Flying to Norfolk, VA to see Battleship Wisconsin?

MSPAviator

MSPAviator

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I may be flying in the Virginia area, has anybody flown into Norfolk, gotten a car, and taken a tour of the Battleship Wisconsin in Norfolk?

It looks like KPVG airport is my best bet right now.

Anything else I should see in the area?
 
ORF is closest, but more expensive. PVG is good, CPK is further away.

Go see the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach. http://www.militaryaviationmuseum.org/

IIRC, CPK is closer to the Mil. Aviation Museum, but PVG is a probably better for seeing both the WIsconsin and the MAM.
 
I'm based at ORF. VERY sleepy class C and easy to get in/out. Fuel prices can be steeper than the others, but if you take your fuel on the weekend, it is a dollar off, so comparable to the others.

Landmark has plenty of rental cars on site and they just opened the new FBO building so they are no longer operating out of the ghetto trailer. ORF is much closer to the action and decent hotels than PVG or CPK....they are both out in the boonies so to speak. I wouldn't recommend CPK right now. Road construction in between the city and the airport.... it will take you 30-40 min to get to Downtown Norfolk. PVG is very friendly and a little better of a drive, but you are still a ways out from the interesting parts.

Definitely add the Military Aviation museum in Pungo to the list while it is still there and they still have airplanes.

I live here so, let me know if you have any questions.
 
Fearless Tower said:
I'm based at ORF. VERY sleepy class C and easy to get in/out. Fuel prices can be steeper than the others, but if you take your fuel on the weekend, it is a dollar off, so comparable to the others.

Landmark has plenty of rental cars on site and they just opened the new FBO building so they are no longer operating out of the ghetto trailer. ORF is much closer to the action and decent hotels than PVG or CPK....they are both out in the boonies so to speak. I wouldn't recommend CPK right now. Road construction in between the city and the airport.... it will take you 30-40 min to get to Downtown Norfolk. PVG is very friendly and a little better of a drive, but you are still a ways out from the interesting parts.

Definitely add the Military Aviation museum in Pungo to the list while it is still there and they still have airplanes.

I live here so, let me know if you have any questions.
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The Marriott at Greenbriar is pretty nice & seems to have decent rates (my company's corporate rate can be ~$100 a night on weekends).

That said, yes, it's a bit further out from downtown but somewhere between Pungo and downtown. All depends on where MSP is headed on the trip...
 
Services are better at PVG. EZ on the freeway as well.
 
wsuffa said:
All depends on where MSP is headed on the trip...
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Very true and reading his post again, sounds like it might be a day- trip kind of thing. Being based here, I can't speak very well to the crew car situation. Might be worth a call to the folks at PVG to see what they have.
 
The Nautical museum and the battleship are a great way to spend an afternoon. Highly recommended.
 
When I visit my friends in downtown Norfolk I always head for PVG. Without traffic it's a pretty straight shot. I always get picked up but I understand Enterprise (apropos) will drop off a car for you. Nice thing about PVG is no fees and reasonably priced fuel.
 
My radio shop (Bay Avionics) is at PVG. I arranged a rental with the FBO and headed off into town for two days while my plane was worked on. Highly recommend the place.
 
If you've got some time after the Wisconsin and aviation museum, I found the Douglas MacArthur Memorial/Museum an interesting stop in downtown Norfolk.
 
Normally, I would also have suggested the Mariner's Museum in Newport News because it's got artifacts from the Monitor, but they are closing the Monitor lab because the Feds (who own the artifacts) have stopped paying for the upkeep/research. Budget cuts and sequestration......
 
Fearless Tower said:
Definitely add the Military Aviation museum in Pungo to the list while it is still there and they still have airplanes.
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Can you still fly in to the museum? I couldn't find anything about it on the website.
 
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dell30rb said:
Can you still fly in to the museum? I couldn't find anything about it on the website.
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No. The only time that it is ever open to fly in is during the air shows. Not sure what the future of the shows is...they are still trying to work that out.
 
Wisconsin is a neat tour. Virginia air and space museum is cool too. You'll enjoy.
 
If we are flying runway 23, you can hang out under a bunch of jets on short final by pulling off into a little lot directly under the approach end of Oceana off of First Colonial/Oceana Blvd. If it's RWY 5, then you can see some pretty cool and loud departures over your head as well. I've never done it, but every time I drive by, I see a bunch of cars parked out there with people taking pictures and whatnot.
 
I have a great picture of an 18 on approach with everything hanging out taken from the Navy section of VA beach.
 
I will see if I can find it. I had it as my wallpaper for a long time. My son is a LtJG in the Navy
 
tmyers said:
I have a great picture of an 18 on approach with everything hanging out taken from the Navy section of VA beach.
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You need to come to my house....I live directly under the traffic pattern for Chambers Field....E-2s and C-2s flying over my head all day long.
 
Chris is slated to be back from Bahrain next August I think, but we have no idea where he will be heading yet. He is planning to extend for a short tour as his 4 years is up this coming June.

If he ends up back at Norfolk or Little Creek I will plan a trip down. If you are not underway than, I still want to buy my Navy friend and my Navy son a lunch or dinner.
 
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