Kassel Calden Airport - Spotting Guide

Kassel Calden Airport – Spotting Guide

May 2, 2018 - last modified on November 20, 2023

Kassel Calden Airport (KSF/EDVK) is located in Hesse (Germany) and was built around 10km northwest of Kassel’s downtown. The airport was opened back in April 2013 and had its first winterflightplan back in 2018/19. It’s the mainhub for the little german Holidayairline Sundair (SDR) and handles some charter/business/freighterflights, too.

The airport is being served daily in the summer by Sundair with one of its two Airbus A320s. Apart from this, Kassel Calden is often being visited by Metroliners or similar freighters. A common sight at the airport are also the Bizjets and helicopters (all parked on Eastapron). Sometimes there are charterflights, too, which are mostly served by Small Planet, Germania or Volotea. All commercial (plan and charter) flights can be found in the plan on Kassel airports website, which can be found here. Unfortunately the list doesn’t includes helicopter-, business- and freighter-flights, but luckily those ones can be seen on the webcam (once they have arrived). The webcam is located next to spot #4 on the rooftop, shows the whole Eastapron and can be found here.

Guide was written by Severin Hackenberger and Arne P. (local spotter). Last time all spots were checked: May 2019

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
09/27	2.500m x 45m Asphalt
Terminal	One for all operations
Spotting Information
Ladder	Not really needed, because at most of the spots the runway is “under” you, which makes real cool angles possible. Ladder only needed near the terminal facilities (spot #3+4).
Car/Public Transport	Car is not needed, spots aren’t that far away from each other, but much more comfortable.
Restrooms	Inside the nearby restaurants or the temrinal.
Drinks/Food	Around the airport there are a few shops and restaurants as well as at the airport.
Hotels	Hotels are just inside the city, but KSF isn’t the airport too stay for days anyway though not that worse.
Season	Summerflightplan is much more busier than the winterplan.
Runway Usage
09/27	Used in both directions.

	Spot #1 – Dam – Arrivals/Departures on RWY 09 + Late vacators RWY 27 + Taxiway Delta
WHERE	This spot is located at the western end of the runway and can reached by foot easily from spot #2. Just walk down the dam until you reached your favourite position, because this spot is no exact position again, rather the area along the dam. Your final position depends on the angle and object you wanna take pictures of, which is quite easy, because you’re always higher then the fence on the dam.

WHAT	You can see runway 09 line ups, 09 arrivals and departures as well as “late vacators” from runway 27.

TIME	Depending on exact angle, but mostly better in the afternoon and evening. Runway has good light from late morning till early evening (around 10am – 6pm) in the summer and in the winter months all day.

MISC.	No ladder needed, no shadow. Everything you need can be found at the terminal. Parking area at spot #2 offers enough space for roundabout 25 cars, where you can park at and easily walk back here.

FOCAL LENGTH	24 – 200mm Taxiway A320 = 30mm / Runway A320 = 180mm

Spot area looks like this (taken at the eastern end of the spot mark on map):

	Spot #2 – Infopoint – All activities at KSF
WHERE	This spot is located west of the Passengerterminal and offers a great view (can be seen on the overviewshot). It can be found on the top of the so called “Infopoint” and can be reached by Using the stairs on the western side. The easiest and onliest way to reach this spot is by Using the Falderbaumstraße, which leads you to the Infopoint directly. You’ll find a few signs along the street, which are showing you the way clearly.

WHAT	You can see all activities on the aprons/taxiways and the runway from this spot – this spot offers a great view.

TIME	Depending on what you wanna shot, but lightning is mostly better in the afternoon. Runway has good light from late morning till early evening (around 10am – 6pm) in the summer and in the winter months all day.

MISC.	Ladder not needed and at the spot you can find enough shadow and parking possibilities. Everything you need can be found at the terminal.

FOCAL LENGTH	24 – 300mm

	Spot #3 – ATC Tower – Eastapron
WHERE	If you follow another unnamed road into the “Flugschule Light Wings” direction, you’ll pass the ATC Tower on your right. Around this Tower you’ll find enough space to park your car at, from where you can walk to the fence eaily – depending on what exactly you wanna take pictures of.

WHAT	This spot offers a good view of the eastern apron again, but this time you can take good pictures of planes/freighters parked infront of the ATC tower, like Metroliners.

TIME	Most of them are parked parallel to the runway, that’s why light is good from late morning till early evening (around 10am – 6pm) in the summer and in the winter months all day.

MISC.	Ladder needed. You’ll find enough space to park at and everything needed can be found inside the terminal or the nearby city. Sometimes we hear spotters saying that they were asked to leave by the staff of the Piper Maintenance although we never had problems, that’s why we recommend to keep a low profile. Just take your pictures and drive away again, so spotters will be able to take pictures from here in the future, too!

FOCAL LENGTH	10 – 150mm

	Spot #4 – Field – Arrivals/Departures on RWY 27 + Late vacators RWY 09 + Taxiway Alpha/Bravo
WHERE	Pass spot #3 and follow the street further into western direction. After another left turn you’ll come to the end of the road with some parking possibilities. Then you can just park your car there and hike up the dam, which is on the opposite site of the “Flugschule Light Wings”-Building. On the dam you cna choose your favourite position again (like at spot #1), because it depends on the angle you like the most.

WHAT	All planes arriving/departing on runway 27, as well as taxiing to threshold 27 (via Alpha/Bravo). Apart from that you might be lucky and get the planes, which are vacating runway 09 late after arrival.

TIME	Depending on what you wanna shot, but lightning is not good in the early morning/late evening in summer months. Runway has good light from late morning till early evening (around 10am – 6pm) in the summer and in the winter months all day.

MISC.	No ladder needed. You’ll find enough space to park at and everything needed can be found inside the terminal or the nearby city.

FOCAL LENGTH	18 – 300mm

	Spot #5 – Dirtroad – Arrivals RWY 27
WHERE	This spot is a bit tricky to reach, because it’s located in a “strange” dirtroad. If you come from the terminal and are driving on “Oberweg” to the northeast, you’ll pass the Landingpathlights sooner or later. Just before doing this, you’ll see a dirtroad on your left, but a sign at the beginnif says “It’s forbidden to enter this road as car or motorbike!”. That’s why we recommend to stop by the nearby roadside and then walk back to the marked spot. Honestly, it depends on the angle you like the most again, where exactly you take your pictures from.

WHAT	All arrivals on runway 27.

TIME	Only usable in summer months, from around 6pm.

MISC.	Don’t drive down in the road (which is marked EXACTLY on the map) for your own safety, because the Usage is forbidden for cars and motorbikes – although we have never expirienced any problems and saw a few more cars using the road, we wouldn’t recommend the Usage. No ladder needed. You’ll find enough space to stop at by the roadside of “Oberweg”. Everything needed can be found inside the terminal or the nearby city.

FOCAL LENGTH	70 – 200mm

Unfortunately we can’t offer any example shots! Due to the rare movements at the airport we didn’t take any pictures, but saw some good ones in the internet.