Waddington Airshow 2012

[The Oberon]

The South Korean T50 team have practiced over Scampton over the past 2 days. Noisy little buggers, sort of a 3/4 size F16/18 hybrid. Not a bad display but I don't think the RAFAT have much to worry about.

[Jumping_Jack]

They'll be at RIAT too, (with 5 other display teams). Mind you to get the Koreans here was a pretty good effort from them. 5 X 747 freighters into Manchester, road move to Leeming for the rebuild! :ok: Hope they didn't have a bag of bits left at the end.

[despegue]

Belgian F16 Solo Display with Renaut 'Grat' Thys will be the act of the day.

[Pure Pursuit]

It's the Saudis that I'll be wearing the tin hat for...

[GalleyTeapot]

Actually I think you will find they are T-50Bs

[chopper2004]

seen the Qataris have cancelled. Shame wanted to see their C-17 :{

[Willard Whyte]

One imagines that it might look like any other C-17, but with strange writing on the side.

[FinelyChopped]

Makes a change from FS26173, doesn't it?

http://tasreports.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/a7mab_9845t.jpg

[Willard Whyte]

Are they keeping that one for Sunday, I mean Friday, best?*


http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/middle/6/1/0/1559016.jpg






* Yes, I know it's to promote Qatar when carrying out humanitarian and/or relief work.

[LookingNorth]

I take it no Vulcan this year then?

[salad-dodger]

assuming that's a genuine question about the Vulcan, then no, it won't be there.

The idiots entrusted with looking after it managed to leave some large items of FOD in the intakes and trashed two engines.

S-D

[LookingNorth]

I was aware of that but heard earlier today the new engines were in and OK.

[maxred]

The idiots entrusted with looking after it managed to leave some large items of FOD in the intakes and trashed two engines.

That's obviously not a joke. How in gods name can that happen?

Is the lottery fund still buoyant then?

[Navy_Adversary]

An arriving Gnat over cooked it a bit and had a tailscrape, I guess it will be be Coffee, no biccies but here's a tin of T Cut.:8

[sitigeltfel]

That's obviously not a joke. How in gods name can that happen?

The sorry saga here...

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/486585-vulcan-incident-doncaster-28th-may.html

[NutLoose]

NavyA

From

Gnat aircraft suffers 'heavy' landing at RAF Waddington ahead of air show | This is Lincolnshire (http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/Gnat-aircraft-suffers-heavy-landing-RAF/story-16470739-detail/story.html)

http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/images/localpeople/ugc-images/275789/Article/images/16470739/3922403.png

[NutLoose]

Vulcan awaiting air test

RIAT to be the first show according to this

Displays / Tours | Vulcan To The Sky (http://www.vulcantothesky.org/appearances.html)

[Hueymeister]

Poor little Gnat; that doesn't look healthy at all. Piccies can be deceiving, but there has to be more than just a scratch there?:{

[ShyTorque]

Chop that student!

[Wander00]

Never try to "three-point" a Gnat!

[Exrigger]

Oh dear, is this what happens when 'enthusiastic amateurs' mess around with ex RAF aircraft, is the pilot competent and just think it could have been a catastrophe, it could of veered of the runway and hit all those people on the crowd line and been a complete disaster, nearly like the RAF Cranwell Hawk, at least it was not a nuclear aircraft it could have really turned out bad. ;)

Sorry got carried away after reading the Vulcan thread on the nostalgia forum and suddenly realised that this is aircrew not ground crew and was probably high jinks not a mistake which should not have happened and that we should not criticise and leave it to those in the know/Human factors etc. :E

[chanter]

Not a problem, two rolls of speed tape ( extra sticky ) to be applied and she'll be reet.:ok:

Do you think he thought as it was red and white that he'll land it like a chippy !!

[reds & greens]

"...The South Korean T50 team have practiced over Scampton over the past 2 days. Noisy little buggers, sort of a 3/4 size F16/18 hybrid. Not a bad display but I don't think the RAFAT have much to worry about..."

Sorry O, but I think RAFAT have lots to worry about, the Korean display overhead Waddington on Thursady and for the show today was superb, knocked hats off the reds (very undynamic): Saudi Hawks were spectacular too. Enjoyed all of it, not unpatriotic at all, but there is a discernable gulf (no pun intended) developing between these teams from the audience perspective, certainly mentioned by some that I spoke too - including a number of VIPs...

[Genstabler]

R&G
If you thought that the Koreans were much better than the Reds today at Waddington, may I suggest you visit Specsavers.
The Koreans gave an interesting and unusual show but technically they were not in the same league as the Reds. As for the Saudis; a good effort and the synchros were VERY close, but spectacular? Perlease!
The Frecci were great as always but they do the same routine every year and the lack of synchros since Ramstein is a handicap.
I thought the Reds did a great show in those conditions of wind and cloud base: flat to start with, then rolling and finally some full when the clouds at last permitted. Flexible, professional, tight and very pleasing. Look forward to them getting back to 9 ship next season.

[Willard Whyte]

Luckily Jesse James, Sir Stirling Moss, Lewis Hamilton et al were in fine form, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Apparently the raf sent something over, but the rally stages were far more interesting.

[sycamore]

EXRigger,whilst it may seem that the `enthusiastic` amateurs are playing at `high jinks`,it might be worth remembering that sometimes `s&&t happens` for all sorts of reasons,and in the end he will dig deep and pay for the engineers to fix it,as the guys do to operate the aircraft. It is ,I`m sure ,not the first time a Gnat,or any other jet has had a tail-scrape; now the cost comes out of the operators pocket; the pilot is most assuredly `gutted` at having it made so visible,but there are many reasons why and how it could happen,but not due to `high-jinks`.... Of course ,if you wish to contribute,etc,etc.....!!

[mitten]

Spectacular photo of Gnat...anyone know what actually happened and why?

[Genstabler]

Willard
I was trying hard to work out why on earth you posted your mean spirited, puerile and completely unnecessary comments about Goodwood on this thread. Then I examined your profile and record and understood. Don't worry. Just keep taking your meds.

[TwoTunnels]

Well done to the RNZAF 757 display :D. It's not often at all that you see a large aircraft being thrown around like that, although I was expecting a very flare at the steep bank point!.
Also reminded me of a VC-10 display I saw as a kid at Duxford (many moons ago!).

[Il Duce]

Shortly before the Gnat "touched" down there was an exchange on the r/t between the pilot and ATC. Something along the lines of three requests from the controller to confirm that the aircraft was "gear down" before a landing clearance was granted; the pilot reluctantly confirmed as such. Only a theory, but he may have been a bit miffed at this intrusive interrogation and possibly distracted by it, thus his less than ideal configuration.

[Fire 'n' Forget]

I thought the Korean display was very impressive and was much more 'interesting' from a spectator POV. They did put the reds into second place and everyone that was discussing them agreed.

[Could be the last?]

Regardless of who was the better display, with the general lack of ac statics,
endless stalls of 'tat', and very pricey entrance fees, how long can shows like this remain viable?

£26 adult ticket

£1.70 for T

£5.70 for a pork bun

[Pontius Navigator]

CBLT, as long as the punters keep paying.

Long gone are the days when air shows were about, well air shows. Now they about days out and are priced accordingly. The 'company' now employes professional organisers, professional marquee and events organisers, refuse and toilets etc, barriers etc as the military staffs are thinner on the ground and less 'mis-employable'.

The price goes up, the tat stalls pay more and 'every one' had a 'great' day out. For the purist, such as yourself, it is overpriced, full of tat, and not about aircraft. Unfortunately for you you are in the minority.

Now as few years ago (I was still in shorts) my friend arrived on his bike, said it's Battle of Britain Day, so off we biked about 10 miles to RAF Hooton Park, a reservist airfield. A few RAFVR were there and wholly unprepared for the 'air show' crowd that turned up. I guess there were several hundred of us. They then dragged a couple of jets, don't recall the type, out as static and proceeded to call up on RAF Common any aircraft that had time in hand.

The one display I remember was a Shackleton en route north, having done a display at Sealand, that detoured on gave us a display. Ten years later I joined the RAF; that was the sort of organisation I wanted to join.

Things have changed.

PS, but this afternoon we had a Spitfire, a Dakota, a Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane, then two Spitfires. The Lancaster especially seemed to be the wrong side of 300 feet, and not an airfield in sight :) Now that is the sort of organisation I would want to join.

[814man]

Interesting points PN and CBLT. I paid my £40 today to get myself and my 12 year old son onto the base I spent 6 of the best years of my service career on. As I don’t live near an RAF unit now it seemed a good way to see if he would catch some of the enthusiasm you talk about and which I got from visits to stations in my early teens after joining the Air Cadets. We tried to avoid the worst of the commercialisation of the show which as noted seems to have increased out of all recognition since I worked there last in 1998, but I would agree that although the flying display was alright the static line was pretty poor. I have to say I was impressed by the service personnel we did speak to who all took time to look interested and informative.
I suppose the question must be would such an event be viable if you strip out all the commercial stuff, and could a smaller show be hosted by any RAF unit given the current constraints on resources.
I guess that what we have is the best compromise between commercial reality and operational resources, although I’d be interested if there are any viable alternatives.

[jindabyne]

814

That to me is a pretty good summary of things. We were used to a very comprehensive itinerary in years past, but not so these days, for reasons valid and various. Still though, my offspring demand to be taken to events which I myself would choose to forego - so there seemingly remains, in our young people, an interest in things that fly? As for me, airshows are as described by 814, and I can't be ars#d. I continue to love all things with wings, but, sadly, the bigger airshows (including IAT and F'Boro) don't press my button any longer. And a Corporate invite wouldn't really make a difference these days - not that I receive any! That said, I'm open to invites;)

[Pontius Navigator]

814, I ran the air show side of a small display at Coningsby about 25 years ago. The costs were modest and with creative accounting we netted around £100k or around £3 per person.

A few years later, before Finningley closed, charitable giving was another tick box on the route to Air Cdre (cynic?) and the staish at Waddington wanted his share of the air show pot but he wanted a 'small' at home. We pointed out that 'small' could not guarantee to cover the fixed costs - toilets, traffic management, police, signage, posters, programmes, barrier hire, marquees, seating. insurance, etc etc. Litter clearance and the Sunday FOD Plod were all done in-house for 'free' just another weekend stolen. The only way to cover the fixed charges was larger scale. It worked - just.

The following year we had to cancel, although we had not laid out too much money, as GW1 intervened.

Subsequently Waddo went professional. The full-time amateur airshow organiser from Finningley, a mis-employed Nav Instructor from the ANS, retired and became the full time professional organiser at a salary of around £30k, he had a business manager, a retired ex-nav off the E3, at a similar fee and of course a couple of administrators. No longer were toilets and litter clearance, and possibly even barrier erection, done in-house, but done commercially and paid for from the revenue.

The MOD supports only a couple of large shows now - Waddington and Leuchars as far as I know - with other shows theoretically paying participants T&S and other costs such as smoke for the display teams.

All air shows are expensive and the standing charges so high that they have to do everything possible to maximise revenue.
my offspring demand to be taken to events which I myself would choose to forego

One airshow I remember was Coltishall around 1969. The weather was delta sierra with base at around 1,000 feet, moderate rain and dense black clouds. There appeared to be no more than a couple of thousand people on the display line as we did a horizontal display in the Lanc. Given the waether we gave them the best we could for their money but it was a traditional airshow and not your modern show biz extravanganza.
]

[sapco2]

Hats off to the Italians, what a brilliant display on Saturday, with a fantastic commentary from their colleague on the ground!

[Lukesdad]

Gentlemen

Just returned from the airshow having spent Mrs Lukesdad's housekeeping on one of the 'hospitality' packages offered on the website.

An excellent day organised by the lovely 'Katerina' who seems to be in charge of organising everything on the site.

Airshow was excellent and the marquee and all things to do with the package were delivered with grace and efficiency.

:D

[Big Bear]

"Hats off to the Italians, what a brilliant display on Saturday, with a fantastic commentary from their colleague on the ground! "

Saw them on Sunday, I have to agree, they were the highlight for me

Bear

[Bertie Thruster]

The Wadd based air ambulance MD 902, G-LNCT, was judged 4th out of the 170+ aircraft in the static display.

Perhaps the 'posse' needed polishing as well?.....

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/c67.0.403.403/p403x403/582046_10150990930708518_1407499071_n.jpg

[bobward]

A big thank you to everyone, in the air and on the ground, for the show. The wind was a big factor during the parts of the flying I saw, yet everyone performed with dash and applomb.

It's the first time I'd seen the Korean Black Eagles display, and I was very impressed. They seem to have mixed the best bits from Red Arrows / Thunderbirds / Pat de France / Frecce / Blue Angels. Maybe it was because I'd not seen them before that the novelty value made me think they were stars of the show.....

Looking forward to a repeat at Fairford this weekend.

Thanks again:D:D:ok::D

[Genstabler]

I am happy that the S Koreans won the Waddington team display trophy on their first visit. They were indeed a great crowd pleaser with large, noisy and brilliantly painted aircraft, lots of action and some novel manoeuvres.
The Frecce were great as always, and the crowd loves the antics of the good Fabio Capelli!
However, I must say that I was very impressed by the home team, who also had to compete with the worst of the Waddington weather. The Reds have had a dreadful start to the 2012 season, losing 3 pilots, two of them fatally, having to regroup and reform as a 7 ship at short notice. Nevertheless they have perfected a tight, precise and visually attractive show this year and they repeatedly show that they are also skilled and professional enough to adapt their display to the vagaries of the UK weather. Saturday was the first time I have seen them this year and I felt immensely proud and moved watching them display. Other teams may please the crowd more, but for style and flawless precision, whatever the weather, our Reds have it in my humble, perhaps biased, opinion. They are the best of the best and a credit to the RAF.

[Genstabler]

Yes sir! Thank you sir! Sorry sir!

[Clockwork Mouse]

I'm with Genstsab 100%, even if he repeated himself a bit. Of course, that is if it's OK with the younger brethren for us older clowns to voice an opinion.

[Stitchbitch]

The Koreans were excellent, as were BBMF who gave a very polished Twin Spitfire display including a syncro segment. Reds were a good warm up act.:E

[ranger703]

Waddingtom Airshow Day Ticket:£26

RIAT Day Ticket:£39

Scottish Open Day Ticket:£30

Man Utd Premier Game Ticket: cheapest £30

Sunday Ticket for the British Grand Prix: from £100

Edinburgh Zoo: £15.50 adult £11.00 for a child 3-15

For what you get I would say that Airshows are still pretty good value for money! Astounds me that people STILL complain about the price of an airshow ticket.

[Skipness One Echo]

Waddingtom Airshow Day Ticket:£26
I paid £28 at the gate but anyhoo....

The flying stuff was pretty good but the static was lacking. Loads of vintage RAF stuff that was now in private hands and a load of G- light aircraft that most didn't glance at twice. All intentionally well spaced out. Many people wouldn't actually know there was a static display up by the E3 hangars unless they had a long walk up there. OK so the Qataris cancelled and I think there was supposed to be a Dutch KDC-10, however I am continually surprised that there wasn't even a single Typhoon available for static display given how many we're buying and how much they cost. This was the RAF's principal show of the year. I can understand the lack of C130 / L1011 / VC10 on the ground but not so much the fast jets.

I sound like Victor Meldrew but nothing prepared me for the realisation that not only had I been watching the Red Arrows since 1985, some 27 years since my first RAF Leuchars show, but they were still flying the same aircraft!

[Finningley Boy]

Ranger 703,

Ref your last post,

the problem is that at one time, certainly as far as R.A.F. Battle of Britain displays were concerned, the admission was free. You still had to pay for you car of course, unless you walked in!:ok:

One thing I will take my hat off to though, regarding the organisers of Waddington and the other R.A.F. shows, in relation to RIAT and Yeovilton, you can still drive in and park up without any nonsense. At Fairford you have to queue up like your flying BA to New York. I recall the afore mentioned B.O.B. displays as a nipper, the car was the central point to operate from, parked as near as possible to the crowd line, one could picnic from there with no need to move, where as now a lot of people find they have to leave the motor far behind.
FB:)

[Pontius Navigator]

FB, when we first staged the air show at Waddo we were worried that our road links were inadequate and we would not be able to cope a la Finningley. It was, IIRC, one reason why we opted for the 2-day format. In the event leasing and maintaining a road across a farmer's land (another expense) solved that problem.

[GalleyTeapot]

The Typhoon was in the "Combat ISTAR" section between 3 and 4 hangers. I suspect you didn't find it due to the Airshow App not working and the update coming out on Monday, after the show closed!

[Bertie Thruster]

The elusive Typhoon:

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p160/richcarrick_2007/RAF%20Waddington%20Airshow%202012/IMG_2398.jpg

[sapco2]

Given the tight budget constraints these days, I thought the airshow was extremely well done. Times have changed but the variety and mix was enjoyable, and all at a very reasonable entry price. I for one enjoyed the entire package.

Skipness One Echo, I feel you missed out a bit by snubbing the G reg aircraft. IMHO they serve the aviation industry well, in fact they form an important link in promoting aviation for anyone aspiring to fly professionally, or maybe to those who just want to enjoy flying for fun. I spoke to one couple who had flown their odd looking G reg light aircraft around the world (can't remember the type), their zigzag journey was for 36,000 miles, and to me at least, that was an amazing accomplishment!

RAF Waddington's very own flying club were also doing some sterling fund raising work with their mixed fleet of G-reg machines.

Overall it was an excellent performance in not the best of weather conditions, and you have the thumbs up from me RAF Waddington! :ok::ok:

[chopper2004]

I attended the show on Sunday and was pretty much impressed with the Black Eagles. Without getting into the whose a better and bigger display comparison/argument to the Reds, two things do stick out in my mind. The novelty of a foreign air force's display team (bar from the regular UK airshow participants such as the Frecce Triccoleri or the Patrouille de France, Patruilla Aguila or the Royal Jordanian Falcons) and secondly the appearance of the T-50 flying in an operational manner albeit daily practice from the ROKAF.

One particular move, that the Black Eagles Lt commentator was keen to show the versatility of the T-50, was the 360 degree turn from one aircraft over another aircraft flying straight towards the audience.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0334.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0335.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0346.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0376.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0371.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0400.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0403.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0438.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0439.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0450.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0459.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0523.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0540.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_0549.jpg

Cheers

[hurn]

And the mighty Vulcan of course, which is due it's air test later this week so that it can do RIAT.
Does anyone know if it's a night stop for them down there, or two flights from DSA? There was an airtest today which seems to have been a success. Plans are to fly to Fairford on Friday* and be based there over the weekend.

*(subject to weather, serviceability)

[mahogany bob]

watched some of the airshow from the cheapest seat in town -why no ex-military discounts?? - on the road just short of the 03 - now 02? - threshold -on the display line.

watched the arrows-in what I thought from my angle was a rather lack lustre - for them - flat display.

the radio commentry announced the next act - the GR4 Tornados and then lost interest and began droning on with airshow trivia.

thought well that's it and made to depart when suddenly from my 6 o'clock at about 50ft 500kts wings back and full reheat on appeared the tornado!!

the earth erupted and everyone near me hit the deck! what a flypast -followed by a tight 2 ship display giving it max with sim bomb bursts.

a superb display and definitely one up for the working airforce on the airshow prima donnas!!

look forward to seeing you again next year.

[sunshine band]

I enjoyed myself! :D

http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo116/sband/Wadd%202012%20800%20wide/800j015launchsmoke2wad300612.jpg


http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo116/sband/Wadd%202012%20800%20wide/800sentrybank010712.jpg

http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo116/sband/Wadd%202012%20800%20wide/800zh106discstormywad300612.jpg

http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo116/sband/Wadd%202012%20800%20wide/800tornadobankwad.jpg

http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo116/sband/Wadd%202012%20800%20wide/800typhoonovertopvapourwad010712.jpg

http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo116/sband/Wadd%202012%20800%20wide/800mm54477tailslidesmokewad300612.jpg

http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo116/sband/Wadd%202012%20800%20wide/800blackeaglespilotswad300612.jpg

8500ish photos to wade through though!

SB

[A2QFI]

Looks more slow than heavy, to me