Miramar Airshow 2008

[johndm]

Anyone here offer some advice on the Miramar Airshow..?

I've managed to persuade the missus to organize our 2008 West Coast roadtrip around the airshow...:lol:

I've booked and printed tickets online for the Sempler Fi Chalet, matinee show on Sunday October 5th, and we are arriving at Miramar on the 4th, staying at the Holiday Inn on Kearny road.

Have we made a good choice with tickets?

Will we need to get to the show very early to get in the preferred parking area?

Will we be able to see the Saturday twilight show from that motel?

Any other advice on this show appreciated

Regards

[justincase724]

It's been a few years since I've gone, but I'll offer any information I can. First, I would highly recommend getting there early. Traffic gets really bad both before and after the airshow, and without your preferred parking, it's a good couple miles walk from parking to the tarmac. You should have no problem seeing the twilight show from your hotel as it's fairly close and everything around there is pretty flat. If you need too, there's a few places close by that you could drive to and have an unobstructed view of the night sky. Here's a link to a googlemap image of the area (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=32.860123,-117.145414&spn=0.053064,0.118446&t=h&z=14) if you want to enter in the hotel address and see where your at.

[johndm]

It's been a few years since I've gone, but I'll offer any information I can. First, I would highly recommend getting there early. Traffic gets really bad both before and after the airshow, and without your preferred parking, it's a good couple miles walk from parking to the tarmac. You should have no problem seeing the twilight show from your hotel as it's fairly close and everything around there is pretty flat. If you need too, there's a few places close by that you could drive to and have an unobstructed view of the night sky. Here's a link to a googlemap image of the area (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=32.860123,-117.145414&spn=0.053064,0.118446&t=h&z=14) if you want to enter in the hotel address and see where your at.

Thanks for the info, an early start it is then....:D

Is the light any good at Miramar, or will I be shooting into the sun all day?
Looking at that map it could be the sun's in front..:cry:

[justincase724]

Yeah, the sun will be in front of you mostly, but I think it'll be high enough overhead that you won't be shooting directly into it. I've seen plenty of great shots from the Miramar Air Show, so I don't think it's anything to really worry about. I hope you enjoy San Diego for the time that you're here, and if you have any other questions, I'll be glad to help you out.

[johndm]

Yeah, the sun will be in front of you mostly, but I think it'll be high enough overhead that you won't be shooting directly into it. I've seen plenty of great shots from the Miramar Air Show, so I don't think it's anything to really worry about. I hope you enjoy San Diego for the time that you're here, and if you have any other questions, I'll be glad to help you out.

This will be visit number 6 to the area.....we like lots..:D

Done the USS Midway a couple of times, planning on going to the SD Air and Space Museum, and Gilespie Field this year.

Do you know of any other interesting aircraft places to visit?

And I've done the warbird flight at Carlsbad too...:D

[JWright]

This will be visit number 6 to the area.....we like lots..:D

Done the USS Midway a couple of times, planning on going to the SD Air and Space Museum, and Gillespie Field this year.

Do you know of any other interesting aircraft places to visit?

And I've done the warbird flight at Carlsbad too...:D

About the only other "aircraft" place in San Diego I can think of is the Flying Leatherneck Museum (http://www.flyingleathernecks.org/) at MCAS Miramar. Access to the museum is off Miramar Road and you don't have to go through the base gate. Admission to the museum is free. All the aircraft are displayed outdoors and they don't have the budget that the Midway has, so the aircraft suffer a bit from the weather.

If you haven't been here in a while, then you might want to do the Midway again. They're opening up new areas of the ship all the time and adding aircraft just as fast as they come out of the restoration shop.

The Air and Space Museum is in a bit of turmoil right now. A lot of stuff has been moved to Gillespie to make room for a massive Star Trek exhibit that is in the works. I was in the museum last week and it's looking a bit sparse in places.

If you have the time to go a little farther afield, the Planes Of Fame (http://www.planesoffame.org/)museum in Chino, CA, has a fabulous collection of aircraft, most of which are in flying condition. Also in the Inland Empire (Riverside, CA) area is the March Field Museum (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/www.marchfield.org/). This is the museum that used to be part of March AFB but is now run by a private group. These aircraft are also outdoors and again suffer from the weather and lack of maintenance budget.

Here is a LINK (http://johnwright.smugmug.com/gallery/3466397_t2H6C#194906756_ttEtP) to my Planes Of Fame gallery.

[Bubble]

for those that went to this show before, where should i stand? East or West blanket area(free) or should i buy the ticket at the Grand stand?

thanks

[justincase724]

The blanket areas get a bit crowded, and most people end up squeezing in where they can when the show starts, and then stand the whole time. If you're tall and can look over everybody, it's not bad (plus theres not a lot to see on the ground - fire balls, jet powered trucks, military guys jumping in and out of helicopters). If you don't mind paying for it, the grandstands are kind of nice.

[Bubble]

i don't mind to pay for the grandstand. Just want to make sure i get a good position. :)

[shd101]

I have tickets for Semper Fi on Sat, so I better agree with your choice - very good location near show center. Was in a Corp Chalet further west of center 2 years ago & that was a good location so expect this to be much better. Haven't parked in preferred lot before, but they suggest arriving early & that's what I plan on doing.

Haven't stayed for twilight show before (plan to this year) & you might see some of it from hotel, but you're going to be at least a few miles away. Would suggest going over, especially since general admission is free. Saw some flying as we were leaving, but visibility was poor while still on base & barely more than a mile away. Sat evening forecast is mostly cloudy. National Weather Service San Diego Forecast can be found at http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?site=SGX&llon=-117.838747&rlon=-116.713747&tlat=33.562084&blat=32.437084&smap=1&mp=0&map.x=146&map.y=158

Last year they bussed attendees from remote lots, similar to Edwards & Nellis, but inspection point continued to be at entrance to airfield & it is a big bottleneck. Suggest arriving at base about an hour before the time you'd like to be on flight line to compensate for traffic, parking, bussing, inspection & walking.

Flight line runs east - west & seating is on north looking south. My recollection is that sun was above & behind us as had problems with glare on display of my point & shoot. Still a neophite, but have upgraded to an EOS 40D w/ 100-400 IS L. Would love to pick your brain, but too many questions to ask.