NAS North Island Bay Approach

[MIDNJAC]

Agreed....apparently the locals don't appreciate the SHB these days, otherwise I would be glad to sqwak stby and push 4+ bills into the overhead like homefield.

 

[blackbart22]

Runway 29 was for thr whistling shytcans, VFAW-3 owned 18 for scrambles, and we AD Drivers used "the mat".
The Mex Ville is gone. First Trader's and then Mex Pac. Sad

 

[A4sForever]

..... we AD Drivers used "the mat".
The Mex Ville is gone. First Trader's and then Mex Pac. Sad

"the mat" ... was that the @ 5000' circle that was the 'old' field ??? If so, it figures ... as it was Prop-Heaven.

More important stuff: Trader's ... Mex-Pac ... RIP ... and let us not forget 'BOOM's, either .... 'da BEST !!!

*SIGH*

 

[blackbart22]

That's "the mat". No sweat as long as you didn't forget to lock your tail wheel when coming back from the boat.
Understand the PCT is gone, too.

 

[Raptor2216]

Did the approach and the break during CQ a year ago...both are equally fun. Trust me, 600' in meridian is in no way better than the PA you get to fly from the 1500' abeam to touchdown in NI. I was lucky enough to do it solo after my last trap...hopefully you'll be coming home solo after yours. It is by far one of the best ways to end a day.

 

[exhelodrvr]

The shameful Hoovers on the approach were flyin' right by our veranda/lanai (whatever your preferred spelling for what is essentially the same thing) ... w/ their supremely 'disappointing' .... "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO .... WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO .... WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ... " as the guys jockey'd the throttles ...

Are you sure that was the S-3s, and not your girlfriend making a supremely disappointed "woo woo" as you jockey'd your throttle?

 

[Dirty]

It's a great view thats fo' sho... The Visual 29 is NOT the Bay approach though. The Bay approach brings you in for 18 T&G then a left downwind for 29 if you desire... It's a local area thing that's not in the approach plate, Base Ops/some squadron should have the correct version.

 

[FlyinRock]

1969 stuck at Lindberg Field. got cleared for a VFR departure to the south for Brown Field. Took off with a south departure from the short runway, climbing and hit the cloud deck at about 400', dropped back down a little, going down the bay and looking over at North Island on the right, destroyers parked on the left, the under construction Coronado Bridge to the front....ohh shit what do we do.? Well, I decided we'd just stay VFR and fly under the freaking bridge which was still under contruction. Was not a big deal to me as we had hundreds of feet of clearance but the Japanese students on board thought it was kamikaze time .....BANZAII
And the next day I was in front of the boss trying to explain how in hell we flew under the bridge with everyone taking notes and pics....................
No sense of the moment, or you had to be there to appreciate the ambiance.
YeeHawww and Semper Fi
Rocky

 

[Catmando]

.....

And then @ 2 hours later ... we repaired to Mex-Pac for the debrief ... :icon_smil

BUT: Coronado was a 'Navy town' in those days ...

And a JO could afford a house in Coronado then (well, a small one anyway).

Let's now bow our heads and have a moment of silence for the Downwinds, Mex-Pac, Boom's, M-Crud, and Bully's LJ.

 

[KBayDog]

And a JO could afford a house in Coronado then (well, a small one anyway).

Let's now bow our heads and have a moment of silence for the Downwinds, Mex-Pac, Boom's, M-Crud, and Bully's LJ.

And for when Glenn Miller played songs that made the Hit Parade.

 

[Catmando]

And for when Glenn Miller played songs that made the Hit Parade.

Aw, c'mon now! Sheesh.

 

[kmac]

It's a great view thats fo' sho... The Visual 29 is NOT the Bay approach though. The Bay approach brings you in for 18 T&G then a left downwind for 29 if you desire... It's a local area thing that's not in the approach plate, Base Ops/some squadron should have the correct version.

Dirty said it... now here's how we did it:
Fly over the strand heading eastbound at 1000' (do NOT fly over the Cays). Truck up north in the bay until you are approaching the bridge. You report your gear down at the bridge, descend to 500', and fly along the curve of the bay setting up for a left base for 18 (usually a full stop, but you can do the touch and go as Dirty mentioned). Don't forget to waggle your wings for the Midway. Watch out for -60s going the opposite direction at (or hopefully below) 300'. When I flew it I always had my gear down (or in transit) at the bridge but I've also been the c/p going over the bridge at 250 kts.

 

[UMichfly]

Why do I get the feeling this whole event is going to result in a whole lot of new questions of the day, and repetition of my old favorite "What does the acronym PDR stand for".

 

[BACONATOR]

*Boy the way* Glenn Miller played songs that made the Hit Parade.

"Guys like us, we had it made.
Those were the days....."

 

[helolumpy]

Ahh..this should be entertaining. The last time the VT's did this during Cortramid they got yelled at by CNAF staff...just sayin'

I don't think it had anything to do with buzzing a USCG helo flying the border route with their District Commander (1-star) on board... Those events where the helo has to take evasive action tends to be overblown anyways.