Getting to the Aviation Viewing Park by car is quite easy. All you have to do is to follow the brown road signs marked Aviation Viewing Park. Turn off the A538 onto Sunbank Lane. There is also a sign to The Romper pub there. After about 200m you come to a crossroad where The Romper is on your left. Here you turn right onto Wilmslow Old Road and it will lead you to the AVP. At weekends and on holidays there is even a bus service from the Terminal to the Aviation Viewing Park.

In my opinion, the jewel in the crown of the Aviation Viewing Park is Concorde G-BOAC. This individual was the flagship of the fleet bringing back memories of British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).

Another interesting aircraft on display is the AVRO RJX100 prototype. It and its smaller siblings were set to be the third generation BAe 146s, but BAe cancelled the project on 27 November 2001 and at same time putting an end to airliner production in the UK

The AVP caters for all needs. There is the Aviation Shop (have your credit card ready and a healthy credit balance), a visitor centre with lots of information (also very handy as shelter against the occasional rain shower that might, just might, come your way), a refreshment stand (don't expect any culinary wonders), toilets, and not to forget, no less than three viewing mounds.

This picture was taken during our trip to Manchester first weekend of September 2004. It gives you an impression of how close you are to taxiway Alpha when you are on the mounds. Sadly there is neither sound nor smell to it. A peaceful version of the Apocalypse Now aptly describes the Aviation Viewing Park: I love the smell of jet fuel in the morning.

Now over to what type of photos you can get at the Aviation Viewing Park.
The map below will make it easier to follow the description.

The following photos are from two trips to MAN - one in September 2004 with westerly winds and in May 2004 we had an easterly wind.

This Balkan Holidays Tupolev Tu-154M is cleared for Delta, Sierra, Tango and lining up at runway 23L.

Approaching holding point Delta 4 - taxiways Alpha and Juliet between us and the Tu-154 tail.

Almost across Taxiway Kilo, the Tu-154 is now approaching holding point Delta 2.

The Balkan aircraft is now crossing the original runway or Runway 1 (05L/23R). The BAe 146 in front has just vacated this runway and is here seen on Taxiway Kilo Charlie.

The Tu-154 has now reached Runway 2 (05R-23L) and is lining up for departure on 23L.

Now we leave the old Russian for a new American -
Singapore Airline’s 777 departure for Singapore on 23L.

The Boeing 777-212ER is lining up after having entered 23L at Victor Alpha 1.

The triple seven is rolling down the runway - spotters at the next mound start to block my view.

One third down the runway.

Two thirds down - climb out started.

Gear up selected.

Now let us take a closer look at the old runway or Runway 1 (05L/23R) and the arrival of an Emirates Airbus A330-243. We're going to follow the aircraft from short final until we almost lose sight of it on Alpha on its way to Terminal 2.

A hazy day adds wonderful shades to a photo, don’t you think? Here the A332 is a few miles short of TD.

Clouds of brunt rubber, engine reversers deployed, and nose gear still not in contact with Terra Firma.

The Emirates Airbus A330-243 is passing just in front of use still with reversers deployed.

The aircraft vacated the runway at Alpha Echo and has now turned on to taxiway Alpha. The grass field behind the fence is just in front of one of the spotter mounds.

I wondered why the Airbus made a short stop on Alpha shortly before Alpha 4 - and after looking closer at one of the photos I had taken, I found out why. The captain wanted a snapshot of Concorde!

The aircraft has started to roll again on Alpha - the taxiway behind the aircraft is Bravo.

Cockpit crew at work

After passing the AVP on Alpha, we are in the jet wash and the smell of jet fuel in the morning ...

The EK A332 now is about to pass holding point Alpha 5. We follow this aircraft all the way to holding point Alpha 6 from the mound closest to the terminals.

Between 1200 and 1500 Runway 2 (05R/23L) is closed and MAN becomes, in effect, a single runway airport. Photography can be a bit tricky as you get the sun in your face as these photos show.

Air France Babybus taking off just between the Foxtrot and Delta crossings.

This American Airlines 752 is Boston bound.

In May 2004 the wind came from the opposite direction.

Not many three-holers left at MAN - the last MYT DC-10 left in the fleet - taxying on Alpha.

Not many BA World Tails left either. Notice the message on the fence BIRDS ARE A HAZARD TO AIRCRAFT Do not feed birds or leave edible waste - and certainly this not an optional choice for spotters.

In May 2004 I only had a Fujifilm Finepix compact digital camera, and with this it was difficult to get a good shots at distance - but this shot illustrate that you can get photos of aircraft taking off from runway 05L at the Aviation Viewing Park even with a low grade camera.

Now over to the aircraft on display.

The jewel in the crown - Concorde G-BOAC

Another view of Concorde with the TAS Shop, the visitor centre, and the spotter mounds in the background.

The prototype Avro RJX100 - an aircraft that never came in to production.

The Monarch DC-10 forward section is used as an "aviation classroom".

The latest addition to the aircraft collection - BEA Trident G-AVZK.

So let us finish off this description of the Aviation Viewing Park with one final picture showing you that it could be a perfect spot for your nearest and dearest too - if she let you take her, that is.