Activity at Las Palmas

[ShotOne]

In the normal run of things at Las Palmas (Gran Canarria) one sometimes spots the occasional F18. But today there's a veritable swarm of them, Typhoons too, and an E3 What's this all about? Are they planning another Armada, the long way round.., we wouldn't be expecting that!!

[Rhino power]

It's an ACM exercise, 'DACT 17' from the 16th to the 27th, it's held annually at Gando by the Spanish AF...

-RP

[air pig]

Saw a four of F16s taking off at lunchtime there last Wednesday. You do see at times F18s outside their shelters there.

[lederhosen]

Take a bit more fuel is my advice. At least one of the Typhoons had some sort of emergency and blocked the runway earlier in the week putting me and several others in the hold, not an isolated incident according to ATC. Still the run and break by his mates who landed afterwards looked great.

[Chesty Morgan]

Just use the other runway ;)

[lederhosen]

That is of course what we did, after some time holding. However as I am sure you know commiting (continuing below diversion fuel) is problematic if one of the two runways needed for that procedure is blocked. We made it with 200kg to spare, which I would call excellent fuel planning (irony mode).

[JW411]

How things have changed; I last went through Las Palmas on 15.12.64 on the way south to Ascension (Argosy XP443).

The Spanish Air Force was still flying Ju-52s and Bf-109s and He-111s (with Merlin engines). We were lucky enough to see 6 Bf-109s get airborne in two vics. They were not too keen on me taking photographs but I managed to sneak two atrociously bad shots.