Beale Air & Space Expo with kids

[bowtiejunkie]

I know it's not boating, but I'm heading to Beale Air & Space Expo this weekend at Beale Air Force Base. Taking our 7 and 8 year old daughters. Any tips? Mainly regarding whether or what to take for a chair for kids? Going to take hats/sunscreen/ear protection.

Oh, and traffic. Any pointers as to when to arrive? Gates open at 8am. I remember trying to get into Edwards in late 80s and the traffic was terrible and Dad turned around. Beale in late 90s, my roommate and I got tired of the wait getting in the gate and turned around (I kick myself now, as the SR-71 was performing at the show and I freakin' missed it!!!!!). I'm not going to fail this time, so advice in regards to when to get to gate would really be helpful. Staying in Roseville Friday, so will be a quick drive distance-wise.

I tried searching the internet, but didn't find what I was looking for and you guys are knowledgeable in all facets of life. Thanks [insert thumbs up]!

 

[GRADS]

I know it's not boating, but I'm heading to Beale Air & Space Expo this weekend at Beale Air Force Base. Taking our 7 and 8 year old daughters. Any tips? Mainly regarding whether or what to take for a chair for kids? Going to take hats/sunscreen/ear protection.

Oh, and traffic. Any pointers as to when to arrive? Gates open at 8am. I remember trying to get into Edwards in late 80s and the traffic was terrible and Dad turned around. Beale in late 90s, my roommate and I got tired of the wait getting in the gate and turned around (I kick myself now, as the SR-71 was performing at the show and I freakin' missed it!!!!!). I'm not going to fail this time, so advice in regards to when to get to gate would really be helpful. Staying in Roseville Friday, so will be a quick drive distance-wise.

I tried searching the internet, but didn't find what I was looking for and you guys are knowledgeable in all facets of life. Thanks [insert thumbs up]!

I have no idea but here is a U2 flying over Roseville today.

 

[bowtiejunkie]

badass. I can't wait to see the U2 in person. F22 is scheduled to perform as well, among others. That'll be sweet too.

 

[HocusPocus]

I was stationed there for my last 2 active years in the Air Force. Great Base, saw lots of really cool stuff there, enjoy the expo.

 

[highvoltagehands]

Hey Bowtie, Definitely Enter from North side of base thru Doolittle Gate on Hammonton Smartville Rd. This gate is located near the FlightLine & parking areas.
Majority of traffic comes from Placer and Sac Counties so avoid the Schneider Gate on N.Beale Rd Gate & Wheatland Gate on S.Beale Rd. These two routes are much longer and merge inside the base doubling the route traffic to FlightLine. Hopefully this link helps, have fun.

http://www.beale.af.mil/Expo2018/

 

[highvoltagehands]

The early warning missile defense system radar that covers the whole west coast of North America is located at Beale AFB in this funny looking Radar building on eastern hiilside. The PAVE PAWS (Precision Acquisition Vehicle Entry[a] Phased Array Warning System) is an elaborate Cold War early warning radar and computer system developed in 1980 to "detect and characterize a sea-launched ballistic missile attack against the United States". The PAVE PAWS radar can detect a small car from 3,500 miles away and even smaller items at closer distance. One of techs told me "He could detect a softball being thrown from a plane over Hawaii."

 

[GRADS]

I'd pretty much trust HVH on this. If anybody knows....

 

[BajaMike]

I made an emergency landing at Beale at about midnight in the 80s on an civilian "Life Guard" (air ambulance) flight out of Chico when a 12 year old cardiac patient we were taking to San Francisco coded in flight. ATC said we were closest to Beale and said to call the tower. They approved us to land and we were met with a "Follow Me" Jeep and a bus full of guys with machine guns and an ambulance with a doctor and a nurse. After the MP stuck his head in the check us out, the Doc and RN hopped in, helped with the code, took us to the base hospital, and we worked on the kid for hours and they helped us save him. Kind of a scary place back then in the middle of the night but they were great to us.

I'd love to go to their air show!

Some interesting Face Book groups, if you're into it, are "Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird & YF-12A" and "Lockheed U-2 & TR-1 "Dragon Lady".

 

[bowtiejunkie]

Hey Bowtie, Definitely Enter from North side of base thru Doolittle Gate on Hammonton Smartville Rd. This gate is located near the FlightLine & parking areas.
Majority of traffic comes from Placer and Sac Counties so avoid the Schneider Gate on N.Beale Rd Gate & Wheatland Gate on S.Beale Rd. These two routes are much longer and merge inside the base doubling the route traffic to FlightLine. Hopefully this link helps, have fun.

http://www.beale.af.mil/Expo2018/

thank you for the info. We're staying Friday night on 65 near 80 in Roseville. That puts us opposite the preferred gate. Any side routes around Beale that would get us to that North gate without north on 65 (I'm assuming 65 would be full of traffic)?

 

[Waterjunky]

The early warning missile defense system radar that covers the whole west coast of North America is located at Beale AFB in this funny looking Radar building on eastern hiilside. The PAVE PAWS (Precision Acquisition Vehicle Entry[a] Phased Array Warning System) is an elaborate Cold War early warning radar and computer system developed in 1980 to "detect and characterize a sea-launched ballistic missile attack against the United States". The PAVE PAWS radar can detect a small car from 3,500 miles away and even smaller items at closer distance. One of techs told me "He could detect a softball being thrown from a plane over Hawaii."
View attachment 638241 View attachment 638242 View attachment 638243

it interesting on this type of stuff the differences between what some of it will really do vs what the official story is. I visited Beale twice in high school to check out the SR71, Some of the claims of the cameras were truly impressive. The claim on different trips was 80,000 feet high, over 2000 mph and find a pack of smokes on the ground and identify the brand, the other trip was find a dime and identify the year. The first one is a no brainer, but think about the second for a minute...... if true, that is impressive

 

[Deja_Vu]

Cool Beale AFB is Globalhawk headquarters. Funny that HVH showed a Block30 vehicle in his pic.
Hopefully you can get a gander at one.
They have the wingspan of a 737 and can stay up for 30+ hours.
Will replace the DragonLady some day.

 

[bowtiejunkie]

Cool Beale AFB is Globalhawk headquarters. Funny that HVH showed a Block30 vehicle in his pic.
Hopefully you can get a gander at one.
They have the wingspan of a 737 and can stay up for 30+ hours.
Will replace the DragonLady some day.

It's supposed to be on static display. Going to take my good camera and hopefully score some good pics of all the military hardware

Last time I went to an air show was at George Air Force Base in 1990 before it closed. Saw the Thunderbirds perform and an F-117 (it was roped off and M-16 toting guards were standing around it - I did get a cool picture. That was badass seeing that plane).

 

[Flyinbowtie]

If coming from the Sacto area the advice from HVH is right on the money...Doolittle gate for sure. Less traffic.
I've been watching unusual aircraft flying in the area all day. There is a chance of rain this weekend but it is, they claim, only in the mountains...so wait and see what it looks like that morning, LOL.

It should be a great experience. We will be at another event or we would be there. Try to go every other year at least.

 

[Spudsbud]

very cool. Ive been to Oshkosh dozen+ times but never to an airbase show.
Enjoy. Post pix huh!!

 

[highvoltagehands]

thank you for the info. We're staying Friday night on 65 near 80 in Roseville. That puts us opposite the preferred gate. Any side routes around Beale that would get us to that North gate without north on 65 (I'm assuming 65 would be full of traffic)?

Take Hwy 80 East to Auburn, Take Hwy 49 North to Grass Valley, Take Hwy 20 West to Hammonton-Smartville rd and Beale AFB. It's 15-20 miles longer but less traffic and will take 1 hour.

 

[RogerThat99]

I did some landscaping at Beale when I was in High School. It was pretty cool. Our military "Supervisor" had told us about the radar tower that HVH discussed. At the time (might be the same today), it had different levels of security rings around it. If you made it to the final ring, it was shoot first, no questions later. LOL.

 

[highvoltagehands]

it interesting on this type of stuff the differences between what some of it will really do vs what the official story is. I visited Beale twice in high school to check out the SR71, Some of the claims of the cameras were truly impressive. The claim on different trips was 80,000 feet high, over 2000 mph and find a pack of smokes on the ground and identify the brand, the other trip was find a dime and identify the year. The first one is a no brainer, but think about the second for a minute...... if true, that is impressive

Yeah I kinda doubt some of the claims of camera resolution capabilities of SR71 operating at 80k/2K. But I know it can see stripes in parking lot.

It's supposed to be on static display. Going to take my good camera and hopefully score some good pics of all the military hardware

The SR-71 you'll see is static display, But you'll see operational GlobalHawk and U2's. I've built a few PowerLines at Beale over the years, when GlobalHawks were first delivered they'd make all us civilians go inside buildings during launch/landings so it wouldn't be seen or filmed. We'd spend hours wondering what was launched. lol. A few years later, we found out and now it's no big deal.

 

[highvoltagehands]

I did some landscaping at Beale when I was in High School. It was pretty cool. Our military "Supervisor" had told us about the radar tower that HVH discussed. At the time (might be the same today), it had different levels of security rings around it. If you made it to the final ring, it was shoot first, no questions later. LOL.

Its a high security facility within base for sure. I remember MPs at gated entrance and all contractors working inside facilities are required to have escort within site at all times. I think the 2 outer security ring fences are to prevent you from getting "irradiated" from transmission signals. That might hurt.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

I have never heard of the dime and year story, that is a first, LOL. but I do not doubt the real world resolution capabilities at all. The people involved were some of the best minds we have ever produced. If you have never been close to it the static display of The Jet at Beale will take your breath away. Heck it still touches something deep inside of me. As a kid I got to watch a night launch from the flight line at Beale and have never forgotten it. One of the highlights of my life.
I posted this a month or so ago...a limited edition print, signed by the artist and autographed in pencil by all of the support people and many of the squadron, with all of the challenge coins etc. A family members name is one of the autographs. Look in the SR thread for more.
I gotta paint a wall in the den this summer and hang it. Wife wants to have it appraised, it is now high on the list of stuff to grab if we have to bail during a fire or such...

 

[bowtiejunkie]

Take Hwy 80 East to Auburn, Take Hwy 49 North to Grass Valley, Take Hwy 20 West to Hammonton-Smartville rd and Beale AFB. It's 15-20 miles longer but less traffic and will take 1 hour.

Thank you! No traffic at all getting in

 

[GRADS]

More pics please.

 

[highvoltagehands]

Thank you! No traffic at all getting in View attachment 639335

Glad to hear it Junkie, Great pic of Global Hawk. Did they move the Static BlackBird from it's regular location in Hertitage Park over to show area for everyone to see?

 

[bowtiejunkie]

I have a ton of pics on my DSLR camera. I’ll upload some pics tomorrow.

I didn’t see the SR-71. One hanger I didn’t visit, but I don’t believe it was I there.

 

[bowtiejunkie]