Münster/Osnabrück Airport - Spotting Guide

Münster/Osnabrück Airport – Spotting Guide

October 28, 2018 - last modified on August 30, 2024

Münster/Osnabrück Airport (FMO/EDDG) is located 25km north of Münster and almost 30km southwest of Osnabrück. It was opened back in 1972 and almost one million passenger used FMO back in 2017. Nowadays the biggets part of the flights at FMO/EDDG connect this area to holiday regions like Greece, Spain or Egypt. Apart from this, you’ll find some Lufthansa flights, which are operating as connecting flights between Munich or Frankfurt and Münster/Osnabrück. And a few aircraft will head to FMO as football charter for Schalke 04 or their enemies; last but not least, you’ll even see some cargo movements rarely like Zorex/BinAir Swearingens or Budapest Air Services SF340s.Written by Severin Hackenberger in cooperation with local spotter ‘German.Aviation’. Updated: September 2018

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Visitor Rating How was your trip? Rate this airport!	[ratings]
Airport Information
Runways
07/25	2170m x 45m Asphalt
Terminals
Terminal 1 (West)	This terminal is used for the Arrival (Baggage claim and arrival hall) of passengers. Anyway, the two terminals are connected.
Terminal 2 (East)	This terminal is used for the Departure (Check-In and Security check) of passengers. Anyway, the two terminals are connected.
Spotting Information
Ladder	Always needed along the fence and the Usage of a ladder is no problem at FMO/EDDG.
Car/Public Transport	A car or a bicycle is very very useful here, as there is just public transport to the terminal and not the arrival spots or similar. A car is the best option, as a ladder is often needed and can’t be transported on a bike that easily. But sometimes there are streets, which can’t be entered as a cars, but as a bicycles it is okay, so there are also advantages of a bicycle.
Restrooms	Only in the terminal around the airport.
Drinks/Food	Nothing directly at the spots itself so be prepared. Quite limited and almost only inside terminal (and nearby) facilities or inside nearby restaurants/fast-food shops.
Hotels	Limited and almost only inside the city.
Season	Depending on what you wanna shot, but summer is mostly better, because you’ll have much more daylight.
Security	Airport police has no problems with spotters, but the police from the nearby cities/villages might send you away, if they meet you at the fence.
Runway Usage
07/25	Depends mainly on the wind, but 25 is the prefared direction.

	Spot #1 – Visitor terrace – Apron + runway 07/25
WHERE	This spot is located on the airport’s visitor terrace which can be reached quite easily as it’s signposted and next to Terminal 1. Just walk up the stairs on the western side of the building close to the bus stops. We marked the route from the bus stops on our map, eventhough it’s quite easy to find. Otherwise you can also go through the terminal and follow the signs upstairs. The spot is BEFORE the security check and can be reached WITHOUT a security check. The front is glassed, but the entry is free!

WHAT	The whole apron as well as parts of the runway and runway.

TIME	Taxiway/runway: In summer from late morning till late afternoon and in winter all day. Parking/aporn positions: Depending on the angle and their exact position.

MISC.	Ladder useless and not liked up here. Everything you need inside the terminal facilities. Heat haze might be a big problem!

FOCAL LENGTH	50-400mm ATR72 Close-Up = 80mm / SA227 = 320mm

	Spot #2 – Winter service – Gates/Apron
WHERE	Park your car at the terminal and then walk eastwards as marked on the map through the forrest on some farm tracks. There is no shorter direction till the position, due to the storage area of the winter service stuff which blocks the road. This spot is actually no exact position, rather the area along the fence. In the past you were able to drive and park at the “weather station, spot #3” but it´s no longer allowed to drive on the farm roads and police will come sooner or later and send you away. Please respect the rules and use the official parking locations, even its a long walk.

WHAT	Whole apron and parts of the taxiway.

TIME	Depending on the angle, but mostly in the morning hours. But night shots are good from here as well.

MISC.	Ladder needed, otherwise pictures through the fence wholes will be vignetted. Nothing nearby, like restrooms or food.

FOCAL LENGTH	~18-150mm Sundair A320 = 120mm

	Spot #3 – Weather station – Runway 07/25 + Taxiway Alpha
WHERE	Park your car at the terminal and then walk eastwards as marked on the map through the forrest on some farm tracks. There is no shorter direction till the position, due to the storage area of the winter service stuff which blocks the road. This spot is actually no exact position, rather the area along the fence. In the past you were able to drive and park at the “weather station, spot #3” but it´s no longer allowed to drive on the farm roads and police will come sooner or later and send you away. Please respect the rules and use the official parking locations, even its a long walk.

WHAT	All activities on the runway as well as the parts of the taxiway infront of the spot.

TIME	In summer from late morning till late afternoon and in winter all day.

MISC.	Ladder needed. Nothing nearby, like restrooms or food. Heat haze is a problem on the runway in summer months.

FOCAL LENGTH	10 – 250mm CRJ on runway = 135mm / B777 on taxiway = 10mm / B738 on taxiway = 18mm

	Spot #4 – Gate 10 – Runway 07/25 + Taxiway Alpha
WHERE	From the former spot #3 walk along the fence until you reach the crashgate “10” on your left. At the front should be a wodden fence , which delimits a horsemeadow. You might also stop at the roadside of “Hüttruper Heide” for a short time, but there are properties around and normally they don’t like it, when there are spotters parking around. In the past you were able to drive and park at the “weather station, spot #3” but it´s no longer allowed to drive on the farm roads and police will come sooner or later and send you away. Please respect the rules and use the official parking locations, even its a long walk.

WHAT	All activities on the runway as well as the parts of the taxiway infront of the spot. Mostly used for Line-Ups onto runway 25 or aircraft leaving runway 07 after landing.

TIME	Taxiway: sunrise till late midday. Runway from late morning till late afternoon – in summer. In winter almost all day.

MISC.	Ladder needed, if your lens is wider than 60mm. Nothing nearby, like restrooms or food.

FOCAL LENGTH	50-300mm

	Spot #5 – Farm – Runway 07/25
WHERE	It’s quite difficult to reach this spot and there are no bus stops or similar around, so a car/bycicle is very useful! And apart from this, a field is inbetween the nearest street and the fence, from where we took our example picture from. But it might be okay to stop by the roadside of the unnamed street north of the mentioned field and then crossing the field by using the kinda “way” almost at the western end (marked on the map). Anyway, doesn’t matter how you cross the field, try to NOT DESTROY (or such less as possible) the PLANTS as this is a private property and luckily it is still allowed to use this spot. Locals like this spot, because you can see the terminal in the background and that’s why you can mostly read the airport name/title on the picture, that’s why such pictures are specifically.

WHAT	All activities on runway 07/25, but better for 25 Usage, because then the sun shines from the front

TIME	Only good on late summer evenigs.

MISC.	Ladder needed! Nothing nearby, like restrooms or food.

FOCAL LENGTH	70 – 300mm

	Spot #6 – Hüttruper Str – 07 arrivals and line up
WHERE	This spot along the Hüttruper Str.” on the sidewalk shortly after you have passed the approach path. There is a small lay-by to the right for your car, just a few meters before the spotting location.

WHAT	Arrivals on runway 07 and line up for departures.

TIME	Arrivals in early summer mornings or late summer evenings. In winter not useable. Lineups possible from late afternoon till sunset.

MISC.	A ladder is needed for the line up. Nothing nearby, like restrooms or food.

FOCAL LENGTH	70 – 250mm

	Spot #7 – Agricultural Road – 07 Arrivals
WHERE	This spot is no exact position, rather the area along the mentioned Agricultural Road. Just park your car at the kinda “parkingbulge” (marked on the map) at the eeastern side of the mentioned road – so you DON’T BLOCK this ROAD and then search your favourite position in the nearby area.

WHAT	Arrivals on runway 07.

TIME	In summer from late morning till late afternoon and in winter all day.

MISC.	No ladder needed. Nothing nearby, like restrooms or food. As there are fields around here, be respectful: do not walk over the crop and TAKE YOUR TRASH WITH YOU!

FOCAL LENGTH	70 – 300mm

View into runway (so eastern) direction from the spot:

	Spot #8 – Taxiway Bravo – Runway 07/25 + Taxiway Bravo
WHERE	Parking is difficult here as parking by the roadside in those parkingbulges is actually not really allowed and you might get problems, while doing this. So maybe park at the GAT (marked on the map) near spot #9 and walk down here. Coming here by bike is actually easier and creates less problems. If you’re coming from the stree, just cross the field at its western border and search your favourite position along the fence, depending of the angle and moment you wanna spot.

WHAT	All activities on runway 07/25 as well as the ones on the nearby taxiways.

TIME	In summer from late morning till late afternoon and in winter all day. Line-Ups to runway 07 or late 25-vacators can be spoted in early morning hours as well.

MISC.	Ladder needed. Nothing nearby, like restrooms or food. Parking is very difficult here! Heat haze might be a problem on the runway in summer months. Take care when crossing the field, so you DON’T DESTROY any PLANTS!

FOCAL LENGTH	24 – 250mm 737 on runway = 85mm / Jetstream 32 (90 degree) = 220mm

	Spot #9 – Fuel Depot – Runway 07/25 + Taxiway Bravo
WHERE	Just park your car at the “GAT parking” (marked on the map) and continue walking along “Flughafenstrasse” into eastern direction. Pass a “entrance forbidden for cars” sign and turn left after passing a hangar on your right. Actually just follow the fence all the time and after ~3 minutes you will get to the fencekink, where we stood for our example shots and which is marked on the map as spot #9.

WHAT	All activities on runway 07/25 as well as the ones on the nearby taxiways.

TIME	In summer from late morning till late afternoon and in winter all day.

MISC.	Ladder needed. Nothing nearby, like restrooms or food. Heat haze is a problem on the runway in summer months.

FOCAL LENGTH	10 – 250mm B738 on taxiway = 18mm / mm-facts are normally the same like the ones for spot #3, so you can compare those with them, if you need other/more facts

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Patrax

3 months ago

Ich War Am Punkt 5 am 15.09.24 Zum Spotten Super Platz Aber Bitte Leute Nimmt Eure Trinkflaschen Und Müll mit der ganze Zaun ist voll mit Zigaretten Stummel und Trinkflaschen da liegt sehr viel Müll rum

Daniel

3 months ago

Visited spot 7 recently. Great location but people please take your trash with you. The ”parkingbulge” was full of cigarette buds and other litter.

Severin

Editor

Reply to Daniel

3 months ago

Thanks, hint added.

Klaas Wienzek

10 months ago

I spotted here twice and had no problem with the police. But there was not that much traffic and i got bored one time. There are plenty of seats so i was able to sit there. It was quite comfortable. It is my local Airport so I used my bike to get around. I hope there will be more traffic soon! All in all it is a good airport for spotting!