Leuchars Airshow

[eng1170]

Just a note of thanks to all for a great day - the best bit's were Dutch F16 (awesome as ever - an outside max rate turn!), RN SHAR's (a must for next year), GR4 (lighting up reheat on T/O) and the one that is stuck in my mind for a long time to come, seeing the F3 disappear behind the old QRA sheds with a cloud of vapour streaming from the upper surfaces as he wound it up to 600k's at 100ft for the (very) final pass!! Always the highlight of my day - esp. for the look of terror on most folks faces coz they think it's all over.

Control of the traffic on the way out was first class - thanks to all the lad's and lass's for a great effort (I heard some impatient driver's comments whilst walking back to the car and they weren't the most complimentary) you seem to get better at this every year.

I am hangar bound putting civvy jets (planes, u guy's n girl's have "jets") back together during my week and don't see real jets very often hence the "excitement" at what for you must be a routine day at work with alot more people present. You could always increase the no. of fly-by's through EGPF to keep us awake!! We'll grade them on noise, altitude and whether or not the 'burners are lit!!!

Cheer's for great day out - Eng

P.s - Was the Hawk that took off and did a cloud base report in the morning, before leaving, a little bit off centre of display line?

:D;)

[Tonkenna]

It was a good day wasn't it. The weather came good in the end and there where some great displays.

Hi to all the old mates that I bumped into and also to those I met from PPRUNE. Hope everyone who was at the party enjoyed it as much as I did. Back for more next year,

Tonks :D

[bad livin']

It was a great show! Glad the weather cleared up in the PM, the formation arrival of the Dakota, Spitfire and Hurricane was superb. Pity about the traffic though...sat still for over 2 hours waiting to get off 43's patch with no info on the holdup...

Loved the Tuc and Hawk displays, and the Reds were superb as ever. Magic!

[Reaps]

Best day out I've had in ages and it didn't even involve alcohol ;)

To me the whole day was invaluable as I'm off to OASC next sunday for officer selection (going for ATC and FC). Quietly confident that I'll get in but time will tell in the end. I'm glad it cleared up in the daytime, I even got sunburnt! As for the traffic management on the way out I suppose the 2+ hour delay couldn't be helped (first in, last out 'n all that), but thanks to everyone who was there organising the event. I've got photos up for anyone who wants to view them, the high res ones are great as desktop wallpaper :)

Click here (http://www.thermalgoo.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album06&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php)

Oh before I ramble on even more I would like to say a big thanks to the ATC officer who took time out to talk to me (even though you had a pint in your hand). You were far more helpful than the recruitment bods that day, but granted they were busy.

Hopefully you'll be seeing me on an airbase near you soon! :D

Reaps

"There's an evil monkey in my room!"

[dinky]

Delay in getting out was caused by an accident on the A91 .The police closed the road and sent traffic back towards St Andrews.I didn't catch through the tannoy what happend to tha Typhoon. Can anyone enlighten me?

[sprucemoose]

Dinky (is your surname Dai, or what?):

They announced on Friday that Typhoon wouldn't be coming in - my impression was that were it to miss its re-revised ISD due to air show appearances this could be frowned upon by those with large cheque books. Better than the usual "wrong sort of clouds" excuse, I suppose. If you do want to see plenty of the Typhoon, may I suggest you buy property in Lancashire!

I only managed a flying visit (literally) to the show on Friday on the back of the ASRAAM facility, but was impressed with the range of aircraft arriving - my first glimpse of a pair of Starfighters in a fair few years! I also enjoyed the Army aviation fly past, although an Apache would've looked good with them.

Moose

[dinky]

Moose,
Thanks for the reply, would also have loved to see the Apache.
( Dai from Scotland ????):confused:

[PICKS135]

Nice to see nothing changes on the Lightning front. The one in the hangar near the F3 was leaking so obviously it was fully servicable. How long has it been on display now and it still LEAKS.
Wonder if he F3 will leak after all those years on display or will we just scrap them all, rather than display.

According to local paper only 8 of the arrows displayed, I thought I saw 9. Anyone else see 9 ?

[incubus]

11 arrived. 9 displayed.

See Reap's pic 40 (http://www.thermalgoo.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album06&id=abl&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php) for evidence :-)

[canberra]

i left leuchars in jul 01 after 3 tours. peronally i found the airshow a pain in the ****, and im sure most people stationed there did. i must say i greatlly enjoyed doing the post airshow evening fof plod in 98. there we were all the enlisted shower picking up litter when along come some aircrew from 43 and 111 heading towards the bar. up walks the flight sgt in charge, he salutes and gives them all a plastic bag each! the good thing was the aircrew realised that they were in the wrong and pitched in, unlike the blunties!!

[PICKS135]

Like you I used to hate september [left in 83]. But things must have changed where fodplod and aircrew are concerned. We were parked in 43's has site when everyone started to do it. Out came about 12 aircrew all with plastic bags to do a walk. By the time we finally got out they were still out walking.:D

[Reaps]

Funniest thing i saw was at the end of the day with the massive queues. Most people (read everyone) were getting impatient so just as i woke up i saw some bright spark decide to offroad it over the grass partitions. Little known to him and the people following him (he started a crazy trend) that there was a slight dip at the other side.... He went over it a bit fast and the rear suspension kinda went down smacking the exhaust off the concrete :D I don't know if there was any major damage done but it made me laugh and in the end he got no closer to the front.

heh

[Muff Coupling]

Made it for the second year running..despite a tepid flying display line up..all involved deserve a round of thanks.

Couple of stand out from the rest - Dutch F16 that made anything else with afterburner pale into insignificance, closely followed by the Belgian F16 who nearly matched up. Medals for 2 Italian F104s - a for just truning up and b - for flying the "earth spike". FRS2 Pair-good effort and Reservists to boot! Ex CFS Gnat-thats a novel way to spend hard earned cash!Obviously a rich mans toy- and a PPL only, cracking-must get one!

All the local spotters were waxing lyrical about the AAC HAF arrival-6 types, 6 different performance envelopes, 3 rotary 3 fixed-full marks for just getting there. Comments overheard at post display party suggest the HAF are becoming more of a crowd puller than the Blue Eagles! No back flip Lynx-sorry AAC no impact!!

None the less a good day out - all the extra graft by station personnel is appreciated by Joe Public! :D

[Puma Driver]

Enjoyed the show as usual, top marks to the Sea Harrier pair. But just one point, where were all the home based F3`s apart from one tucked away at the back of a hanger I don`t recall seeing a single one.