Young plane spotters in İzmir turn passion into aviation dream

İZMİR

A group of young aviation enthusiasts in the western province of İzmir is staking out the skies to capture striking aircraft photography, aiming to leverage their passion into future careers in the industry.

The fascination with aircraft shared by 18-year-old Doğuege Vural and his 17-year-old friend Onat Eronat, both residents of the city, began at an early age and gradually evolved into “spotting,” a hobby widely known as aviation or aircraft photography.

Scouting the perimeters of airports to capture aircraft at the perfect moment, the duo launched a website in 2024 to bring fellow spotting enthusiasts together.

Thanks to this initiative, the “plane watchers” have grown into a 13-member team. Driven by their passion, they travel to various cities, setting up near airports to document the takeoffs and landings of airplanes.

To photograph the aircraft, whose movements they track via radar applications, the young photographers generally prefer elevated vantage points. Positioning themselves according to lighting and weather conditions, they turn their gaze to the skies in pursuit of the most compelling shot.

These ambitious youngsters, whose sights are set high both literally and figuratively, share their photographs on social media platforms and specialized aviation websites.

Aiming to chart their career paths in the skies as well, they dream of working in the aviation industry.

Vural shared that he has been involved in the field for about six years, noting that having their shots published on major aviation websites serves as a powerful source of motivation.

Vural requested that authorities allocate a designated area where they can comfortably observe and photograph aircraft. Pointing out that Istanbul Airport already features a dedicated “spotter zone,” he emphasized that a similar initiative could easily be implemented in İzmir.