GLOBAL SPOTTING REPORTS
VENEZUELA
Caracas – Feb 2017
LANDSIDE
Domestic Terminal has a café upstairs with great views. All movements can be seen and a few aircraft parked on general aviation and near the hangers can also be seen, although many remain out of view. I sat there all day without a problem using binoculars and camera. I had no problems spotting in Venezuela this time or on my previous visit in 2009.
If you turn left out of the domestic terminal and walk to the end you can see the Biz ramp which is usually fairly busy.
Unfortunately the hanger areas are not visible from the road due to the buildings and you would need access to them.
If your fortunate to depart on the runway closest to the hangers then a right hand seat would be beneficial. However only domestic aircraft seem to use this runway. Even if you depart from the other runway its still close enough to identify some of them with your camera.
AIRSIDE
International terminal has good views of the main runway and ramp, but things may be missed using the smaller runway near the hangers.
Similar views from the domestic and again you can’t see across to the hanger areas. So its more beneficial to spot from the café landside.
HOTELS
Eurobuilding Express Maiquetia – Located abeam the runway 28 threshold about half way along the 09/27 runway. It does overlook the hanger and ramp areas but buildings and trees prevent anything from being seen. All you can see are departures as they climb out from 09 or 10. Also the windows are terrible. You can just about see through them but they are not very clear. Personally I don’t think its worth the money given the views from the airport. Tour groups have been given access to a room on the top floor which sounds like it is better but I couldn’t get access. I asked to change rooms but was told all the windows were the same. With the ridiculous inflation the hotel is very expensive. If you do book it try not to pay for it until you get there. Then you can get a much better deal on the exchange rate and pay in cash making it a lot cheaper. There is a good restaurant here and they provide airport shuttles every 30 mins.
Email – maiquetia@hoteleuro.com
WHAT TO EXPECT
One of the few remaining places where you can watch old B737’s and DC9’s flying around. Unfortunately given the recent problems in the country traffic levels have declined and many aircraft are parked up. Conviasa had seven E190’s in service with the rest parked by the hanger. Laser had several DC9s in operation with a few flights by Aeropostal, SBA, Aserca and Venezolana.
Many international carriers have pulled out. Carribean Airlines ATR72 was the only thing of note.
Lots of aircraft remain in storage or WFU here. Many are parked close to the Runway 27 threshold.
All 5 SBA ATRs are here I think. 3 in the blue/yellow scheme and 2 in a red scheme. I can’t find any records of any SBA ATRs being painted in the red scheme but it seems there are no other options.
Conviasa’s DHC7 as well as 2 Conviasa B737s and 3 Conviasa ATRs where parked here, with the other 3 ATRs by the hanger.
3 Aeropostal DC9s, 1 of which is YV1124, and 2 laser DC9s.
Gulfstream N922MR.
Another ATR is parked here which I believe to be YV382T of LTA. It was in similar cls to YV2757 which was WFU on the ramp.
Many other aircraft are parked outside the various hangers. Aeropostal and Aserca both had several DC9s, many missing parts.
Conviasa had 7 E190s, 2 B737s and 3 ATRs parked up, along with 2 CRJ 700s further along the ramp. These being YV1115 and 2115 with there other 2 being stored at Fort Lauderdale.
Tip – There is a strange currency exchange rate going on here. There is an official rate which you will get at the currency exchange desks in the airport, or if you use your credit card, and then there is an unofficial rate. Do not use the official rate. Inflation keeps going up so these figures will probably have changed. But at the time the official rate was about 600 Bolivars for $1. Unofficially you could get upto 2000 Bolivars for $1. When I first went in 2009 I would get approached by touts at the airport trying to sell me money, but now it seems like they get in big trouble if they are caught. I asked a guy at the airport who was offering taxis and he took me to a guy. The best rate I got from him was 1300 bolivars. You have to haggle with these people. I asked at the hotel and they said they didn’t do it, even though previous reports suggested they used to. The receptionist then found me and told me to ask the guys that drive the shuttle bus. They will do it inside the shuttle bus for you so that’s its not recorded anywhere on the hotel cameras. They give me the rate of 2000 bolivars. Unfortunately this was in 50 and 100 notes which meant that $10 worth, 20000 bolivars, was a massive wad of cash. They have just now started to produce much larger notes to alleviate this problem.
Maracaibo VZ – Feb 2017
LANDSIDE
The food court has good views of the runway and some stands and some windows on the upper floor have similar views with a view across to some of the parked and WFU aircraft although most can’t be seen or read off.
AIRSIDE
This domestic area has better views across to the WFU aircraft although most are still hidden by trees and buildings. The Zuliana B727 can be seen and some of the DC9 tails. There are also views across to the other side which is more general aviation stuff with a couple of G159s stored amongst other stuff.
HOTELS
WHAT TO EXPECT
Not very busy in terms of movements. The main reason to visit being the derelict Zuliana De Aviacion fleet and several other parked aircraft if you need them. The derelict aircraft are in a compound surrounded by trees and buildings. A left seat for arrival and right for departure would be your best chance to see them. You can just make out all the tails. The DC8 is all white and I mistook it for a B737 tail initially. Also the ramp had 12 stored aircraft, and several other smaller GA and small Biz where parked around. The military also have a base here. Its out of sight but a Y8 and a helicopter where seen operating.
Derelict Compound:
Zuliana De Aviacion
YV-458C DC9
YV-459C DC9
YV-495C DC9
YV-496C DC9
YV-497C DC9
YV-464C B727
YV-499C DC8
Venezolana B737s:
YV-287T, YV-296T plus 2 others broken up with no visable reg.
Valencia VZ – Feb 2017
WHAT TO EXPECT
Nothing much from the main terminal. Turpial Airlines had 3 B737s parked. However several hangers exist by the side of the runway and a fair number of small Biz, general aviation and air force stuff was parked up including a couple of J31s. A left seat for arrival and right seat for departure would be beneficial to see these and would make it a worthwile trip if you collect everything. I took an Avior flight from Bogota to Caracas which required a plane change in Valencia and then Barcelona.
Barcelona VZ – Feb 2017
WHAT TO EXPECT
Avior are based and had several B737s parked. No B1900s though. The GA ramp had several things of note including a metro and B1900 of another airline. 2 Avior B737s where WFU and a SH360 was hiding by some hangers. Again worth passing through. A left seat for arrival and right seat for departure is best.
