Lakenheath popularity

[andygolfer]

Social media has brought all sorts of idiots to military & civil airbases all over the uk, as it’s the ‘in thing’ at the moment. I suspect they will soon get bored and move along.

but hopefully it will attract some new people, ideally not idiots though, and by 'idiots' I mean those demonstrating idiotic or inconsiderate behaviour rather than those who don't have an IQ in excess of 140 but for whom it is an interesting experience to the hobby.

It is school holidays and with money tight (and getting tighter when you see this morning's energy price cap rise) parents and grandparents are looking for a cheap day out and a day at the fence with a picnic and the only cost being fuel to get there and maybe a burger is about as cheap as it can get now (I've been taking grandchildren out during the school summer break and £50 can go in an instant). An essentially 'free' day with noise and excitement is a very attractive option. I think parents will be looking for more days out like this in future, I've even taken mine grandchildren to a local railway station to watch the trains rushing by (when they're not on strike) and they enjoy that as well. Even my wife comes along, how does that old rhyme go 'I took my wife to the station to watch then engines shunt'? I wish i could remember the rest of it......

[POL]

Edit

" Not everyone lives 20 minutes away and spends their life spotting at Lakenheath or Mildenhall either."

I deleted my own post as I can't be bothered with arguments but there is no need to get personal

To be fair I took it as a joke, if I was retired and lived as close as you do you can bet your life I'd be there every day

[slogen51]

Apologies to binbrook I can be a bit spiky

Lakenheath is basically a free daily airshow so obviously is popular and rightly so

Roll on winter!

[Philly1971]

I have never had an issue with “casuals” being at Lakenheath. I have always tended to come up on Friday mornings, which may or may not be a main turnover day for Center Parks, but you certainly get quite a few families who have heard the jets all week while at CP and then pop along. You always get asked lots of questions, what jets are they etc, and everyone says the same thing, this is awesome, and I always have a sense of satisfaction, as I can say, yes I know, that’s why I come here as often as I can (work allowing!). They are always friendly, so as I say, no issue. However I last popped up a couple of weeks back, for the afternoon/evening session, and as usual, waited for 06 to be in use, where I spent a couple of hours in bliss, mostly completely on my own. I then went to the 24 end, and was again shocked at how busy it was. As others have said, people were behaving, but I couldn’t help feel you might as well bring along a couple of fairground rides and be done with it. I think I will wait for the schools to go back before I next visit!