REQ: Istres or Orange, what would you choose?

ImageLogs and news on European airfields outside the Benelux, Germany, Ireland and the UK.

Forum rules
Image
Post Reply
User avatar
marcel32us
Scramble Die-Hard
Scramble Die-Hard
Posts: 999
Joined: 10 Feb 2005, 11:50
Type of spotter: Alles wat vliegt, als er maar een motor aan zit.
Subscriber Scramble: marcel32us
Location: Nieuwegein
Contact:
Contact marcel32us

REQ: Istres or Orange, what would you choose?

Post by marcel32us »

In August I'll be on holiday in France and I will take my day of from family matters for spotting to visit Salon de Provence (just a hit and run for the numbers) and Marseille (I love that place) and I have time in my schedule for one more field. I would do both Istres and Orange, but that would give me about one hour along each of these runways, which I think is too short, so I'll have to choose.

Which one would you choose and why? (FYI I'm interested in both numbers and pictures)
Top
User avatar
Arjan
Scramble Master
Scramble Master
Posts: 2730
Joined: 20 Sep 2002, 22:51
Type of spotter: S4
Subscriber Scramble: Arjan
Location: Den Haag

Re: REQ: Istres or Orange, what would you choose?

Post by Arjan »

I would go for Orange. The situation is far more ideal for pictures than Istres.
Scramble member since 1990
Top
User avatar
Gerard
Scramble Master
Scramble Master
Posts: 3941
Joined: 25 Feb 2007, 20:00
Subscriber Scramble: Jawohl
Location: 9.9NM NE of Büdingen AAF (closed)

Re: REQ: Istres or Orange, what would you choose?

Post by Gerard »

I would choose Orange. Primary for the same reason as Arjan states, but also because the Gendarmerie can be a bit "nervous" in Istres.

Gerard
.          |
          /O\
\_______[|(.)|]_______/
  o   ++   O   ++   o
Top
User avatar
nellis6
Scramble Senior
Scramble Senior
Posts: 333
Joined: 13 Mar 2008, 14:23
Type of spotter: Modern Military Photographer
Location: Aylesbury, England
Contact:
Contact nellis6

Re: REQ: Istres or Orange, what would you choose?

Post by nellis6 »

Orange is very easy to photograph at, but Istres is a nightmare. However, Itsres has far more interesting aircraft (if you can see and photograph them)!
Mike Green
Editor, Jetwash Aviation Photos
www.jetwashaviationphotos.com
Top
User avatar
Stefan
Scramble Master
Scramble Master
Posts: 5445
Joined: 18 Sep 2002, 12:56
Subscriber Scramble: Stefan
Contact:
Contact Stefan

Re: REQ: Istres or Orange, what would you choose?

Post by Stefan »

Istres of course. Because it is more of a challenge and there's a bigger reward ahead of you.

Unless you like Mirage 2000s that you have all seen and captured a zillion times before.

Regards,
Stefan
Top
User avatar
pjotrtje
Scramble Master
Scramble Master
Posts: 3377
Joined: 30 Jan 2004, 10:12
Subscriber Scramble: Pi

Re: REQ: Istres or Orange, what would you choose?

Post by pjotrtje »

No doubt: Istres, just because of the reward.
== All is well, as long as we keep spinning ==
Top
etnp
Scramble Newbie
Scramble Newbie
Posts: 37
Joined: 30 Jan 2003, 17:36

Re: REQ: Istres or Orange, what would you choose?

Post by etnp »

i too would like to know if its possible to shoot over/through the fence at the northeastern corner at Istres on the taxiway without problems with the MP/police? Any experiences? Thanks !!
Top
lappie
Scramble Junior
Scramble Junior
Posts: 113
Joined: 09 Feb 2004, 00:40

Re: REQ: Istres or Orange, what would you choose?

Post by lappie »

How hard it is to come close to an air base in France will probably also be determined bij the state of alert the country is in.

In France there is a system called "vigipirate" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vigipirate )

When the situation is tense I personally would choose to go to Orange.

August is not a very busy month at most air bases in France because of vacations.

Have fun, and lets hope the threadlevel will stay low!
Top
Trout89
Scramble Senior
Scramble Senior
Posts: 349
Joined: 20 Nov 2004, 12:04
Subscriber Scramble: + 06/24
Location: EHBK
Contact:
Contact Trout89

Re: REQ: Istres or Orange, what would you choose?

Post by Trout89 »

etnp wrote:i too would like to know if its possible to shoot over/through the fence at the northeastern corner at Istres on the taxiway without problems with the MP/police? Any experiences? Thanks !!
First of all you have to be able to get there. If the gate as shown on streetview at GPS coordinates 43.530809, 4.933966 is closed, you have to take a serious detour.
I have been there during the last exercise with the Indian AF and was advised by some locals not to got to the fence, because you will be seen from the tower and you can expect a visit of the MP's. It is however possible to log aircraft on the taxiway and landing. You can stay (with your car) on the edge of an orchard with even some shade of the trees.
This picture was taken from that location (away from the fence that is) http://www.sgmst.com/pdbs/displayimage.php?pid=6842

But while you are there, it should be possible to continue northbound down the dirtroad, around the northern runway end to the afternoon landing spot at approx. GPS coordinates 43.549369, 4.900540. You can also get ther from the N568, but allow at least 30 mins off-road driving to get there.
There you can make decent landing shots in the afternoon, some samples below
http://www.sgmst.com/pdbs/displayimage.php?pid=6848
http://www.sgmst.com/pdbs/displayimage.php?pid=6890
http://www.sgmst.com/pdbs/displayimage.php?pid=6843

Landing shots are also possible on the south side, but I never visited that spot.

And to answer the original question. Orange in the morning is very goor for photography, but only Mirage 2000's.
Istres can have more variety (I even saw one of the Canadian (civil) Hunters landing), but requires quite some effort.

Hope this helps. Regards, Arjen.
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Spotting Rest of Europe”