Nothing excites teenager Max Gabb more than airplanes. The Oak Creek teen is all about tracking, identifying and photographing planes. His new hobby, called “plane spotting,” started during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gabb would ride his bike to the nearby Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport where he discovered several places to watch the planes land and take off.
Every morning, Gabb would check the flight radar on his phone, grab his camera and bike over. His dad Jamie Gabb says his son needed something to get him out of the house and biking was a good option. On this day, Max Gabb is waiting for a unique aircraft. The only plane like it in the world: Colorado One. It’s a Southwest Airlines plane painted with the flag of Colorado.
“There’s a lot of planes in the world, and a lot of them are rare for Milwaukee’s airport here,” Gabb says. “When the rare ones come in, that’s when it’s really fun.”
He also spots a United Airlines plane coming in to take the Baltimore Orioles home after a baseball game with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Gabb’s plane spotting adventures have taken him well beyond Wisconsin’s borders, including flights to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Las Vegas, Denver and, most recently, a trip to the island of St. Martin, where visitors can stand on the beach and watch planes land just above their heads.
In a few short years, Gabb has spotted more than a thousand aircraft. One of his favorite experiences was spotting Air Force One when the president arrived in Milwaukee. To see his excitement, it might surprise you that Gabb’s fascination started from the fear of flying.
Jamie Gabb can remember times sitting next to his son, and it wasn’t fun. He just did not like turbulence. Then he started to do some research about planes and his entire mindset changed. In fact, Max Gabb will tell you, he kind of likes turbulence now. It makes for a more interesting ride.
Max Gabb faced his fear. And now his dreams are sky high. He’d like to become a commercial pilot. That would guarantee him the best seat for plane spotting, turbulence and all. You can track his adventures on his YouTube and Instagram.
