Plane Spotting at Chofu Airport
I went plane spotting at Chofu Airport for the first time in 2021. It is different from Haneda or Narita internationals. There are no jets. Only single and twin-engine propeller planes use it. Helicopters operate from it too. The aircraft are cool, but the airfield lacks a lot of action. Still, if you are a Tokyo plane spotter, you should check it out.
New Central Airservice Corporation is the airport’s primary user. It is a small airline that has a fleet of six Dornier 228s. The destinations it serves are in the Izu islands near Tokyo. A friend who has used them said they were good.
As usual, I assumed a few things before going. One of them was the flight schedule. I thought there would be more flights. In my four hours walking the airfield perimeter, I saw maybe eight, give or take one or two.
When I got home, I checked the internet. Only then did I find out how few flights there were each day. Yes, go ahead and laugh. Why didn’t I think of checking that before I went? Check everything before you go. I always say that.
If you put that problem aside, Chofu Airport is an excellent place to photograph. With only one runway and limited support services, it’s small. That means you can walk around it completely. Lots of people take advantage of that. They’ll have picnics in the parks on nice days or ride bicycles on the paths. It’s a pleasant place.
Anyway, let’s get back to our topic. Of course, fences are all around the runway. But, the low hills at both ends make aircraft photography very easy. All you need is a long lens. Once again, I used my Fujifilm 100-400 mm to get close to the Dornier 228s.
From what I could see, there were six spots around the field from where to take photos. You can see them on the map. Five of them are on low hills. The last one is on the second floor of the terminal.
Chofu Airport is no Haneda or Narita. It lacks action, but I’ll go again. When will that happen? I don’t know. But when it does, I’ll take a picnic lunch to help pass the time between flights.
Where is Chofu Airport and its Dornier 228s?
Address: 290-3 Nishimachi, Chofu, Tokyo
Here it is on a Google map:
Train access
Tama Station on the Seibu Tamagawa line. Leave via the East Exit and the airfield is about a fifteen-minute walk.
Conclusion
As this was my first visit, I will go back again to get more pictures. So, be prepared to see new ones of the planes here in the future. By the way, if you go to Chofu Airport for aircraft photos take something with you to pass the time! Anyway, it’s on my list of interesting Tokyo photo spots. Leave questions and comments below.
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
More plane-spotting articles
External related websites
- Chofu Airport (official website)