Dayton Air Show announces paved parking for 2017 show

UPDATE @ 10 p.m. (June 24)

Organizers for the Vectren Dayton Air Show presented by Kroger provided tips for parking.

All parking this year is on paved lots after heavy rains Friday made the grassy fields too muddy.

Spectators entering or leaving the show via Interstate 75 Northwoods Boulevard (Exit 64) or National Road will be directed to one of four air show parking lots by signage and police officers:

General Admission Parking 

There will be two general admission parking lots. The main lot will be at the former Emery Freight Building on Old Springfield Road. A second lot will be available at Butler High School on Dixie Highway.

Patrons parking in both lots will be shuttled to and from the show's main gate by buses running continuously.

P-Lot Parking 

Two parking lots will be used for Chalet and Pavilion P-Lot Parking passholders:

The former Mahle employee parking lot located off Northwoods Boulevard. Patrons parking in this lot will be shuttled to the Pavilion and Chalet areas by buses running continuously.

The second lot is the VIP lot and parking areas near the Airport Expo building that will be used if the Mahle lot becomes full. Patrons from these lots will be required to walk to the Pavilion area or Chalet.

VIP Parking 

All Chairman's Club and other VIP Parking passholders with a pass hanging from their rear-view mirror will now park on a paved area inside the fence near the show main gate.

For better access, take one of these routes:

Use exit 68 at Tipp City and proceed to the show grounds through County Road 25A;

For the Emery Lot, use exit 32 (Airport Access Road) of Interstate 70, west on West National Road, north on Dog Leg Road and Old Springfield Road.

Further information on parking is below.

EARLIER

Record rainfall on Friday is forcing coordinators of the Vectren Dayton Air Show at the Dayton International Airport to direct people today to alternative and paved parking sites.

Two years ago, monsoon-like heavy rains pummeled the first day of the air show, causing many vehicles to become mired in muddy, grassy parking spots near the airport.

Air show organizers say they want to avoid a repeat of that and imposed a Plan B. Parking signs and police officers will direct motorists where to park, said Roger Doctor, an air show spokesman. Spectators will be taken by shuttle bus to the airport grounds, Doctor said.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy passed through the Miami Valley on Friday and dumped 2.69 inches of rain, breaking a previous record of 1.04 inches in 1869, according to forecasters.

RELATED: F-35 to make flying debut at Dayton Air Show

The Thunderbirds canceled demonstration flights at the air show this weekend after a two-seat Thunderbird F-16D jet slid off a runway Friday and overturned, temporarily trapping two crew members. They were transported to Miami Valley Hospital and reported in good condition, authorities said. A decision on whether the team would fly Sunday was not determined Friday.

For those attending, bright yellow signs and police officers will direct motorists to alternative paved lots to avoid saturated grassy fields, Doctor said.

“There will be a lot of traffic direction signage,” he said.

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Two general admission lots will be located at the former Emery Freight Building on Old Springfield Road and at Butler High School on Dixie Highway. Shuttle buses to the air show will run continuously .

Pavilion and Chalet ticket holders with a P-Lot parking pass on their rear view mirror will be routed to a new lot off Northwoods Boulevard at the former Mahle building, organizers said. Chairman’s Club and VIP parking passholders should follow VIP directional signage to park on a paved area near the main show gate, according to the air show.

Busing air show attendees may take longer than usual, but Doctor said the plan will get everyone inside the gate. “The thing that I really want to emphasize to everybody is that there will be busing for everybody,” he said.

Performing acts scheduled to fly included an F-35 Lighting II and P-51 Mustang flying together as part of a Heritage flight, a Navy F/18 Super Hornet jet fighter demonstration, world champion aerobatic performers Sean D. Tucker and Rob Holland, the Geico Skytypers, the Misty Blues all-women skydiving team and twin World War II-era B-25 Mitchell bombers in a flying tribute to the Doolittle Raiders, among other performers.

About 50 aircraft were expected to be displayed on the tarmac, including an Air Force B-1B Lancer bomber and a Navy Poseidon P-8 anti-submarine hunting jet.

“We still have a lot of aircraft here, a lot more coming, a lot more for people to see and do once they get on the grounds,” Doctor said.

The weekend forecast called for partly cloudy skies this weekend with the chance of a pop shower. High temperatures were expected to be in the 70s, according to WHIO-TV Storm Center 7 meteorologists

The heavy rainfall canceled two youth-oriented events at the air show grounds and a parade in Vandalia on Friday.

“Part of the (parade) staging area is flooded,” said Will Roberts, president and CEO of the Vandalia-Butler Chamber of Commerce. “We can’t stage the units to get them out on the parade route and we’re not going to force people to sit in the rain to watch the parade.”

Some parade units also canceled because of the weather, he said. Roberts said it was only the second time he knew of that the yearslong tradition was scrubbed.

The Greater Dayton RTA will offer continual shuttle service from the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force to the show’s main gate for $3. Hourly shuttle service also is available from the Wright Stop Plaza in downtown Dayton to the air show main gate. RTA fares from downtown to the airport will apply, organizers say.

The service will be provided between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., according to the air show.

RELATED: Young Eagle flies with legendary pilot

Staff writer Grant Pepper contributed to this story.


WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Vectren Dayton Air Show

WHERE: Dayton International Airport, Vandalia

HOURS: 9 a.m.to 6 p.m. June 24-25

TICKETS: General admission tickets are available at area Kroger stores and at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. Advance online sales are available through noon Sunday, June 25. All ticket sales are final, no refunds, no rain checks. Call 888-695-0888 for tickets. Tickets available at the gate are cash only.

INFO: Vectren Dayton Air Show website

LIVE INTERVIEWS: WHIO-TV will have live interviews from the show throughout the day

TRAFFIC REPORTS: Listen to AM 1290 and News 95.7 WHIO for traffic news.

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