Jones Beach Airshow 2010

[Fighting_falcon_51]

:!: New Highway will be closed from 5/14-5/21 hopefully this will not cause any problems during airshow week :!:

Well since it is next week there shouldnt be any problems. Where are they closing it from? Conklin to 109? Or from
Sheltair to 109 along the cemetary/runway road? Hopefully the are paving the shoulders on both sides. That would
be great.

Honestly I don't know someone said they just saw signs. My concern is that since the weather next week is supposed to be iffy it will delay the work and it will be on airshow week. Even if you don't plan to spot on New Highway it would make the surrounding areas congested.

[Gerard]

[quote=Fighting_falcon_51]

:!: New Highway will be closed from 5/14-5/21 hopefully this will not cause any problems during airshow week :!:

Well since it is next week there shouldnt be any problems. Where are they closing it from? Conklin to 109? Or from
Sheltair to 109 along the cemetary/runway road? Hopefully the are paving the shoulders on both sides. That would
be great.

Honestly I don't know someone said they just saw signs. My concern is that since the weather next week is supposed to be iffy it will delay the work and it will be on airshow week. Even if you don't plan to spot on New Highway it would make the surrounding areas congested.[/quote:2twznxq4]

I would to believe they are doing this now because of the airshow and the subsequent heavy traffic on that
road. If they start tomorrow (the 14th) then they actually have close to two weeks to finish the project and I
dont see the weather being that much of a hindrance.

[Fighting_falcon_51]

Honestly I don't know someone said they just saw signs. My concern is that since the weather next week is supposed to be iffy it will delay the work and it will be on airshow week. Even if you don't plan to spot on New Highway it would make the surrounding areas congested.

I would to believe they are doing this now because of the airshow and the subsequent heavy traffic on that
road. If they start tomorrow (the 14th) then they actually have close to two weeks to finish the project and I
dont see the weather being that much of a hindrance.[/quote]
Yeah I guess I was thinking about the worst case scenario. I guess this explains the construction markers.

I do have a question though. Last year I did most of my spotting from New Highway and since most of the planes besides the T-birds were using 19 I found out I had a somewhat better view from the main terminal. So my question is where is it better to spot? New Highway or the terminal?

[Derf]

They can not close all of new hwy, people need to get into SheltAir and the AAM. On the weekends I think they will have partly unpaved areas but should not be an issue.

[Gerard]

Saw on Newsday that they will be charging to get in on the Friday of the practice show for the first time. The fee will be $8.
Oh well. But as long as the "headliners" show up it is still better than dealing with the crowds Sat/Sun.

[Fighting_falcon_51]

Saw on Newsday that they will be charging to get in on the Friday of the practice show for the first time. The fee will be $8.
Oh well. But as long as the "headliners" show up it is still better than dealing with the crowds Sat/Sun.

I don't think its all that bad going on Sat or Sun. Leaving an hour AFTER the show dramatically decreases the amount of traffic. I'm not surprised they started charging though because they just canceled the fireworks show.

Parkgoers who have driven to Jones Beach on the Friday before the Memorial Day weekend the past seven years to see a free preview of the air show will be in for an unpleasant surprise this year:

The dress rehearsal will now cost them $8 per car.

Facing a massive budget cut and possible facility closings, the state parks agency will be imposing the weekday entrance fee for the first time. Last year about 30,000 people went to the park on that Friday in 5,500 cars. The entrance fee could generate $44,000 this year.

"We have seen an increase each year since we've been hosting the air show because the public has become aware that there is a practice on that Friday," said George Gorman Jr., deputy regional director of the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. "We wanted to capture that potential revenue."

The agency doesn't publicize the practice day because it is not guaranteed to occur and even when it is held, some participants, including the headlining precision pilots of the Navy's Blue Angels or the Air Force's Thunderbirds, don't always show up.

On each of the weekend days, the crowd averages about 200,000 for the Bethpage Federal Credit Union Air Show and the event generates a profit that is supposed to be used for park capital projects - but that is not always the case. This year the entrance fee will be $10, up $2 from last year, because of higher beach fees imposed as part of the governor's proposed budget. The fee jumps $2 on Memorial Day weekend, when lifeguards begin protecting the beaches.

The weekend air show is canceled in event of bad weather but the $8 fee will be in effect on Friday unless the weather is so bad that it does not pay to put staff in place to collect the fee, Gorman said.

Not surprisingly, the new fee is not popular.

"It would be more justifiable if they would give us a sense that they would be working to keep the parks open with revenues they derive from special opportunities like this," said Assemb. Steven Englebright (D-Setauket), chairman of the Tourism and Parks Committee.

Malcolm MacKay of Brooklyn, head of the Jones Beach Rescue Organization, a new support group, said "We really regret this extra charge, but on the other hand we recognize the state is in terrible financial condition."

--Newsday

[NLovis]

Hey if they actually use it for the beach let them charge $8. The beach has been going downhill and I would like to see it as it was when I was a kid. Clean sand, a far walk to the water's edge and a good looking boardwalk.

[Big Tim #70]

Hey if they actually use it for the beach let them charge $8. The beach has been going downhill and I would like to see it as it was when I was a kid. Clean sand, a far walk to the water's edge and a good looking boardwalk.

I'm with you. I don't mind paying if it's going to the right place. It encourages the organizers to strive to make the show bigger & better every year, which for the most part has happened.

After the turnout to last years practice, I'm not surprised they decided to charge though. There were a ton of people at the beach last year on Friday and they could have pocketed thousands of $$ if they had charged that day. Not to mention, I'm sure they didn't make as much as they wanted to on Sunday because of the crappy weather. The year before, the lots were at capacity by 10am.

The fireworks thing is the doing of the Park Police. Due to budget cuts, they felt that they wouldn't have enough personal on hand to secure the event so they canceled it.

[Gerard]

[quote=Big Tim #70][quote="The fireworks thing is the doing of the Park Police. Due to budget cuts, they felt that they wouldn't have enough personal on hand to secure the event so they canceled it.[/quote]

Interesting especially since State PD and NCPD and probably SCPD all supplement the security.

[puckstopper55]

[quote=Gerard][quote=Big Tim #70]

Interesting especially since State PD and NCPD and probably SCPD all supplement the security.

I think there is a lot more then meets the eye here. I think its politics at its best. They cancel something many LI'ers love (The Fireworks) and now people will be more upset. If the parks dept says "its because of budget cuts and not enough Parks Police", then people may try and do whatever they can to get the Parks budget restored.

The ONLY difference I see between the Air Show and the Fireworks is that there may be a little more SCPD and NCPD available to support the Parks Police for Air Show weekend. That being said, both weekends are a high Drunk Driver ratio, and all police should be out in full force, so who knows.

[mirrodie]

Leave it to Newsday to let the cat out of the bag regarding the Friday show. Watch it get swamped now! :evil:


Seriously though, I'm more than happy to pay the $8.

[Gerard]

Leave it to Newsday to let the cat out of the bag regarding the Friday show. Watch it get swamped now! :evil:

LOL I was thinking the same thing. Sooooo many people didnt know about it.

Seriously though, I'm more than happy to pay the $8.

.

Me too 8)

[lijk604]

I'd still pay the $8/car

[Joe]

Hello,
I'm new here, however, I have been following this topic for a while. I didn't see any mention of anything with regards to fighter jets coming in to Republic today, however 2 came in a few minutes to 4. I took a ride over to the airport to see them, however, I was unable to find them, plus they have New Highway blocked off for construction. Any idea why they're here? It seems a little early for the Air Show.
Thanks,
Joe

[Fighting_falcon_51]

Hello,
I'm new here, however, I have been following this topic for a while. I didn't see any mention of anything with regards to fighter jets coming in to Republic today, however 2 came in a few minutes to 4. I took a ride over to the airport to see them, however, I was unable to find them, plus they have New Highway blocked off for construction. Any idea why they're here? It seems a little early for the Air Show.
Thanks,
Joe

The F-18's that came in today are unrelated to the airshow. It's still pretty cool though.

P.S. Welcome to NYCA