Aviation Nation tips and pointers

Aviation events in the United States and Canada
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Anson
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Aviation Nation tips and pointers

Post by Anson »

looking for some tips for this show
airlines , where to stay..........general stuff
all opinions and advice appreciated :smile:
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patrouille2001
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Re: Aviation Nation tips and pointers

Post by patrouille2001 »

Hi There
I flew to Vegas last year with Virgin and Stayed at the sahara which was ok. In Previous years there has been a bus from from Downtown Vegas to the Speedway stadium which is where you go through the x ray machines before boarding the bus a mile away to Nellis.

Last year there was no bus and I did not fancy the 15 mile drive out to the speedway, so I ordered a car through the hotel to drop me off and pick me up. I turned up at the speedway stadium around 7 and waited till 8 30 for the x ray machine to start working before boarding the bus to the base at 9.

It is best to photograth static first as there are no barriers around the aircraft and the public soon starts building up. Brings back memories of Mildenhall with Burgers and Buds :smile: .The airshow starts around 10 and was over by 3 30 last year. It was a good job I had ordered the car to pick me up at 6 as crowds take a long time to get the bus back to the speedway stadium.

The reason I flew with Virgin is they use 747s and it is none stop around 11 hours, My flight took off at 10 45 in the morning and landed at 1 30 Vegas time in the afternoon.

I booked everything through Expedia

Let me know if you need to know anything else
Paul :smile:

DonkeyB
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Re: Aviation Nation tips and pointers

Post by DonkeyB »

Hi,

I did Avaition Nation last year. I also flew with Virgin (as it were a direct flight).

As patrouille2001 said, last year there were no shuttle busses from the strip down to the raceway. Luckily, I'd had my driving licene with me, so we hired a car from the hotel (MGM) at the last minute, that were cheaper than getting a cab. If you do go the cab route, make sure you organise the pickup in advance, only once you get bussed out of Nellis to the speedway, there are no cabs or busses to get you back to the strip so you'd be stranded.

Make sure you pick up a camping chair before you get to the show. There were a few places to get food but the only seating on the whole base were a tiny grandstand that were packed.

We did the show on the Sunday (which wasn't as busy as the Sat due to the weather forecast. I had a rather unhappy Mrs DB when we got up at 5am Sunday morning, it were pouring down. We stopped off in Walmart on-route to Nellis get her an umbrella and waterproof boots (I'd promised her decent weather and her suede shoes were not quite up to the job).

I think we got to the raceway about 7ish, and the X-ray and bus queues were minimal when we finally got out the car (when it stopped raining). We left the show during the Thunderbirds (about 3pm) and the queue for the buses was empty. I think this were all due to the weather though, as a few guys I met there all said Saturday had meant long queues before and after the show.

Certainly do the static before the crowd builds up, there are no barriers, so once the things pickup, you have little chance of getting any decent, people free static shots.

Make sure you enjoy the buds and burgers..

If there is anything else, just give me a shout.

Richard (DB).

McG
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Re: Aviation Nation tips and pointers

Post by McG »

Anson - where are you starting off from? That could have a big influence on what airline to fly.

As for where to stay - do you want to be on the strip or near the base. The strip is handy for all of the touristy things and also McCarran International.
I have stayed in the Luxor and the Tropicana. Tropicana is quite dated inside. Luxor is pretty good.

Once the flying finishes, spend some more time doing the static - basically until they shove you towards the bus to the speedway.

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AlexC
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Re: Aviation Nation tips and pointers

Post by AlexC »

I went in 2002 and 2004. There were nothing like the numbers of visitors that you would expect to get at a British airshow, no problem getting a spot by the barrier. In fact you could wander off to look at the static or whatever and still get by the barrier when you came back.
Pte. Aubrey Gerald Harmer, R. Suss. R. (att. to the Sherwood Foresters) KIA 26/9/1917 Polygon Wood, aged 19, NKG. RIP

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Anson
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Re: Aviation Nation tips and pointers

Post by Anson »

cheers guys We had hoped of going Glasgow -Newark with Continental
maybe 3 days in NYC then down to Vegas
11 hours could be pushing it for me wow!

thanks for the heads up on the transport

cheers
anson
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Harlequin67
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Re: Aviation Nation tips and pointers

Post by Harlequin67 »

Not so much a travel tip, but a photography hint or two.

You do shoot into the sun. At the time I went, 2004, I had a 300mm lens. This was not quite enough. :shock:

The weather can be quite different year on year. 2004, warm and breezy, with tumble weed. A year or two later my mate went again and fleeces were the order of the day.

Dust is a problem with it being a desert. I think the self-cleaning cameras might struggle with half of Nevada in the camera. :sick: My 300D didn't like it! :grin:

The get there early stay as long as possible after the 3.30pm finish to the flying display. Let the crowds die down.

Remember you are in the northern hemisphere and November means the sun goes down real quick.
Aviation photographer - Achievement unlocked

McG
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Re: Aviation Nation tips and pointers

Post by McG »

Anson,

I flew CO GLA-EWR-LAS in Feb this year when I went to Red Flag. EWR is a pretty good airport to connect through. The flight from GLA is around 7 to 7.5hrs. I had around a 3 to 4hr layover in EWR, arriving into Vegas at about 1900. BA are starting a direct flight from LHR to LAS in OCT. This would offer connecting flights from GLA - something I couldn't get to work with the VS LGW flight.

CO generally offer pretty good fares. You might also be able to save some cash going on CO or Delta out of EDI.

Regards

Mark

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