Overwhelming response to call for plane-spotting enthusiasts

Changi Airport Group’s open call for aviation photography enthusiasts to join its new plane-spotting community, Sky Watchers, has met with overwhelming response.

A few days after it announced the call on its Instagram and Facebook pages on July 6 for people to express their interest in joining the community, the platform for submissions was closed.

As at July 11, the online form for photographers to indicate their interest in Sky Watchers was closed “due to overwhelming response”, according to a notice on the form’s landing page.

The form requires those who are interested to submit their personal details and reasons for wanting to join the community.

In announcing the call, airport operator Changi Airport Group (CAG) said members of Sky Watchers can gain access to exclusive opportunities to photograph aircraft at the airport, subject to approval and safety regulations.

Changi Airport is protected under the Infrastructure Protection Act, which prohibits unauthorised photography of sensitive areas within and around the airport. People who wish to carry out photography and filming at the airport need to apply for a permit from CAG.

When asked by The Straits Times, CAG did not provide any details about the level of access that members of Sky Watchers will be granted and the reasons behind the creation of the community.

It said only that it is keen to engage with Changi Airport’s fans – including aviation enthusiasts – and hence is developing a programme for them.

By joining the community, fans can also stay informed about upcoming photography events and connect with other enthusiasts, CAG added.

It said: “We are still in the early stages of this project and are assessing interest at this time. The response to our social media posts has been very encouraging, and we look forward to sharing details with those who have responded in due course.”

CAG did not specify the total number of photographers it is planning to involve in the group. ST has contacted the operator for the number of sign-ups it received through the online form.

There are an estimated 4,500 enthusiasts in Facebook group Singapore Aviation Spotters, including at least 150 to 200 active aviation photographers, according to two of the photographers ST spoke to. The group was founded in 2013.

Aviation photographers who spoke to ST said they welcome the new initiative.

Some are looking forward to the possibility of taking more up-close photographs of aircraft near the runways, or from around the perimeter of the airport.

Aviation photography enthusiast Jden Lee, 26, noted that aviation photographers are not authorised to take pictures with their cameras pointing towards the airport compound.

Hence, the electrical engineering undergraduate, who founded digital aviation platform Aether Aviation Media, tends to photograph aircraft departing from or landing at Changi at “conservatively safer” spots a distance away, such as at the carparks at Changi Beach or around Changi Business Park.

Mr Malcolm Lu, who has 10 years’ experience in aviation photography, said existing regulations mostly prohibit photographers from capturing ground shots of aircraft with airport infrastructure in the frame, due to security concerns.

Some enthusiasts go to great lengths to snap good pictures.

Singapore Aviation Spotters co-founder Hoon Meng Kit said that on one occasion, he booked a room at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport hotel to get a clear view of airplanes touching down near Terminal 3.

This was after notices prohibiting photography around and on South Cross Bridge were put up in June 2016. Aircraft use the overhead bridge across Airport Boulevard to taxi from one end of Changi’s airfield to the other.

The verification engineer, 39, wanted to check out the view from the hotel as an alternative.

Mr Lee said he hopes that Sky Watchers can allow its members to be “close to the action”, such as by giving them extreme close-ups of aircraft landings, take-offs, taxiing and gate turnarounds.

Mr Lu, a 42-year-old brand manager, welcomes access to the tarmac, but noted that it may be more practical for enthusiasts to wish for access around the fence line of the airport or at South Cross Bridge.

He is “cautiously optimistic”, as CAG has not provided much information on the access Sky Watchers members will get.

He also looks forward to capturing special events involving aircraft and staff working behind the scenes. This usually happens when new airlines or new aircraft types are introduced.

Mr Hoon hopes members of Sky Watchers will be notified in advance about upcoming events, such as those involving rare visiting planes and special aircraft liveries, and water-cannon salutes – where fire trucks shower taxiing aircraft with water to celebrate milestones.

He added that a dedicated room for aviation spotters on the runway would be welcome, in case it rains.