Ålesund Vigra Airport (AES/ENAL) is a small regional airport at the western coast of Norway opened in 1958 with 1 million passenger a year these days. The airport is not very busy, but it is a good opportunity to catch Wideroe DH8A/DH8B. Furthermore, there will be some connection flights served by SAS or KLM to bigger hubs or the Norwegian ambulance aircraft, propeller as well as jets. In addition, you can see some helicopters or charter flights and from time to time also business jets here.

Written by Severin Hackenberger in cooperation with Jan Harald Hammerstad Mollevold (Follow him on Instagram). Last Update: July 2023

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
07/25	2315 x 45m
Terminals
T1	One terminal handling all operations.
Spotting Information
Ladder	A ladder is useful at spot 2 and 3. But spotting is not that common here, so if you use a ladder, be prepared to be approached. But you can actually also take nice pictures without ladder.
Car/Public Transport	You can reach the airport by airport bus from the city quite well and walk to the locations from the terminal. Use of a car is definitely recommended in order to be independent as public transport is quite minimal out here.
Drinks/Food	Nothing around the spots, some shops in the terminal though.
Hotels	No spotter hotels around, but there is the Smartstrom hotel east of the terminal.
Season	Summer has definitely better weather, but also more haze.
Security	Spotting is no issue here at all, but not that common. So if you use a ladder, be prepared to be approached.
Runway Usage
General Info	They tend to land 07 and depart 25 to reduze taxiing time as long as the wind plays along.

	Spot #1 – Dirt hill – 07/25 movements
WHERE	This spot is easiest to reach by car, otherwise you need to walk from the terminal (where you can get to by bus). The location is pretty simply a mound just by the roadside of Fv135 highway. In front there is a small turning pad/circle where you can park and then just walk up the mound.
WHAT	From here you can see all movements on runway 07/25 as well as the ramp behind a bit.
TIME	Perfect light from afternoon till sunset during the summer months.
MISC.	Nothing around, nothing needed.
FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm B737 side on = 105mm / Beech 250 = 330mm

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	Spot #2 – Crash gate – 25 movements
WHERE	This position is basically around the crash gate at the runway’s eastern end. You can walk from the terminal (where you can get to by bus again), but it is easier to come here by car, which you can park NEXT to the gate or on the walkside – there is enough space here. Then just search your favourite position around the gate along the fence.
WHAT	25 movements mainly, but also heavy 07 departures.
TIME	Perfect light from afternoon till sunset during the summer months.
MISC.	Ladder would be very useful here as it is tough to shoot moving planes trough the fence. Take care not to block the crash gate for emergency entrance when parking here!
FOCAL LENGTH	150-400mm A321 = 215mm

AES-Spot2

	Spot #3 – DHL fence corner – Ramp
WHERE	You can get here easy by airport bus from the city or by car, but it will be tough to park it for free here. You have to use the regular terminal parking, which it’s quite pricy. But once you are here, head for the DHL building and then keep to the left where you should end up at a corner in the fence just at the ramp’s eastern end. That’s basically the spot.
WHAT	The movements on the ramp infront mainly.
TIME	Good from sunrise till noon roughly.
MISC.	All you need is in the nearby terminal. You can shoot thru the mesh here, ladder not needed and it will make you look suspicious.
FOCAL LENGTH	30-250mm

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