Last summer I took a visit to the Pacific Coast Air Museum on a warm cloudless sunny day. I came away taking mostly detailed shots of the various aircraft they had on display. I didn’t think much about the images sitting in my Lightroom catalog until I decided to go through a sizable backlog of unprocessed images.
My first (and only to date) visit I found myself overwhelmed with the accessibility to the aircraft I had. In many cases, I was able to walk underneath and peer into the the landing gear housing, or get super close to an aircraft engine.
No, access inside the aircraft was not an option, however, photographing the inside of a Huey helicopter with your lens up against the glass is a nice plus. They have a fair amount of Viet Nam era aircraft on the grounds.
Don’t Forget To Check Out The Gift Shop and More
One of the highlights is actually in the welcomed and needed air conditioned gift shop; well, adjacent to the gift shop. The flight simulator is a must try. A docent will assist in getting you into the “cockpit” directing you where the flight controls are; you pick the aircraft (mine was the F-15) and free fly over the bay area. The VR goggles were convincing enough to cause slight vertigo at first, but I was over it in no time and enjoyed buzzing the bridges.
Here are a few of the images that came out of that day trip.
There is a lot to see, much more than presented in the images above. Be sure to visit their website for their updated hours of operation and other information at the Pacific Coast Air Museum Home Page.
In conclusion my experience was a joy to be able to walk through aviation history, learning about specific aircraft, and step into an immersive simulation to at least virtually, touch the clouds.
Until next time, happy and safe adventures wherever your camera takes you.