General Aviation News

LA County Airshow honors the Skunk Works

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The fifth annual Los Angeles County Airshow marked my season opener this year, taking place March 24-25 in the high desert locale of Lancaster, California, where I was joined by tens of thousands of airshow fans at General William J. Fox Airfield, commonly known as Fox Field.

This region is intimately linked to aviation history and aeronautical achievement, with Edwards AFB next door, the legendary Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale down the road, and Mojave Airport with Scaled Composites just up the highway.

The Skunk Works marked its 75th anniversary this year and the theme “First, Fastest, Farthest” was echoed throughout the airshow. [Read more…]

Aviation photography tips from a pro

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Millions of photographs will be taken during this year’s airshow season, with many shared online.

Want to make sure your photos stand out from the crowd? How about a few pointers from a professional photographer who specializes in aviation?

Hayman Tam is a long-time contributor to General Aviation News, who was gracious enough to offer these tips on how to improve your airshow photography. [Read more…]

A visit to Alaska

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A 2017 journey to the 49th state took me to Fairbanks and Anchorage. Having been to Anchorage years ago, I knew I would be re-visiting the Alaskan Aviation Museum, but it turned out that many other aircraft photo opportunities presented themselves during the trip.

Spending time along the shore of Lake Hood was definitely a pleasure and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area. Probably best to go when the water is thawed, not in the midst of winter.

The proud aviation heritage of Alaska is abundant and I was never far from the sound of a bush plane in the distance. I hope you enjoy this collection of photographs. [Read more…]

Wings soar over Camarillo

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“Go see some different airshows.” With that encouragement from my better half, I found myself driving to Southern California for my first visit to the Wings Over Camarillo airshow.

2017 marked the 37th year for this event, which means they have figured out how to do it right and keep folks coming back. Sponsored by California Aeronautical University (CAU), the theme for this year’s show was honoring Vietnam veterans.

As the years roll by, I’ve come to appreciate the unmistakable charm of smaller scale airshows. [Read more…]

Flying to Burning Man

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More than 70,000 folks gathered in the high desert of Black Rock, Nevada, Aug. 27-Sept. 4, for the 2017 Burning Man Festival, a nine-day celebration of community, art and music that has been held since 1986.

The dry lake bed is transformed into Black Rock City, complete with an airport (88NV). The airport saw up to 800 daily arrivals and departures during the event. [Read more…]

High flying over the high desert

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The sounds of high performance jet aircraft are commonplace in the high desert of California, home of Edwards Air Force Base and the civilian activities at nearby Mojave.

With the cancellation of the popular Edwards AFB Open House events however, local airshow fans were left wanting.

After several years of concerted effort, and the lead sponsorship of Lockheed Martin, the Los Angeles County Airshow was born. Now in its fourth year, tens of thousands of folks flocked to the city of Lancaster to attend the March event held at General William J. Fox Airfield (Fox Field). [Read more…]

Wings Over Solano returns

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Travis Air Force Base in Northern California last hosted an air show in 2014. The show came to an abrupt halt after a fatal plane crash claimed a favorite local performer. Edward “Eddie” Andreini survived the impact, but perished in the post-crash fire that engulfed his Super Stearman biplane.

Fast forward three years and, with improved crash response in place, the Wings Over Solano air show was ready to return for more than 100,000 airshow fans. [Read more…]

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