Miramar Airshow

[blackbart22]

Was at the show on Friday. Guess I haven't been to any air shows in a while, so was surprised to see that it is not The Confederate Air Force anymore. It was when they pulled that B-29 out of the junk yard at China Lake in the 70's, fired it up and flew it away.

 

[incubus852]

... I can no longer tell the difference between 15 year old girls and college aged ones.

You know it!

 

[navyao]

There was a huge difference between East and West coast crews back in the day.

It was probably a carryover from Vietnam. Westcoast guys had flown in SEA, while most (but not all) east coast guys had only cruised the Med.

Different environments, different experiences, different rules, different cultures, different priorities.... and it carried over for years.

When I rode Enterprise from WESPAC to Norfolk we flew 3 or 4 CQ DETS with 101, 106, 42 & 201 aboard and then she went to Newport News for refueling. I took orders back to WESPAC and the Varks. I REALLY noticed the difference when I got to Miramar and Lincoln. I brought it up once or twice and was told the closer you are to D.C. the tighter the regs are...

Re. MIDNJAC and your comments, it wasn't an actual airshow, just an open house so they were static but yea, no lids on the line unless you can strap 'em down. They looked like AF dudes the more I think about it - no ascots though.

 

[coolhandlukesd]

http://www.warbird-photos.com/gallery.php?Airshow=2010-MCASMiramar-1

Phrogs, Cobras and Hueys. :icon_smil

 

[pourts]

Realized today that I can no longer tell the difference between 15 year old girls and college aged ones.

Good thing your are married then.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Did a static display once.
My best question from a kid: "Are you a Blue Angel?"

I was at an airshow in Binghamton, NY (my bird was parked mighty close to a fellow AirWarrior's H-60). We had just arrived and were headed to our hotel when we noticed a bar with a HUGE bike night/party going on in the parking lot. A stop was a must (who gives a shit if we're in bags - we're reservists!)... Very warm reception - and then some drunk woman came up and asked us if we were the Blue Angels. "No, we're the world famous Wild Geese". And then she goes up to the mic (did I mention there was live music, it was a pretty awesome impromptu party) and announces "Ladies and Gentlemen - may I have your attention... The BLUE ANGELS have arrived!" Even though we weren't Blue Angels we were rock stars that night...

Yeah kind of hard sometimes to meter the "no you are wrong" response with some of the more insistent and incorrect know-it-all types.

I was at Fleet Week NYC and someone asked me if I had been to Iraq and how it was, etc... I start answering his question - and this dude starts correcting me about my own personal experiences in Iraq. It was very hard to be polite.

I've been in the Reserves for 2 1/2 years, and have been to more air shows than I ever did in 5 years at New River. I did two air shows (both at MCAS Beaufort) on Active Duty, and so far in the Reserves: 2 Fleet Week NYCs, 2 Air Shows, 1 Static Display (landed on the USS Yorktown in Charleston for the HMM-164 reunion - neat thing was the organizer of the reunion saw the BUNO and the next day showed us his log book - it was a bird he flew on a mission in Vietnam), and a movie shoot. Yup. The Reserves rock.

 

[Scoob]

I was at an airshow in Binghamton, NY (my bird was parked mighty close to a fellow AirWarrior's H-60). We had just arrived and were headed to our hotel when we noticed a bar with a HUGE bike night/party going on in the parking lot. A stop was a must (who gives a shit if we're in bags - we're reservists!)... Very warm reception - and then some drunk woman came up and asked us if we were the Blue Angels. "No, we're the world famous Wild Geese". And then she goes up to the mic (did I mention there was live music, it was a pretty awesome impromptu party) and announces "Ladies and Gentlemen - may I have your attention... The BLUE ANGELS have arrived!" Even though we weren't Blue Angels we were rock stars that night...

That same (and only) airshow where I disappointed that kid: The participants party wailed pretty hard. I finally edged out my AW for this hot little mommy when, while giving her son the patch off my flightsuit (after I noticed he already had one of the ones we brought to give out), looked up right after I gave it to him and saw she'd been watching from across the room the whole time (SCORE!). At wind-down, the civ airshow pilots dragged us all out to downtown Memphis - the only military not still in bags were the Blues. THAT was pretty epic... FEDEX knows how to do an airshow.

Aaaaahhh, good times.

 

[Cron]

"Does this thing go all up into space?"

Independence Day quotes would've been highly appropriate as a response.

 

[Tulip]

I've got to say it......I didn't like the way Miramar puts on their airshow. The acts were great but the setup was terrible. I've been going to the Nellis airshow for the last 10 or so years and they set it up better. Miramar has too many bleachers that completely block out the static displays from the action. Nellis has very few bleachers with most viewers standing or using lawn chairs. Without the bleachers, you can wander the static displays and still see the flying action. It also cost a lot more money to see the show at Miramar than Nellis - because to see it any good you had to sit in the bleachers and they charged to sit in the bleachers. Admission is free at both but Nellis doesn't have the bleachers.....and the free admission at Miramar doesn't do any good because of those damn bleachers......

Anyway, you get the idea.

Miramar is one of the only bases that still has a functional O'club and MCCS (new name for MWR). The reason is that they now have to make money vice being funded.

They make money from the airshow and hangar parties.

So if you want to get rid of all the money making opportunities (bleachers and chalets) than you will have to let the O'club go.

Sucks but that is the way forward. If you want to complain, complain to your congressman. The people at the club and MCCS are just doing what they have to do.

 

[Tulip]

QUASI THREAD JACK. I went to the "Swinging Door bar in old town Tustin CA. (sister bar is the Salty Dog).

I also dissaprove of the recent years Miramar Air Show stand layout and O'Club Managers attitude towards us old non-active duty folks parking our RV's at the O'Club.

There are usually RV's in the O'club parking lot. Not sure why they didn't let you park there. The O'club manager has done a lot to make things more fun there. I would recommend you engage the local active duty guys and see what you need to do to park there.

 

[HAL Pilot]

Tulip - not going to complain, they can put on the show anyway they want. I'm just not going to go again.

 

[PhrogLoop]

Time for a resurrection...who is going to be there this year? I'm putting together my squadron's static display, might fly it in myself on Thursday!

 

[squeeze]

Yep. Taking a jet and flying in the MAGTF demo. At least that's the plan.

 

[Harrier Dude]

I'll be doing the C-12 demo.

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

I'll be doing the C-12 demo.

I just read something where the Navy was going to quit flying the C-12 CONUS.

110907-N-KB563-001 SAN DIEGO (Sept. 7, 2011) Capt. Yancy B. Lindsey, commanding officer of Naval Air Station North Island, speaks during a disestablishment ceremony for the C-12 Huron aircraft. The C-12 Huron entered service in the U.S. Navy in 1979 and was used to transport personnel and cargo. The aircraft will no longer be used in the U.S. but will continue to be used overseas. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Russell/Released)