10 yearsI’ve always heard about the SpotLAX event. Every year, I sit at home staring at all the pictures and reading about the event. It makes me so jealous! When the dates for the 10th anniversary SpotLAX2023 event were announced, I realized it was time to actually attend the event.
ANA R2D2’s special livery was a highlight before the arrival of SpotLAX2023 flight on Thursday.
I’ve only been to Los Angeles once, and that was over a decade ago. On that trip, I managed to spend a few hours at the Proud Bird restaurant. I remember just staring in amazement at the various airlines and planes, and the ones I usually photograph were all different. This time, I wanted to make sure I made the most of my time. So, I booked the first flight out on Thursday morning. Since I’d booked my flight months in advance, the wait for this day to arrive was long.
Finally, Thursday morning arrived. I left home at 4:30am to head to Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport to catch the first JetBlue flight of the morning to Los Angeles International Airport. The 5 and a half hour flight only made the excitement of arriving at the destination more intense. Finally, the crew said the magic words: “Welcome to Los Angeles, local time is 9:20am, because we are early, the gate will not open until 15 minutes later.” Yes, every excitement must have a little episode.
Hawaiian Airlines’ A321neo fleet is one of the only aircraft to make an appearance during SpotLAX2023.
Before I knew it, I had my luggage and my rental car back. Then, I set off on my first day of crazy photo-shooting. The rest of Thursday was spent meeting up with people I had only chatted with online before, but in person for the first time, and making new friends who shared my passion for aviation.
I spent a few hours on Thursday Flying over the airport in a helicopter, checking off my bucket listAnother important decision I made for this trip was booking a room at the H Hotel in Los Angeles. The hotel has a deck on the top floor that is specifically designed for watching planes take off and land at LAX. Being able to book a room on the same level as the deck was also a big bonus. I could walk from the room to the deck in under a minute!
This UPS MD-11F makes the trip to Ontario International Airport worthwhile.
On Thursday night, I spent the entire day preparing for the weekend and then went to bed. On Friday morning, I woke up at the crack of dawn. A small group of us decided to drive to the Ontario International Airport. There, I would have probably had one last chance to photograph the UPS MD-11s before they were retired. While in the area, we also visited the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino.
After returning to Los Angeles and getting back to my hotel, I had the opportunity to catch up with a lot of people. I once again met up for the first time with people I had been talking to for years.
The official opening of SpotLAX2023 took place on the top deck of the H Hotel. It was the first ever SpotLAX Opening Night Viewing Party. It was a truly amazing event. Airline Live Video An announcement was made from the corner of the deck, and about 200 aviation enthusiasts gathered. There was food and drinks, and many people shared experiences and discussed everything about aviation. In addition, there was a raffle with rich prizes, and some people, including me, were very happy after winning the prizes.
There is an event on Saturday morning that has been held for a year longer than the SpotLAX event. Crankyflier The annual Cranky Dorkfest. Picture this: about 400 aviation enthusiasts gathered in the park outside the famous Sepulveda In-n-Out Burger. The crowd watched planes take off and land at LAX while talking aviation knowledge with various aviation enthusiasts. It was another opportunity to catch up with old friends I hadn’t seen in years and make new ones. Of course, I got to sample some delicious In-n-Out Burger food.
The Cranky Dorkfest crowd gathered to hear who won some of the wonderful raffle prizes that were donated.
Later, I spent another afternoon snapping hundreds of photos on the rooftop of the H Hotel. Then, I headed to the best restaurant near the airport, The Proud Bird, for the SpotLAX annual dinner. There, I spent another great evening eating, drinking, drawing prizes, and discussing all things aviation.
A Korean Air 747-8i is seen from the rooftop deck of the H Hotel during SpotLAX2023.
Sunday morning arrived and it was time to check out of the amazing hotel that was my home base in Los Angeles. Then it was time to head out for donuts and coffee courtesy of JetTip. This was held at another iconic LAX viewing location: Crates Park. In the plane viewing world, it’s better known as Empire Hill. The clouds had cleared early and the Southern California sun was shining. The morning turned into a perfect photography day.
As the temperatures rose and the heat wave set in, people began to leave to enjoy a beautiful weekend while some of us returned to the Proud Bird restaurant to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Soon it was time to shower, change clothes and head to the airport for the red-eye flight home. I have to admit that by the end of Sunday, I was done with my photos and was dying to get home.
On Sunday afternoon, The Proud Bird hosted not only SpotLAX2023 attendees, but also many families who came to enjoy the atmosphere there.
It was a most amazing and enjoyable weekend. One that I feel every aviation enthusiast should enjoy at least once. A few more personal observations. First, it was great to see so many young generations of enthusiasts. From 4 years old to teenagers, the youngsters had a blast at the event. They could be seen running from one corner of the roof deck to the other, trying to photograph everything. Second, the aviation community is one of the most generous and friendly communities you could imagine. People were willing to help others all weekend long. Lastly, I am sure I will meet many of these wonderful people again for many years to come!
