Ankara - Güvercinlik

1Army main gate

The gate offers various possibilities. Firstly, the small museum inside the gate can be visited after you have registered. There is a garden house for sipping your tea which enables you to scope of some of the aircraft parked on the ramp.

Secondly, there is a parking lot inside the airfield perimeter wall east of the gate. Just outside the gate, around the corner of the wall there is an open space between two concrete slabs. From here, a part of one of the rows on the fixed wing ramp can be scoped off.

Thirdly, a bit east of the gate there is a footbridge. This offers some height and some more serials. You will be in full sight though.

2North side motel

There is a motel just northeast of the gate. From the room windows you can see some of the aircraft movements from afar and enjoy the Huey that lights up like a Christmas tree at night.

3Northeast side hill

In the northeast corner of the airfield there is a furniture shop, go into the parking lot behind it. Mount the hill and walk until the slope is between you and the shop and metal firm that is on the east side. With ideal light and a large scope, some of the helicopters on the far western ramps can be poled off. The nearby ramps are obscured by terrain and building on the airfield. Beware of the guards that tend to linger on the airfield side of this hill. The helicopters approaching runway 24 can be spotted from here also.

4Southeast side dispersals and ramp

From the Ankara-Istanbul otoyolu, head back towards Ankara. Take the first through road right after the air base ends. You can also reach this road by exiting the aforementioned parking lot on the east side. Follow the road past some stone mills. The road bends clockwise around the hilly area described at spot 3 and you will now be heading straight for the base fence. There are guards on foot here, but a short stop to pole of a handful choppers is possible. A bit more to the west, you can stay a bit out of sight and watch the approaching helicopters.

5South side plantations

Drive past the gate and make a right into an area with plantations, just before you cross the railroad track. Go as far northwest as possible. From there, you will be able to make some of the Jandarma helicopters on the northwest side. Do not stay too long as this is probably private property.

6Around Behiçbey station

Go back to the road and cross the rail road. Go left towards the station. Leave your car and go onto the platform. Some helicopters can still be spotted from here, but the score will be rather marginal. Alternatively, go into the bushes and enter the terrain of the cement factory. You will be able to gain height and see more. Again, a short stay online as this is obviously a private domain. The road leading away from the station is a dead end at the same cement factory and quarry.

7Southeast ramp view

This spot is a bit further from the field but higher and with a reasonable angle for the fixed wing aircraft on the northeast side. From the Ankara-Istanbul otoyolu, go south on the Anadolu Bulvari heading towards Eskisehir. Exit this highway immediately after you have crossed the railway. Go left at the end of the exit, westbound on Güvercinlik caddesi towards the cement factory. You can make a sharp bend to the left and the road gains height. Just before a bend to the right you can see the northwest ramps and clear a fair portion of the fixed wing aircraft. Early morning is best for this spot.

8West side approach 06

The west side is rather uncharted. Go west on the Ankara-Istanbul otoyolu heading towards Etimesgut. Go left southbound on Istanbul Baglanti yolu. Make a left at the end of this road at the small roundabout. Try to get to the far south of the residential area and follow th track into the scrubland. Continue on foot to reach the south side of the threshold or stay near the houses on the north side of the approach.