'Plane Spotting' – A Unique Hobby Of Capturing Aircraft Moments

By Mohd Afiq Zulkifli

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 (Bernama) – Despite the scorching sun at Anjung Spotter, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), a group of photographers remains steadfast, waiting for hours just to capture the perfect shot of their dream aircraft.

Their hands are always poised, ready to press the shutter button to capture the arrival or departure of an aircraft—whether for personal collections or to share with aviation enthusiasts worldwide.

Among them is Hairol Hanim Harun, 50, who discovered his passion for photographing these ‘iron birds,’ commonly known as ‘plane spotting’ three years ago after being introduced to it by a friend.

Initially a wedding photographer, he used his existing camera equipment to explore this new subject—passenger aircraft photography.

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“At first, I simply followed other plane spotters because I had a DSLR camera. I would capture any aircraft in sight, select the best shots, edit them, and share them on social media," he told Bernama recently. 

"Over time, I grew closer to the community, and they taught me about aircraft models, sizes, technology, and flight operations. There's an unmatched satisfaction in capturing the perfect angle of an aircraft, especially a rare one,” he told Bernama recently.

Hairol, a father of three, spends at least two days a week at Anjung Spotter, saying the thrill of plane spotting is completely different from his usual work as a wedding photographer.

Because of that, he doesn’t mind spending hours at Anjung Spotter, even though it takes him nearly an hour to travel from his home in Telok Penglima Garang to KLIA, a distance of 50 kilometres.

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"This hobby requires patience and technical skills, whereas wedding photography is more about human interaction. Not all aircraft arrive on time—some get delayed, and weather conditions also play a big role in capturing the perfect shot. Unlike weddings, where we have flash and proper lighting, here we rely entirely on natural conditions," he explained.

To track aircraft schedules and types, he uses the Flight Radar 24 app.

Active on TikTok via Kyrolphotography, Hairol takes his hobby seriously, investing over RM80,000 of his savings to upgrade his camera accessories, including the camera body and telephoto lenses to capture higher-quality images.

“In wedding photography, we use short or prime lenses and can move around to follow the subject. But as a plane spotter, we need a zoom lens because aircraft move fast while we remain stationary," he said.

For Muhammad Abdul Hafiz Asmi, 39, plane spotting is a childhood dream—seeing airplanes from different countries up close.

Working as a firefighter at Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) KLIA gives him the advantage, as he has access to areas that external plane spotters cannot enter. However, he emphasised that he still has to comply with all regulations and laws set by the authorities.

"The views I get are much clearer than those from outside. I can capture angles that external spotters can’t, but I must follow safety rules, like wearing a safety vest near parked aircraft and avoiding restricted areas," he said.

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Sharing the excitement of being a plane spotter, Abdul Hafiz, who hails from Terengganu, said he is fascinated by the uniqueness of each aircraft, and capturing rare models or special liveries is a thrilling experience that he loves to share with others.

 "Some of the rare aircraft I’ve photographed include the McDonnell Douglas MD-11, the last cargo plane of a renowned courier company that landed at KLIA in 2010, and the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker in August last year," he said.

 -- BERNAMA