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Download Aircraft Spotting at the UK's Airports and Airfields for Google Earth and SatNavs

Latest Version 1.5 2013 - For just £5.00 you can download the file that will add placemarks to Google Earth to help you plan your trip. I have placed the information displayed on the main webpage into Google Earth to help give you a real idea of where you are going and how to make the most out of your trip. The fee is per download, so any subsequent updates will again require the fee - details of each new release of the file will be displayed below. Please note, in certain parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland, the satellite coverage is minimal at best and therefore I have had to estimate the airfield's position on the map - this is indicated on the satellite map and there are only a few. The directions on my site however, are still accurate and should be used in conjunction with this file.

Google Maps is run from your web browser at http://maps.google.co.uk. To use Google Earth, you must have already downloaded and installed it. If you don't already have Google Earth this is a fantastic free download that initially gives you a satellite image of the globe for you to rotate. You can then zoom in and see, in incredible detail, cities, towns, villages, even roads and houses from any place in the world. As I said, Google Earth is free, you should download it here and check it out.

This file can also be uploaded to your Satellite Navigation System (SatNav) - again making planning your journey even easier and saving you time on the roads. I have added a marker for all the smaller airfields to show the entrance of the airfield. This will improve the accuracy of your SatNav directions and ensure you don't waste time getting lost, or trying to find the entrance. With the Spotting Points of Interest in Google Maps, Google Earth and your SatNav you now have some fantastic resources to take with you on your trips, allowing for far more flexibility and more airfields visited. To use the downloaded file on your SatNav, see the instructions below.

Good examples of this service are shown below, with the download and installation instructions further down. Here at Cannes Airport, France, you can clearly see the runways, terminal, viewing areas, hotels, the preserved Beech 18 and a couple of markers to help you navigate the smaller roads round the terminal area to get views of the ramp. The blue path from the terminal to the southside viewing areas and hotel is the route you need to travel by car. You can zoom in a lot closer than shown, or you can zoom out to show an overall view of the airports in this file. On the left side of the Google Maps screen shot you can see the various different placemarks for Cannes Airport. Clicking on one will highlight on the main map. Scrolling up and down in the left hand section will reveal all the other airports that are plotted on Google Maps. Looking now at the Google Earth screenshot, on the left side of this screenshot you see a little over half the airports available in the France file - once the file has been loaded into Google Earth, scrolling up and down in this section will reveal all the other airports.

KEY:
Aircraft - airports, airfields, airbases, often close to the main hangars and where the aircraft park
Green star pointers - Viewing areas
Yellow star pointers - Preserved/stored aircraft
White star - Entrance to airfields
Beds - Hotels and Resorts
Blue paths and pins - routes to viewing areas
R - Runways
M - Museums
T - Terminals
H - Hangars
A - Aprons
Cameras - Photo spots
White - Points of interest for guidance
All the information plotted is available in text form on the main page and should be used with these plottings.

Cannes Airport, France

Please note, due to the limitations of Google Maps (imposed on it by Google as it runs in your Internet Browser), only 200 Points of Interest markers will show up. Therefore in larger files such as Spotting in the UK, not all markers will show up. There are no such restrictions on Google Earth and the files will work perfectly with it. This does not affect the smaller files with less than 200 Points of Interest markers - these will work in Google Maps, as well as Google Earth.

Cannes Airport, France

Downloading and installing the file into Google Maps:

  • Before completing payment please add my email address "krayzeekris@hotmail.com" (without the quotation marks) to your address book and your list of safe senders, or your email provider's equivalent.
    You must do this first because an email will be automatically sent to your email address with download instructions and most email providers will mark this as spam and/or junk because of the automated process. Adding my email address will ensure the email gets through to your inbox.

  • Once payment has been confirmed you will be sent an email with instructions on how to download the file.
    **If you don't receive this email immediately, please check your junk and spam mail folders. If you still can't find it, please email me. As I'm not always on hand to make an immediate reply, you can visit the Log In page, enter your PayPal email address and click 'Sign In', leaving the password field blank. At the next page, 'Login Failed', enter your PayPal email address and click 'Please email me my password'. Your password will now be immediately sent to you, but will only get through the spam filters if my email address is saved in your contacts**

  • Visit the website in the email or click the link provided and enter your email address used in the transaction (this is in the email). Also in the same email is your password to access your newly purchased file - you must copy this exactly or highlight, copy and paste.

  • Now you can log in and download your file - make sure you click 'Save' to save the file to your hard drive, **DO NOT click open**. Once the file has been downloaded you can save it to any folder you wish.

  • Visit Google Maps and sign in using your Google Groups and/or Google Mail email address and password. If you haven't registered with Google before, it's free, quick and easy to do. Once logged in, click 'My Maps' near the top left of the screen - it's in the horizontal light blue bar. Click 'Create New Map' below it and then click 'Import' - located next to where 'Create New Map' was previously. A box will now appear asking you to import map data from a KML file. Click browse and you will now need to locate the folder you have saved your downloaded file in. Click it to highlight it, and then click 'Open'. Now click 'Upload From File' and wait as the map is filled with a maximum of 200 placemarks as I explained above. The information displayed on the main webpage is as up to date as the information I receive or from my own personal trips, it is correct to the best of my knowledge and it is this information that I have placed into Google Maps to help you plan your trip. If you can update, amend or add anything please email me.


    Downloading and installing the file into Google Earth:

    If you have already downloaded and installed the file into Google Maps, please skip to the paragraph below as you only need to download it once
  • Before completing payment please add my email address "krayzeekris@hotmail.com" (without the quotation marks) to your address book and your list of safe senders, or your email provider's equivalent.
    You must do this first because an email will be automatically sent to your email address with download instructions and most email providers will mark this as spam and/or junk because of the automated process. Adding my email address will ensure the email gets through to your inbox.

  • Once payment has been confirmed you will be sent an email with instructions on how to download the file.
    **If you don't receive this email immediately, please check your junk and spam mail folders. If you still can't find it, please email me. As I'm not always on hand to make an immediate reply, you can visit the Log In page, enter your PayPal email address and click 'Sign In', leaving the password field blank. At the next page, 'Login Failed', enter your PayPal email address and click 'Please email me my password'. Your password will now be immediately sent to you, but will only get through the spam filters if my email address is saved in your contacts**

  • Visit the website in the email or click the link provided and enter your email address used in the transaction (this is in the email). Also in the same email is your password to access your newly purchased file - you must copy this exactly or highlight, copy and paste.

  • Now you can log in and download your file - make sure you click 'Save' to save the file to your hard drive, **DO NOT click open**. Once the file has been downloaded you can save it to any folder you wish.

  • Load up Google Earth and click 'File' and then click 'Open'. You will then need to locate the folder you have saved your downloaded file in - click it to highlight it, and then click 'Open'.

  • The file will now appear in the 'Places' section in the left hand section of Google Earth. At the moment, it's showing under the 'Temporary Places' folder - this means that each time you load up Google Earth you will have to open the file manually, as described above. If you would like the file to always show all the placemarks automatically, you will need to move the file up into the 'My Places' folder.

  • To do this, click and hold the file, drag the mouse upwards until it is over 'My Places' and release the mouse button. Now click 'File', move the mouse to highlight 'Save' and a new menu will appear to the side. Click 'Save My Places' and this will always display the locations.

  • Please note this file has been created using Google Maps and Google Earth version 6.2. Whilst this file will work with previous Google Earth version 5 and newer versions when they're released, I strongly recommend that you upgrade for free to the latest version (but NOT the beta version as that is still being tested), as using version 5 may mean that a couple of placemarks will be slightly away from where they are meant to be. This is unavoidable but their correct position will be obvious. In the unlikely event that one of these incorrect placemarks is a hotel, it could give you a misleading idea of where it is in relation to the airport. Regardless of what version of Google Earth you use, the information displayed on the main webpage is as up to date as the information I receive or from my own personal trips, it is correct to the best of my knowledge and it is this information that I have placed into Google Earth to help you plan your trip. If you can update, amend or add anything please email me.


    Using the file in your Satellite Navigation System (SatNav):

    Once the file has been downloaded using the instructions above, you can use it in your Satellite Navigation System (SatNav) either by manually entering the co-ordinates, or if your SatNav has the ability to upload files, follow these very simple, easy and quick instructions:

  • First you have to convert the file to the correct format for your SatNav and this is free, easy and very quick. Visit POI Editor, click 'Load POI File', (just to the right of the centre of the screen) and click browse.

  • The kml file is in the folder (or your Desktop) you use when downloading from the Internet, click it and then click 'Open'. Then click 'Load POI'. Any paths/routes that have been mapped out (for example showing the route to walk from one place to another) will appear at the top without a description - this is normal. You can scroll down the list to find all the other points of interest.

  • Next click 'Save POI File'. You can now set a name for the file and the file type (or format) that you want it saved in, for example OV2 for TomToms, CSV for NavMan and Garmin among others and other options including ASC (ASCII), GPX and LMX (Nokia). Click 'Download POI', set the location of where you want the file saved and click 'OK'. Once downloaded, refer to your SatNav manual on how to upload the file and use it.

    This file is wholly owned by me and may not be shared, sold or distributed by any means of communication or in any form of publication. By downloading the file you agree to abide by this and to use this file solely for your own personal use.

    FAQS & Troubleshooting

    I have purchased a file but haven't received the email within 30 minutes containing the download instructions Please check that my email address "krayzeekris@hotmail.com" (without quotation marks) is saved in your address book and in your safe senders (or your email provider's equivalent) list as this automatic email is often incorrectly classed as spam/junk and filtered out accordingly. Once my email address has been saved, please check your spam and junk folders for the email. If you can't locate the email, you can have the password resent to you immediately. Visit the Log In page, enter your PayPal email address and click 'Sign In', leaving the password field blank. At the next page, 'Login Failed', enter your PayPal email address and click 'Please email me my password'. Your password will now be immediately sent to you, but will only get through the spam filters if my email address is saved in your contacts. If you still don't receive the instructions within a further 30 minutes, please email me and I'll respond as quickly as I can.
    I have purchased a file, I have received the email contatining the download instructions but haven't received the email from Paypal confirming payment Unfortunately, as that is a transaction between you and Paypal, I am unable to help. If you do require a confirmation email of payment and/or a receipt, please log in to your Paypal account and check your transaction history.
    I have purchased a file, but haven't received either the email contatining the download instructions or the email from Paypal confirming payment Please check that your purchase and payment was completed successfully by logging into your Paypal account and/or checking with your bank or card company. If the transaction was successful then please email me for futher help.
    I get an error when opening the file in Google Earth This appears to be a problem with BT Internet, (although not limited to just BT Internet), not downloading the full file. I am unable to replicate this error to look into why this is happening, but it appears that a break in communication with the server while downloading the file causes the error and stops it completing. Please email me for further help.
    I get an error when opening the file in Google Maps This appears to be a problem with BT Internet, (although not limited to just BT Internet), not downloading the full file. I am unable to replicate this error to look into why this is happening, but it appears that a break in communication with the server while downloading the file causes the error and stops it completing. Please email me for further help.
    I have opened the file in Google Maps but not all the Points of Interest markers are displayed Unfortunately, due to the limitations placed on Google Maps by Google (as it's run by their servers in your Internet browser), a maximum of 200 markers will be shown. Therefore any larger files like the Spotting in the UK download will not show in its entirety. They will however work perfectly in Google Earth as it does not have any limitations, running from your PC as an application. This does not affect the smaller files that have less than 200 Points of Interest markers - these will work perfectly in Google Maps AND Google Earth.
    I haven't downloaded the file as I no longer wish to use it, how do I get a refund? I do not offer refunds. There is no time limit for downloading the file. You do not have to download it immediately, you are free to download it as and when you require, but you can only download it once. So even if you don't need the file now, there's a chance you will need it again in the future, and as the information contained within it (e.g. airfield locations and airfield entrances) will remain the same barring any closures or expansions, it will remain current and accurate for a long time.

    Version 1.5 Out Now!
  • This version is included in the new Spotting in Europe v1.2
  • Previous releases are shown at the bottom to show you what else has been added in previous versions

    ADDED:
    Aintree Racecourse Helipad, Mersey
    Arborfield Stored, Berks
    Arbroath, Angus
    Aubourn-Blackmoor Farm, Lincs
    Badger's Mount Stored, Kent
    Bideford-Lake Heliport, Devon
    Bovington Tank Museum, Dorset
    Burcott-Holbeck Farm, Bucks
    Carrickmore, N.Ireland
    Cockpitmania-South Molton, Devon
    Crawley-New Barn Farm Workshops, Hants
    Dalton-on-Tees-Croft Farm Airfield, Yorks
    Dumfries & Galloway Aviation Museum, Dumf & Gall
    Durston-Lodge Farm, Somerset
    Edinburgh-National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh City
    Falgunzeon, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland
    Greenford-Vanguard Storage Stored, Gt London
    Handcross-Wings World War Two Remembrance Museum, Sussex
    Hixon Stored, Staffs
    Honington, Suffolk
    Horton-cum-Studley-Ventfield Farm Airfield, Oxfords
    Hungerford-Denford Manor Workshop, Berks
    Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
    Langwathby Helipad, Cumbria
    Llandegla-Pennant Uchaf Farm, Wales
    Llanfyrnach-Classic Ultralight Heritage, Wales
    Llantysilio, Wales
    Lleweni Parc, Wales
    Lossiemouth, Moray
    Lowestoft Helipad, Suffolk
    Manby-Eastfield Farm, Lincs
    RAF Marham, Norfolk
    Marksbury-Hamburger Hill Paintball Stored
    Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre, Angus
    Northchapel-Chilsfold Farm, Sussex
    Over Dinsdale Preserved
    Pembrey, Wales
    Portadown, N.Ireland
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Aberdeenshire (3)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Angus (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Berkshire (2)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Buckinghamshire (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Cambs (2)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Cheshire (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Derbyshire (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Dorset (4)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Dumf & Gall (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Edinburgh City (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Glasgow City (2)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Gloucs (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Gt London (2)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Gt Manchester (5)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Hants (5)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Herefords (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Kent (4)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Lancs (4)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Leics (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Lincs (3)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Moray (2)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Norfolk (2)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Notts (2)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Northants (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Oxfords (4)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Perth & Kinross (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Shetland Islands (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in S Lanarks (3)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Somerset (3)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in South Ayrshire (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Staffs (2)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Suffolk (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Sussex (4)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Wales (4)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Warwicks (3)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Western Isles (1)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Wilts (6)
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Yorks (5)
    Salford-Hulcote Farm, Beds
    Scatsta, Shetlands
    Shrivenham Aviation Hall, Oxfords
    Snibston Discovery Park, Leics
    Spadeadam Range Stored, Cumbria
    Storwood Stored, Yorks
    Stow Maries, Essex
    Stretton, Cheshire
    Sumburgh, Shetland
    Thorney Island, Sussex
    Topcliffe, Yorks
    Treswell-Forwood Farm, Notts
    RAF Valley, Wales
    Washington-Frieslands Farm, Sussex
    Wethersfield, Essex
    Wolverhampton-Boulton Paul Aircraft Heritage Project, Staffs
    Woolston Moss, Cheshire
    Wychnor Helipad, Staffs

    UPDATED:
    Aberdeen, Aberdeen City
    Abridge-Mayhem Paintball, Essex
    Barkston Heath, Lincs
    Barton, Gt Manch
    Beccles, Suffolk
    Belfast City, N.Ireland
    RAF Benson, Oxfords
    Bewdley-Pound Green, Worcs
    Birmingham, Warwicks
    Blackpool, Lancs
    Bournemouth, Dorset
    Bracknell-Amen Corner, Berks
    Breighton, Yorks
    Bristol-Filton, Gloucs
    RAF Brize Norton, Oxfords
    Bruntingthorpe Cold War Museum, Leics
    Capernwray Diving Centre, Lancs
    Cardiff-Wales, Wales
    Castle Bytham-Black Springs Farm, Lincs
    Coal Aston-Bentley Farm, Derbs
    Colerne, Wilts
    Combrook-Green Farm, Warwicks
    Coningsby, Lincs
    Coventry, Warwicks
    Cranfield, Beds
    Cumbernauld, N.Lanarks
    Davidstow Moor, Cornwall
    Denham, Bucks
    Doncaster-Aero Venture Museum, Yorks
    Doncaster/Robin Hood Finningley, Yorks
    Draperstown/Blackhill, N.Ireland
    Dundee-Riverside Park, Dundee City
    Dunsfold, Surrey
    Duxford, Cambs
    East Winch, Norfolk
    Edinburgh, Edinburgh City
    Eglinton/City of Derry, N.Ireland
    Eshott, Northumb
    Exeter, Devon
    Fairford, Gloucs
    Fairoaks, Surrey - Planespotting Video Guide added
    Farnborough, Hants
    Feshiebridge, Highland
    Gamston, Notts
    Gatwick, Sussex incl hotel room view photos
    Glasgow, Renfrewshire
    Hampstead Norreys-Haw Farm, Berks
    Hawarden, Wales
    Headcorn, Kent
    Heathrow, Gt London
    Henstridge, Somerset
    Hibaldstow, Lincs
    Hulcote-Brook Farm, Beds
    Humberside, Lincs
    Insch, Aberds
    Ipsden-Chiltern Park, Oxon
    Kemble, Gloucs
    Kidlington, Oxon
    Kinloss, Moray
    Lakenheath, Suffolk
    Lee-on-the-Solent, Hants
    Leeds-Coney Park, Yorks
    Leicester, Leics
    Linton-on-Ouse, Yorks
    London City, Gt London
    Lower Upham-Phoenix Farm, Hants
    Luton, Beds
    Lydd, Kent
    Lymm Dam-Yew Tree Farm, Cheshire
    Manchester, Gt Manch
    Manston, Kent
    Mildenhall, Suffolk
    Netherthorpe, Yorks
    New York-Whaley Farm, Lincs
    Newby Wiske-Wathstones Farm, Yorks
    North Denes, Norfolk
    Northrepps, Norfolk
    Norwich, Norfolk
    Odiham, Hants
    Old Sarum, Wilts
    Over Dinsdale Preserved, Yorks
    Oxton, Notts
    Preserved & Stored Aircraft in Renfrew (1)
    Prestwick, S.Ayrshire
    Redhill, Surrey
    Riseley-Sackville Lodge, Beds
    Rochester, Kent
    Rufforth, Yorks
    Sandown, Isle of Wight - including a plea to help save the airfield
    Sandtoft, Yorks
    Scampton, Lincs
    Sellindge-Harringe Court, Kent
    Shoreham, Sussex
    Skegness-Water Leisure Park, Lincs
    South Lambeth-Imperial War Museum
    South Wraxall, Wilts
    Southampton, Hants
    Southend, Essex
    St. Athan, Wales
    Stansted, Essex - hotel added
    Stapleford, Essex
    Staverton/Gloucester, Gloucs
    Steventon-Stoken Farm, Hants
    Streethay-Cork Farm, Staffs
    Swansea, Wales
    Sywell, Northants
    Tattershall Thorpe-Lodge Road, Lincs
    Thurrock-Kings Farm, Essex
    Usworth-North East Aviation Museum, Tyne & Wear
    Waddington, Lincs
    Ware-High Cross, Herts
    Warfield-Ashley Farm, Berks
    Warton, Lancs
    Wattisham, Suffolk
    Whittington Barracks Preserved
    Wick, Highland
    Wittering, Cambs
    Woodford, Gt Manch
    Woolston Moss, Cheshire
    Yeovil, Somerset
    Yeovilton-Fleet Air Arm Museum, Somerset

    REMOVED:
    G-AMPO C-47, Lyneham, Wilts - removed by road to Brize Norton, Oxfords
    G-MJUH Tiger Cub, Flix Bar, Girvan - following the Flix Bar's closure, G-MJUH was removed, its location remains unknown - can anyone provide details please?
    G-MYCO Renegade fuselage, Exeter - removed, owner has Penmaenmawr address - can anyone provide its new location please?
    WL345 Meteor, Sussex - to Booker with Parkhouse Aviation. Due to move to Jet Age Museum, Gloucs
    XM173 Lightning, Newton-with-Scales - this is currently at Kemble, Gloucs being prepared for its new life as a gate guard in Malmesbury
    XT914 Phantom has left RAF Brampton's gate and is to be restored at RAF Wattisham
    Askern-Church Farm, Yorks - farm sold, airfield closed
    Beech-Valley Court Scrapyard - ASI moved to Kemble, Gloucs
    Deighton, Yorks - only one or two residents
    Faygate Scrapyard, Sussex - scrapyard has gone
    Hewish, Somerset - strip closed, most residents moved to Westonzoyland
    Kirknewton-Latch Farm, Edinburgh City - following a hangar collapse in Dec '10, airfield closed and most residents were damaged and removed for rebuild. Strip operational again but just one resident now
    Lyneham, Wilts - all flying has ceased as of December 2011
    Mullaghmore-Aghadowey, N.Ireland - airfield closed
    Penzance Heliport - closed October 2012
    Plymouth, Devon - airport closed
    Shirlowe-Lower Grounds Farm, Shrops - only one or two residents now
    Woodford, Gt Manch - airport closed


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    Version 1.0 - 600+ locations listed with viewing areas, hotels and preserved aircraft - click the + to see the details



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    Version 0.5 - 530 locations with viewing spots, hotels and preserved aircraft - click the + to see the details