Planespotting Guides for Cyprus' Airports and Airfields
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PRESERVED, WRECKS & RELICS, STORED AIRCRAFT IN CYPRUS - their locations are marked in the Spotting in Cyprus download
An unknown C150 is displayed on top of a building in Ayia Napa, please advise registration
5B-CFO PA28 is displayed at a private residence near a garden centre in Koloni village on the north side of the B6, between Paphos town and the airport
LAKATAMIA AIRPORT
Spotting Info
5B-CAJ PA22 is the pole mounted gate guard, marked as "5B-CIR". Sections of the fuselage of N19CA DC6 are just west of the runway, with the wings alongside. Southwest of the airport at the Lapatsa Paintball Ranch, 5B-CGC PA23 is used as part of the games. These aircraft are marked in the Spotting in Cyprus Download.
LARNACA AIRPORT (LCLK/LCA) - TWR 119.4, APP 121.2
Spotting Info
The new terminal opened in November 2009 and is opposite the 04 threshold. Airside all stands and the runway can be seen and aircraft easily logged. Landside, if you go to departures and turn right outside the terminal, all aircraft taxiing to and from the terminal can be logged and the runway can be seen. However, if they're using 22 as is the norm, any aircraft landing and going to the GA ramp or the freight ramp are likely to turn off the runway short and be missed. You can view the cargo apron, biz and Police helipad from a lay-by on the main road towards Larnaca and next to the salt lake. The Airport Police may speak to you but they are happy for you to log and take photos. A word of caution, do not use your radio at the airport, the police will confiscate it until it can be proved that it isn't a transmitter. Check the wind direction for your departure runway - 22 is usually in use, sit on the left side as your flight will taxi right past the GA parking area north of the new terminal. Near the control tower is a light aircraft storage area. Starting nearest the driving centre, they are: row 1 - 5B-CDM Pa31; row 2 - 5B-CHP C172, 5B-CGA Pa28, 5B-CHW Grob 115, 5B-CIH Helio Amphibian; row 3 - 5B-CHJ C150, 5B-CHU Pa44, 5B-CIK Pa31; row 4 - 5B-CIC C152, 5B-CHQ C150, 5B-CIB C152. At the base of the control tower is 5B-CGL C310. Airside you only have views of the runway as the aircraft are parked remotely off to the left and behind the terminal. You can log the arrivals as they taxi past but you have to be quick. Mackenzie Beach just to the north of 22 threshold is excellent to log and photograph arrivals on 22 over the sea but you won't be able to see the new terminal or stands due to the distance and rise and fall of the land.
Planespotting Hotels - their locations are marked in the Spotting in Cyprus download
The Flamingo Beach Hotel - request a view of the approach and you'll hopefully get room 401, 301, 201, 101 in the southeast corner, height isn't an issue. Brilliant position overlooking the beach and sea. From the rear (deserted and desolate), 5th floor mezzanine views can be had over the freight ramps with just the large hangar on the north boundary creating a slight blindspot. The rooftop has views of the eastern part of the airport, though it's officially out of bounds as the pool is closed and drained. However, if you take the lift up to the 5th floor and walk up the stairs you can get there. A good view over most of the nearby ramps can be had from up there and also of the 22 approach. If you walk 10 minutes along Mackenzie Beach you'll arrive at the perimeter fence just short of the runway threshold.
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The Sea N Lake View Apartments has a bar and swimming pool, the rooms are adequate, but more importantly if you go out the back of the apartments you are almost on the approach. A 5-10 minute walk to Mackenzie Beach and the end of the runway. From the airport by taxi takes about 5 minutes.
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The Costantiana Hotel, has great views from the room balconies, just ask for a room at the front.
Larnaca Airport Website and Larnaca International Airport Website
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NICOSIA AIRPORT (abandoned)
Spotting Info
Abandoned since the civil war of 1974, a few aircraft still remain. XF700 Shackleton is stored near the runway 09 threshold. You get a brief glimpse from the southern motorway heading east/west, though you get a better view from inside the UN buffer zone. North of the 09 threshold is the wreckage of OK-MDE Tu104. In the northern part of the airport, stored on the apron is 5B-DAB Trident. The locations of these 3 aircraft are plotted in the Spotting in Cyprus Download.
PAPHOS AIRPORT (LCPH/PFO) - TWR 119.9, APP 120.8
Spotting Info
Can be quiet during the day before coming alive in the evening and at night, Wednesday is the busiest day, relatively speaking. If you're flying out, there is an enclosed smokers "Beer Garden" alongside Gate 1, but the view through the smoke is not so good and the view from the departure lounge is poor after dark due to reflections - the best bet is wait near a gate until it opens.
The light aircraft beyond the biz, and the biz themselves, can be viewed from the car park near the cafe at the side of the arrivals terminal. There is a fence to look through with green cloth at eye level hindering views, but it's ripped in many places so it's not a big problem. Be careful not to use cameras though, and be as discreet and quick as you can as the police may question you and have advised others in the past that photography is forbidden. The military ramp is across the runway, there may be something visiting. Following the fence round, through car parks and the security gate, leads you to a view of the dumped aircraft including XP666/G-JETP Jet Provost, WR967 Shackleton fuselage and the following thought to also be here - unknown red Bell 47 (either 5B-CGH or SX-HEI marked "5B-CGI" unless there are two there, but 5B-CID has also been reported here in the past), unknown dismantled red/black BN2A (thought to be 5B-CHG), 5B-CBP C150, 5B-CHS C150, 5B-CHY G115, 5B-CHC C150 fuselage, 5B-CDU C182 stripped, and possibly a couple of others. Near the security gate is a dirt track between the fenceline and the sea for you to walk along for a better view of the aircraft dump, and then follow it round to the helipad to log any helicopters parked up.
Stored at the north western-most tip of the airport are Shackletons WL747 and WL757, and F-AZEN Flamant - only visible on arrival or departure, unless you have a vehicle, in which case a track down the edge of a field leads to the crash gate right by these aircraft.
If runway 29 is in use, there's a place on the beach just east of the airport that's great for logging arrivals. Come off the main B6 road and head towards the airport terminal. As the road bends right, fork left signed to a taverna. Follow the track, head past the taverna and you will see an open area on the right next to the beach where you can park. No problems spotting and photographing from here.
Planespotting Hotels - their locations are marked in the Spotting in Cyprus download
The Louis Phaethon Beach Hotel is close enough to the airport that departures off runway 29 can be easily seen, and arrivals on runway 11 go straight over the pool. Any sea view room would do, like room 2088, but the best rooms would be 2095, 2097, 2099, 2101, 2103, 2105, 2107 and 2109 with a beach and sea view and a distant view of the airport ramps, with 2109 probably being the best of them. Rooms 2113-7 inclusive would be good as well, with side views of the airport from the balcony - 2117 probably being the best of them. Regardless of the view from your room, you can view the ramps from the stairwell next to room 2095. It's also on the same road as the Constantinou Bros Asimina Suites below, and therefore a slightly shorter walk to get to the beach should you wish to log the movements from there.
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The Constantinou Bros Asimina Suites is between Paphos town and the airport. If the wind is from the southeast, the aircraft will land down the beach onto runway 11 and are easily readable with optics. If they're using runway 29, most departures will turn out to sea before reaching the hotel and aren't readable, meaning an SBS or equivalent is needed to tie them up. You can easily walk from this hotel, along the beach, to the end of the runway and takes about 30 mins - turn right out of the hotel and follow the road round the left bend. Turn right at the roundabout, follow the road right and left and then along the beach, where you can pick your spot. No problems spotting and photographing from here.
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The Pioneer Beach Hotel is in between the two hotels detailed above and therefore much of the information also applies. When landing on runway 11, flights pass directly in front of the hotel, and departures off runway 29 start a left hand turn as they approach the hotel meaning they can be read off (it's closer to the airport than the Constantinou Bros Asimina Suites above). Everything can be read off with standard binoculars.
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There are many hotels along the beach here, leading away from the airport, all in a line along the main road. The above three are the closest, and seeing as the furthest from the airport, the Constantinou Bros Asimina Suites, is too far away to log the departures, any others would also be too far away.
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