MESA, Ariz. — They call themselves the AZA Spotters. Think of it like bird watching, but instead of waiting for wildlife, this group is waiting for aircraft. It's a growing hobby across the country. And here in Arizona, there's a local group at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport that's expanding too.
With their lenses cast, tracking their big catch, photographers line up at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport to catch the planes.
"It's kind of like fishing," one of the photographers said. "We just kind of sit around and wait to see what shows up next."
The men and women use their free time to shoot aircraft like DC-10's, on their spot at the 'Gateway Hill.'
The AZA Spotters, a group of local aircraft photographers, have been meeting for quite some time now. They estimated since at least 2019.
Marina Phillips, 16, and her mom drive and hour to see and shoot the planes in the military. She connected with the Spotters through social media.
"We started messaging on Instagram and made a whole bunch of friends," Phillips said. The planes are her favorite part. And they all share a passion for aviation beyond Arizona too.
People from all over the country do this very same activity and follow each other online. It's their own spotting community. In Mesa, they're always on the lookout for interesting aircraft that are landing or taking off.
Patrick Flannagan said they shoot a lot of tankers in the summer because of fire season. He drove out east of the Valley to get some shots of the Telegraph Fire when it first started near Superior.
"The air attack, it was crazy," Flannagan said. "It was insane because that was the first time I've seen how fast a fire can spread and how quickly it grows."
During the warmer months, it's a shorter and earlier start for the group too.
"The heat haze in the afternoon, when it starts getting really hot kind of ruins the photos," he said.
They use phones to track the aircraft.
"I see a plane, if it's something really exciting, I get excited and make sure to put my camera settings on right," Phillips said.
They even created their own spotter patches to swap with pilots that come through.
"To trade them and show our appreciation for them giving us their patches," Flannagan said.
Half of the proceeds from the patches are donated to the Eric Marsh Foundation for wildland firefighters. Marsh was of the Granite 19 Hot Shots who died while fighting the Yarnell Hill fire.
"It's been doing pretty good," Flannagan said. "We raised $300 for them last month."
At the end of each shoot, they share tips and their top snaps, sharing for history and beyond.
Anyone can connect with the AZA Spotters on Instagram, to get started.
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