Bremen Airport Spotting Guide

Bremen Airport Spotting Guide

August 14, 2016 - last modified on December 14, 2023

The Airport of Bremen (BRE/EDDW) named “Hans Koschnick” is ca. 3 kilometers away from the City Centre and has international Traffic to a lot of european destinations. Bremen is the capital City of the same namend Country Bremen. The Country Bremen consists of two cities: Bremen itself and Bremerhaven. The airport was founded in 1909, the first international flight, operated by KLM, landed in 1920.

Actually, there are 13 airlines serving 32 destinations in Europe, northern Africa and Asia. 2,3 million passengers were handled in 2019. The current airlines are: Lufthansa, Eurowings, KLM, Turkish Airlines, Ryanair, Wizzair, SunExpress, Sundair, Corendon Airlines. During the holidays charter flights are often operated by Pegasus Airlines and Tailwind Airlines.

The aircraft maintenance company Atlas Air Service lies next to the airport. Visitors for this company are mostly Saab aircraft as well as smaller business jets like Cessna or Embraer types. Movements for the maintenance facilities almost every day.

The Airbus factory next to Bremen airport produces wings for all Airbus types. Therefor the Airbus „Beluga“ aircraft (A300-600ST and XL) visit Bremen almost every day. The flight schedule of the Beluga can be found in the regular flight schedule published on the Bremen airport website. Frequently (check the daily shedule of Airport Bremen) there is the Airbus transporter “Beluga” Airbus A300-600ST at the Airport.

Since the close of the Regional Airport Bremerhaven the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar Research (AWI) operate their two Basler BT-67 C-GAWI and C-GHGF (two former DC-3) are from Bremen. They have no true and public shedule!!! Most of the Time the aircraft are on a mission to one of our Poles. Sometimes both are in Bremen or only one. In Bremen the aircraft will be prepared for the next missions with instruments and different resarch equipment. Every configuration must be testet in the air. So they have sometimes a lot of testflights in the local area. The average of one flight is not constant but normally they are 1-3 hours in the air. If they start the engines in front of their hangar it needs up to 30mins before they will begin Taxi!

The European Flight School at Bremen airport teaches pilots for Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, ANA and the German air force. Four training Cessna 525 are based at the airport. Training flights are usually operated Monday – Friday. Sometimes the Bundeswehr (Military of Germany) and the NATO practise some Trainingflights with their Aircraft.

Photos and written by Marvin Schenk and Andreas Fietz. Last change: December 2023 (Spot 9 added)

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
09/27	2.040m (6693,91 ft)
23	700m (2296.58 ft)
Terminals	All flights except Privatjets
Terminal 1,2,3	Is one building. All Airlines except Ryanair and Wizzair
Terminals E	Only Ryanair and Wizzair
Spotting Information
Ladder	Necessary at some spots, 3 steps minimum
Car/Public Transport	There is a train station for spots 1 and 2, also a bus to points 3. You can reach the others with public transportation too but you have to walk. It´s good to have a car.
Restrooms	Only in the Terminal Building.
Drinks/Food	Only in the Terminal Building and in front at Mc Donald´s.
Hotels	A few around the terminal.
Season	All Year. But Summer is a good Ttme. Maybe there is less rain.
Runway Usage
09/27	Always used for the main traffic. Runway 09 30% in use, runway 27 70% in use depending on the wind
23	Very, very rare. But not bigger than a Cessna or Piper type.

	Spot #1 – Visitor Terrace (Observation deck)
WHERE	Inside the terminal building at the top floor above security control. In the arrival area use the elevator on the left hand side of the arrival area to reach the top level or use the stairs on the left hand side to reach the top level.

WHAT	View on the entire apron and at all parking positions. Huge aircraft are parked directly in front. Smaller aircraft like business jets are parked on the apron.

TIME	Summer: In the morning until 10:00/11:00 and late evening hours. Rest of the day is backlight.

MISC.	Toilets, Restaurants are in the Terminal. Opening Times: 6.00-23.00 If the outside temperature is below 8 degrees Celsius, the observation deck is closed. The entire deck is surrounded by glass, which is often dirty. The observation deck might be closed due to events.

FOCAL LENGTH	Depends on the aircraft size and your position on the observation deck. 30-200mm are fine. More length needed for small aircraft.

	Spot #2 – Approach 27
WHERE	Car: Park at the parking lot of „McFit, Siemes and FliesenSale“ at Kattenturmer Heerstrasse directly under the approach corridor. Cross the street into „Arsterdamm“ and walk along the left side. After 200-300m there is a sand walk. Go in and turn left at the junction. You will see two little hills. Puplic transport: Take tram 4 in the direction of “Arsten” and drop off at “Sielhof”. Walk on your side of the road in direction of to the approach corridor and cross the big street. After having crossed you see a little sand walk. Go in and follow. After some minutes you see two little hills.

WHAT	All Arrivals for RWY 27

TIME	From 08:30 to 17:30

MISC.	Food and toilets available at „Cafe del Sol“ next to tram stop „Sielhof“

FOCAL LENGTH	50-200mm is enough.

	Spot #3 – Approach 27
WHERE	Car: Your goal is the street „Krimpelweg“. Follow it until the asphalt street changes into sand. On the left hand side you will see some parking spaces behind some trees. Park your car there for free and continue on „Krimpelweg“ until you see an airport gate. Just position yourself with the ladder at the gate and you can also easily shoot the aircraft without the fence in your pictures. Public transport: Take bus 27 until bus stop „Krimpelweg“. Enter the street „Krimpelweg“. Follow it all the way until on your left hand side you will see an airport gate. It will take you 10 minutes walk.

WHAT	All Arrivals on 27. You can also spot 27 Line-Ups with a high ladder.

TIME	From 08:30 to 17:30

MISC.	No toilets or other facilities nearby. Ladder neccesarry to clear both fences! (3-4 step min.)

FOCAL LENGTH	100-400mm Cessna 525 = 340mm / A320 = 165mm

	Spot #4 – Picknickplatz (Allround Position)
WHERE	Car: From nothern directions: Follow „Norderländer Straße“ until it changes to „Kladdinger Straße“ after a city sign. You will now drive along the airport fence, pass the approach corridor. The street will take a left, then a right turn. Before a little bridge turn left onto an asphalted dam. There will be the parking lot. Park your car there for free and walk to the position. Important notice: Turning from „Kladdinger Straße“ onto the dam is dangerous due to a very limited view at arriving cars. Better cross the bridge. After a while there will be a little house. Make a u-turn there, cross the bridge again and turn right onto the asphalted dam immediately. From southern directions. Follow „Kladdinger Straße“. After a little bridge turn left immediately onto the asphalted dam. Park your car at the small parking lot. Follow the asphalted dam in airport direction until the position. Public transport: Take tram 1 or 8 until stop „Norderländer Straße“. Use the street facing east to airport direction. Follow it all the way until the position. By foot it will take 30-40 minutes.

WHAT	All traffic arriving 09 or departing 27. Aircraft arriving 27 as well if they do not use an earlier taxiway like Cessna, Piper and sometimes A319 and A320.

TIME	From 08:30 to 17:30, during summer season you may have heat haze.

MISC.	There is nothing nearby. No Ladder needed. Please keep this area clean.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-200mm or up to 400mm.

	Spot #5 – Lineup 09
WHERE	Car: From northern directions: Follow „Norderländer Straße“ until it changes to „Kladdinger Straße“ after a city sign. You will now drive along the airport fence, pass the approach corridor. The street will take a left, then a right turn. Before a little bridge turn left onto an asphalted dam. There will be the parking lot. Park your car there for free and walk along the fence tot he position. Important notice: Turning from „Kladdinger Straße“ onto the dam is dangerous due to a very limited view at arriving cars. Better cross the bridge. After a while there will be a little house. Make a u-turn there, cross the bridge again and turn right onto the asphalted dam immediately. From southern directions. Follow „Kladdinger Straße“. After a little bridge turn left immediately onto the asphalted dam. Park your car at the small parking lot. Follow the fence until the position. Public transport: Take tram 1 or 8 until stop „Norderländer Straße“. Use the street facing east to airport direction. Follow it all the way until the position. By foot it will take 30-40 minutes.

WHAT	All traffic arriving or departing 09. Departures 27 possible, but already very high at this position. Also “Heavy” arrivals on RWY27, which use the full length and vacate the RWY here.

TIME	From 08:30 to 17:30. Wacht out for heat haze in summer. RWY27 landings vacating here can be shot late in the evening as well – just move around with the sun.

MISC.	Ladder needed (3-4 steps minimum). Nothing nearby. Please remove your ladder from the fence while you do not use it to avoid trouble with airport security.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-200mm or up to 400mm.

	Spot #6 – Approach 09
WHERE	Car: From North: Drive into “Norderländer Straße” and follow the road. You will pass a City sign. From there it is the “Kladdinger Straße”. You will drive along the airport fence and through the Approach Corridor. Before you pass a little bride there is a little damm witha an Asphalt Walk.There you have to drive in. NOTE: Please pass the bridge. After passing is on your ride side a house. Do a U-turn there and drive back the road. Than you can turn right directly after the bridge. There is a little Parking Lot. From South: Drive into “Kladdinger Straße”. Follow instruction above. Public: Take Tram 1 or 8 to “Huchting”. Get off at “Norderländer Straße” and walk the street along on the right side. The path will change into a Asphalt path. Follow it all the way to the position. You need ca. 30-35min from Tram Station to the Position.

WHAT	All Approaching Aircrafts of 09. You can spot here some aircraft taking off from 27 from this Position too. The most are very high at this point.

TIME	All Day. Except the early morning and late evening in Summer.

MISC.	There is nothing. No Ladder needed.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-200 mm or up to 400mm.

	Spot #7 – Taxiway Alpha and Approach 09
WHERE	Car: From northern directions: Follow „Norderländer Straße“ until the city sign „Bremen“. After it there is an emergency road on your left hand side. Park your car there at the side. It is not a public road so park there for a short time only. Walk along the fence to the position. From southern directions: Follow „Kladdiner Straße“ until it turns into „Norderländer Straße“. Before the city sign „Bremen“. Turn right into the small emergency road and park your car at the side. Walk along the fence to your position.

WHAT	All traffic taxing on taxiway alpha to 09 or from 27 and early morning or late evening 09 arrivals.

TIME	Early morning and evening during summer for arrivals and in the late afternoon for Taxiway

MISC.	Ladder needed (3-4 steps minimum). There is nothing nearby.

FOCAL LENGTH	50-200mm for 09 arrivals and 200-400mm for traffic on taxiway Alpha.

	Spot #8 – Atlas Air Service – GA Maintenance apron
WHERE	This spot can be found in the northwest of the airport. However, it is located around an apron, so both sides: northern and southern. Thereby there is not just one position too approach, you can decide once driving on “Hanna-Kunath-Strasse” to the southwest towards the turning pad whether you turn off before or after the Atlas Air Service hangar on your left – this determines which side of the apron you end up at. Then just park your car on one of the NON-reserved parking bays in this area and search your favourite position along the fences.

WHAT	Along the fences here you have a nice view onto the whole apron in front of the Atlas Air Service hangar. So mostly parked/maintenanced business jets can be seen here.

TIME	Totally depends on the aircraft, parking spot and where you stand, this can be used actually all day almost, but is best around noon though.

MISC.	Ladder needed, but only use it when actually spotting. Try to keep a low profile here as you are in a business jet area.

FOCAL LENGTH	18-200mm

The southern side:

	Spot #9 – DFS Carpark
WHERE	You can walk from the terminal buildings to the DFS carpark, then take the stairs/elevator to the second highest level. Now just choose your favourite position on the floor there. We recommend the southernmost corner that faces the runway. It is not a public garage so parking here is not possible!

WHAT	All traffic arriving or departing 27. Arrivals 09 on the Taxiway. Departures 09 possible but maybe a bit high. Also RWY Exit Charlie. The sight of the taxiway is partially blocked by buildings as you can see on the samples below.

TIME	From 17:30 till sunset in the summer months only.

MISC.	As this parking lot belongs to DFS (German Air Traffic Control), security personnel may ask you to leave the parking lot, please comply. So far we have not experienced any problems with the security staff, and it stays that way

FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm

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Jan

1 year ago

The visitor terrace now only opens from 8° Celsius.

Julian

Admin

Reply to Jan

1 year ago

Thanks, I have changed the description.
-Julian

Volker Heuermann

3 years ago

There is a possibility to spot directly between the approach lights of RW 27, although you will see the airplanes directly from underneath.
It is positioned between McFit and the Runway 27 and is called “Alter Kuhweidenweg”.
There is one spot that is enough to park one car, maybe two, so parking at McFit and walking there may be better, that is not far away.