While covering
Philippine Airlines’ event marking the arrival of its newest aircraft, the
Airbus A350-1000, I couldn’t help but notice that the occasion also doubled as
a gathering of a devoted subculture: aviation enthusiasts, more commonly known
as “avgeeks.”
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| Philippine Airlines' newest plane, the Airbus A350-1000 |
As interesting as
it was to witness Southeast Asia’s first Airbus A350-1000 and learn about its
new features, I found myself drawn instead to this community of aircraft
spotters, individuals whose passion for aviation immediately piqued my
curiosity.
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| Some of the plane spotters awaiting PAL's Airbus A350-1000 |
They are easy to
spot, usually a small group gathered near an airport runway, cameras mounted on
tripods, eyes alternating between the sky and their phones as they track
arrivals through the Flight Radar app.
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| The new features of Airbus A350-1000 |
Most of them can
identify an aircraft by silhouette alone, distinguishing what Boeing or Airbus
model before the wheels touch the tarmac. They speak in the language of
fuselage length and engine thrust, of delivery routes and fleet configurations,
with the fluency others reserve for sports statistics.
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| PAL (Philippine Airlines) history unfolding |
For someone like
me, who boards a plane without noting whether it is a Boeing 747 or an Airbus
A380, my encounter with them was an eye opener.
Peak Community of
Aviation Enthusiasts
“I would say the
Philippine plane spotting community is, in aviation terms, ‘top of climb,’ or
at its peak right now,” said RM, who goes by @runwaymanila.ph on
Instagram. RM described it as “a niche community coming from all walks of life
united by the love of aviation.” Some spotters, he explained, are deeply
knowledgeable about specific aircraft types, while others specialize in
photography. “Connecting with others is essential because it builds a better
community — sharing insights and experiences with each other.”
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| @planespotteej shooting a plane flying overhead |
That sense of
openness echoed across the runway. “It’s really a diverse community consisting
of people of different ages and backgrounds,” said @PlanespotTeej. “But
the common interest is simply loving seeing aircraft. Nothing limits you for
being a ‘plane spotter.’ Whether you’re using an entry-level camera phone or
have professional camera gear, or just simply admire watching planes, you can
be in as long as you respect and learn from each other.” Another plane spotter,
who runs the Facebook page Just Plane Things, described the community as
“enthusiastic and encouraging,” adding that through it, “you can make
connections with people who love aviation and learn more about the aircraft’s
history and other information.”
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| An A380 about to take-off for Dubai. Photo @planespotteej |
The event drew us
to the Lifestyle Achiever’s Hub along C-5 in Parañaque, a favored vantage point
just a few hundred meters from one of NAIA’s runways. From there, aircraft
descend low enough to rattle windows and stir applause. Many in attendance had
been tracking the jet’s journey from Toulouse, France, through
flight-monitoring applications watching its path arc across continents before
its final approach to Manila.
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| @planespotteej in action |
For first-timers,
the advice is simple: “Just enjoy the moment,” RM said. “Plane spotting doesn’t
necessarily require a camera. Soak in the sights and sounds and let your dreams
take flight.” RM recommends the Shell C5 Airplane Observation Deck as an accessible
starting point: “It offers the best view of NAIA, regardless of which runway is
active.” Meanwhile, @Planespotteej prefers that day’s event venue, Eldan Cafe +
Bar. “It provides a clearer view of the runway, and the cafe strikes a good
balance between work and leisure.”
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| An Air France plane captured by JustPlaneThings |
RM added a note of
caution: “Point your cameras to the aircraft but NEVER point lasers. Flash
photography is also a big no-no. Drones are also forbidden, for obvious
reasons.”
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| My first dibs at shooting planes as they land |
Favorite aircraft
vary among the many plane spotters. “It’s gotta be the Airbus A380,” said
@PlanespotTeej. “It actually got me started on plane spotting because I wanted
to see it in person when I learned it comes here in Manila for maintenance. I
love giant engineering marvels hence this is one amazing feat.”
How their Love of
Planes Took Flight
For many, the
fascination begins in childhood. RM grew up in Rizal, where planes regularly
passed overhead. “I remember hearing the roar of the engines and looking up to
the sky with amazement how that huge metal thing can fly,” he said. Childhood
visits to NAIA Terminal 1 to see off his uncle, an overseas Filipino worker,
left a lasting imprint. Though he once dreamed of becoming a pilot, financial
realities intervened. Plane spotting, he admitted, became “my coping mechanism
to my frustration of becoming a pilot.” When he is near a runway now, he says,
“I feel joy. I am at peace. I am brought back to my childhood.”
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| A350-941 PR153 LAX-CEB. Photo by @airplanegirlPH |
For Angela of @airplanegirlph,
the turning point came during a difficult period in 2019. Sitting at a rooftop
restaurant facing a runway, she watched flights land and depart for hours. “It
must be nice to fly out and leave home for a while,” she recalled thinking, an
imagined escape. She began noticing the details: “the landing gear retraction
after take-off, the actual rotation of the aircraft, the liveries, the lights.”
The first aircraft she clearly remembers spotting was “an AirAsia A320 donning
the Allstars livery — totally unexpected!” That surprise sent her researching
special liveries and airline branding, eventually chasing them across Cebu.
What began as casual photography practice became something steadier. Plane
spotting, she said, is “something that makes me happy and excited and keeps me
sane.”
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| Republic of Korea Royal Airforce Black Eagles at a Singapore Airshow Photo by @airplanegirlPH |
Their fascination
extends well beyond takeoff and landing. They photograph aircraft with
telephoto precision, catalogue tail numbers, dissect engineering features and
debate cabin configurations. For them, aviation is not merely transportation
but a science, a blend of physics, design and engineering.
Back at the balcony
of Eldan Café, where the PAL event was held, I noticed the crowd was composed
of members from different generations. Teenagers and Gen Z’s stood beside
working professionals; one boy, no older than 14, excitedly identified each
departing aircraft to his mother, calling out models with confidence. The hobby
of plane spotting is fast growing, it seems.
As the A350-1000,
fresh from the factory floor in France, glided down the runway, cheers erupted
from the group. In that moment, the aircraft felt less like a celebration of a new
Philippine Airlines acquisition and more like a shared triumph for everyone.
The reaction was contagious. Goosebumps followed.
It was a reminder
that every plane that lands carries not only passengers, but also the wonders
of human innovation - and, for some, like this subculture of plane spotters I
met on that morning, a steadfast enthusiasm for watching it soar and return
home again.
This article first appeared on Rappler.
