Kecskemet Air Base - Spotting Guide

Kecskemet Air Base – Spotting Guide

October 8, 2014 - last modified on November 20, 2023

Kecskemet Airport (-/LHKE) is the biggest military air base of the Hungarian Air Force. LHKE is home to the “Puma” tactical and “Teve” transport squadrons. The “Puma” squadron use the JAS-39 Gripen multirole fighters, and the “Teve” squadron in turn used to operate the AN-26 transport aircraft, which was retired in 2020 and will be replaced by the Embraer KC390 soon (Hungarian air force ordered two in late 2020, they will be based here). LHKE organizes International Airshow and Military Display once in a while (normally in August). The last gap was quite long with 8 years: 2013 till 2021, but is one of the biggest airshows in Europe and Middle-Europe.

The airbase rarely organizes exercise. The normal operation usually is on working days, but there are only a few flights. The A319 and DF7 cause quite a high percentage of the movements with their flights to Budapest and the rest of the world (transporting troops and officials). High activity expected at in the week of the Airshow, usually with 10-20 countries arriving from 5 days prior to the show with display teams and support aircraft. They will then rehearse their programm and leave within 1-2 days after the show normally.

Written by Soos Jozsef and Severin Hackenberger. Update: Augsut 2021

Rating
Movements
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
12/30	2.499 m (8.199 ft) Concrete
Spotting Information
Ladder	Necessary as soon as you wanna shoot ground movements on the ramp or the line-up. Stay away from the fence as long as possible, till you do not take pictures! Then quickly put up your ladder, take your shots and vanish again! Military/Security probably will still come and ask what you are doing, be prepared and say it is just your hobby. Stay friendly and they will normally tolerate it!
Car/Public Transport	A car is needed as there is no public transport.
Restrooms	Not available at the spots.
Drinks/Food	Restaurants and supermarkets in the town or there is a good restaurant along highway 44 a few minutes up northeast from spot 1/2/3: “Fekete Golya”.
Hotels	Inside the Town of Kecskemet only. No spotting hotels around.
Season	The weather is good here normally from April to October. Winter is horrible for spotting here!
Runway Usage
12/30	Depends on wind direction, but aircraft fly as they want: always look where they are parked and where they will depart to. They may turn the usage or squeeze contrary movements in between easily. There is no operational time limit. Normally the air base runs operations from 8 to 18 o’clock.

	Spot #1 – Fieldside – Arrivals 30
WHERE	Pass the arrival light on road 44 and take the second street to your right. You can directly stop your car there on the edge of dirt road and spot from the bicycle path or the field.

WHAT	Good spot for 30 arrivals.

TIME	On summer mornings, not useable in winter.

MISC.	Restaurant is nearby. Haze should not be an issue as you are here early.

FOCAL LENGTH	100-400mm C130 = 245mm

	Spot #2 – Fence Southeast – Arrivals + Line-Ups 30 + 12 Departures
WHERE	Now take the first street east of the landing lights and park your car on the edge of dirt road there. Then go back to the busy stretet, cross it carefully(!!) and make your way up to the fence around the landing lights as shown. Then you can position yourself along there freely according to your favourite angle and what you wanna shoot: arrivals or line-ups.

WHAT	Good spot for 30 arrivals and line-ups. You can also shoot 12 departures nicely if these are low…

TIME	Arrivals are only good on summer mornings again, line-ups can also be shot outside of summer till 10 roughly.

MISC.	Nothing here. A ladder is needed in order to be able to shoot line-ups comfortably. Heat haze is a huge issue, can occur very quickly! Stay away from the fence as long as possible, till you do not take pictures! Then quickly put up your ladder, take your shots and vanish again! Military/Security probably will still come and ask what you are doing, be prepared and say it is just your hobby. Stay friendly and they will normally tolerate it!

FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm C295 arrival = 180mm / KC135 Line-up = 205mm

	Spot #3 – Highway 44 – Arrivals 30 + Departures 12
WHERE	Either park your car in the dirt road again or risk to park in front of a little house (exact spot marked as parking position on the map), where it is actually forbidden, but police does not care often. Then position yourself along the bicycle path (opposite site of the fence/wall!) according to your favourite angle.

WHAT	Good spot for 30 arrivals and low 12 departures. With a ladder you can also shoot 30 backtracks.

TIME	Later morning till sunset.

MISC.	Restaurant is nearby along highway 44 or there is a little shop on 44 towards airport. Heat haze is an issue on backtrack shots as well as on arrivals in summer. The passing cars produce lots of haze and lorries may disturb your view. Stay away from the fence as long as possible, till you do not take pictures! Then quickly put up your ladder, take your shots and vanish again! Military/Security probably will still come and ask what you are doing, be prepared and say it is just your hobby. Stay friendly and they will normally tolerate it!

FOCAL LENGTH	50-350mm – depends on your position C130 backtrack = 205mm

	Spot #4 – Fence Northwest – Apron L + 30 Departures
WHERE	Turn off highway 445 fairly at the airport northern end towards Gate 7. Just before you reach the gate/fence, turn left onto a little dirt path and position yourself along the fence there.

WHAT	Good view onto Apron L where usually the transport aircraft are parked. You can also shoot low 30 climbouts nicely.

TIME	Depends of the parking direction, but usually from early afternoon to sunset.

MISC.	Bring what you need before coming to this spot as there is nothing around. A small ladder is needed to clear the fence, a bigger one to clear the bushes on the meadow airside at some points. Heat haze is a huge issue here! Stay away from the fence as long as possible, till you do not take pictures! Then quickly put up your ladder, take your shots and vanish again! Military/Security probably will still come and ask what you are doing, be prepared and say it is just your hobby. Stay friendly and they will normally tolerate it!

FOCAL LENGTH	200-500mm C295 departure = 300mm / C130 on ramp = 280mm

	Spot #5 – Meadow – Arrivals 12
WHERE	From the former spot, just continue by the fence on the dirtpath along the fence till you reach the landing light and position yourself around them.

WHAT	Good spot for arrivals onto runway 12.

TIME	The whole day. Just cross the field for the afternoon spot when the sun has moved around.

MISC.	Bring what you need before coming at this spot, nothing around.

FOCAL LENGTH	18-200mm