Buffalo Niagara International Airport
| Continent: North America | Country: United States | Region: New York |
| Buffalo Niagara International Airport | |
| Location | Cheektowaga, New York |
| IATA code | BUF |
| ICAO code | KBUF |
| Airport type | Commercial |
| Website | http://www.nfta.com/airport/ |
| Overview map | Google Maps |
| Communications | |
| Tower | 120.5 |
| Ground | 121.9 |
| Clearance | 124.7 |
| Approach | 126.5 |
| Departure | 126.15 |
| ATIS | 135.35 |
Official Spotting Locations
There are no official viewing/spotting locations around BUF.
Other Spotting Locations
Flying Tigers
Previously well known restaurant went bankrupt in 2004 and is closed. The area though is still open and spotting is possible however you may be occasionally hassled by NFTA Police.
To get there from the terminal by car make a left on Genesee St. then left on Holtz Dr. left on Aero Dr. and left on Amherst Villa (turn just before the tunnel under the runaway). There is a plenty of space to park. As anywhere in Buffalo don't count on public transportation. Renting a car or getting a cab are your only options.
Flying Tigers in not a single spotting place. It is a larger area that provides great view of the whole airport and photography is possible no matter which runaways are in use. The airport fence is below the Flying Tigers level and causes no problem at all. Aircraft will taxi VERY close to you and no long zoom is needed, 70-200mm is sufficient. The light is the best in the morning (from sunrise to noon). Later the sun becomes more and more disturbing.
Examples of photos taken from Flying Tigers area:
Taxi out to rwy 23:
Take offs rwy 23:
Landings rwy 23
Vacating rwy 05
Take offs rwy 05
Take offs rwy 32
Landings rwy 32
Taxi by the terminal:
Old parking lot at Cayuga Rd.
This is a closed airport parking lot on Cayuga Rd. Going from the terminal make a right on Genesee St. then right onto Cayuga Rd. Pass the runaway line and park on the right side at first open parking lot (before NFTA Police bulding). Then walk back and get inside the parking lot that is closed for traffic.
This location is only good in the late afternoon (because of light) and only if runaway 05 is in use.
Examples of photos taken from Cayuga Rd:
Line up on rwy 05
Landings on rwy 05
Approach to rwy 05
Overall Flying Tigers is much better and recommended location.
Locations to Avoid
Warning: Beautiful photos can be taken during a winter time. However if you consider going to BUF in the winter you MUST have very warm clothes and solid boots. Otherwise you will end up like this:
NFTA Police usually has no problem with people watching/photographing aircraft. I have contacted airport authorities in February 2005 and they indicated that they have no problem with it as well. However as always, if an officer in a bad mood passes by or somebody reports "suspicious activity" you will get hassled.
I was told very rudley to leave Tigers when I was there in Feb 06. I was asked if I had permission from the restaurant's owner to be there. Since I didn't, I was told I was trespassing. Very rude NFTA cops. I filed a complaint with the NFTA, but big surprise, they never got it after waiting a month for a repsonse.
Regular Traffic
Airlines providing scheduled service as of December 2005: US Airways, Jetblue, United, Independence Air, Southwest, Continental, Delta, Northwest, American, Airtran.
Cargo Airlines: DHL, Fedex, UPS, AirNow.
Equipment:
B737-300/400/500/700/800, A319/320/321, EMB-170, EMB-190, ERJ-145, B717, CRJ200, CRJ700, DC-9-30/40/50, MD-88, Dash 8-100, Saab 340, Beech 1900, B727F, B757F, A300F.