Los Angeles - Shuttle Spotting @ LAX

So does anyone have any details on what side Endeavour will land @ LAX?

Perhaps a FT LAX Shuttle Do?

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-shuttle-delivery-20120411,0,7851736.story

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/47224063/ns/technology_and_science-space/

I would *think* they would use 25L as it's longer and wider. But, I have no idea which ramp they are going to park.

The one time I saw Air Force One come in, they parked at one of the remote pads at the end of the north (Playa Del Rey) side of the airport and the 747 landed on 24R. The view from In-N-Out would be pretty amazing if they used 24R!

I'm hoping they will do some flyby of iconic LA landmark (like above the Hollywood sign or Griffith Park Observatory) like they did when the shuttle was delivered to NY and DC.

For better spotting, I'm hoping it lands on 24R so I can see it from In-N-Out.

I think it depends on where they plan on parking; there's only a few places you can stash a 747 at LAX (let alone one with a shuttle on it's back); the cargo ramps adjacent to the start of 25R and L, the airline ramps (midfield) and the remote pads at the end of 24L. I suppose the FBOs along Imperial Highway can also take a heavy, but I know for security reasons, they like to park the VC-25s out at the remote pads.

This says it'll land at the southernmost runway, which should be 25L. Any ideas of best place to watch the landing from?

This says it'll land at the southernmost runway, which should be 25L. Any ideas of best place to watch the landing from?

Los Angeles County Superior Court Airport Courthouse (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tektum/3002406988/).

Los Angeles County Superior Court Airport Courthouse (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tektum/3002406988/).

Cool. I've noticed that building when driving by on the 105. Is it open to the public though? Since it's a courthouse, are you allowed to bring in cameras?

Cool. I've noticed that building when driving by on the 105. Is it open to the public though? Since it's a courthouse, are you allowed to bring in cameras?

I've had the pleasure of visiting the courthouse a few times to attend trials; yes, it's open to the public (there's a branch of the County Clerk there as well). You will need to go through airport-style security with walk-though metal detectors and bag x-ray. There isn't any free parking in the complex, though.

The other obvious spots would be from the parking lot of the Proud Bird and the viewing deck at Imperial Avenue and Sheldon Street in El Segundo. I suspect that is going to be PACKED there.

Cool. I've noticed that building when driving by on the 105. Is it open to the public though? Since it's a courthouse, are you allowed to bring in cameras?

The courthouse is open to the public during business hours (http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/locations/ui/location.aspx?loc=LAX&tab=1&d=General).

The use of cameras is prohibited in the courtrooms (unless specifically authorized by the judge). Bringing cameras into the building is at the discretion of the security screeners who can be as predictable as the TSA. I suspect that compact cameras would not present a problem. DSLR equipment? Who knows. You can always call the sheriff's office in the building and ask (310-727-6185).

I've had the pleasure of visiting the courthouse a few times to attend trials; yes, it's open to the public (there's a branch of the County Clerk there as well). You will need to go through airport-style security with walk-though metal detectors and bag x-ray. There isn't any free parking in the complex, though.

The other obvious spots would be from the parking lot of the Proud Bird and the viewing deck at Imperial Avenue and Sheldon Street in El Segundo. I suspect that is going to be PACKED there.

Where's is the viewing deck? When I search on "viewing deck LAX" all I get is the observation deck on top of Encounter. And when I use Google Maps' "satellite view" I don't see anything that looks like a viewing deck in the vicinity of Sheldon and Imperial.

Shuttle Endeavour will be landing at LAX on Sept 20. It will be moved to Exposition Park on Oct 12~13.

http://thesource.metro.net/2012/08/08/date-set-for-space-shuttle-endeavour-arrival-at-california-science-center-just-steps-from-expo/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=date-set-for-space-shuttle-endeavour-arrival-at-california-science-center-just-steps-from-expo

Okay so the news of the day is that the Space Shuttle Endeavour is landing at LAX atop the 747 on Sept. 20.

Which runway?

What time will it land? I'm going to take a day off work just to see this! :eek: ^^^^

they say "mid-day" and of course everything is "weather permitting," which could mean 'weather' from where ever it takes off from to weather at LAX.

It will leave Florida on Sept. 17, and it will take a few days to get to LAX on Sept. 20...it will stop to re-fuel, ceremonies, etc.

So best to be flexible and patient.

http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/Exhibits/AirAndSpace/endeavour/endeavour.php

they say "mid-day" and of course everything is "weather permitting," which could mean 'weather' from where ever it takes off from to weather at LAX.

It will leave Florida on Sept. 17, and it will take a few days to get to LAX on Sept. 20...it will stop to re-fuel, ceremonies, etc.

So best to be flexible and patient.

http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/Exhibits/AirAndSpace/endeavour/endeavour.php


Cool! Thanks. Now I hope I'm at the right runway! :)

Any FT DOs for the LAX landing? We can have it at the In 'N Out or the Proud Bird depending on the landing runway! :D

As there is an active thread on this in the Destinations->L.A. forum, I'll move this thread to that forum.

Any FT get-togethers planned around this event, would be posted to the CommunityBuzz forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

Possible shuttle landing planespotting DOs (depending on runway)

If northern runway (shorter runway, but that's actually where the A380 landed)

In 'N Out Burger on Sepulveda (http://goo.gl/maps/Ojrmn)
9149 South Sepulveda Boulevard
LA, CA 90045


If southern runway (longer runway, closer to the United hold where the shuttle will be at)

Proud Bird on Aviation (http://goo.gl/maps/IU3sG)
11022 Aviation Boulevard
LA, CA 90045

When other shuttles have been moved it will likely have clear airspace and circle around the city at low altitue for people to see it.

This is LA so conditions should be fine unless there is heavy smog or wildfires going on nearby.

This says that it'll land at the southernmost runway:

http://www.dailybreeze.com/latestnews/ci_21039394/lax-officials-detail-space-shuttle-endeavours-arrival

When other shuttles have been moved it will likely have clear airspace and circle around the city at low altitue for people to see it.

This is LA so conditions should be fine unless there is heavy smog or wildfires going on nearby.

Also, this is LA, so the city is fairly widespread. I hope they fly everywhere, from Malibu down to Long Beach.

When other shuttles have been moved it will likely have clear airspace and circle around the city at low altitue for people to see it.

This is LA so conditions should be fine unless there is heavy smog or wildfires going on nearby.

I hope its clear and not overcast or thick fog , but September is normally one of the Hottest months , because that is when we went back to school !

Soarer

Has there been confirmation of which of the South runways it will land on , I saw the piece in the Daily Breeze but that was weeks ago.....

And what time ???? Where will be the stop before LAX since it is not doing a direct flight to get here ?

I just hate to sit around for 5-6 hours waiting for it :(

Thanks

Soarer

Has there been confirmation of which of the South runways it will land on , I saw the piece in the Daily Breeze but that was weeks ago.....

Standard operating procedures at LAX, on both the north and south sides, are that takeoffs are from the inner runways and landings are on the outer runways.

Where will be the stop before LAX since it is not doing a direct flight to get here ?

Edwards Air Force Base.

Los Angeles Times - Shuttle Endeavour's final flight itinerary revealed (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0908-shuttle-flyover-20120908,0,786399.story)

Endeavour will leave Kennedy Space Center at sunrise Sept. 17, flying over Florida's Space Coast and then over NASA's Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Miss., and its Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.

It will then fly over Houston, Clear Lake and Galveston in Texas before landing at Ellington Field near NASA's Johnson Space Center.

On Sept. 19 the shuttle will head to Biggs Army Airfield in El Paso for refueling and conduct low-level flyovers of White Sands Test Facility near Las Cruces, N.M.

About midday, Endeavour is expected to touch down at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards air base in the Mojave Desert, where it sometimes landed on its own after space missions.

Thanks for the link ,

I think I want the FF miles from that flight , its stopping everywhere or at least flying over many areas for Photo ops,

But no timing on when it will land at LAX yet :(

Soarer

Thanks for the link ,

I think I want the FF miles from that flight , its stopping everywhere or at least flying over many areas for Photo ops,

But no timing on when it will land at LAX yet :(

Soarer

http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-091112a.html

"When it touches down at LAX on Sept. 20..."

Thanks for the link ,

I think I want the FF miles from that flight , its stopping everywhere or at least flying over many areas for Photo ops,

But no timing on when it will land at LAX yet :(

Soarer

If you're wondering about the time of day, apparently it's about 11:

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/sep/HQ_M12-173_Endeavour_Ferry_Flight.html


On the morning of Sept. 20, the SCA and Endeavour will take off from Dryden and perform a low-level flyover of northern California, passing near NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., and various landmarks in multiple cities, including San Francisco and Sacramento. The aircraft also will conduct a flyover of many Los Angeles sites before landing about 11 a.m. PDT at LAX.

there might be a delay of a day or 2 as there is bad weather in Florida today (Monday)

so check the news and see if its delayed or they just fly faster :D

Soarer

there might be a delay of a day or 2 as there is bad weather in Florida today (Monday)

so check the news and see if its delayed or they just fly faster :D

Soarer

It will still be here on 9/20. NASA cut short the layover in Houston to only 1 day. This is of course assuming the shuttle will leave on Tuesday.

Edit: I'm correcting myself... The shuttle flight didn't leave on Tuesday either so it will now be here on Friday 9/21

Before landing in LA it flies over the Golden Gate Bridge and other points north. But it's delayed a day:

from the NASA Ames website:

We have official word that the flyover is postponed 24 hrs; our event/viewing are now scheduled for Friday Sept. 21 #spottheshuttle

KPCC - Update: How to take photos of Shuttle Endeavour landing in Los Angeles (http://www.scpr.org/blogs/news/2012/09/18/10023/how-photograph-endeavour-landing-los-angeles/)

Best bet for photos: Near LAX

Since NASA has not released the shuttle's official flight path, your best bet to catch Endeavour is when it touches down at LAX. It will land on the south runway, so your best vantage point for the landing will be at the greenbelt area at Imperial Avenue and California Street (see map). El Segundo police will close off the road at that location for your photographic pleasure.

El Segundo police will also close off the 300 to 600 blocks of East Imperial Avenue for public viewing at 9 a.m. You’ll get a good view of the shuttle in the air and taxiing, but you won’t be able to see the shuttle actually touch the ground due to trees that obstruct some of the views.

El Segundo Lt. Raymond Garcia says that there are only about 50 public parking spots open in nearby lots. Everyone else will have to park on the residential streets. There will also be public viewing sites at 700 W. Imperial Ave.

Anyone like to guess how crazy this will be ? I am just wondering how early I need to head over there , and how far away I will need to park :D

Any tips on where to watch it land ?

And will they park the Shuttle outside for a few hours before putting it into the United Hanger ?
Will it even fit in the United Hanger while it is still on top of the 747 ?

See you there :) I will be the one with the camera 5555

soarer

Any tips on where to watch it land ?

I still think that the courthouse will be the best vantage point.

Will it even fit in the United Hanger while it is still on top of the 747 ?

Doubt it. I suspect it'll be outside for a while to get it unloaded.

I'm leaning towards heading to LA to catch it landing. The weather in SF is just too much of a crapshoot (as it typically is this time of year).

The big lenses are coming on this trip!

I read that the shuttle will be landing on the South Runway tomorrow at 11am. My 4 year old son & I will be at LAX waiting for our Delta flight right around then. Any suggestions of where we might get a good view from inside a terminal? Anywhere near Delta (domestic)? Or accessible after we have checked in there?

I read that the shuttle will be landing on the South Runway tomorrow at 11am. My 4 year old son & I will be at LAX waiting for our Delta flight right around then. Any suggestions of where we might get a good view from inside a terminal? Anywhere near Delta (domestic)? Or accessible after we have checked in there?

The DL Skyclub has some limited views of the South Runway as well as the gates at the end of the terminal.

I still think that the courthouse will be the best vantage point.

Does the courthouse have an outdoor balcony, or is the view from through the windows? I assume as a public building it's possible to get up near the top floor at the very least? Thanks for the heads-up.

I'm debating whether Griffith Observatory is going to be packed tomorrow.

Does the courthouse have an outdoor balcony, or is the view from through the windows? I assume as a public building it's possible to get up near the top floor at the very least? Thanks for the heads-up.

If there are balconies, as in the courthouse where my office is located, they are not open to the public.

Take a look at the photo of the building that I linked (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tektum/3002406988/) earlier in this thread. The public hallways on all floors have north facing floor to ceiling glass walls. The courtrooms are located as high as the ninth floor, so there should be public access at least that high up in the building.

Just on local radio.....

Shuttle is taking off 1 hour later to head to the Bay area so the fog up there can clear,

So bring a lunch :)

Expected landing time is 12:45pm

I'm at the corner of Imperial/Aviation, next to the Aviation/LAX Green Line station. A couple hundred people here on this grassy knoll.

For those at LAX, maybe consider taking the "G" bus to the station, and walk a few minutes to the small park. There are no loitering signs posted, but the police don't seem to care. Clear view, but you might be able to get closer at the other places mentioned.

Traffic seems to be kind of a mess around the airport (and this intersection especially), so take that into consideration, too.

Awesome! It flew so low. I caught it as it came in from the ocean into Santa Monica. The sky was clear and cloudless. Very impressive!

just flew over santa ana! it was flying low so I got a clear view :D

Almost directly over my house at low altitude near Hollywood sign and Griffith Observatory. Huge turnout up and down Mullholland Drive for watching.

Went down to the beach here in Santa Monica to see the shuttle. Had an initial flyover view directly overhead as they came in from Malibu. They then flew inland towards downtown and circled back across the northern runway at LAX (was listening to the radio coverage) -- from there they then flew back up the Venice and Santa Monica out over the water before turning inland over the Santa Monica Pier. Was able to catch that pass as I was getting into my car. So got two great viewing passes!

Great scene at the beach with all the people waiting. Looked like many classes had taken the kids out to see it as well.

On final approach, the shuttle attracted a huge crowd of people... on the 105 freeway. People just got out of their cars to watch the shuttle land and that forced CHP to shut down the freeway for about 45 minutes.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A3VrMzcCQAA9xPq.jpg


Here is the flight path
http://cbsla.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/route1.jpg

For those of you wondering what the view was like from the LA Superior Courthouse, this is what you would see (using a 500mm lens). BTW, sorry but it was an old manual 500mm with no autofocus or image stabilization:

Coming in for first flyby:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-4_zhKkCXRnI/UF0RS8Ycv3I/AAAAAAAAC6I/lbI-J16NrK0/s800/DSC_9676.JPG

Did I mention it was pretty low?:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7iClD1KoZMw/UF0SFmR4aaI/AAAAAAAAC6I/R-aaB-CMMPk/s800/DSC_9701.JPG

Second flyby:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0D0BR3lgGzA/UF0SgMte0SI/AAAAAAAAC6I/hqoRNS3A2fY/s800/DSC_9770.JPG

Touchdown Endeavour! Welcome to LA!
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-CXVlwjhiqKs/UF0T0K_wGOI/AAAAAAAAC6I/APICIh2hunY/s800/DSC_9891.JPG

Just got home from LA. There's only one word to describe it: awesome.

I stayed at the Embassy Suites South and had a great view from the balcony. I loved watching people parking on the 105 freeway.

This was their second fly by, shot with a 70-200 at around 150mm.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8031/8011370555_03630faa87.jpg

It was pretty neat driving down the 405 and seeing the shuttle to your right and then having it loop in front of you towards LAX :)

That was the 2nd run and they did another to land ,

Is it still outside to see it from Imperial Hwy ?

Great day !