5 of the Best Airports for Biz Jet Spotting

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Whether you’re an aircraft photographer, logger, or both, biz jets cover a range of interesting aircraft types. Contrary to the name, there are also lots of turboprop types that come under the category (often known as biz props). At some airports you can see hundreds of the executive transports, especially when big events are in town.

Here are five of the best airports for biz jet spotting…

 

Geneva

Geneva has a lot of biz jet activity from its based FBOs such as TAG Aviation. It is also home to Ebace – the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition held every May, which brings in many interesting biz jet visitors and exhibitors. 

Bizjets at Geneva tend to park outside the TAG hangars at the southern end of the airport, or on the remote parking apron to the north of the terminal area.

 

Van Nuys

One of the busiest biz jet airports in the United States (and the world!). Van Nuys is in the San Fernando Valley to the north of Los Angeles, California. It has two runways, with parking aprons and FBOs all around the airport.

There’s an official viewing area on the eastern side of the airport at Waterman Drive which is great for watching and photographing movements.

[Read our Guide to Spotting at Van Nuys Airport]

 

Teterboro

The place to go for biz jets in the New York area. Teterboro is in New Jersey, within sight of downtown Manhattan. It handles all of the executive jets that Newark, LaGuardia and JFK are not able to handle, and thus can be very busy with lots of interesting aircraft.

Security often stops spotters at Teterboro, but are usually familiar with the hobby. It is beneficial to have the use of a car at this airport, as the most fruitful spotting is usually from doing a tour of the perimeter.

 

London Luton

Luton Airport is just off the M1 motorway around 40 minutes drive north of Heathrow and London itself. This is the best place in the UK for seeing biz jets, but can be a little confusing as they are parked all around the airport on different aprons.

You can generally see them all by walking or driving from the Holiday Inn Express at the airport entrance all the way round to the Long Stay car parks, looking through the fence as you go.

Then, keep an eye on the runway for any new arrivals.

The mix of biz jets here can be really interesting, with aircraft from all over the world flying in.

 

Paris Le Bourget

 

 

A la découverte des jets prives #gulfstream #g500 #g650 et #g280 #jetlife #privatejet

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The former passenger airport for Paris, which is also home to the excellent Musee Air et Espace, is the city’s go-to airport for biz jets.

To log the many bizjets and props, walk or drive along the main road running behind the long row of hangars, taking time to stop in between each one to log what is parked in front. This is best done on a weekday. At the end, past the main ramp and terminal area, is the Dassault maintenance area which usually has some interesting visitors parked outside.

Further down the road are viewpoints for watching arrivals from the east. Other places exist to the north and west of the airport, but you’ll need a car to get there.