AVIATION FANS CAMP OUT FOR LANDING SIGHTS.

Byline: Jesse Hiestand Staff Writer

Three F/A-18 Hornets screamed over the crowd lining a fence along the Van Nuys Airport runway Friday, giving Mark Dugas and his friends the rush they'd been waiting for all year.

For 11 years, the 21-year-old California State University, Northridge, student has joined a like-minded group of aviation buffs who gather the day before the annual air show to catch the arrival of the war birds.

``Word gets out and everyone comes down - it's like a big block party,'' said Dugas, a Canoga Park resident.

Eyes pressed to binoculars, ears trained to scanners picking up the tower's radio calls, fans packed streets around the airport on the eve of Aviation Expo '99, which opens today and is expected to draw more than 300,000 people before it ends Sunday.

They came in rented RVs and on bikes, with brimming coolers, folding chairs and sunscreen. Some took the day off work, others called in sick.

Jose A. Montoya, a 19-year-old from Van Nuys who is planning on joining the Marines in August, said he made sure to quit his job as a veterinary assistant early enough to see the jets Friday.

``When you hear the noise from those rockets, man it just makes you come out here,'' he said.

Like Montoya, many people said the arrival of the planes Friday was the highlight of the show because they got to see the jets in action.

Hoping to secure a prime viewing spot, Dugas and his friend Jonathan Griner, 16, of Reseda arrived Thursday morning and spent the night. They plan to camp out until the planes depart Monday.

``A lot of us only meet here once a year,'' Griner said. ``Some people leave, we just run around. Everyone goes nuts. It's crazy.''

The thrill of seeing a fighter whoosh by is matched only by a chance to meet the pilots, some of whom mingle with the crowd Friday evening when the barbecues sizzle and the beer flows.

Indeed, after landing about 1 p.m., one of the pilots taxied his F/A-18 to a stop in front of Dugas' camp, leaned out of the cockpit and took a picture of the admirers - just as he'd promised to do after last year's show, Dugas and others said.

``I was stationed in the Air Force and used to load missiles and bombs on the F-16s (Falcons) and I still can't get over this,'' Mark Scarpelli, 26, said of seeing jets like the B-1 bomber land Friday.

Originally from North Hollywood, Scarpelli said he and his sister flew down from San Jose to attend the air show with their parents and other relatives who still live in the San Fernando Valley.

``It's a family tradition,'' he said. ``There's nothing like seeing these planes bank over your head.''

The air show is free and will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both today and Sunday. On display will be some of the world's most exotic military and vintage aircraft. Other attractions include aerobatic demonstrations and a show by the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team.

Free parking and shuttle bus service are available at five remote lots. The pedestrian entrance is at 8030 Balboa Blvd.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Map

Photo: (1) Aircraft enthusiasts cheer the arrival Friday of an F-18 fighter jet at Van Nuys Airport, scene of this weekend's Aviation Expo '99.

(2) Sammy Kodela, 7, hoists binoculars to watch the show planes land.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

Map: VAN NUYS AIRPORT AVIATION EXPO

The 36th annual Van Nuys air show will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Sunday. There is no parking at the airport; instead, park at one of the following sites and ride a free shuttle. Show organizers advise visitors to prepare for hot conditions by wearing loose clothes, hats and sunscreen. Four shaded rest areas and a rain forest mister have been added.