Aviation nation Nellis air show 2022

[Sony]

If you go best to go early 08.00 best time to arrive, The que is very long if not in the car park early, Parking is in the Speedway and go as light as possible as security is strict, camera with lenses bag is fine along with Binoculars or scope, you will drive pass the UH60 ramp on way in so try sit same side of the driver on the bus (obviously in the rear seats) and get your camera out ready if you collect tail numbers to photograph them, this is the closes you will get to that ramp, A good selection off aircraft to be seen on the Airshow field but the problem is the sun shelters further down the base where its always barriered off and to get beyond here, you got no chance, all Fighters are head on or tail on and there will be 40-60 fighters beyond this barrier, can be frustrating if your a spotter, you maybe able to obtain up to 10 serials if your lucky.

If your early go to the back off the base around 06.00 am to read off some of the fighters but you will need a decent Telescope to be able to do so, The reason you need to be early is the Heat Haze rises at 06.30-06.45 in which after 7 am there is no chance of reading anything off. The road you need is called "Alto Ave" & head towards the mountains, the base will be on your left as you climb the hill up "Alto Ave", go up towards the mountain and park on the left, you can read a lot of tail numbers from here over the base but look everywhere as its easy to miss frames as they are parked everywhere all over the base, both sides off the runway, the runway is in the center off the base running North to South or visa versa.

That's a lot of great info, thanks very much

[65thAgressor]

F-18 growler display and the f-18 west coast demo team listed to perform this year.

[tomw]

Apart from hiring a car, Does anyone whos been before know any other way of getting to the speedway and back from the strip, Getting an uber/lyft is apparently easy one way but not the other
I was hoping there might be some tours from the UK going but seems they are either full up or not going this year

[65thAgressor]

Ian Allan aviation tours have a trip available,I don't know if it's full. Although if a trip is full it would normally say.

[JAWS]

Apart from hiring a car, Does anyone whos been before know any other way of getting to the speedway and back from the strip, Getting an uber/lyft is apparently easy one way but not the other
I was hoping there might be some tours from the UK going but seems they are either full up or not going this year

The Deuce Bus

https://1oaklasvegas.com/deuce-bus-las-vegas/

Starts at the Airport, goes along the entire strip, get off at Bonneville Transit Center (BTC)

Get on...............

Bus Route 113

https://rtcws.rtcsnv.com/routepdf/113.pdf

Get off at Craig/LV Blvd N

Short walk

There will probably be taxi's nearby after the show if Uber or Lyft don't work, but as with everything they ain't as cheap as it used to be.

Enjoy !

Steve.........

[65thAgressor]

The official website has been updated with dates and times,if using the bus. See https://www.nellis.af.mil/Aviation-Nation/

[bushande]

From experience they do search bags just before you walk through airport style scanners.which is before you get on the bus. I have a camera rucksack a 18-55mm for static a 55-250mm and a sigma 150-600mm all with lens hoods. I have a Beschoi camera bag and get everything in that and its 17x11x5.5 i got this off amazon. If you have the same type of bag i dont see an issue.

Albeit a bit belated in reply, many thanks for the kind info. Helps a lot! Much appreciated.

[65thAgressor]

I arrived back from Nellis on Tuesday very tired but happy. A good show as usual , a bit short on static aircraft though. The aggressors are always a highlight with three on static and two in the display ,and the new 65th f-35 looked very smart. I was able to go inside a kc10 and a new kc46 pegasus. The pilot telling me the cockpit screens are 3d ! and special glasses are worn to see them. I also went inside Dakota D day doll that was special. The US Navy were there with the growler demo team. The West coast f18 demo team also displayed. In total three growlers and two f-18f one of each team being the cag bird. The f-22 and f-35 demo teams were excellent,the f-35 in my opinion the better display. The combined arms demo is the highlight for me x2 A-10 ,X2 f-15e also two f-16's and two Aggressor f-16's.......two f-35 and two pave hawks all in the air attacking and defending.A new one for me was an Edwards B1 they usually send a Dyess one. If like me you like the USAF then get yourself out to Nellis in 2024,you won't be disappointed.
One quick mention to the genuine B21 Raider guys selling patches,caps and t-shirts.This was a rare chance to get hold of the latest bomber souvenirs.

[Sony]

Great air show, id don't suppose anyone with a super-duper camera managed to capture the serials of any pave-hawks on the way in or the f-35 and f-16 parked some distance away, did they?

Thanks Ben

[Malcolm]

Great air show, id don't suppose anyone with a super-duper camera managed to capture the serials of any pave-hawks on the way in or the f-35 and f-16 parked some distance away, did they?

Thanks Ben

Nellis AFB Sat 5th Nov 2022
A whistle stop (7:30-12:00) trip to "Aviaton Nation" produced the following. Others with more time may have got more. parts in brackets not physically read or photographed by me.

Static
79-0171/OT gn/bk A-10A
86-0075/ED B-1B
86-0024 C-5M 60 AMU
83-0076 KC-10A 60 AMU
18-46050 KC-46A NH ANG
90-0262/WA y/bk F-15E
86-0299/WA F-16C "57 WG"
83-0159/WA-59 F-16C
89-2048/WA-48 F-16C black scheme
89-2116/WA r/bk F-16C "16 WPS"
99-4011/WA F-22A
11-5020/WA F-35A "57 OG/CC"
18-5342/WA F-35A
94-0128 T-1A
67-14936/VN T-38A
(04-3)728/VN T-6A
166894/NJ-556 F-18G VAQ-129 Cag Bird
10-05619 AH-64
(20)-72476 UH-72B
(88)-26111 HH-60G
14481/OT H-60
100728 MC-12W
?/00 F-18A/C nose Topgun scheme
6019 HH-60J USCG

Spam/Warbirds
21306 CT-33 ex RCAF
35857 B-25J N586SV, ex 44-30988
49-3158 T-6G N158JZ
? SNJ-5C N2550
53-3366 T-34B N4WL
(44-84390) P-51D N2869D
(44-84961) P-51D NL7715C
N32PS Cessna National Parks Service
N104PS Cessna National Parks Service
N343CP Cessna Civil Air Patrol
N569CP Cessna Civil Air Patrol
N139ES L39C

Behind Thunderbirds Hangar
(87-0323) F-16C Thunderbirds c/s

Northern Helecopter Lines 8x H-60 (at 12 noon on the way out)
(05)-27046/OT HH-60G
(20)-14500 HH-60W
(20-1)4501 HH-60W
(20)-14502 HH-60W
(14)-14480 HH-60W
(20-14)503 HH-60W
(89)-26208/AV HH-60G
(06)-27076 HH-60G
(97)-26773 HH-60G

Center Flightline
6xF-16 Thunderbirds
18-5454/HL F-35A
04-4069/OT F-22A "USAF WC"

Southern Flightline
165926/NJ-122 F-18F VFA-122 cag bird
(165928)/NJ-125 F-18F VFA-122
(169146)/NJ-521 F-18G VAQ-129
166938/NJ-530 F-18G VAQ-129
169208/NJ-562 F-18G VAQ-129
18-5453/HL F-35A 388 FW

Flying the Air Power Demo
(05)-27056 HH-60G
(89)-26206/AV HH-60G
(__-____)/OT A-10C Took off behing a departing F-15E
82-0658/OT A-10C
91-0305/WA F-15E
88-0420/OT F-16C
88-0442/OT F-16C
85-0418/WA-18 F-16C
84-0220/WA-20 F-16C "57 OG"
04-4071/WA F-22A
17-5267/OT F-35A
18-5448/OT F-35A

Near Side F-35 sheds - lots of em, but all tail/nose on. Serials in brackets not read by me.
(15-)5132/WA F-35A
15-5141/WA F-35A img_8943 Line 1 Bay 4 Tail on
(17-)5272/WA F-35A img_8948 Line 2 Bay 2 Nose on
17-5274/WA F-35A img_8941 Line 1 Bay 3 Tail on
17-5275/WA F-35A img_8936 Line 1 Bay 1 Tail on
(17-)5283/WA F-35A img_8965 Line 3 Bay 1 Tail on
18-5348/WA F-35A img_8933 Line 1 Bay 2 Tail on
(18-)5349/WA F-35A suspect - should be a VT
(18-5352)/WA F-35A suspect - should be an AK
(18-5353)/WA F-35A
(18-)5362/WA F-35A img_8942 Line 2 Bay 3 Nose on
(18-)5374/WA F-35A img_8946 Line 3 Bay Tail on
(19-5472)/OT F-35A
19-5487/WA F-35A img_8938 Line 2 Bay 1 Nose on
(19-)5489/WA F-35A img_8968 Line 3 Bay 2 Tail on
(20-5575)/WA F-35A
(20-)5576/WA F-35A img_8930 Line 4 Bay 2 Nose on

Far Side near Tower (6x A10C + 1 C-130)
82-0658/OT r/bk A-10C Under sunshed/solar panels?
(__-____)/OT r/bk A-10C Under sunshed/solar panels?
(__-____)/OT r/bk A-10C Under sunshed/solar panels?
(__-____)/WA y/bk A-10C Under sunshed/solar panels?
(__-____)/WA y/bk A-10C In the open
(__-____)/WA y/bk A-10C In the open
92-1533/3 C-130H Flew opening para drop.

South Eastern Revetments from north to south (21x F-16C/D)
(89-2149)/WA r/bk F-16C Have Glass
(89-2)124/WA r/bk F-16C
(89-2)092/WA r/bk F-16C
(89-2)090/WA r/bk F-16C Have Glass
(89-2)083/HL y F-16C
(89-2)081/WA r/bk F-16C also read as -091, but that isn't a known WA
(89-2)075/WA r/bk F-16C
(89-2072)/WA r/bk F-16C Have Glass
(89-2)119/WA r/bk F-16C
(89-2)015/WA r/bk F-16C
(??-_744)/WA r/bk F-16C Have Glass
(88-0)533/WA r/bk F-16C
(88-0)503/WA y/bk F-16C
(88-0)495/WA r/bk F-16C also read as -435, but photo proof
(88-0)486/WA r/bk F-16C
(88-0)467 F-16C South Dakota ANG Mkgs
(88-0447)/WA r/bk F-16C Have Glass
(88-0)416/WA y/bk F-16C Spcl Mkgs "16th WPS"
(89-2)067/WA y/bk F-16C
(89-2)176/WA r/bk F-16D
(88-0)174/WA r/bk F-16D

Read from Cheyenne Avenue at 07:30. Many more here, but didn't have time to attempt the difficult (Have Glass) ones.
(90-0)746/WA F-16C
(90-0)707/WA F-16C
(91-0)381/WA F-16C Suspect - should be an SW - possibly -0301
(84-0)220/WA F-16C blue aggressor
(??-?)289/WA F-16C blue aggressor
(86-0)272/WA F-16C
(90-0)839/WA F-16C
(92-3)926/OT F-16C
(90-0)750/WA F-16C
(90-0)729/WA F-16C
(90-0)728/WA F-16C
(86-0)251/WA F-16C
(87-0)321/WA F-16C

(04)-4071/WA F-22A
(06-4116)/WA F-22A "433 WPS"
(04-4070/WA) F-22A black mirror finish
(99-4010)/OT F-22A "422 TES"
06-4124/OT F-22A

HTH. Additions welcomed

[Sony]

WOW! that's awesome, thanks Malcolm

[roger4]

An excellent list, and well done on reading off so many of the nearside F-35s!

I was there both Saturday and Sunday, but have not yet gone through all our photos, but for now can add the following military to the static:

00-4003/CH MQ-9A
10-0101/306FTG T-53A (Cirrus SR20)

In addition, note that:

the Edwards B-1B is 85-0075
the "WA-59" F-16C is 83-1159
the H-60 14481 is 14-14481 and is an HH-60W
and the USCG HH-60J was marked as an MH-60T.

The "OT" A-10s under the far side sun-shelters were 79-0199 and 79-0169. 199 flew in the Saturday airpower demo, and 169 Sunday. I think our photos will show too much heat-haze to read off the "WA" ones.

We were able to read off 17 of the 21 F-16s on the far side from our photos and all 17 agree with your list. The have-glass ones are however a real pain!

There were more than 8 HH-60G/HH-60W when we left after the show both days (12 Saturday, 13 Sunday I think, presumably including the two in the airpower demo): we photographed these from the bus and should be able to confirm them.

For the record, the following spam/warbirds were also in the static or flew:

N574RH MX2
N540WS Edge 540
N35547 J3C Cub
N26032 Pitts S-1C
N45366/268830/CU-R C47
N49TT Diamond DA42
N245DS Diamond DA40
N857PA Diamond DA20
N488TK Hondajet
N532AA CZAW Sportcruiser
N36PJ PC12/47E
N816LP Cirrus SR22
N549AF Eclipse
N2316 Beech 300 Kingair
N557TH Cessna 150
?????? Wright Flyer (modern replica)

The Wright Flyer has flown many times, but not for a number of years - it is being restored to flight by a local College. It should have a US Civil registration (possibly N4028T which is Nevada based). It has a Harley Davidson motorcycle engine and apparently sounds just like you imagine it would!

[roger4]

Having looked at my son's photos, I confirm I can't identify the three "WA" A-10 on the far side, nor the "have-glass" F-16s.

Regarding the HH-60 apron, you have 9 (not 8) listed and the two in the role demo operated from this apron, so must have been airborne when you left, making 11. From my son's photos the 12th one on Saturday was (19-)14491.

I can confirm the Wright Flyer is indeed N4028T.

[Chris76]

Hi
Just looking through my photos, I believe as (19-)14491 is marked as an512RQS frame on the cab door.
Chris