Aircraft Spotting Pages - NAS Oceana, Virginia

The above map, with modifications, was provided by Google Earth.

About the Spots and What You Will See

Spot A:  This is the most popular spot at NAS Oceana.  It is located along Oceana Boulevard where it bends to the right (as you go south from 264), with the spot being on your left.  Get in the left lane on Oceana Boulevard and into the left turn lane and turn at the municipal area.  Park as close to the fence as you can so you are not blocking any municipal activities that go on over there.  That spot will give you a great view of 23L and 23R approaches as well as departures off 5L and 5R, although you will need a large lens to capture the activities off the 5s.  Don't bother trying to get landings from the 5s here.  If you park here and the 23s are active, aircraft will fly right over your head pretty low for 23L and you will get a nice side shot for 23R, and you can park and walk south no more than another 300 feet alongside Oceana Boulevard to get some side shots, if at all possible.  You don't need anything more than 300 mm for this spot.  Be very careful with taking pictures here because there are a lot of power lines that you will have to deal with.  Most of the departures off the 5s will turn right early so be prepared for that - although some may do straight-out departures, but by the time they reach you, the jets will be in military power and pretty high up.

EXERCISE CAUTION at Spot A, especially during airshow weekend.  This spot will be closed from Friday through Sunday during the weekend of the NAS Oceana Airshow and is a very popular spot on the Tuesday-Thursday prior to the show.  Keep in mind that the City of Virginia Beach uses the lot behind you and you MUST keep your vehicles clear of the area so that city workers can easily get in and out.  If you do not, you will be asked to leave.

Photos from Spot A

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Spot B:  This is the second-most popular spot at Oceana.  If you are following First Colonial Road south as it turns into Oceana Boulevard, turn right at the next light past Virginia Beach Boulevard (US 58) and follow the road until it makes a very sharp right turn, where it becomes Potters Road.  Follow Potters Road about a mile or so and you will see a gravel area to your right where you can pull off the road and watch and take pictures from.  You get very close to 14L and 14R approaches and you don't really need anything more than 300 mm for here.  If you have a tailgate, you can get up on it and get an overview of the two runways, and get some great shots of the planes are taking off from 14R.  You can get very very distant views of landings on the opposite end of the runway - the 32s, and you get some great shots of them taking off from the 32s as well.  You'll want to pull off and face the runways AND be at least a car length's distance away from Potters Road for your own safety.  Vehicles are known to recklessly drive down Potters Road at speeds approaching 100 mph.  You will also see vehicles use that area to make U-turns, so be aware of that.

Photos from Spot B

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Spot C:  In past years, this was the spot that all Virginia Beach and Navy Police Officers suggest that you watch from.  I couldn't tell you why, but that has since changed.  This is the Flame of Hope Memorial, which is shaded and prevents you from watching arrivals to the 32s, but you can kind of see 32L and 32R departures for a few seconds, as they begin their takeoff roll.  There is a dedicated parking lot and a dedicated place to turn off of Oceana Boulevard to reach the Flame of Hope.  You will need more than 500 mm to get decent pictures, if you can get those pictures.

Photos from Spot C

None yet.

Spot D:  This is the least-known spot to watch at NAS Oceana.  The best route is to follow Potters Road to the light and turn left onto London Bridge Road.  Follow London Bridge Road for about three miles and turn left onto Taylor Farm Road (the last time I visited the spot, there was a traffic light that was not activated and a lot of development around the road).  Either park on the side of the road or make another left into a court.  You will be in clear view of landings to 5R, but you will not see them land, since you have a tree line before the runway.  Landings to 5L are even more obscured and can't be viewed as well as the 5R aircraft.  You will need more than 300 mm for some shots and less for others.  At this time, I am unsure of any changes to the surrounding area of the Taylor Farm spot.  I was not able to check out the area in March 2006 because of the 23s and 32s being used as the active runways.

Photos from Spot D

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Spot E:  This is located inside NAS Oceana.  Follow Oceana Boulevard and turn onto Tomcat Boulevard.  This spot is a park located before the NAS Oceana Visitor's Center.  It's located about 500 feet past the traffic light and on your right as you enter the base.  I do not recommend you checking this spot out since it is technically on military land.  You do get to see aircraft making their base to final on the 32s from here.

Photos from Spot E

None.  Photography is not recommended here.

Spot F:  Spot F refers to two spots on base.  Both are located by the MAC Terminal, which is located by the Air Operations building, and is where most of the transient traffic will park.  You have a great view of activities on all of the runways, but remember that you will need a large lens to get decent takeoff and landing shots from any of the runways.  Runways 5/23 (left and right) will be out in front of you and 14/32 (left and right) will be to your right.  Do not attempt to walk out to the flight line without an escort by security forces.

In addition, this spot includes the control tower.  If you are lucky enough to get a tour of the tower, you can get some outstanding views of the traffic using ANY of the runways.  You'll need at least 300mm for both the ground and the tower.

Standard photography restrictions are in effect - no open panels, no nose cone radomes - but other than that, you are free to take all the pictures you want from the ramp.  Your sponsor will go over the photography restrictions with you.

Photos from Spot F

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As far as what you will see, the best time to spot at NAS Oceana is anytime on a weekday.  You can spot on the weekends if you'd like, but there is a very good chance you won't see a whole lot of flying taking place, unless it's the weekend of Oceana's airshow and there is an air wing about to head out on a deployment.  If the weather is ideal (a high overcast is okay, as long as the ceiling is pretty high), you will see a lot of action in just several hours.   You will see Hornets and Super Hornets all day.  Common transients include C-2 Greyhounds and E-2C Hawkeyes from nearby Naval Station Norfolk and F-15 Eagles and F-22 Raptors from Langley AFB, all using the runways for touch-and-goes and the like.  You will more likely see transients from the Navy and Marines (Harriers and Prowlers are pretty common) more than you will see Air Force aircraft, although C-5s, C-17s, and C-130s are common visitors.

Lighting at all of the spots is hit-or-miss, and is usually a miss.  When you are at Spot A taking pictures or video of 23L/R arrivals, the lighting is fantastic all day long. 

Below are some of the most common callsigns you will hear from Oceana-based squadrons.

Security

Law enforcement, whether they be military police or from the City of Virginia Beach will want you to either be at Spots A (Oceana Blvd) or C (Flame of Hope).  They have, in the past, asked spotters to leave from Spot B, but according to several locals, they have successfully fought to include Spot B (Potters Road) in the list of spots where law enforcement won't ask you to leave.  In years past, before the spots were declared fine, numerous individuals have been questioned and photographed by law enforcement - along with their equipment - but that harassment has ceased.  If I could tell you which spots on the map would get you a law enforcement visit, I would say that Spots B and D are most likely candidates.  I've been told that Spot A is even included in tourism guides for Virginia Beach and every time I've been at Spot A, I have never had any problems with law enforcement from any jurisdiction.  Remember that with Spot A, it is a spot where the city of Virginia Beach uses as a depot of sorts (exactly what is beyond my knowledge) and you MUST keep the driveway clear for any and all city vehicles to use.  Failure to do so could get you ejected from the spot.

If you do happen to get a chance to go on base, be aware that while NAS Oceana is one of the most photo-friendly bases in the United States, there are still restrictions on what you can photograph.  Unless otherwise stated by your sponsor, you are free to take photographs of the airplanes as long as you are not taking pictures of any open panels (and removed engines) and you are not taking pictures of airplanes with their nose cone removed.  Do not take ANY pictures of aircraft in the hangars, but if you are approved to do so, do not use a flash, as it could set off the fire suppressant system.  Do not take pictures of things inside the control tower and leave the camera and cell phone in the car if you get lucky enough to visit the flight simulators.

© 2004-2010 Steven Holzinger