A320
Air Alps: Do-328
Air Astana: 752, 763
Air Baltic: Fokker 50 (starting December 2008)
Belavia: Tu-154M (only summer)
FlyLAL: Saab2000 (only summer)
Khors Aircompany: MD-83 (only summer)
Kras Air: 733, Tu-154, 757
Orenburg Airlines (Orenair): Tu-154M, 737 (only summer)
Rossiya (Pulkovo): Tu-154M, 735, Tu-214, A319
Saratov: Yak-42 (only summer)
Sayakhat: Tu-154M (on some Air Astana flights in summer)
Sibir: A310, Tu-154M, 735, A319
Ural Airlines: Tu-154M (only summer)
Irregular traffic
Traffic in this category mainly operates tourist-charters during busy summer season.
Much more irregular traffic arrives at HAJ during the two bigger fairs held in Hannover: Cebit and Hannover Fair (Industry).
In addition to the Royal Air Force's own metal, frequently chartered aircraft uses HAJ for troop exchanges. Expect to see DC-10 and B747 (older models) then.
Air Europa: 738
Blue Wings: A320
Croatia Airlines: A319, A320 (trade fair traffic only)
Freebird: A320, A321
Hamburg International: 737
Inter Airlines: Fokker100, A321
LTU: A320
Nouvelair: A320
Onur Air: A320, A321, A300-600
Pegasus: 734, 738
Royal Air Force: VC10, TriStar, C-130 Herkules
SAS: MD-87, MD-82 (trade fair traffic only)
Sky Airlines: 734, 738
Sun Express: 738, 752
Tunisair: A319, A320, A300-600
Facilities and Transportation
Access by car is via Motorway A352 and some local roads.
Rail access (station is in the basement of terminal C) from Langenhagen and Hannover Central station by commuter trains (S-Bahn) http://www.bahn.de
GVH runs bus #470 from Langenhagen to the airport at 30 minute intervals http://www.gvh.de/index.html?&L=1
Links
www.haj-spotter.de by Andreas Heilmann
www.antonov124.de by Olaf & Hilke Juergensmeier
www.Aeropictures.net by Marcel Vöse, Marvin Meinel, Till Neumann und Christian Weber