GLOBAL SPOTTING REPORTS
KENYA
Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta – Dec 2019
LANDSIDE
The rooftop restaurant and walkway is no longer unfortunately. The terminal has also been extended meaning no views from landside any more.
AIRSIDE
Airside – several windows allow you to get most stuff with your eyes. You will need binoculars to get stuff parked remotely but being airside it didn’t seem to be a problem having a quick look. A new extension to the terminal which is still unfinished, but being used more as a corridor, provided perfect views of JamboJets DH4s with 5 parked up first thing.
HOTELS
Airport Landing Hotel.
Situated on the opposite side of the runway the name suggested it could be good. The highest level available for guests seems to be level 2. I was given room 204 each time. No views of the airport however everything on approach can be seen.
However on the 5th floor is a viewing area that either used to be a bar area, or is still under construction to be one. There is some garden furniture up there to sit on with good views of the approach and distant views across to the airport. The runway threshold is probably a km away. I managed to read a couple of planes as the sun went down but for the most part everythings to far away. I spent the afternoon up here and grabbed a few beers from the ground floor bar. Access was initially locked but a staff member offered to open it and had no problems letting me be up there.
The bed was comfy, but the hot water took hours to heat up meaning a cold shower on the first visit. They provided airport transportation for $10 each way and communicated well by email. Theres a supermarket a couple hundred metres down the road.
The four points and Crown Plaza down the road from the terminal may also provide views of the approach but are significantly more expensive. One of them has a rooftop pool but after looking at google maps I was pretty sure the view of the approach was blocked by a wall, but I may be wrong. The Crown Plaza looked like it had rooms facing the approach but buildings in front may be an issue.
If your more interested in staying in town then the Fairview Hotel is an excellent place to stay. Traffic in Nairobi is horrendous though and can take anything between 20 mins ( at 530am) and an Hour and a half during rush hour.
WHAT TO EXPECT
This place is busy from around 6am – 8am when most stuff is in. Is largely quiet for the rest of the day and gets busy again around teatime. Expect to see the Kenyan fleet as well as Jambo Jet. There is likely to be some UN flights and some Fly 540 aircraft and Precision ATR’s from Tanzania. African had a few flights and several F50’s were around. Uganda now operates CRJ900s 2 or 3 times a day.
Nairobi Wilson – Dec 2019
LANDSIDE
Be very careful here. The first time I went several years ago I asked on some hanger doors asking if I could look at the aircraft. I got told I could go in and then got accused of entering without permission. The police found me soon after and I was lucky they just sent me back to my hotel, saying other police would have arrested me. Taking photos of aircraft in Kenya is illegal.
Theres not really a main terminal here. Just one long procession of hangers with the AeroClub in the middle. So start at one end and walk to the other. Theres a large gap at the runway threshold and you could stay here and watch movements. This appears to be the main runway and you can read anything departing with your eyes. Staying too long could attract attention though. Theres not loads of gaps but you will get some stuff. The Aero club has good views of some stored aircraft and runways. They didn’t mind me using binoculars and the gym area was elevated with good views. You can visit for a drink or some food. No need to stay here. Stuff on the nearest runway can be eyeballed which seemed to be mostly arrivals.
Also if you take the main road past the aviation club and hangers ( not the inner road that has access to the hangers. ) and turn left along the perimeter there are views across the ramp. I wasn’t for taking my chances after my encounter with the police though. You would need a taxi to take you here.
AIRSIDE
Its possible to take a domestic flight from here to places like Mombasa. You check in at the airlines respected hanger. They then take you to a small departure lounge. From here you can stand next to the ramp and see a lot of aircraft close up that you may otherwise miss. As well as seeing other aircraft taxiing in or out. I flew with Skyward express and was able to get a couple of aircraft in there hanger.
I did enquire about taking a pleasure flight so I could ask the pilot to taxi past all the planes. Flight Training Centre wanted $200 for an hour or $231 for 2 people. I chose not to do it in the end.
HOTELS
Aero Club of east Africa.
Very nice hotel but a little expensive at $195. As mentioned above, good views and a few hours sat in the beer garden should get you most movements. Theres still lots of aircraft parked here that won’t move though.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Expect lots of DH8’s, F50’s, E120’s, etc as well as lots of general aviation including lots of Cessna Caravans. Difficult to get everything. Lots of aircraft bunched together and parked behind or inside hangers. Still I reckon if I wrote everything down I would have logged at least 80/90 aircraft.
Theres a lot of departures around 645 - 8am. Previously I booked a flight for 9am thinking that would be a good way of seeing the earlier departures. However because I had to check in at the airlines hanger. By the time they took me to the departure lounge most had left. I had seen a few on my walk past but missed several. This time I stayed at the Aero Club and saw everything.
