Fly-K From Germany, joined May 2000, 3120 posts, RR: 53 Posted (9 years 5 months 4 weeks 21 hours ago) and read 3300 times:
On my upcoming US trip, I'm planning to visit VCV and MHV while driving from LAX to LAS.
How easy is it to take photos from the fence, how accessible are the perimeters, and are there any other suggestions?
Also, how much time should I spend there, i.e. how long will it take me approx. to shoot all the static aircraft?
Thanks in advance,
Konstantin
PS: It's tempting but I won't rent an aircraft for flying over the fields...
Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been...
Clickhappy From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 9444 posts, RR: 72 Reply 1, posted (9 years 5 months 4 weeks 19 hours ago) and read 3173 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW PHOTO SCREENER
@ MHV you should try to take the tour with Javier. More info is available here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mojaveairport/
VCV is hit or miss, you can drive in thru the main gate and maybe snap some photos thru the fence (morning sun only). In the afternoon you can get some shots from "the hill" (more like a big mound). Drive past the main gate, following the fence line, at the 4-way stop turn right, follow the fenceline for 1.5 miles or so, you can't miss it, will yield shots like this:
Skymonster From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 3094 times:
Konstantin,
If you're driving from LAX, allow about 1:30 from LAX to MHV outside of peak times. Head north, I-405, I-5, I-14 (Antelope Valley Freeway) and you can't go wrong. You could stop at Palmdale (but not much there) and Lancaster Fox Field (a few museum pieces) on the way. As Royal says, take the tour with Javier - it runs whenever he is free as his "proper" job is refuelling, and it costs $10 for 30 minutes. You cannot really walk around but you can open the van doors and he knows what photographers want. There are some vantage points around the airport, but be discrete as AvTel don't like photographers round the fence - keep it nice and that helps ensure that the tours keep running. I would recommend afternoon for both tours and permiter.
About one hour from Mojave to Victorville. Very few opportunities from inside the former base, best in the afternoon from the mound Royal refers to. The main road was closed two weeks ago so a lengthy detour from the main gate to the mound, but if approaching from Mojave you'll reach the road on which the mound is situated first. Head from MHV to VCV, and when you see the tails hand a left onto the road to Bishop. When there's a fork in the road, keep right and you'll be on the road past the mound. Don't worry that it turns into a dirt track. You can keep going past the mound and around the permeter, but in places its soft and a 4x4 might be advisable. Again, its an afternoon airport really as far as photos are concerned. Only a very small proportion of what is in Victorville is photographable from the outside and they are VERY anti-photographers inside - so do consider overflying, its a magnificent experience!
Fly-K From Germany, joined May 2000, 3120 posts, RR: 53 Reply 4, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 3052 times:
Thanks too, Andy!
Just in case... where did you rent the plane...? and how long/much for a short flight?
Lastly, how can I contact Javier (since the MHV yahoogroup is now for members-only)?
Thanks,
K.
Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been...
Skymonster From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 5, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 3045 times:
Konstantin,
The Mojave Airport website http://www.mojaveairport.com suggests you contact the office to "book" a tour. However, my experience suggests (and its been said on the Mojave yahoogroup several times) that they just tell you to show up and Javier will take you around as soon as he's free... Sometimes you might have to wait a while, but each time I've been they've just called him up on the radio and we've been off round the airport within minutes. Check out when you can take the tour - I think its only Monday to Friday during office hours.
For our overflight we used a Cessna based out of Long Beach, which is quite a way - total four hours flying LGB-VCV-MHV-LGB via the LAX overhead and a stop at Apple Valley for lunch and fuel. If you wanted to hire for both Mojave and Victorville, its about 45 minutes transit between the two and there's no aircraft hire to speak of at either airport, so you will have to get an airplane from elsewhere. I've heard there's a company at Rosemund (near the Edwards Air Force Base main entrance) that does overflights and they'd be cheaper because they're only 15 minutes from Mojave, but even so you'd still be looking at two hours hire to do both airports at about $80-$90 an hour. Best thing to do, unless you want to use Long Beach, is join the Mojave Airport yahoogroup and ask there.
I've changed my thinking on the time it takes to get from Mojave to Victorville too - allow one and a half hours to drive. If you're heading from LAX to LAS, I'd recommend LAX-MHV-VCV-LAS as the most viable routing. Its probably 1:30 from LA to MHV, 1:30 from MHV-VCV by road, and 2:30 to 3:00 from VCV to LV.
Fly-K From Germany, joined May 2000, 3120 posts, RR: 53 Reply 6, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 3034 times:
OK, I'll try my luck when showing up at MHV. I had planned the same routing, MHV first, and either spend the whole day there, and the next day in VCV, or continue to VCV in the afternoon.
Thanks again, Andy. I can't wait for my trip now!
K.
Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been...
N178UA From United Arab Emirates, joined Jan 2001, 1626 posts, RR: 69 Reply 7, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 3024 times:
Andy, part of the reason our Cessna go so slow took total 4 hrs is because I was illegally flying that plane unbalancely!
Good Luck K-- Andy and Royal bascially mentioned all I want to say here.
Congrats Andy, another VCV big hitter made in top of the page!
In St. Thomas Internet cafe now, on the Cruise it cost $24 per hr on line with slow as anything
Benyhone From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 206 posts, RR: 3 Reply 8, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 3011 times:
K- I used Midfield Aviation, at nearby Apple Valley, CA. Got a clean-window Ce172 and an instructor pilot who knew the tower guy at VCV. You're going to want to fly well below "pattern altitude" at VCV for good shots ... so it helps to have a pilot who's willing to risk asking questions. Total time in the air to/from Apple Valley, and about 10 circuits at VCV, was 1 hr.
Skymonster From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 3005 times:
Konstantin,
Just to add on the MHV tours, someone's just asked about booking tours on the Mojave Airport yahoogroups and they were told just to show up (office hours) and one of the refuellers would run them round on "as available" basis.
AKE0404AR From United States of America, joined exactly 13 years ago today! , 2534 posts, RR: 50 Reply 10, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 2994 times:
So K, you are planning on going without me....??????????????????????????
Fly-K From Germany, joined May 2000, 3120 posts, RR: 53 Reply 11, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 2985 times:
I'd take you along if you publish a shot of me like you did of your girlfriend!
You're welcome to join me. Departure is this Saturday, FRA-DUS-ORD-LAX.
Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been...
Carlos Borda From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 538 posts, RR: 52 Reply 12, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 2968 times:
If I remember correctly K... I think those were his *daughters*
~Los
K man writes:
>>I'd take you along if you publish a shot of me like you did of your girlfriend!<<
AKE0404AR From United States of America, joined exactly 13 years ago today! , 2534 posts, RR: 50 Reply 13, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 2954 times:
K,
now you are pushing it.....you don't want to pose nude do you???????
Skymonster From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 15, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 2951 times:
IGM has lots of Jetstreams, lots of former American Saabs, a few TWA TriStars and other bits like an Emery DC-8, two ex-Iberia 727s, a couple of ex-Southwest 737s and a Legend DC-9. Plus the first prototype MD-87 (or is it MD-90?) being taken to bits, and some fire-bomber DC-4s. Some photos are possible from the chest high fence, but they don't let people walk around the ramps. Only you can make the judgement about whether that's worth the side trip, which is about two hours from LAS. If you're driving from/to LAX, LAX-MHV-VCV-LAS-IGM-LAX (i.e. coming back via Kingman) might be worthwhile and that's what I've done in the past - if you were heading back to LA via Kingman, you would rejoin the direct LAS-LAX road at Barstow which is north of Victorville. Kingman is an afternoon airport - photo opportunities mostly hopeless in the morning.
Fly-K From Germany, joined May 2000, 3120 posts, RR: 53 Reply 16, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 2934 times:
OK, I'll see if I can fit IGM into my schedule. I'm planning to fly from LAS to DEN, then home to FRA, but maybe I have a free afternoon in LAS and can do it.
Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been...
Brubiac From Bouvet Island, joined Nov 2003, 213 posts, RR: 8 Reply 17, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 2940 times:
On www.cactuswings.com can you find al info about the stored aircraft at any place around there.
My collage and I are going to do the same trip in January. You've met him in Frankfurt last summer, I think it was in August. Does the name Serge Bailleul ringes a bell. He found lot's of info on that site about the storagefields there.
Fly-K From Germany, joined May 2000, 3120 posts, RR: 53 Reply 18, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 2929 times:
How could I not remember Serge...
He already asked for a trip report after I return, so I'll be in touch with you guys. Thanks for the useful cactuswings link.
Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been...
Skymonster From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 20, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 2895 times:
Konstantin,
As I recall, the tours can only be taken on Monday thru Friday during office hours (i.e. from about 8:00AM to 5:00PM). If you have any doubt, call the airport office before you leave - the number is at the bottom of this page: http://www.mojaveairport.com/newweb/visitor.htm
Lgbguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 24, posted (9 years 5 months 3 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 2842 times:
Konstantin,
I'm heading to LAS on Thursday morning 12/11/03 then heading back to Long Beach on Friday the 12th. On the way back I will be stopping at MHV for afternoon photos. I know you were planning to be at LGB on Friday, but if you want to move your plans around a bit you are more than welcome to join me on my LAS/MHV run.
Mike
lgbguy
25 Fly-K: Mike, I've arranged the 717 tour for Friday, I'm afraid that's the only day possible... since I'll be flying from LAS to DEN on the 17th, I'm afraid i
26 Brubiac: Popular destination there in the Southwest if you ask me
27 Fly-K: I'm finally off on my trip this Thursday (Dec 11) - thanks again for your help! I'll be out at LAX on Sat (meeting Paul Paulsen and anyone else who is
28 AKE0404AR: That is what happens if you fly NONREV....... Have fun and enjoy the good weather......and leave the California Girls alone........
30 N178UA: K I may be at LAX on Sat or Sunday to see you, will be at LAX definity Thursday (can photo your LH flight arrivals) If you are interested to join us t
31 Fly-K: Sam, I'm flying FRA-DUS-ORD-LAX. If you look at who operates DUS-ORD, you'll know why I'll get into LAX late on AA or UA. I hope to see you on the wee
32 Blackbird1: Konstantin, if you don't go to MZJ you will miss this view: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/471430/L/ Have a good time in the West! Gerhard
33 United_Fan: After just getting back from the LAX area yesterday,I can lend some help here. I went to Mojave on Wed and asked at the airport office about a tour a
34 N178UA: United_Fan, Mike Carter and me were on the hill that evening, we shoted the EVA 74F takeoff 25L too...which one is you?? Finally met Konstantin today
35 Paulinbna: It says on the Mojave airport site that photography is NOT allowed is this true
36 United_Fan: I was the guy with the Sony 717,black jeans . I wish I had another day @LAX,but I had to go back to the lovely snow .
37 Fly-K: Back home after a great trip! Thanks to everyone I met in LAX, LAS and DEN, and also for the help in this thread, made discovering the spots at VCV an
38 N178UA: Dec 13 meet up at the Imperial Hill L to R Mike Carter, Konstantin, Paul Paulsen, me, Matt Cornell, Jason Beheshti, David Hartman.. Not photographed:
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