NAF El Centro Air Show 2024 - 9th March 2024 - Updated Info 01-03-24

[spellow3010]

Naval Air Facility El Centro will open its doors to the public, on Saturday 9th March 2024. Located in Imperial Valley, Southern California, El Centro is a good venue for an air show with the sun in the right place for virtually the entire day for photographers. I am hoping to attend this one as part of an aviation road trip.

The website link is here -
https://www.elcentroairshow.com/

Flying List as per published schedule

Leap Frog parachute team (presumably jumping from the Blue Angels C-130)
Heritage Flight (unspecified aircraft types)
Mustang Mania and P-51 display
VFA-122 TAC Demo (I believe this to be the US Navy West Coast Super Hornet role demo, maybe a shared appearance from the Yuma show down the road... But what if this is a full TAC demo featuring multiple airframes? Who knows?? )
T-33 display
USN Blue Angels C-130 Fat Albert routine
USN Blue Angels Display Team - Super Hornets.

Static Items (to be added as and when information becomes available)

7th February 2024 Update -
The Blue Angels are currently undertaking their period of winter training at El Centro as can be viewed on YouTube (good old Spencer Hughes )

I will keep an eye on this, but my plan is to do Yuma show instead, down the road and on the same day.

Looking forward to being back in the desert. El Centro is my happy place.

[Roger_Over]

Airshow schedule now published https://www.elcentroairshow.com/information/schedule :

0830 Gates Open
1200 Airshow Opening Comments
1230 National Anthen and Leap Frogs
1300 Mustang Mania
1315 T-33 Demo
1330 F-22 Heritage Flight
1400 Fat Albert Airlines
1430 Blue Angels
1600 Air Show Ends

Looks a bit thin on flying, they have the Blue Angels on base anyway and the USN Super Hornet demo will be down the road at Yuma on the same day so perhaps that could be added. No static participation listed yet.

[verreli]

I think the policy is not to fly the same type at a show and the Blues fly the Super Bug. Perhaps a chance for a F35C?

[Roger_Over]

Good point, F-35C would be a great addition, or E-2 demo if it's still active. They certainly need something to add a bit more interest, hopefully there will be further announcements, only 23 days to go!

[spellow3010]

Thanks Roger.
I'm planning to attend Yuma show, despite the love I have for the Blue Angels in what would be expected to be great light for photography at El Centro show.

[Roger_Over]

Statics added to the website now, inc RAF Chinook:

T-34C Turbo Mentor (NASA)
HC-6 Chinook (UKRAF)
UH-72A Lacota (1-224th AVN)
C-53 Skytrooper (CAF)
C27J Spartan (USASOC)
T-38A Talon (1st Reconnaissance Sqn)
MH-60S Seahawk (HSC-23)
FA-18 Super Hornet (VFA-122)
F-35 Lighting II (VMFA-502)
T-28B Trojan (Palm Springs Air Museum)
T-6 Texan (Palm Springs Air Museum)
C-47 Dakota (Palm Springs Air Museum)
T-33 Shooting Star (Palm Springs Air Museum)
RYAN PT-22 Recruit (Chris Nehus)
EC-135 Eurocopter (Reach AirMed)
Bell 429 Global Ranger (Mercy Air)

Seems a bit vanilla compared with Yuma on the same day. Surprised there's no Navy legacy flight to go with the VFA-122 demo. It makes the choice between the two shows easy at least!

[spellow3010]

Thanks for that update with the static Roger.
There's a Q&A for El Centro airshow about 5pm UK time today - I believe it is on faceache.

In a sensational twist of fortune, the road trip I am on is now likely to do El Centro show now, especially if the weather is proper sunshine. The VFA-122 TAC Demo is a risk that we are prepared to take, and get the full Blue Angels display in good light. We are doing Travis show a week later, and that shoots into the sun... unless it's raining.

As always, safe travels, happy viewing and good luck for nice pictures!

[spellow3010]

Just to add further, from attending Yuma last year, the static was incredibly hard to shoot there due to the sheer number of people coralled into the general public area. So as tempting as the VX-9 Harrier is again, it's more likely I will get some nice shots of the NASA T-34 here at El Centro and the Beale Talon.

Swings, roundabouts and all that. Interesting that both Yuma and El Centro have a Spartan. Ironically yesterday, two were flying the ranges north of Yuma yesterday morning. I have no idea how many they have, but that's the first time I've seen two squawking on FR24 in that area.