| Brussels National (BRU/EBBR) is Belgium's main airport, located about 15kms East of the city of Brussels. After the demise of Sabena (the former Belgian flag carrier) back in 2001, the traffic at BRU is dominated by the Avro RJ's from its successor Brussels Airlines and by short- and medium-range jets of the main European airlines. Limited intercontinental routes are also present; most notable is the Indian carrier Jet Airways, using BRU as a stopover between India and the USA with 6 flights daily. Several cargo airlines are also operating into BRU, mainly with heavy freighter aircraft. Brussels city also houses the NATO and EU headquarters, often resulting in interesting military and government traffic. |
| Origin A - Amsterdam/Rotterdam/Antwerp: E19 Antwerp-Brussels Exit 12 "Vilvoorde Luchthavenlaan / Cargo" Origin B - Cologne/Frankfurt: E314 Aachen-Leuven Exit 17 "Winksele", end of exit => right N2 direction Brussels Origin C - Liège/Luxembourg: E40 Liège-Brussels Exit 21 "Sterrebeek", end of exit => right N227 direction Nossegem/Steenokkerzeel Origin D - Ghent/Ostend: E40 Ghent-Brussels R0 direction Liège/Leuven E19 direction Antwerp Exit 12 "Vilvoorde Luchthavenlaan / Cargo" |
| BRU - Spotting Guide |
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| How to reach the spots: |
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| Map with spotting points: |
| As you can see on the map, BRU has three runways : 25L-07R ; 25R-07L and 02-20. Procedure when winds from W/NW/SW (most used): 25L is the main landing runway, 25R the main take-off runway. When runway 25L is in use for landings, a small amount of traffic uses 25R to land (mainly cargo/government). On Sundays, 25R is in use for all landings until 17:00 due to noise regulations. Procedure when winds from N/NE/E: 02 is the landing runway (all traffic), 07R is the main take-off runway. Freighters mostly use 07L, north-bound flights 02 for take-off, though exceptions are made. Procedure when (strong) winds from SE/S: 20 is the landing runway (all traffic), 20 and 25R are used for take-off. Rare procedure and bad for photography. Live information: BRU/EBBR ATIS Channel (weather information, runway configuration) : VHF frequency 132.475 MHz. Other VHF frequencies : BRU Approach 118.25 MHz ; BRU Tower 118.60 MHz (South) 120.775 MHz (North). _____________________________________________________ |
| Spot 1: Approach runway 25L |
| Origin A: Motorway exit => right "Cargo" ; next traffic lights left "Steenokkerzeel" ; 3rd traffic light right (N227) ; roundabout straight on (12h), next roundabout left (9h). Follow this road until you pass 25L approach lights, park your car next to the road some 100m further. Origin B: N2 direction Brussels => continue road (about 10km) ; first roundabout straight on (12h) ; next traffic light right ("Mechelen/Steenokkerzeel") ; follow road over railroad bridge ; roundabout 3rd exit (uphill) ; after 200m right turn past water tower ; park your car next to the road some 100m further. Origin C: N227 direction Nossegem => traffic lights straight on : after 1km through tunnel under runway 25L ; after 300m roundabout first exit right (3h). Follow this road until you pass 25L approach lights, park your car next to the road some 100m further. Origin D: Same as origin A. This is the main spot to photograph the arrivals on runway 25L (if in use). The light is good from about one hour after sunrise until about 3:00PM (4:00PM in summer). You'll need need some 180mm for an Avro RJ, 140mm for a Boeing 737 and 85mm for a Boeing 747. Some examples : |
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| Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 Picture 4 |
| In summer you can go to the fields on the other side of the approach path, were the light is good than from about 5:30PM until sunset ( example from this spot: Picture 4 on top (Qatar Amiri Flight A330-200) ). Spot 2: Approach runway 25R |
| Origin A: Motorway exit => right "Cargo" ; next traffic lights left "Steenokkerzeel" ; 3rd traffic light right (N227) ; roundabout left (9h). Follow this road. After you passed the 25R approach lights, take the first street to the right (sign "Begraafplaats"). On the corner of this street, there's a gift shop "Idee" with a purple front. After the big grey building some 50m further, park your car on the parking lot. Origin B: N2 direction Brussels => continue road (about 10km) ; first roundabout straight on (12h) ; next traffic light right ("Mechelen/Steenokkerzeel") ; follow road over railroad bridge ; roundabout 3rd exit (uphill) ; continue road past water tower and 25L approach lights ; pass trough the village of Humelgem. After a sharp left turn, you take the first street to the right ("Steenokkerzeel-Centrum"). Pass the church on your left and after the weak left turn you take the first street to the left (sign "Begraafplaats"). On the corner of this street, there's a gift shop "Idee" with a purple front. After the big grey building some 50m further, park your car on the parking lot. Origin C: N227 direction Nossegem => traffic lights straight on : after 1km through tunnel under runway 25L ; after 300m roundabout first exit right (3h), then immediately the first street to the left ("Steenokkerzeel- Centrum"). Pass the church on your left and after the weak left turn you take the first street to the left (sign "Begraafplaats"). On the corner of this street, there's a gift shop "Idee" with a purple front. After the big grey building some 50m further, park your car on the parking lot. Origin D: Same as origin A. This is the main spot to photograph the arrivals on runway 25R (if in use). The spot is located on the Steenokkerzeel graveyard. Please stay on the constructed paths ! The light conditions and distance to the landing aircraft are more or less the same as on 25L. Do note that the amount of frames per aircraft is limited due to trees. Some examples : |
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| Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 Picture 4 |
| Spot 3 & 4: Approach runway 02 |
| Origin A: Do not take motorway exit 12 but continue to the R0. Follow the A201 to the airport building and take exit 3 "Zaventem-Centrum". Go to the right (you'll enter Zaventem village) and continue to the next roundabout. Take the 3rd exit (Zaventem-Centrum) and then the first street that you're allowed to enter to the left (this is the second street in general). Immediately take the first street to the right after you've entered. Continue this street until you're about to cross the railway bridge. Take the street on the left instead of crossing the bridge (street called "Zeven Tommen"). Continue this street until you cross another railway brigde, then park your car on the small square on your left just after crossing the bridge. Origin B: N2 direction Brussels => continue road (about 10km) ; first roundabout straight on (12h) ; continue until you reach the 4th traffic light. Go to the right there (street called "Sterrebeekstraat"). Follow this road downhill until you're about to take a very sharp left turn. Don't take it, but enter the small street on the right instead (street called "Imbroekstraat"). After some 200m, pass the small tunnel on your left that leads you underneath the railway track. Some 100m further you'll see a small square uphill. Park your car there. Origin C: N227 direction Nossegem => traffic lights to the left (N2 direction Brussels). Continue the N2 until the next traffic light. Go to the right there (street called "Sterrebeekstraat"). Follow this road downhill until you're about to take a very sharp left turn. Don't take it, but enter the small street on the right instead (street called "Imbroekstraat"). After some 200m, pass the small tunnel on your left that leads you under- neath the railway track. Some 100m further you'll see a small square uphill. Park your car there. Origin D: Same as origin A. MORNING => SPOT 3 : From the point were you have parked your car, walk down the road that leads underneath the approach lights. Then go to the left (cross the small bridges) until you've reached the iron red-white airport perimeter fence. Walk straight on, right next to the fence (heading north). After a while you'll meet a green fence in front of you, and bushes on your right. Climb up over there and you've arrived ! If in use, you can see the runway 02 arrivals, as well as the runway 02 and 07R departures from this spot. It's my favourite spot at BRU ! A small ladder (ca 3 stairs) can be handy here. You’ll need some 145mm for an Avro RJ, 125mm for a Boeing 737 and only some 60mm for a Boeing 747. Some planes will take off from runway 02 too (this means that they line up direct in front of you), but most planes will start on the 07R. Those planes are further away from you. Planes bigger than a Boeing 757 can be photographed with 300mm or less. The light conditions at this spot are good from sunrise until 1PM. Some examples : |
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| Approach 02 Departure 02 Line-Up 02 Departure 07R |
| In the afternoon, you can change position from this spot to spot 4, at the other side of the runway. AFTERNOON => SPOT 4 : Walk back to your car. Then cross the small railway bridge. After crossing the railway bridge, you can search out a spot on the borders of the field on your right. If you want, you can continue walking uphill until you've reached the big red wall. You'll need some 150mm for an Avro RJ, 130mm for a Boeing 737 and some 65mm for a Boeing 747. The light is good from about 3PM until sunset. Some examples: |
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| Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 Picture 4 |
| Spot 5: General Aviation Apron (Abelag) |
| Location: The General Aviation apron is located on the west side of the airfield. You can reach Abelag by taking the A201 motorway towards the airport terminal. Take exit 3 "Zaventem-Centrum" and on the roundabout you take the 3rd exit ("General Aviation"), this means you won't enter the village. On the t-intersection in front of Hangar 8 (the big red building in front of you), you go to the left. After 100m you'll see the General Aviation apron on your right hand side. From two car parking lots, you can take limited shots from some of the planes parked on the apron, through a gate or a hole in the fence. Light conditions and zoom are depending on the parking position of the aircraft. During governmental or NATO-meetings security is higher here and sometimes the car parking lots are closed for security reasons. Some pictures made at "Abelag": |
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| Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 Picture 4 |
| Spot 6: Brucargo |
| Spot 7: Wingtips restaurant |
| This restaurant is located on the 4th floor (Promenade) of the airport's main terminal building. From there you have a nice view on the passenger apron (A and B terminals). Limited shots through the windows (!) can be taken in the afternoon. When the weather is bad, this is a nice alternative for regspotters, though. To get an idea, click here (daylight view on terminal A) and here (nightshot, B747 parked on terminal B). _______________________________________________________ |
| © Robin Bamps ( www.robinbamps.tk ), 2006 BRU Spotting Guide compiled by Robin Bamps ; Last Update 22 December 2006 . |
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| Location: The Brucargo apron is located on the west side of the airfield. You can reach the spot to photograph the planes that are parked at and arriving/departing from their stand best via the Haachtsesteenweg (N21). You drive that road in the direction of Brussels coming from the runway(s) or from the E19 exit 12. After passing the intersection (with traffic lights) with the main entrance road to Brucargo, you continue to drive on the N21. You'll pass the next traffic lights in about 1.5km and still continue straight on. Then ..............you enter the first street on your left ("Veldweg"), where a sign "Diegem Luchthaven" is located. You take ..............the sharp turn to the right and then immediately afterwards another sharp turn to the left. Some 50m ..............further you take the first street to the left ("Felix Timmermanslaan") and continue it to the end. On your ..............right you'll see a short sandy road leading towards a grass hill. That's were you have to be for pics ! This spot is again limitedly reachable since the end of construction works that took place between 2004 and 2006. You're able to photograph the cargo airplanes parked on the Brucargo apron and taxiing in and out that apron from/to runway 25R-07L. In ideal circumstances the aircraft will taxi via taxiway Alpha 7, right in front of you ! You'll need some 130mm then for an MD-11, slightly less for a B747. Some examples : |
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| Taxiing in Taxiing out |