Ohakea SH traffic

[Ian Warren]

WHOOPS Hardened airshow goer's like myself always gated around 0600 at any airshow , hope they get this sorted for the thousands

Traffic jams leading to Ohakea air show
NewstalkZB | 10:13am Sat 31 Mar 2012

Large traffic jams have built up on roads leading to Ohakea Air Force base, for the 75th anniversary Air Show.

David Paulsen is stuck in a snarl-up with his family and says all he's seen so far are seagulls.

"We've been directed off State Highway One down a back road to the back of the airfield at Ohakea airbase but partway there everything is stationary, we've all turned off our engines and we're not going anywhere."

David Paulsen is demanding a refund on tickets if his kids can't see the Air Show.

[Naki]

I was going to go then I wasn't and then I was...but in the end decided it was to far...if some F-15/22/16s turned up up it would of swayed me...glad I didnt now with all that traffic as knowing my luck I would of been stuck right in the middle

[Ian Warren]

Hmm can't have been very well planned , least in the traffic and the incoming .

Ohakea Air Show wraps up
NewstalkZB | 03:56pm Sat 31 Mar 2012

Some relief for people who waited hours to get to today's Air Show at Ohakea.

The show to mark the New Zealand Air Force's 75th anniversary has now wrapped up.

Newstalk ZB reporter Kate Robinson says earlier today heavy congestion in the area saw some people wait in traffic for hours, and then in big queues before getting to the show.

"I've talked to some people and they said that from about just after lunchtime onwards, they actually stopped taking people's money at the gate because they understand how long people have actually waited to get inside, which is actually quite a nice end to the traffic delays that have been happening today."

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Mar 31 2012,4:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmm can't have been very well planned , least in the traffic and the incoming . Biggest thing always be early , plenty of room to park around the base so what went wrong ?

Ohakea Air Show wraps up
NewstalkZB | 03:56pm Sat 31 Mar 2012

Some relief for people who waited hours to get to today's Air Show at Ohakea.

The show to mark the New Zealand Air Force's 75th anniversary has now wrapped up.

Newstalk ZB reporter Kate Robinson says earlier today heavy congestion in the area saw some people wait in traffic for hours, and then in big queues before getting to the show.

"I've talked to some people and they said that from about just after lunchtime onwards, they actually stopped taking people's money at the gate because they understand how long people have actually waited to get inside, which is actually quite a nice end to the traffic delays that have been happening today."

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A 30 kilometre-long traffic snarl up has prevented thousands of people from attending an airshow at Ohakea air base.

Police earlier attributed the traffic jam to a collision between a car and a motorcycle in the area around 9am, however a witness who passed the accident shortly after it occurred said the traffic began building up closer to the air base itself.

The queue increased as an estimated 60,000 people headed to Ohakea for the airshow.

By 10am, traffic was backed up at least 30km to Levin and beyond. It was still stalled at midday and police expected the problem to continue throughout the afternoon.

The airshow, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, was expected to be a huge event. More than 10,000 people bought tickets online and another 50,000 were expected to turn up at the gates.

Those trapped in traffic had doubts they would even see the show as they crawled towards the air base at around two kilometres an hour.

Nic Steenhout, 40, said he left his home in Palmerston North at 9am. The journey would usually take 25 minutes but by 11am he was yet to reach halfway.

"We might not be there till after lunch at this rate. This is the military, you would expect them to be quite logistical and organised," Steenhout said.

"A whole lot of people are getting out and walking."

Steenhout was unable to see the planes flying from the road, he added.

Local resident Leslie Potroz said the traffic had built up from 8am - an hour before the show kicked off.

"It's terrible. It's been there all morning, since I went to get the mail. There must be a lot of disappointed people. A lot of people are turning around."

The motorcyclist involved in the accident near the air base was taken to Palmerston North Hospital with serious head injuries.

[chopper_nut]

I waited 3 hours to get into RAF Fairford for the RIAT. Ended up watching the first half through the sun roof on the car. This is nothing new.

[SeanTK]

Had to get out and walk the final three miles with some friends at a very large WWII-themed air show in my area a few years ago. That's what happens when you put on large national events at small(er) airfields!

[wildmanfiveone]

It took me 3 hours to get from Palmerston North to Sanson and then we walked the rest of the way. Didn't end up getting there till 12:30. Definitely not the best organised event ever

[spongebob206]

Yep, Traffic was bad

My uncle didn't make it till 2pm.

I was lucky and arrived at the base around 8.30.

What an awesome show

[victor_alpha_charlie]

Left home in Wellington at 0600, finally pulled in the gate at Ohakea at around 0955, had a bit of traffic but wasn't too bad compared to what some had to deal with by the sounds. To expect the trip to take normal times when there were this many people expected was simply naive.

Was a good day but I'm certainly glad there weren't any more people there, lines for anything (food, drinks, looking inside C130s/C17s/the 777) were at least 30min long

[GlennAV8R]

Yes I think next time they should build new roads that connect Ohakea with all the surrounding towns so that we get fair value from our $10 investment.

[JoeM]

Twas an awesome show, except for the 10km walk I undertook to get there But that Mach pass those FA/18's from the RAAF did, jeeeeez, I stationed myself at the end of the active, and just about got my head blown off!! Anyone else notice that if you walked in that they weren't charging you?

[flyboycjs]

We were fine, went down in a king air IFR off course, vectors for ILS and straight in. Friends in a C180 (VFR) got put in a hold for 50mim then diverted to Fielding. They also tried to get a bus to the field but were told that the traffic was so bad that they would miss half the show. They ended up flying back to Puke East.

Come to departure IFR again we got stuck in a line of taxing aircraft about 30 deep for 40min. Apart from all that was a great day.

[zkcav]

Left Palmerston North at 0830 got onto base at 1310!!!

We were about 1/2 km south turn off from Fielding turn off and the traffic had stopped due to the accident on SH3 when the Ambo and Fire went past.

At 11 we still had about only moved about 3 km! I got out with my boy and we walked (carried him) about 6km to Sanson and then another 3 km after a break to OH. Partner was going to take the car back home, and she tried a back road on the off chance - she was there at OH about 15 mins after we started walking .

Once there no one asked for tickets as we walked in - No commentary - the radio couldn't pick up the airshow radio station, couldn't get a program anywhere, queues mile long for everything. And I had an exhausted 3 year old so we left about 1530!

On the way out saw a friend who is in and had a chat about the traffic – He said RNZAF contracted a Traffic management company to plan it all. Well all I can say is my kid would have done a more efficient job with crayons randomly drawing on a map, and I hope the traffic management company don’t get a cent for it because it ruined the day for a lot of people. Spoke to one guy who had left Napier at 0600 and he got there at 1430!

What I saw of the flying was great, but quite a few other things let it down in my opinion.

[TheyCallMeTom]

My first post.. yay

I was lucky enough to be able to go with my local ATC squadron (No. 9 City of Wanganui). We left Wanganui around 0820 hours and we were chugging along pretty swell.

When we got to Bulls, however, things started to turn to cr@p. Since we were in a bus, with 40-50 or us in uniform, all eager to see the various aircraft on display, we all wanted to double time it to RNZAF Base Ohakea.
We were in traffic for around an hour, and moved around 500m. So, we got out, and ran to Ohakea.

-Good thing we did to.. We arrived just as the RAAF F/A-18's lifted off.


Overall, the airshow somewhat disappointed me, they seemed to worry more about beefing up the Press Releases rather than worrying about the aircraft, and the displays.

Was nice to see the NH-90 up and flying. OH and the TA-4K?! Shieet.

-T

[AirNewZealandA320]

Traffic was fine for me on AirNZ 6691 Number one for landing at the time

[Airtrainer]

I was lucky I had a place to stay at in Marton, took around 20 minutes each way. Got there just after 8 and left around 16:30-17:00.

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (Airtrainer @ Apr 1 2012,8:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was lucky I had a place to stay at in Marton, took around 20 minutes each way. Got there just after 8 and left around 16:30-17:00.

Now that was a BONUS to beat all .. ya coulda run it in 30 minutes

[Splitpin]

Tom,
welcome to the NZFF .......can you shed a little light on the following.... "beefing up the Press Releases", and " TA-4K?! Shieet".....
Looking forward too the F-18's (1 or two)here in chc later this week.....maybe .

[Nzeddy]

Would have been better if the airshow was on for Saturday and Sunday.

[deaneb]

QUOTE (Nzeddy @ Apr 1 2012,8:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Would have been better if the airshow was on for Saturday and Sunday.

Would not have made any difference as they were not even capable of handling half the traffic and it would not be logistically or economically feasable.