In previous years the tendency was to provide the constantly growing number of aviation enthusiasts attending non-official events (for example NATO-Tiger Meet) with the opportunity to photograph and/or video participating aircraft and helicopters through the provision of a “Spotters day”. For the nearly 600 fans who attended at Jagel, the spotter’s day was very popular and along with the superb weather left very little to be desired. The term Spotter is generally used the world over to describe keen airplane enthusiasts. Spotting means more or less to observe or identify, which is basically what this activity involves. Spotters often spent many hours at (or in the close proximity to) airfields and airports in order to simply see or photograph a particular or special aircraft of interest. Time and money is usually not an obstacle (for travelling, photo equipment, etc.) for most within this hobby.

Additionally, in sharing their common interest in aviation some are more than happy to produce or receive any action-packed photos of his aircraft, while others are just as happy to record the serial numbers or details in a logbook without possessing a camera at all. Naturally, Spotters don’t wait around at airfield approach paths or viewing areas for days at a time, but simply act on each opportunity as it arises and according to their particular preferences (in most cases an airplane!). For some people the term Spotter can be quite derogatory, taking offence at being labelled as such. Why? As within most interest groups there were (and are) your black sheep, with the actions of these few bringing the hobby into discredit through minor criminal activity (stolen flight-charts from cockpits, accessing restricted military areas without authorisation etc). On some airfields Spotters are regarded as cranks and sometimes even as an actual threat. Rightfully however one must say that the vast majority of these people have only one purpose: That is to identify or photograph these beautiful machines, to collect a photo or slide and share or exchange these images with other like-minded enthusiasts.

The largest spotter community currently exists in the Netherlands. Nowhere else is the subject of aviation as popular as it is there. Innumerable spotter clubs and associations have sprung up like mushrooms - everything is organized, they even publish their own magazines. Great Britain also has large Spotter community - however not quite as well organized. The Internet has provided a huge boon for Spotters keeping them constantly up-to-date and well informed with the latest information while adding to the growth of these interest groups. Photos and information can be exchanged internationally, tour groups are organized and regular meetings arranged.
Although the appeal of Spotting is increasing – obviously very few of these enthusiasts hold positions within the aircraft industry, even fewer would hold a pilot license with definitely none being responsible for the procurement of new aircraft. However, these people maintain an important link between the aviation and aircraft industry or the Air Force and the general public.

With their diverse range of interests, it is not a simple task to satisfy a large amount of aviation enthusiasts. One would like to view or photograph a static parked aircraft from the side, the next from above, third from the rear and so on and so on. To another Spotter all of this may be too boring - he might like to see more action especially involving full afterburner(s). However the fact that this balancing act was 100 percent successful at Schleswig Jagel is probably due to the fact that the person responsible for the Spotters Day, Project NCO Master Sergeant Joerg Minkenberg, is a photographer himself and that the squadron commander of the executing aerial photography squadron, Major Gunnar Christiansen, commands in his area of aerial photo interpretation a number of professional photographers providing him with an accurate idea of how and where one should place such a group in order to cater to their particular requirements (sun from the rear, runway centre for the takeoffs, taxiway in front that all airplanes have to taxi by slowly etc). The fact that all participants did this straight after their display, directly in front of the Spotters, turned a few times in a circle then stopping briefly, leaving behind some very happy faces indeed. To get any better that this would be almost impossible. The fact that the weather also played along so well may not have been the direct responsibility of the men of the TRW 51, but it was certainly in the best interest all involved, leaving only smiling faces when it was time to say good bye.

We think we can speak on the behalf of all participants in thanking Major Christiansen and its comrades for a great day and we do hope that it wont be the last time that such an event will take place in Northern Germany. Similar to a rock star also each aircraft and its pilot have their own groupies. If these enthusiasts continue to be treated as well as they were by TRW 51, then surely many more fan clubs and aviation related organisations will spring up like mushrooms!

Robert Kysela, managing editor