BBC News reported that these men may have been using a scanner or a "virtual radar" receiver, both of which are illegal in India.
This was hardly somewhere like Iran or North Korea, but could the use of a Radarbox or similar be illegal in some countries?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/8530062.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/8530062.stm)
Define illegal :-(
These days, I would be careful using an airband scanner near a UK airport. I definitely wouldn't even consider using some of my hobby kit in many parts of the world. Even taking photographs in some countries can get you in big trouble.
I think that the guidance here is to use common sense.
None of us would commit a criminal offence like exceeding the speed limit in a car would we .....
I have just come back from Marrocco,my wife and myself had 10 nights there,great place. When we wre at the airport for our return to UK aI took a photo of a Ryanair and an Easyjet together,a security guard see me and he demaned the card out of the camera,after a lot of talking all he demanded was to take the pictures from the airport of the card and I got a severe warning not to do anymore!!. Colin.
Hi all
Beats me why its nearly always British people that get arrested,
do you think we could call Plane-spotting "extreme sports".
First it was Greece now India, whats country is next Iran?.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1685453.stm
from pat
Ireland, probably!!
J.
Very good. air-fungus is our national airline.
Many foreign airports have very strict guidlines on taking seemingly innocent pictures of aircraft. In many cases this is due to the airfield also serving as a military base. In my line of work for major aircraft leasing companies I am put in that position many times. You can apply for a photo permit, which usually takes weeks but trying to sneek pictures can land you in trouble.
Culdrose has a viewing site and cabin with a super outlook.
Amazing when you think that bases like Waddington and Coningsby have viewing areas! Now I've not been to Lakenheath or Mildenhall since I was there on 9/11/2001 and I watched a full Wing recall of all the F15's that had gone out that morning (and wondering what it was all about at that point in time - and so were the pilots!). Do they still have their viewing areas open??
flanker
Yes the viewing area's at Lakenheath & Mildenhall are still there and open.
Andy
Quote from: anorak on February 24, 2010, 07:21:36 PM
Culdrose has a viewing site and cabin with a super outlook.
With all due respect.....and nothing much to watch all day!
And getting worse if GB and co have there way!
PS Whats Bagram like?
Personally, I don't get it.........these guys have apparently been spotting for over 30 years if the reports are to be believed. I just cannot believe how niave they could be to go full tilt with camera/scanner/flight monitors in such a country with recently renewed sensitivity.
Allocator is spot on with his comments, otherwise our beloved hobby will only soon be available from your own home - pretty soon it won't even be possible to attempt organised tours that are "understood" if the minority spoil it for the majority
Rich
At Teesside Airport it will be possible to get an ID card issued by the local police. At least it gives some indication of honourable intention when armed with notebook, camera scanner etc.
http://www.dtvmovements.co.uk/Info/Security.htm (http://www.dtvmovements.co.uk/Info/Security.htm)
Not 100% convinced that these ID schemes are any good at all. They offer no advantage to those that have them and only certain airports offer them.
Quote from: Paulc on March 04, 2010, 10:17:16 AM
Not 100% convinced that these ID schemes are any good at all. They offer no advantage to those that have them and only certain airports offer them.
If you join The Aviation Enthusiasts Security Scheme (www.taess.org.uk) one of the things you get in your membership pack is a multi-language booklet explaining, to whom it may concern, just what aircraft spotting is all about and (quote) "a must when travelling Overseas where perhaps our hobby is sometimes not recognised."
I'm not a spotter, but that sounds to me like a fairly prudent £15 worth.
I have one of those and the only time I have ever shown it was to 2 policemen at my local airport - neither of whom had any idea about the scheme and its purpose. When mine expires this year I doubt it will be worth renewing. If it were nationally / internationally recognised then it might be but i doubt flashing a card with a psssport photo is going to deter an official (even if you do have the multi language booklet). Even trying to explain the hobby in an english speaking nation is not always as easy as you might think.
Paul.
If it says at the airport no taking photos, that's what it means.
even a thick Irishman like myself would know that.
A little booklet in many languages will not help.
from pat
Pat,
exactly - the 2 police who spoke to me took great pains to say I was doing nothing wrong taking photos etc - it was just that the airport had a VIP departing when I was there. But neither had heard of the taess scheme which makes having a card somewhat pointless.
Quote from: Paulc on March 04, 2010, 02:13:22 PM
Pat,
exactly - the 2 police who spoke to me took great pains to say I was doing nothing wrong taking photos etc - it was just that the airport had a VIP departing when I was there. But neither had heard of the taess scheme which makes having a card somewhat pointless.
Yeah but it's a bloody good way of getting £15 out of you!!
only once though