Jersey Airport Spotting Guide

Jersey Airport Spotting Guide

December 22, 2019 - last modified on November 20, 2023

Jersey Airport (JER/EGJJ) is a relatively quiet airport, particularly in the winter season when most days there are only five airlines. Those most common airlines are BA, EasyJet and Blue Islands, with schedule pax flights . They are complimented by the early morning and late evening cargo services which are operated by West Atlantic and Swift Air. However in the Summer season the variety is much better and the amount of traffic increases significantly with airlines such as Aer Lingus, Jet2, Lufthansa, Eurowings and a few more . All in all, Jersey airport handles 1,3 million passenger per year.

The Airport only has one runway which makes spotting a lot easier to spot. It is also frequently visited by a variety of business and occassional military traffic. A great time to visit Jersey Airport is when the Jersey International Air Display is on which is usually mid-September time, the display always attracts very interesting traffic both miltary and civillian.

Written by Kian Lee Motte (local spotter). Last visit: Winter 2019

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
08/26	1.706m/5.597ft – Asphalt
Terminals	The airport has one main terminal serving all schedule passenger service and nearby is a cargo area handling the freighters. Close to this is a little GAT and the rest of the GA and sports aircraft are handled in the Aero Club “terminal” (Spot 1).
Spotting Information
Ladder	No ladder necessary, however a step ladder could be useful at spot 10 if you want to get taxiing shots as well as runway movements.
Car/Public Transport	The majority of spots are within walking distance of each other and parking is available at the Aero Club (spot 1) or you can pay to park at the terminal
Restrooms	Restrooms are again available at the Aero Club and the Terminal
Drinks/Food	Food is available at the Co-op store (spots 3/4), the Aero Club (Spot 1), the Terminal (although very expensive and limited choice).
Hotels	No hotels within close vicinity however no longer than 20 minutes on the bus away
Season	Some spots are not usable due to haze in summer but a lot of interesting seasonal carriers in the summer season.
Runway Usage
08/26	26 is the main direction being used to the seawind coming from the nearby shore in the west.

Jersey Aero Club - All movements

WHERE	Jerseys most popular spotting location is the balcony of the Aero Club, called Aerobistro. From the terminal walk out the car park then follow the fence along the road. It is just on your left hand side. The airport itself is served by the no 15 bus which runs every 15 minutes and costs 2.- pounds each journey. Parking space is directly at the club house. On L’Avenue de la Reine Elizabeth II, the car park is off to the left coming away from the terminal and opposite the Bowling Alley and Rugby Club. Go into the building and up stairs

WHAT	From the balcony you can see all traffic landing or departing on Runway 26 as well as traffic taxiing out on the parallel taxiway, which is quite close. Traffic landing on Runway 08 will also pass by here unless it vacates the runway early, and 09 departures can be taken from here, though some fast climbers may be too high at this point.

TIME	For runway in summer from 09:00 till 16:00, winter all day long. For ramp all day as it depends on the angle.

MISC.	They are closed on Tuesdays, but otherwise their opening hours are usually 0930-1800. On some days they open an hour earlier and on others they close an hour later; check the jerseyaeroclub.com website for details! The Aerobistro offers restrooms plus you can buy food drinks. On a restaurant balcony and above the flying club so toilets and food is available, buying something is recommended if you are using the balcony.

FOCAL LENGTH	30-50mm for anything bigger than a Dash 8 taxiing. 100-250mm for all aircraft lining up for 26, departing 26 or 08 and arriving on 26 and 08

St Peters Football Pitch - RWY 26 arrivals

WHERE	This spot is located at the end of RWY 26. Walk along L’Avenue de la Reine Elizabeth II until you see a cycle path off to the left. Then walk along the cycle path and the pitch is off to the right, but please DON’T USE the pitch if a match or training is in progress.

WHAT	From here you can see all arrivals onto RWY 26.

TIME	All day in winter, later morning till afternoon in the Summer.

MISC.	Close to Aero Club where there is both food and toilets are available and Co-Op En Route St Peters where you can purchase food. There is shelter in a football stand.

FOCAL LENGTH	50-300mm

Co-Op En Route St Peter - 26 arrivals

WHERE	Located next to the A12 this spot is pretty easy to find, but can be a bit loud as well. Just turn of A12 to the east once you are a bit north of the landing path. There you will find some parking spaces where you can leave your car and search your favourite position around here depending the exact position of the sun, but the southern side is hard to acces from here though…

WHAT	From here you can see all arrivals onto RWY 26 pretty from the front.

TIME	Although it is difficult to switch sides sometimes due to a lot of traffic, you can vary the sides depending on the position of the sun.

MISC.	Food available at the nearby Co-op store where one can also find shadow.

FOCAL LENGTH	50-250mm

La Rue de Saint-Clement - RWY 08 Departures

WHERE	This spot can be found south of the Co-Op Grande Marche on the “La Rue de Saint-Clement”. You can park at the Co-Op Grande Marche and exit at the back of the car park into southern direction. Then just walk along the road till you get to the left curve and search your favourite position around there.

WHAT	Departures form runway 08. 26 arrivals are hard to see due to the surrounding obstacles (see overview below).

TIME	Spot is fine in early summer mornings or late afternoons/evenings, but not usable in the winter.

MISC.	Food and toilets are available at the Co-Op Grande Marche.

FOCAL LENGTH	150-300mm

Shots taken from here look like the ones below and Spot itsself like THIS:

Mont du Jubilé car park - All movements

WHERE	This spot is located on the Northern side of the airport. To be exact this location is a gravel car park next to the street “Mont du Jubile” on the same named “hill”. Just park your car there and searhc your favourite position along the fence or the little mounds around the parking.

WHAT	All movements on the runway in both directions: 26 and 08

TIME	Spot is fine in early summer mornings or late afternoons/evenings, but not usable in the winter.

MISC.	Close to Co-Op Grand Marche and St Peters Community Center where food and toilets are available, but still a bit to go. You have to shoot through fence, that’s why we recommend a car and ladder here. Heat haze might become a problem on hot days in late hours especially.

FOCAL LENGTH	100-250mm

Unluckily we can’t show you any shots taken from here, but the area around the spot itsself looks like THIS. If you have enough examples for this spot, please don’t hesitate to contact us so via mail, facebook or however you want to…

Mont Fondan - RWY 08 arrivals and line ups+ RWY 26 Departures

WHERE	Drive or walk down Mont a la Brune and turn right onto Mont Fondan until you reach a little farmer path. Parking bays available by the roadisde in between the fields or on a grass pitch. Stand on the wall located just in the “middle” of the curve here (mark on the map exactly set there) so you can clear the fence for the best view of the runway.

WHAT	All RWY 08 arrivals and RWY 26 Departures.

TIME	All day in winter, later morning till afternoon in the Summer.

MISC.	The closest food is at the airport garage and the closest toilets are at the terminal. A car is recomended to get to this spot as well as it is a 20-30 minute walk to/from the terminal otherwise. Ladder not really needed if the wall is “free”, but might be helpful otherwise then. However heat haze can be a problem in summer sometimes.

FOCAL LENGTH	150-350mm

ATF Fuels - Taxiing Aircraft + Gates

WHERE	South of the terminal and apron when being on the “L’Avenue de la Commune” turn off to the northwest into an unnamed street (but some signs around the junction, so follow the green RVP or Skydive Jersey signs) leading you to the ATF visitor centre where you can stand left/west of to get a free view onto the apron. Cars can be paked right there as well…

WHAT	All aircraft taxiing to gates on the south side of the terminal and going to the business jet apron.

TIME	All day in winter, later morning till afternoon in the Summer. Depending on the aircraft’s position on the taxiways here you may also take some shots outside the given times.

MISC.	Close to the Airport Garage where food is available and the terminal where both food and toilets are available. You have to shoot through the fence but the gap is big enough for most lenses. Otherwise a ladder might be useful.

FOCAL LENGTH	50-200mm

Gama Aviation - Taxiing Aircraft + Business and Cargo Aprons

WHERE	Turn off “L’Avenue de la Commune” to the north south of the Gama and FedEx Cargo station where you’ll find a big cargo hall. At the western end of the parking you’ll have some space to take shots.

WHAT	Most aircraft taxiing to gates south of the terminal and the business apron. You may also be able to photograph some aircraft on the business and cargo aprons around here, and also static planes.

TIME	All day in winter, later morning till afternoon in the Summer. The cargo apron and gates anytime before noon and the business apron after noon

MISC.	Close to the Airport Garage where food is available and the terminal where both food and toilets are available. You have to shoot through fence but there are big enough gaps for most lenses to shoot through. Sometimes spotters have been told to move by Gama guards however that doesn’t normally happen.

FOCAL LENGTH	50-250mm

Europcar Car Park - Business Apron

WHERE	This spot is a short 2-3 minute walk from the terminal to the east. Just enter the car park area east of the terminal as mentioned and search your favourite position along the fence on its southern side.

WHAT	Only the business apron and some parts of the cargo apron.

TIME	Sunrise until early midday for most angles, however for some it could be usable at other times. However, this spot is way better in summer than in winter as sun might not rise early enough to lighten this side well.

MISC.	Close to the terminal with food and toilets available. Have to shoot through fence however the gaps are big enough to fit most lenses through. Ladder therefore might be useful.

FOCAL LENGTH	24-150mm

The Mound - All movements

WHERE	If you are coming from the Aero Club walk along the airport fence behind the trees to the west (so towards the terminal) until you reach a mound free of trees from which you can see over the fence onto the runway. It is located quite close and a bit north of the airport’s main entrance at a roundabout.

WHAT	You can see all movements on the runway. The fence blocks all shots of the taxiway unless you have a step ladder from which you may be able to get unobstructed shots of the taxiway.

TIME	All day in winter, later morning till afternoon in the Summer.

MISC.	Only a short 1 or 2 minute walk from the Aero Club and the Airport Terminal with toilets and food. So all you nedd is quite close. As said, a ladder is needed to get over the fence for taxiway shots; runway shots are also possible without ladder.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm