São José dos Campos-Prof Urbano Ernesto Stumpf

1Terminal area

Take the Embraer exit off 116, this is Av.Brg. Faria Lima. Just before reaching the main gate you can make a right towards the small terminal. From the north side of the terminal you can see a large portion of CTA's ramp as well as the runway. The taxiway is right in front of you and this offers photographic opportunities.

2South side ramp view

Exit the terminal area and make a left and then right taking the road along the back of the Embraer complex. This is not Faria Lima, that runs wider around, but the one before that. This road will bend back towards the airfield, passing a large hall and the main Embraer parking lot. After that this road bends right and leads past some ramps. Although most of it is obscured by either walls or buildings, some views can be had. Especially when you have passed the buildings you can look backward a bit and get the aircraft that are parked on the south side of the ramps.

3North west side approach 15

To watch some aircraft landing, go back to 116 road and cross it. Turn back and try to get onto the parallel road, Av.Dep. Benedito Materazzo. When you reach the SP-050 road at Praça Ten.Deodato, go left onto Paraibuna passing underneath the highway. On the south side you will encounter a preserved Tucano prototype. You are now heading straight for the CTA gate, go right just before that following Paraibuna. This road bends sharply to the left into Das Acacias, then sharply to the right, Dinamarca. You will have a residential area to your right and some industrial estates to your left. When the build-up area on your left hand side stops, the perimeter wall will be visible. This road is now named Tamoios. Drive along a bit further and you will be near the threshold of runway 15 near a couple of trees on the north east side of this road. At this point, another village is to your right. The airfield is higher, so you will not be able to look on the base, unless you can climb one of the trees.

4South east side approach 33

Keep following Tamoios south from spot 4. This road follows the airfield perimeter, the airfield being higher and to your left all the time. After a long running bend to the left, you pass the aeroclub. Take the first left after that. When this road bends sharply to the right, make a left onto Av.Brg. Faria Lima. The road bends to the right and in this corner the aircraft landing at runway 33 will be overhead and a bit high.

5East side approach 33

After the bend, make a left when and when there is a fork in the road, take the sand path left which runs straight on. You will be on the east side of the approach to 33 now. This will obviously be okay in the morning only. It is unclear whether this road eventually leads to spot 2, but it is probably possible when it bends sharply to the left a bit further down.

To reach spots 3 to 5, you can also take Av.Brg. Faria Lima all the way clockwise. From spot 1, take the second to your right after leaving the terminal entrance street. This will be Faria Lima. Follow it all the way round till you reach spot 3, 4, and eventually Tamois. Make a right and head north towards spot 5.