Innsbruck Kranebitten Airport

Continent: Europe

Country: Austria

Please note that the use of airband scanners in Austria is illegal.

Innsbruck Kranebitten Airport
Location	Innsbruck, Austria
IATA code	INN
ICAO code	LOWI
Airport type	Commercial
Website	http://www.innsbruck-airport.com
Overview map	[ ]
Communications
Tower	120.100
Ground
Clearance	121.800
Approach	119.275
ATIS	126.025

Innsbruck Kranebitten Airport is located 5 kilometres west of the center of Innsbruck, with a single runway ( 2000 x 45m / 6562 x 148ft ) with the magnetic heading 08/26.

Innsbruck's first airfield was located at the eastern end, but was newly opened south of the village Kranebitten in 1948, that's where the airport got its name from. A first scheduled service started to Zurich in 1950, flown by Swissair.

Nowadays, Innsbruck is the operational homebase of Austrian Arrows (Tyrolean Airways), Tyrolean Air Ambulance and Welcome Air. In 2004, the airport was used by 728.000 passengers and a total amount of 14,000 flights.

Official Spotting Locations

Airport Viewing Terrace

An excellent photography location, you can never be in the wrong place there, as the viewing terrace overlooks the entire runway and the apron positions. To get there, just enter the airport terminal, then go upstairs and follow the sign "Besucherterasse" out, passing by the FlyINN restaurant. The terrace is free of charge, opening times are not always the same, but usually around 8am. As you look north, sun will stay behind you all day long, so photography has no restrictions from dawn till dusk.

In terms of zoom range for shooting pictures, you will need about 40+mm for apron or taxi shots, and at least 100mm for landings and/or take-off's. There is no glass or any other barrier that could harm your spotting, so enjoy yourself!

Example photographs, taken from the terrace:

Airliners.net sample photo: medium large (Landing on 26)
Airliners.net sample photo: medium large (Apron)
Airliners.net sample photo: medium large (Take-off on 08)

Other Spotting Locations

The Inn Dam

The Inn Dam is a great location if runway 08 is in use for landings, but also for runway 26 take-off's.

The spot can be reached from the airport terminal by walking to the west behind the hangars and along the perimeter fence to the 08 end of the runway (make sure to wear good shoes in winter!). Walking time is about 15 minutes, and please DO NOT walk through the farmer's field in summer or autumn just to short-cut but stay near the fence!

For any photos from the Inn Dam, you do not need a ladder to shoot over fences.

Recommended focal lengths:

Approaches / landings 08: 70mm +
Line-up's 08: 50mm +
Take-off's 26: 200mm +

If you are by car, there's also the possibility to reach the spot by driving the Bundesstrasse from Innsbruck in direction Kranebitten, where you can leave you car near Kranebitter Hof. From there, walk over a small bridge in airport direction and follow the road to the dam.

Example photographs, taken from Inn Dam:

Airliners.net sample photo: medium large (Approach to 08)
Airliners.net sample photo: medium large (Line-up on 08)
Airliners.net sample photo: medium large (Take-off on 26)

South-West Fence

This location is no real spotting point, as it's more or less the entire perimeter fence from the hangars to the Inn Dam. The position, which is one of my favourites, is good for line-up's and landings on 08, and rotation and climb out shots from 26. Please note, that for the entire length a ladder is required to shoot over the fence!