Brescia Montichiari Airport - Spotting Guide

Brescia Montichiari Airport – Spotting Guide

September 3, 2022 - last modified on November 17, 2023

Brescia Montichiari (VBS/LIPO) is a small airfield in the north of Italy 15km southwest of Brescia. It mostly handles cargo operations including regular flights by Mistral Air as well as charters such as Rada Il62s or even by foreign air forces, like QAF C17s from time to time. The airfield was opened 1909, used by the military from the late 1950s on till almost 2000 once it was reintroduced into civil usage. With 17.000 passenger a year, PAX traffic is not worth to mention here, but as cargo airfield it can be quite interesting.

Written by Tombarelli Federico, Gerrit Griem and Severin Hackenberger. Last Update: 2022

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
14/32	2990 x 45m
Spotting Information
Ladder	Needed at spot 3, but otherwise you are good to go without as well – also because you should not hang along the fence and not at all with a ladder.
Car/Public Transport	A car is definitely needed as public transport around VBS is very poor.
Drinks/Food	There are no real shops/restaurants around VBS airport, so maybe bring what you need, but as traffic is little anyway, you won’t spend a whole day here.
Hotels	There are no spotter hotels around VBS.
Season	Spotting is best here in summer as cargos make-up quite a big part of VBS’ programm and they move early/late in the evening.
Security	Spotting is tolerated here, but you may be sent away/checked once military cargo flights operate to/from VBS. Additionally, mind the area around the cargo facilities – do not hang around here, not even to look! Police often comes and has an issue with us spotters being there.
Runway Usage
General Info	As traffic is quite little in VBS, airplanes may use the runway in the direction of favour. So be prepared for sudden runway changes. Consider using radio to listen to ATC.

	Spot #1 – Unnamed field road – 32 Arrivals
WHERE	Turn off Via S Bernardino in Montichiari directly at the church to the northwest onto an unnamed field road. Take this one almost till the end, once it ends up into the fields and just search your favourite position along the roadside, where you can also stop your car easily.

WHAT	Good for 32 arrivals.

TIME	Best on early summer mornings.

MISC.	Nothing around, nothing needed.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm B757 side = 170mm

	Spot #2 – Contrada della Nonna fields – 32 Arrivals
WHERE	Spot located literally on/at the side of the fields southeast of the airport along/around Contrada della Nonna. You can stop your car here by the roadside and search the position of your favour regarding the angle in the area, but do not stay away from your car long!

WHAT	Good for 32 arrivals.

TIME	Noon till sunset.

MISC.	Nothing around here, take care not to walk/destroy any fields or plants.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm

	Spot #3 – Crashgate – All 14/32 movements
WHERE	The spot is located along the fence east of a big roundabout along SP37. Just leave your car to the airport-side of the roundabout as it isn’t used anymore (the road goes straight now) and head towards the trees you see across the fence. Here you have to pass into this small wood (which isn’t always simple) and you’ll reach the fence and the crashgate (exact position marked on map).

WHAT	Brescia hasn’t any other link from taxiway to runway except for the runway ending. So every 32 arrival or 14 departure will pass by here. Also 14 arrivals are good from here, angle is actually better from where you park (Lufthansa A350 below).

TIME	Early noon till sunset.

MISC.	3 step ladder needed to get over the fence totally. Otherwise you can try to shot through the mesh but it isn’t so wide. There are some very low points in the fence where it also works without ladder.

FOCAL LENGTH	50-250mm B734 side on = 95mm

	Spot #4 – Via Luigi Pirandello – 14 Arrivals
WHERE	This spot can be found in the curve of Via Luigi Pirandello next to the field simply by the roadside. You can stop your car here directly and just shoot from right here.

WHAT	Good for 14 arrivals only.

TIME	Best on early summer mornings.

MISC.	Nothing around, nothing needed.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm

No examples yet. Please contact us, if you have some.

	Spot #5 – AeroClub – Northwestern apron
WHERE	This spot is located at the Brescia AeroClub facility. Park your car everywhere in front of the airport and walk to the fence part then here.

WHAT	Good for the western part of the apron, but actually from here you have a view onto the whole apron.

TIME	Best from sunrise till late noon.

MISC.	Even with 8 steps it is difficult to clear the fence as it is so tall, so shoot through the mesh, even if it isn’t wide. Haze and foreground clutter may be an issue though, this is mostly a spot where to relax, have a coffee and watch apron operations.

FOCAL LENGTH	50-200mm