Starting on Thursday morning, March 8, we will be actively enforcing the aerobatic box closure. What that means to everyone is that the hay bales will be off limits from Thursday - Saturday. They hay bales fall squarely in the aerobatic box and in order to keep the box sterile and not get shut down by the FAA, we will be closing Silsbee road and working with local law enforcement to keep that area free of spectators.
I know that a lot of people like to come out the week of the show and shoot from there, but we almost got shut down last year, so we need to make sure the word gets out as much as possible. People will be sent away if they try to access that area this year.
Thanks for your help.
V/r -NAF El Centro PAO office
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SCHEDULE COMING SOON!!!
Anybody else planning on going to the show?
Are there good places to shoot from on Friday given the closures mentioned above?
Chris Sampang and I are planning on going down.
I'm going...
***Reminder****
Wednesday, March 7th through Saturday, March 10th, photography of NAF El Centro at the hay bales will be prohibited and strictly enforced by the Imperial County Sheriff's Department. The aerobatic box must be sterile from March 7 - March 10 (inclusive) and in order to accomplish that, the hay bales (which lie inside the box) must be closed. We appreciate your support in not shooting from the hay bales at Silsbee and Aten Roads as any incursion into this area will immediately shut down our practices/show.
We have a great relationship with the aviation photography community and hope that you will assist us in this endeavor to allow us to prepare for and present a great air show.
V/r -
El Centro Public Affairs Office
Thinking about going...anyone else?
After going to the bales for the last 4 years now, i don't know if i'll ever go.
Quote from: Realbigtaco on March 01, 2012, 10:20:23 PM
After going to the bales for the last 4 years now, i don't know if i'll ever go.
So you would go to show but only from the bales? From what PAO says, that area is technically in the FAA airshow box and its suppose to be clear. Guess all those years you were lucky
Quote from: phantomphan1974 on March 02, 2012, 03:58:47 PM
So you would go to show but only from the bales? From what PAO says, that area is technically in the FAA airshow box and its suppose to be clear. Guess all those years you were lucky
No, I've never been inside the box during a show, what i mean is that for the last 4 years I've gone to 2-3 weekends of practice out in El Centro prior to show week (living only 93 miles from NAFEC has it's perks). And i always tell folks that once you've seen the Blues practice from the Bales it ruins all air shows for life. To be that close, and then the ease of getting out and in there is just incredible! Not to mention that because of the ACC cutbacks this year, El Centro's show will only have the Blues and a Superbug demo, and i believe the rest are civil performances.
I don't mean to sound snide about it, and come off as the guy who only goes to see stuff that is "convenient" to him (a winter training snob if you will). But after this weekend i will have seen the Blues fly 6 times within the last 17 days (and 5 out of 6 was from the end of the runway!), to me i am good with that!
I also just want to add in that I appreciate all the hard work the Michelle, the PAO, and all the personal do for this air show, even if i will not be there.
Quote from: nmcbride on February 28, 2012, 12:28:00 AM
Anybody else planning on going to the show?
Are there good places to shoot from on Friday given the closures mentioned above?
Chris Sampang and I are planning on going down.
I assume most traffic is coming in on 26, try Aten road and John W. Finn road. I would recommend staying away from the fence a couple hundred yards and don't leave you car unattended, AND ONLY PICTURES OF PLANES....NOT THE BASE. You should get some good arrival stuff if no one kicks you out
Quote from: Realbigtaco on March 02, 2012, 04:39:17 PM
Not to mention that because of the ACC cutbacks this year, El Centro's show will only have the Blues and a Superbug demo, and i believe the rest are civil performances.
Wouldn't ACC cuts only apply to say, the AF, specifically Air Combat Command?
In any case I know what you're saying. Which basically means that us aviation photographers are going to be beggars for military demos in the foreseeable future. I'll have to phone my mom and tell her beggars can be choosers.
Quote from: rammsteinmatt on March 02, 2012, 07:18:20 PM
Wouldn't ACC cuts only apply to say, the AF, specifically Air Combat Command?
In any case I know what you're saying. Which basically means that us aviation photographers are going to be beggars for military demos in the foreseeable future. I'll have to phone my mom and tell her beggars can be choosers.
Viper West Demo is always at NAFEC, sadly not this year.
Quote from: Realbigtaco on March 02, 2012, 08:35:50 PM
Viper West Demo is always at NAFEC, sadly not this year.
Yeah, bought one of their cups when they were clearing out the store. That was pretty much all that was left. Pretty cool cup though.
So from what I am reading the air show is not worth going to for photos now? If so please let me know from those of you who have been before they closed the Hay Bale section off. It is a 4 hour drive and I made reservations. I was thinking it may be really hard to get decent shots inside the base from where they will stick people.
Quote from: No Angle on March 03, 2012, 09:03:44 AM
So from what I am reading the air show is not worth going to for photos now? If so please let me know from those of you who have been before they closed the Hay Bale section off. It is a 4 hour drive and I made reservations. I was thinking it may be really hard to get decent shots inside the base from where they will stick people.
Actually, photowise El Centro has great lighting, you should get some good stuff. One drawback is that the main crowd line is set pretty far back from the showline.
I was just saying that El Centro has been hit hard by Air Force cutbacks, they lost the F-16 demo (I should say they usually get it) and I believe the C-17 as well. Their schedule is very light this year, Super Bug Demo and Blues and that is pretty much it.
Can you make Yuma the next weekend? That schedule looks pretty good.
I was not aware of what was going on the next weekend. If it is better then I may change my reservation. The airshow is only 4 hours it looks like which is pretty week. So who do we have to thank for the budget cut backs? Oh wait I think I can guess. It is that guy in the oval office, what was I thinking.
Looked all over the site, when is the show supposed to start? I would assume 9-10 like most shows...
Won't make it to El Centro this year. I heard that No warbirds will attend :(
Quote from: NAF El Centro PA Office on March 01, 2012, 03:18:23 PM
***Reminder****
Wednesday, March 7th through Saturday, March 10th, photography of NAF El Centro at the hay bales will be prohibited and strictly enforced by the Imperial County Sheriff's Department. The aerobatic box must be sterile from March 7 - March 10 (inclusive) and in order to accomplish that, the hay bales (which lie inside the box) must be closed. We appreciate your support in not shooting from the hay bales at Silsbee and Aten Roads as any incursion into this area will immediately shut down our practices/show.
We have a great relationship with the aviation photography community and hope that you will assist us in this endeavor to allow us to prepare for and present a great air show.
V/r -
El Centro Public Affairs Office
I will be there and Yuma also...
Quote from: DKuhlow on March 07, 2012, 12:50:17 AM
I will be there and Yuma also...
Well maybe we will figure out who is who. I will be waling around with my 7d and 400 5.6 with a digital camo lens coat.lol
I saw that on facebook that the Bearcat, Zero and Mustang are attending. Saving money for Riverside.
Lots of warbirds flew in last night, and I was only there for 2 hours. Military arrivals on 26, civilian arrivals were on 30.
I was puzzled to see that there were hordes of people at the hay bale spot as I arrived. The Blue Angels diamond was rolling as soon as I parked my truck. I kept my distance, in accordance with the very nice request from Michelle Dee on behalf of the base and parked near the corner of Aten and John W Fink. I noticed that apparently, ICSO never shut down the area as originally planned. Regardless, I trust every one of us and the members over at FC complied with the base request. :)
This show is a very good show. I agree with Chris, the schedule is light (through no fault of the awesome NAFEC staff) and that is a bummer. The wiping out of nearly the entire ACC demo program is very sad news for our air shows. But anyone that wants to go see an awesome show with good light should go!
EDIT: Just watched a video and saw that people were clear from centerline, but were still only about 25 yards off from either side of centerline. Interesting, far from being out of the area. I suppose kudos are in order for the nice approach towards the fans. Prior years we were made to completely leave the entire area and back off to Silisbee.
I'll check it out on Youtube.
Sorrry Guys Rander miss EL Centro this year will be in Minnesota Don't forget to adjust your clocks for Day Light Savings time starts March 11th 2012. Will see the BA in Sioux Falls in july.
Quote from: kick Z tail out on March 10, 2012, 08:41:27 AM
I was puzzled to see that there were hordes of people at the hay bale spot as I arrived......
Rules? We don't need no stinking rules!