From 1 February to 19 July 2027, all air traffic to and from Eindhoven Airport will be suspended. During this period, the runway will undergo renovation. For companies that make frequent use of the airport, the temporary closure will require alternative ways of travelling during that time. But some non-travellers will also need to think differently during that period. For example, aviation enthusiast and plane spotter Ian Hinten (17) will temporarily be unable to pursue his passion at Eindhoven Airport.

As part of the renovation, the runway will be widened. In addition, a new taxiway and extra runway lighting will be installed, among other improvements. These works will ensure that the runway is even better prepared for the future.

A future in which Ian from Best hopes to spot many more aircraft. He has been plane spotting since 2022. Back then, he would head to the airport with an old Casio camera, track air traffic through Flightradar and other websites, and learn about aviation from fellow spotters.

Boeing 747-200

"A classic Boeing 747-200, the Queen of the Skies." Plane spotter Ian does not have to think twice about it. That aircraft tops his list of planes he still hopes to photograph."The classic Jumbo Jet silhouette, its sheer size, and the magnificent sound of the first generation of jet engines. I think it's a beautiful and remarkable aircraft, especially because there are only about fifteen of them left in the world."

Diversion

The avid plane spotter can be found on the roof of P4 parking garage, his favourite spotting location, about twice a week. He especially enjoys spotting aircraft together with his friend Rares Bejinaru (19), who, like Ian, spends as much of his free time as possible plane spotting. However, from 1 February to 19 July 2027, Ian, Rares and other aviation enthusiasts will not be able to visit Eindhoven Airport because of work being carried out on the runway."We’ll have to look elsewhere and travel to Schiphol, Maastricht or other airports," says Ian.

For Ian, hardly a day goes by without spotting aircraft or 'flying' in his flight simulator. So where does his passion come from?"It’s the complete picture: the shape of the aircraft, the livery, the sound of the engines, the technology. It’s amazing that something like that can stay in the air."

By now, Ian is a seasoned spotter. Armed with his Nikon Z6, he photographs both civilian and military aircraft at Eindhoven Airport and other airports. Every few weeks he visits Schiphol, he regularly travels to Germany, and he is a familiar face at air shows in Belgium. Even during holidays, a day of plane spotting is always part of the itinerary.

Antonov 124

The most impressive aircraft Ian has ever seen at Eindhoven Airport was the Antonov An-124."It was a real struggle to find a place. Dozens of spotters spent hours waiting in the cold, and when it finally arrived, it was incredible. It’s actually quite ugly, but because it’s so huge, it’s special." He also vividly remembers the farewell flight of the F-16 at Eindhoven Airport."The weather was bad, we had to wait for a long time, and then it was gone within ten seconds," Ian recalls.

Even so, he felt the wait was worthwhile because "there’s nothing better than capturing a beautiful aircraft at exactly the right moment" Not being able to photograph Air Force One at Schiphol during last year’s NATO Summit was therefore a disappointment."It landed on a different runway, so I missed it."

Ian is already looking forward to being able to pursue his passion close to home again once the temporary closure ends in 2027."Five and a half months without aircraft in Eindhoven is a really long time."

Stay up to date on developments surrounding the renovation via the website.