Spotting conditions in Croatia?

michel N · Post by **michel N** » 03 Jun 2008, 09:57

Good morning,

in the weekend of 14 & 15 June I will be in Slovenia for the airshow at Maribor, and I want to combine this with some Croatian airbases (Lucko, Pleso, Zadar & Pula).

Does anyone know if it is possible to see something there during the weekend?

Regards,

Michel

Sleegertje · Post by **Sleegertje** » 03 Jun 2008, 11:28

Hi Michel,
I've been at Pula and you can't see anything overthere.
There is one place where you can see the top of the military hangar but you can't see nothing of the platform or aircraft.

Good luck,
Regards, Rene Sleegers

Stefan · Post by **Stefan** » 03 Jun 2008, 11:33

Hi Michel,

Pleso is quite OK as far as I can recall.

The following is quoted from the 'concept' airfield guide that is not ready for publising yet. Can not validate the info though.

Around The Airport
Terminal From here you get a good view of the aircraft which are parked on the ramps. There is a viewing area, but this area is closed for already a few years.
Runway 23 landing
Here you can read off and photograph the landing aircraft. The aircraft are still quite high.
Bridge over highway
This is only a location for the numbercrunchers. From here you can read off most of the military helicopters, transport- and firefighting aircraft. For this you will need a telescope or binoculars with 20x or more magnification. You can get here from the village of Micevec and look for the high highwaycrossing. The other crossings are going underneath the highway. Be a bit carefull with the local people because they are rather nosy and the all have got mobile phones these days.

Greetings,
Stefan

michel N · Post by **michel N** » 03 Jun 2008, 12:58

Thanks for your reactions. It saves me a trip to Pula.
Does anyone know if it is possible to see anything at Zaluzani or Mahovljani (both Bosnia), and which aircraft are based there?

Regards,

Michel

Wijgert IJlst · Post by **Wijgert IJlst** » 03 Jun 2008, 14:40

Pula has a good spot at one of the runway ends. When MiG's are flying, this good be a good place to take pictures. Aswell as the parking area besides the civil terminal, which give you a well overview over the runway.
Far as I know there is only a detachment at Pula from the unit in Zagreb. During the tourist season most of the flying will take place from Zagreb, I have been told.

Sleegertje · Post by **Sleegertje** » 03 Jun 2008, 15:29

Indeed you have a goed view at both sides of the runway and at the terminal but he wants to go in the weekend and then you'll probably see nothing flying.

Regards, Rene Sleegers

arrecoos · Post by **arrecoos** » 03 Jun 2008, 15:53

Michel,

-> I've been to Pleso for about half an hour last year. There is a dirt road running along the airport fence and
runway. From there you have an overview of the military platforms on the left side and the civil apron on the right. If a hangar is open you
could read something with binoculars. I didn't have any problems there.
But you are in very open terrain. This is past the bridge over the highway Stefan was talking about.

-> Zagreb Lucko was a different story. I was send away there only seconds after I parked my car. But from the flying club you can look onto the platform.

-> Zadar: One serious advise: stay on the roads. Mines!!!
I was there in the weekend. There is a road running through the airfield. But there was nothing to see except for some Piper-like stuff...

Don't know about flying-activities in the weekend in general. But with the increasing chance of forestfires...they have some of those brave yellow fella's, you know...

regards,

Arco

mirage 69 · Post by **mirage 69** » 03 Jun 2008, 21:01

It's not allowed to stop at the runway ends at Pula, you will be send away... The parking area at the civil terminal is o.k.

The police was checking my pasport while I took this picture:

They were flying every day during the week (not in the weekend) but every day only 1 or 2 Migs. Saw no visitors....
It was during holiday in august

Grtz Rene