Battle Creek air show

[Xray]

Am probably going SAT.
I usually go the FRI before the show and watch the fly-ins and TBird practice, won't be able to do that this year.
I got great spots for the practice, but I am anticipating all these spots around the field will be blocked off on show days. Not all that familiar with the lay of the land, so am wondering if anyone knows some good spots outside the base, also base freqs/airboss would be nice, though I should have those in my scanner from last year.

I'm gonna check google maps to try top get some ideas.
I hate going out on show days and trying to improvise a viewing spot.

 

[Ronaldski]

last years link http://forums.radioreference.com/mi...n-forum/214713-battle-creek-2011-airshow.html

Thinking of going. The link mentioned I saw mentioned, if look at the runway 5R , go SE to the 1st building and thats the theater.

 

[Xray]

Good old Ronski, I forgot about last years thread thanks, info is still relevant.
Columbia Ave is looking good, I'm not even going to try getting close to the field for my usual spots on show day, I can see clear as day getting booted from them.
Wish I could do some recon there, too much of a drive for a dry run.

Not much going on in MI this year, TOM 2012 looks to be all props/warbirds.
I'll still be going, but the jets are what gets me going.

 

[drdispatch]

I have a graduation open house to go to on Sat, otherwise would go both days; and am working Thu when they arrive. Will be around Fri PM for practice and will go to the air show on Sun.

The last 2 years I have been viewing from a truck rental place on Helmer just south of Dickman on the east side of the road; it is outside the showbox; got real good view of the Blues from there.

I noted the freqs from the annual Monitoring Times article; looked like there were a couple new ones.
Everything for the base is the same as last year.

Road closures should be the same as what I posted in the 2011 thread.

I forgot to add that Battle Creek PD will be using TG 13SPEV1 (3250) again on site.

 

[drdispatch]

UPDATE:

T-Birds practice show will be Friday 6/29 from 1400 - 1500. They are scheduled to fly at 1600 on 6/30 & 7/1.

Road closures;
Skyline Dr. aka MLK Dr (BL-94) at Dickman Rd
Dickman Rd at Helmer RD
Helmer Rd at Upton Ave
Dickman Rd at Avenue A
Columbia Ave at Skyline Dr
Stevens Rd at Columbia Ave
Stone Jug Rd at Columbia Ave

Helmer Rd from Columbia Ave to Dickman Rd will be closed to all but event traffic for the duration of the event. (628 - 7/1).

 

[Ronaldski]

friday
tPartly Cloudy 95 | 64 °F
Partly Cloudy

Saturday
Chance of a Thunderstorm 93 | 66 °F
Chance of T-storms
30% chance of precipitation

Sunday
Chance of a Thunderstorm 90 | 63 °F
Chance of T-storms
20% chance of precipitation

 

[N8DAD]

AirBoss Freq used at Gaylord Airshow

Airboss has used 123.55 last three yrs here at gaylord....

 

[drdispatch]

Practice show was great!
Airboss 123.550
T-Birds diamond 141.075
T-Birds solos 235.250
Also watched the Hoppers, the F-86, & P-51 practice; and the Tuskegee Airmen T-6 Texan landed while we were there. We pulled into the old terminal lot off Helmer, right where the T-Birds are parked. Got to see them do the "march down" and the whole pre-show "show".

No matter how many times I see 'em, it's a thrill. (Being an AF vet, I might be a bit biased...then again, nnnnnaaaaa.....)

 

[Xray]

dr, you tease !
I am highly depressed that I couldn't make the practice, will be there tomorrow [SAT].

You going in for the show, or grabbing a spot off base ?
Right now, Columbia road [94 business loop/US 37] off of 94 looks pretty good, never tried grabbing a spot there. Looks to be right on line with the runway, and too wide open to close down.

I'm hoping to get a spot on or near one of the red X's, or further down towards 94 if necessary.

Guess I should ask, do the jets pretty much fly the show oriented to the runway ?

 

[Ronaldski]

I also was there ! verify the dr's freqs plus
maintenance 413.275

the locals i.e. parking etc. 469.65, 464.6

Additionally more here : W.K. Kellogg Airport (BTL) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

A good idea maybe in pm's shoot each others cell #'s then all can coordinate their spots while at these shows and future ones!

I was at from the link https://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=42.29808,-85.245602&spn=0.00369,0.010943&t=h&z=17

Across from the runways 23L and 31.
Had maybe a dozen vehicles there. Had one guy who brought an old scanner I never heard of before - a sporty? Sporty's JD-100 Air-Scan Scanner Radio, Sportys JD100
I supplied him with all the t-birds freqs and mentioned to him and another about this site.
I did go to the ryder truck center lot a few were there but no Drdispatch as mentioned from the '11 thread! I didnt try the areas mentioned but did see what you mentioned about threes 'look' like they would be in the way, but at least from the roadway they appeared to be too high and would miss stuff imo.

Heck if worse come to worse try the cemetery - helmers road S. hehe or the meijers parking lot is rather close, also a a couple shopping plazas near that and even the theater parking lot.

 

[Xray]

I think I'll stay clear of Helmer.
I got bounced from there a few years back right before the Birds took off, and had to improvise a spot by some railroad tracks that really sucked.
Unless they close it off, I'll be somewhere on Columbia between the airport and the freeway.

 

[drdispatch]

Thanks, Ski - I forgot to add those. Also the balloon committee is using 461.8625.

Xray, the 2 northern spots are within the show box, so you might get kicked out of there. The south one might be okay -- or the theaters further northeast along Columbia.

I'm going for a litte while today before we go to that open house, so won't be there for the T-Birds. Will be at the Ryder truck place on Helmer south of Dickman. Maroon minivan with mag-mount.

 

[Xray]

Went today, 1st spot I had I knew had to be too good to be true.
Right at the end of the runway, off to the side just a bit. Me and about a dozen other vehicles were there, watched most of the show, and got the boot before Tbird takeoff.
I moved down a little dirt road a bit, decent view but trees blocked alot of the ingress/egress.

Disappointing show, besides the Tbirds and heritage flight, not much to see.
F-86 was Ok, mostly prop acts droning on and on. Never did see the alleged Harriers either.
I guess jet acts are getting harder to come by these days.

One of the Tbirds broke formation and landed about 20 minutes early, didn't hear reports of any problems on the radio, so don't know what caused him to land early.

 

[drdispatch]

Xray;
I know it's hindsight now, but you would have been better off at the W. Columbia Theaters or the Ryder truck rental. (Keep in mind for next year!)

I don't know where you heard that there would be Harriers, but they were never on the schedule.

We were on the grounds Sunday, right on show center about 100 yards from the fence line. Great view & got some great pictures. My son was pretty amped, because after the T-Birds landed, they shuttled them over to the fence line by the announcer's stand for autographs, & he got autographs from & pictures with all 6 demo pilots. We also went over to the Air Force display & he ended up filling out a recruiter contact card. (The announcer also mentioned that they had 47 recruits take the oath from Thunderbird 1 on Saturday. Guess their philosophy works!)

 

[Ronaldski]

I was at the theater initially, then I called on the cell to drdispatch and he stated he was able to view it from ryder center on Saturday. We went over to it, parked there then ended up in the grass lot between ryder center and the street light.
Here is what was shot from that location, I went with someone from work who had a hd camera.
The audio of the scanner is my 396T at full volume that he had in his shirt pocket and the camera mic was prolly 1-2 feet away. More radio traffic of course heard from the T-Birds link.

The Horseman 2 P-51's: The Horseman 2 P 51's - YouTube
F-86 Sabre Jet: F 86 Sabre - YouTube
Jet Powered Sailplane: Jet Powered Sailplane - YouTube
Heritage Flight P-51 & A-10: Heritage Flight P 51 & A 10 - YouTube
The Thunderbirds: Thunderbirds - YouTube