Piaggio Avanti on the ramp... would it have been rude to take a picture?

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Jim K

Jim K

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Came back from a solo flight this morning to find an interesting aircraft on the fbo ramp. This one, in fact:

52e5395e09571e0479ecd9527474269ecaac89c7.jpeg

I was unfamiliar with them, but I love weird airplanes. I wanted to take a picture, but wasn't sure of the etiquette of photographing airplanes on the ramp, and there were a few line workers around, so I passed. Would it be rude/ weird/ bad form to snap a couple pics for the daily pic thread?
 
only rude if you run in front of him while he's trying to taxi ... :)
 
Not at all!! I would snap away, and happily do. Most owners would be fine with someone taking pics of their airplanes... I just snapped a few on the ramp yesterday actually.... seemingly their pilots are pre-occupied at the moment.
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Ryanb said:
Unless the owner specifically told you not to, than I don’t think it would be rude. If it’s within public view it’s really free game.
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That was my hangup, though. You'd have to have a badge and be on the ramp to even know it was there, the ramp isn't visible from any public area. I was unsure if most owners would be annoyed by a low rent Cherokee pilot snapping pictures of their multi million dollar aircraft, or if the fbo employees would think I'm a big dork. Kind of like taking a picture of a Ferrari parked on the street.

Otoh, you almost have to be an airplane nerd to be a pilot, so maybe it's expected.
 
That Piaggio is a neat airplane. There used to be one flying around KCMA many years ago but haven't seen it recently. When taking pics, you don't really need permission unless you want to get fairly close like an inside shot or panel pic. From a moderate distance, snap away.
 
As a member of the public, I don't see what anyone could do about it. That being said, as an airport employee it is our general policy to avoid posting photos the internet and/or social media that have identifying information without consent. We may take photos from creative angles or use Photoshop to at least avoid showing registration. Some aircraft owners or companies try to keep their aircraft's movements discreet for security or other reasons.
 
Also I took the CFI TSA annual online course yesterday and found out that photographing airplanes on the ramp is considered "suspicious behavior". :rolleyes:

Just sayin'...

Don't shoot the messenger.
 
RudyP said:
If I google my tail number, I can find a bunch of pictures of my airplane taken by strangers. I’m fine with it.
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The, ahem, beauty of flying an ugly plane, only 2 photos show up searching google.
 
I do a lot of aviation photography. Never had a problem taking a picture. However, I _voluntarily_ do not post N-numbers of anything that might be business/corporate. I'm well-aware I don't have to do that, but I (and many local photographers I know) are willing to do this in exchange for better relations with the airport and the aircraft owners/managers. Sometimes I'll move around so the N-number is hidden, sometimes I'll quickly blur it out in post-processing.
 
True story: Back when Meigs was an airport instead of a park, I landed there for lunch on our way to Oshkosh. There was a big biz jet of some sort there with the door open and the red carpet out like they were waiting for pax to arrive. Someone pointed to it and said it belonged to some celebrity whose name escapes me now. Jimi Buffet maybe? They said he was already up at Oshkosh but his wife was going to be flying in on that. I took my camera out to take a pic of it and a gigantic security guard approached me and said it was against policy to take pictures of airplane due to security concerns.

That is absolute BS. I was not on the ramp at the time, I was standing on the public observation deck. I told him I was taking a photo of my own airplane but he still insisted it was illegal. Pick your battles and all that, I just let it go. Not worth arguing about with a minimum wager who is blindly following orders.

It is absolutely not rude nor illegal to photograph aircraft on the ramp of a public airport.
 
Juliet Hotel said:
True story: Back when Meigs was an airport instead of a park, I landed there for lunch on our way to Oshkosh. There was a big biz jet of some sort there with the door open and the red carpet out like they were waiting for pax to arrive. Someone pointed to it and said it belonged to some celebrity whose name escapes me now. Jimi Buffet maybe? They said he was already up at Oshkosh but his wife was going to be flying in on that. I took my camera out to take a pic of it and a gigantic security guard approached me and said it was against policy to take pictures of airplane due to security concerns.
.
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Aha!! I knew there was something more about the Meigs closure! Your security violation was the last straw ;):D

 
Jim K said:
Came back from a solo flight this morning to find an interesting aircraft on the fbo ramp. This one, in fact:

View attachment 77692

I was unfamiliar with them, but I love weird airplanes. I wanted to take a picture, but wasn't sure of the etiquette of photographing airplanes on the ramp, and there were a few line workers around, so I passed. Would it be rude/ weird/ bad form to snap a couple pics for the daily pic thread?
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Happens to me all the time in the 182H with 20 yo paint job. It’s ok to stop us and take pics. You get used to it really.
 
Jim K said:
That was my hangup, though. You'd have to have a badge and be on the ramp to even know it was there, the ramp isn't visible from any public area. I was unsure if most owners would be annoyed by a low rent Cherokee pilot snapping pictures of their multi million dollar aircraft, or if the fbo employees would think I'm a big dork. Kind of like taking a picture of a Ferrari parked on the street.

Otoh, you almost have to be an airplane nerd to be a pilot, so maybe it's expected.
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Who cares what other people think? If you want a pic of the airplane, take it. What is the worst that could happen?

I fly for a living, and I'm always taking pics of airplanes I find interesting. I don't give two craps what other people think of my actions.
 
Jim K said:
That was my hangup, though. You'd have to have a badge and be on the ramp to even know it was there, the ramp isn't visible from any public area.
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Are there any posted signs that prohibit photography?

It is completely legal to photograph things in and around a public airport (first amendment right). FBO's may freak out when you try to take photos to protect their clients for whatever reason. Practice common courtesy, and everyone will be happy. At least that’s my 2c.
 
Jim K said:
Came back from a solo flight this morning to find an interesting aircraft on the fbo ramp. This one, in fact:

View attachment 77692

I was unfamiliar with them, but I love weird airplanes. I wanted to take a picture, but wasn't sure of the etiquette of photographing airplanes on the ramp, and there were a few line workers around, so I passed. Would it be rude/ weird/ bad form to snap a couple pics for the daily pic thread?
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I mean, I would not take creeper shots, but I think most people would be flattered if you take a photo of their aircraft in a reasonable manner..
 
Groundpounder said:
Who cares what other people think? If you want a pic of the airplane, take it. What is the worst that could happen?

I fly for a living, and I'm always taking pics of airplanes I find interesting. I don't give two craps what other people think of my actions.
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Fair enough. I think most pilots "get" it. Try doing this regularly with other private vehicles though (cars, boats) and I'm guessing the reception will be a bit more chilly.
 
When I was a ramp rat we had a 350lb Netjets pilot throw a literal temper-tantrum at a local (with an airport badge) that was taking photos... but that's Netjet pilots for ya.

I seem to recall when I started flying 10 years ago Piaggio Avanti's were much more common than they are today. I wonder if they're going by the wayside.
 
When I was a student, my CFI and I stopped to ogle a Piaggio Avanti that had just landed and off-loaded. The pilot invited us aboard for a tour of the cabin.
 
I would not take a picture of people getting on/off the plane, GA flying does allow one to have some privacy that I would respect.


Tom
 
I was in Tucson in an old looking C-310 with probably the original panel except for the GPS. Three flight instructors from a flight school in PHX that were out doing a late night time building flight asked if they could look in the plane.

Sure, just don't climb in the back......

The tallest one looked in the back. ''What is that.?'' he asked.

''A dead body.''

(crickets)

''Can we look at the panel.??''
 
RudyP said:
If I google my tail number, I can find a bunch of pictures of my airplane taken by strangers. I’m fine with it.
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Pretty neat! Just tried that with my RV and about five decent images popped up. I'm flattered that they took the pics. :)
 
A few years ago in Charleston (KCHS), a coworker of mine was trying to take pictures of the DreamLifter landing. The Enterprise girl was walking across the parking lot and warned him that the police would give him a ticket. We then talked to the one of the FBO folks who confirmed it. Since it’s joint use, the entire perimeter fence has warnings that photography is not permitted. And the kicker was, that while the local cops were writing you a citation, they would call over to the military side, who would come over and cite you for federal charges. Again, it’s just what I was told, I can’t say I ever saw it actually happen.
 
Everskyward said:
Also I took the CFI TSA annual online course yesterday and found out that photographing airplanes on the ramp is considered "suspicious behavior". :rolleyes:

Just sayin'...

Don't shoot the messenger.
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Near as I can surmise, these days simply holding a ticket and wanting to board a commercial flight is considered "suspicious behavior".
 
F01LA said:
Fair enough. I think most pilots "get" it. Try doing this regularly with other private vehicles though (cars, boats) and I'm guessing the reception will be a bit more chilly.
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Depends on the car. If you drive any sort of exotic/higher end sports car, it is very common for people to take pictures too (It happens both while stopped or while driving which is more concerning).
 
Jim K said:
I was unsure if most owners would be annoyed by a low rent Cherokee pilot snapping pictures of their multi million dollar aircraft, or if the fbo employees would think I'm a big dork.

Otoh, you almost have to be an airplane nerd to be a pilot, so maybe it's expected.
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You are not a low rent Cherokee pilot. You are an FAA certified general aviation pilot entitled to all of the services available at every airport and on every airway. Taxi on the center line like you own the place. Talk on the radio with the authority that your pilot certificate gives you. Do not abdicate your authority to anyone else. And if you have an access badge, walk the grounds like it’s your own playground snapping photos of whatever you want.

And as you take photos of other planes, you are a Dork! Enjoy the label, be proud of it. Most of us are.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Groundpounder said:
Who cares what other people think? If you want a pic of the airplane, take it. What is the worst that could happen?

I fly for a living, and I'm always taking pics of airplanes I find interesting. I don't give two craps what other people think of my actions.
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With how small the industry is, I’d care what other pilots think

Only thing I’d avoid would be taking photos of the pax/pilots as it’s more creepy than rude.

If you really want to be cautious of your reception, see if the N number is blocked


Everskyward said:
Also I took the CFI TSA annual online course yesterday and found out that photographing airplanes on the ramp is considered "suspicious behavior". :rolleyes:

Just sayin'...

Don't shoot the messenger.
Click to expand...

Well I view the TSA as suspicious, so there’s that lol

Besides that joke of a video also said something about if it looks like a airplane has been landing off airport it’s also scares them.

Frankly I don’t like taking advice from someone who probably sleeps with their tin badge and blue latex gloves under their pillow
 
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Jim K said:
That was my hangup, though. You'd have to have a badge and be on the ramp to even know it was there, the ramp isn't visible from any public area. I was unsure if most owners would be annoyed by a low rent Cherokee pilot snapping pictures of their multi million dollar aircraft, or if the fbo employees would think I'm a big dork. Kind of like taking a picture of a Ferrari parked on the street.

Otoh, you almost have to be an airplane nerd to be a pilot, so maybe it's expected.
Click to expand...
You worry to much about what other people think.
 
If someone on a ramp told me I couldn't take a photo, I would take it anyway. You have to know your rights.

Now when the leader of the Bandidos told me I could take photos, but not of their faces, I kindly obliged him! You have to know your limits.
 
This discussion reminds me of a train ride I took from Kiev to Moscow, in the Soviet era, when I was instructed to stop taking photos of the countryside from our moving train.

We’re no better, if we don’t allow photos of a general aviation plane on the ramp.
 
Got put in the back of a police car once for taking pics of jets outside the gate of NAS Cecil Field. It was during Desert Storm and the cop thought for sure it was illegal. Heard him call the SPs at Cecil and they pretty much laughed. They couldn’t care less for photography outside their gates.

I always thought the rule for no photography on the flight line of military bases was stupid anyway. Everyone that flys or works on the flight line takes pics without the base CO’s approval.
 
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