Planes of Fame cats now out of the bag? …

[OD/NG]

Advantages I see to moving to Santa Maria:

Clearer weather usually starting around 10am thru the late afternoon. (after marine layer burns off).
Better flying area. (not as congested as Chino area).
Centrally located in California for both SoCal and NoCal visitors to reasonably drive to Santa Maria.
Great wine country for wives and girlfriends who get bored with airshow.
Accommodations are plenty and easy to access both to and from airport.
Hotel located at airport in area of airshow. (and if anything like past shows you can stay at hotel and look out your room window and see warbirds directly below you).
Military demo teams can show up and fly. (huge draw).
Warbird rides would be much better with better weather and ocean nearby.
Vandenberg Space Force Base right next to Santa Maria for military demo teams to locate during airshow.
Much prettier than Chino lol.
I would bet if POF were to host the usual numbers of warbirds plus a decent amount of current Military planes, as well as at least one military demo team, they'd double or triple the attendance numbers that the Chino shows had.

my 2 cents

All good, valid points. The only two disadvantages I see to Santa Maria are:

1) It's not along a major tourist area/corridor around heavily populated areas. Even though there are vineyards and other places of interest nearby, there aren't any major tourist attractions like Disneyland, and all the major tourist draws of the Inland Empire / L.A. Valley;

2) The nearest airport with commercial service nearby, SBA, only has limited, marginal service with mostly commuter and feeder service with small jets. This means that access from out of state or out of country visitors will be a few more steps to get there. Chino had ONT and PSP airports nearby, with easier access from outside the state and country.

As with everything however, it is a balance and I think they made the right choice.

[kalamazookid]

It also sounds like there won't be an airshow at Chino this year. I hope they're able to do another one before moving. I had originally planned to go in 2019, but postponed to 2020 thinking that it would be an extra special year to go with it being the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII ... and we all know how that turned out. I'm going to be kicking myself if I totally missed out on seeing a show at Chino. I'll still visit POF someday even if they relocate - it will just be different than what I had originally anticipated. Getting to Santa Maria looks a little more challenging though. Chino would have been easier to get to by flying into Ontario and I really don't have any desire to experience any part of LA or LAX.

That said, if this is the best move for the museum long-term, I'm all for it. I wish them well.

[Thomas_Mac]

1) It's not along a major tourist area/corridor around heavily populated areas.
.

I'd argue they could see lots of traffic from folks doing the PCH. I happened to stay in Santa Maria when my wife and I took a week to drive from San Diego to San Francisco. Good times!

[Lon Moer]

duped myself and can't delete

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[OD/NG]

It also sounds like there won't be an airshow at Chino this year. I hope they're able to do another one before moving. I had originally planned to go in 2019, but postponed to 2020 thinking that it would be an extra special year to go with it being the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII ... and we all know how that turned out. I'm going to be kicking myself if I totally missed out on seeing a show at Chino. I'll still visit POF someday even if they relocate - it will just be different than what I had originally anticipated. Getting to Santa Maria looks a little more challenging though. Chino would have been easier to get to by flying into Ontario and I really don't have any desire to experience any part of LA or LAX.

That said, if this is the best move for the museum long-term, I'm all for it. I wish them well.

Everything I've heard, indicates that is the case.

Yes, getting to Santa Maria is a bit more challenging. Even after arriving at the nearest airport, SBA, it will take an additional hour drive by rental car to get to Santa Maria.

[OD/NG]

1) It's not along a major tourist area/corridor around heavily populated areas.
.

I'd argue they could see lots of traffic from folks doing the PCH. I happened to stay in Santa Maria when my wife and I took a week to drive from San Diego to San Francisco. Good times!

I hope you are right! Whether the traffic along the PCH translates into increased foot traffic to the museum will be real interesting to see!

[Chris Brame]

It's going to be epic when they have to move all those statics/unfinished projects up to Santa Maria. Are there existing hangars they'll be buying/leasing, and will there be a new museum built?

[old iron]

I just hope thay do not have to sell some of the collection to pay for the move.

[bdk]

Whether the traffic along the PCH translates into increased foot traffic to the museum will be real interesting to see!

I don't know the business but does the foot traffic even cover the operating expenses of the infrastructure now? I suspect the annual airshow is/was the primary source of "foot traffic" income.

[wendovertom]

Humm, movement North - I think that perhaps they should move PoF Arizona to somewhere with lots of WWII history, wide open spaces, lots of easy access via airport and interstate. Yes, I'm thinking Wendover, Utah

I have never been to Santa Maria, but it looks like a great place and I'll bet the political environment is more supportive than it sounds like Chino has been for the past few years.

Tom P.

[AG pilot]

"Humm, movement North - I think that perhaps they should move PoF Arizona to somewhere with lots of WWII history, wide open spaces, lots of easy access via airport and interstate. Yes, I'm thinking Wendover, Utah "

I am thinking more centrally located, like Colorado!!!! Plenty of wide open spaces!

[Ken]

Honest question; I'm an east coast guy. Is there a salt air/corrosion presence in either Chino or Santa Maria?

Curious, but not suggesting that any moving plans change based on my question.

Ken

[bdk]

Is there a salt air/corrosion presence in either Chino or Santa Maria?

Chino is about 35 miles from the ocean and quite dry. Santa Maria is about 12 miles from the ocean and is subject to frequent marine layer cloud coverage.

[Jesse C.]

So, it is about 3.5 hrs from Chino to Santa Maria alone. How many volunteers would be willing to make that drive?

For me from San Diego it is almost 5 hours.

[Mark Allen M]

Train from SD to SM and back is an option.

I would gather plenty of volunteers in SM as well.