Air Display experience
Thread Starter
Air Display experience
Hi all,
Could I ask any who are interested to post with any insight or anecdote regarding your air show memories from which ever perspective you have.
Again, as with the RAFG stories, many thanks in advance!
Best Regards,
FB
Could I ask any who are interested to post with any insight or anecdote regarding your air show memories from which ever perspective you have.
Again, as with the RAFG stories, many thanks in advance!
Best Regards,
FB
I attended the show in 1986 whilst undergoing recruit training at Swinderby - we were employed on traffic control and car parking duties and such like. Some extremely impressive displays but the one that sticks in my mind is the Vulcan which, as it got off the ground, went what appeared to be near vertical. The ground shook, a few car alarms went off and every person looked skywards to see this majestic aircraft doing it's thing. The memory has stayed with me ever since. Coincidentally, it will be 32 years served on 5 Aug and other than my back seat ride in a Tornado which was exceptional, it remains the best aircraft moment I have seen or experienced.
Aberdeen Airport in the early eighties.
They used to have an open day where the spectators were on the East side and watched the normal take offs and landing plus what the local helicopter and fixed wing operators could organise. An essential part of the ground entertainment was a very large beer marquee which, in typical North Eastern Scotland fashion, was packed.
During the display ATC got a tip from London that a Concorde was doing a round Britain charter flight and Aberdeen persuaded it to do a fly pass. It was better than that, it did a roller.
It is the only time in history that a Scottish beer tent has been empty.
They used to have an open day where the spectators were on the East side and watched the normal take offs and landing plus what the local helicopter and fixed wing operators could organise. An essential part of the ground entertainment was a very large beer marquee which, in typical North Eastern Scotland fashion, was packed.
During the display ATC got a tip from London that a Concorde was doing a round Britain charter flight and Aberdeen persuaded it to do a fly pass. It was better than that, it did a roller.
It is the only time in history that a Scottish beer tent has been empty.
Back in the 70's(?) RIAT was moved to Boscombe Down while they resurfaced the runway at Fairford. During the display, a couple of Tornados took off to intercept a pair of Russian aircraft which had flown non stop from Russia and lead them to Boscombe from the North Sea. Eventually these two Russian aircraft arrived on the approach. I can't remember exactly what they were but one was a smallish twin like a regional jet, the other was a MiG 29 (or similar). The MiG was flying echelon starboard to the airliner who was lined up in the centre line. This put the MiG heading between the runway and the crowd line which was much closer in those days. The commentator started to mutter questions about what this guy was intending to do. He got so low that I lost sight of him behind the crowd until I heard the commentator say something like "Oh, that's interesting". The Mig appeared with lots of noise, going vertical and then went into a typical MiG29 display. Absolutely amazing and it was claimed that it broke the record for the maximum distance flown to perform a display.
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Finningley (1976?) Battle of Britain At Home Day (remember them?). A couple of days before THE DAY, everyone was very busy as all the static and flying display aircraft were arriving using slot times for seperation etc.
The 'stars' were to be the Patrouille de France in their Magisters transitting down from having a look see at Leuchars where they were also to display.
The FY Local Controller had a steady stream of mixed traffic arriving when, up on frequency popped Patrouille.
Use your imagination (think 'allo 'allo) to the following:
PAT: Feeninglee, Good Moaning, Parouille de France.
ATC: Patrouille Good Morning, Runway 21 QFE blah. 4 aircraft ahead, 6 aircraft following. Straight in to land please. (or words to that effect)
PAT: Feeningley roger, 4 ahead, 6 following. Request 10 minewts display practisse.
ATC::Patrouille negative, circuit full. Report Finals for Full Stop.
PAT: 'Er Roger.(then various mumbles in French)
PAT: Finals with gear.
ATC: Patrouille Clear Land, surface wind blah
PAT: Clear land.
Then, coming over the northern fence line.
PAT: Overshooting.
and they did so, and broke into a display practice (complete with smoke) and buggered up the stream of mixed aircraft arriving.
OC Flying (watching in Local) went ape. Once Patrouille and finished and landed, he screamed across the runway in his Mini to confront the Froggies (er Frenchmen). He was met, at canopy lift, by a grinning French Air Force 2 star General lighting a fag.
Patrouille were never invited back.
Interestingly enough, Mon General had a nifty ashtray attached in the cockpit with a clip device to hold his fag!.
The 'stars' were to be the Patrouille de France in their Magisters transitting down from having a look see at Leuchars where they were also to display.
The FY Local Controller had a steady stream of mixed traffic arriving when, up on frequency popped Patrouille.
Use your imagination (think 'allo 'allo) to the following:
PAT: Feeninglee, Good Moaning, Parouille de France.
ATC: Patrouille Good Morning, Runway 21 QFE blah. 4 aircraft ahead, 6 aircraft following. Straight in to land please. (or words to that effect)
PAT: Feeningley roger, 4 ahead, 6 following. Request 10 minewts display practisse.
ATC::Patrouille negative, circuit full. Report Finals for Full Stop.
PAT: 'Er Roger.(then various mumbles in French)
PAT: Finals with gear.
ATC: Patrouille Clear Land, surface wind blah
PAT: Clear land.
Then, coming over the northern fence line.
PAT: Overshooting.
and they did so, and broke into a display practice (complete with smoke) and buggered up the stream of mixed aircraft arriving.
OC Flying (watching in Local) went ape. Once Patrouille and finished and landed, he screamed across the runway in his Mini to confront the Froggies (er Frenchmen). He was met, at canopy lift, by a grinning French Air Force 2 star General lighting a fag.
Patrouille were never invited back.
Interestingly enough, Mon General had a nifty ashtray attached in the cockpit with a clip device to hold his fag!.
Back in the 70's(?) RIAT was moved to Boscombe Down while they resurfaced the runway at Fairford. During the display, a couple of Tornados took off to intercept a pair of Russian aircraft which had flown non stop from Russia and lead them to Boscombe from the North Sea. Eventually these two Russian aircraft arrived on the approach. I can't remember exactly what they were but one was a smallish twin like a regional jet, the other was a MiG 29 (or similar). The MiG was flying echelon starboard to the airliner who was lined up in the centre line. This put the MiG heading between the runway and the crowd line which was much closer in those days. The commentator started to mutter questions about what this guy was intending to do. He got so low that I lost sight of him behind the crowd until I heard the commentator say something like "Oh, that's interesting". The Mig appeared with lots of noise, going vertical and then went into a typical MiG29 display. Absolutely amazing and it was claimed that it broke the record for the maximum distance flown to perform a display.
These photos of mine of the Patrouille de France in their Fouga Magisters record the impressive display they gave at Greenham Common - not sure of the date but probably late 1970's early 1980's.
One right way up - six inverted
One right way up - six inverted
Back in the 70's(?) RIAT was moved to Boscombe Down while they resurfaced the runway at Fairford. During the display, a couple of Tornados took off to intercept a pair of Russian aircraft which had flown non stop from Russia and lead them to Boscombe from the North Sea. Eventually these two Russian aircraft arrived on the approach. I can't remember exactly what they were but one was a smallish twin like a regional jet, the other was a MiG 29 (or similar). The MiG was flying echelon starboard to the airliner who was lined up in the centre line. This put the MiG heading between the runway and the crowd line which was much closer in those days. The commentator started to mutter questions about what this guy was intending to do. He got so low that I lost sight of him behind the crowd until I heard the commentator say something like "Oh, that's interesting". The Mig appeared with lots of noise, going vertical and then went into a typical MiG29 display. Absolutely amazing and it was claimed that it broke the record for the maximum distance flown to perform a display.
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1954, Dyce (Aberdeen) and I'm 3 years old, in my siren suit (a sort of early onesy!) and in the crowd at a brilliant display with my ex-RAF Dad. I was entranced by the Chipmunks balloon-bursting display. Anyway - all is going well until , over to the far right I failed to spot a small speck approaching very fast. It was probably very near to Mach 1 as there was almost no approaching sound and then suddenly the most almighty scream/roar and shock wave very close to the crowd line. Frightened me absolutely ****less and I burst into tears of fright to the amusement of my Dad and his ex-RAF friends. I can still 'see' the silhouette of the Swift as it turned away!
Didn't put me off, though - 17 years later I joined the RAF and had a great time for nearly 20 years.
DS
Didn't put me off, though - 17 years later I joined the RAF and had a great time for nearly 20 years.
DS
I remember the Boscombe display very well, little did I know that within a year I would be controlling there.
Churh Femton late 70's. Crowd line marked by a piece of string on bamboo posts. About 30yds towards the runway were the stanchions holding the PA speakers. Just to our right a family were watching as we were but there was one lad, about 7 years old, who kept ducking under the string and running out to the speaker, round and back. He did this a few times until eventually RAF Police came and had a word with him and his folks. Discussion about "oh, he's only doing boy things, and no harm" etc. Anyway, told not to do it again.
5-mins later, off the kid scoots again heading out to the speaker; parents oblivious and not caring. What they hadn't seen though was the F4 coming in from the right in a very low and VERY fast fly-by. The kid dropped to the floor a gibbering wreck and his dad had to go and collect him. Last I saw was them leaving, dad fuming, mum nagging and the kid still trembling with distinctly urine-coloured patches down his trousers. :-) I bet that was an interesting journey home.
Churh Femton late 70's. Crowd line marked by a piece of string on bamboo posts. About 30yds towards the runway were the stanchions holding the PA speakers. Just to our right a family were watching as we were but there was one lad, about 7 years old, who kept ducking under the string and running out to the speaker, round and back. He did this a few times until eventually RAF Police came and had a word with him and his folks. Discussion about "oh, he's only doing boy things, and no harm" etc. Anyway, told not to do it again.
5-mins later, off the kid scoots again heading out to the speaker; parents oblivious and not caring. What they hadn't seen though was the F4 coming in from the right in a very low and VERY fast fly-by. The kid dropped to the floor a gibbering wreck and his dad had to go and collect him. Last I saw was them leaving, dad fuming, mum nagging and the kid still trembling with distinctly urine-coloured patches down his trousers. :-) I bet that was an interesting journey home.
Someone is heard to utter, 'Is it going to land?'
Thought police antagonist
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With hindsight, it probably wasn't a good idea to suggest destitute apprentices spend a day selling programmes at Biggin Hill one year..... although it's possible several local hostelries in Wendover may have subsequently become the grateful beneficiaries of this excursion.
Gaydon.....space cadet visit and the arrival into service of the Dominie at said Air Show or "At Home" ..cue much puff and promotional commentary as to the versatile navigational capabilities "best thing since sliced bread " style of said beast. The crowd gazed heavenwards in expectation, true it was a bit murky but nothing untoward as other flying had been taking place, and, in the distance, could be heard, just, the dulcet sound if two Vipers but then....silence. And, an even longer silence from the commentator , the sort that means, "this isn't going to plan " silence. before, in strangely much more subdued and muted tones, "erm, the Dominie has missed the airfield ".....thankfully, it found it "some time later ".
Gaydon.....space cadet visit and the arrival into service of the Dominie at said Air Show or "At Home" ..cue much puff and promotional commentary as to the versatile navigational capabilities "best thing since sliced bread " style of said beast. The crowd gazed heavenwards in expectation, true it was a bit murky but nothing untoward as other flying had been taking place, and, in the distance, could be heard, just, the dulcet sound if two Vipers but then....silence. And, an even longer silence from the commentator , the sort that means, "this isn't going to plan " silence. before, in strangely much more subdued and muted tones, "erm, the Dominie has missed the airfield ".....thankfully, it found it "some time later ".
Thanks to Airpig and TEEJ for the videos and for correcting my poor memory. Yes it was an SU27. That type is an important part of another air display experience I will never forget. The SU27 carried out the usual spectacular display at the Yeovilton Air Day some years ago. After it landed I wandered round to the visitors parking area to have a look at it. I took the pilot to be a very grumpy, scruffy sort of guy in a blue overall. He borrowed a ladder and leaned it against the leading edge of the port wing. He climbed the ladder and opened a hatch in the top of the wing and started tugging angrily at whatever was inside. He pulled out what looked like small supermarket bags and threw them onto the ground. Eventually, after a lot of tugging he pulled out a coiled up length of hose and, after throwing that on the ground he descended back down the ladder. It appeared that this hose was an adapter which enabled them to connect some vital service to the NATO system. Once the hose was finished with, he returned the hose and plastic bags the hatch and closed the lid.
He then placed the ladder under the nose wheel area and started another vigorous tug of war with something inside the nose wheel arch.It turned out to be a folded up tarpaulin, which he refolded and replaced. I couldn't get over the fact that all of these objects were in place during his extremely energetic display with lots of negative G.
Having replaced everything he got on board and taxied out. I set my scanner to the appropriate UHF frequencies and listened in to his various conversations with London Military. The last I heard was a frantic controller pleading with him to descend back down to the altitude to which he had been cleared.
Sadly you don't get anything like that at the Yeovilton Airday anymore.
He then placed the ladder under the nose wheel area and started another vigorous tug of war with something inside the nose wheel arch.It turned out to be a folded up tarpaulin, which he refolded and replaced. I couldn't get over the fact that all of these objects were in place during his extremely energetic display with lots of negative G.
Having replaced everything he got on board and taxied out. I set my scanner to the appropriate UHF frequencies and listened in to his various conversations with London Military. The last I heard was a frantic controller pleading with him to descend back down to the altitude to which he had been cleared.
Sadly you don't get anything like that at the Yeovilton Airday anymore.
Avoid imitations
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I previously wrote this here:
How time flies by - F4 Crash, Abingdon 88
I was very sad to hear the outcome of the BOI.
In my mind's eye I can still see that F-4 descending whilst the pilot attempted to gain altitude when it was at the top of that loop. The tragic accident occurred only a short time later, at RAF Abingdon and appeared to replicate the same error of judgement. A great shame that no-one with any clout realised what had happened and could have debriefed them. I was a mere observer and just a helicopter pilot so I would have been deemed unworthy to comment - but I wish I had been able to.
How time flies by - F4 Crash, Abingdon 88
ShyTorque30th Sep 2010, 23:42
I too watched the F-4 practice at Finningley the week before and was worried by what I saw during a loop. The pilot definitely appeared to push the nose up whilst inverted, without gaining height, or perhaps even descending a little. As the aircraft bottomed out, pulling a lot of G, it began wing rocking. I never flew the type but did know that this was a pre-emptor of the type departing from controlled flight.I was very sad to hear the outcome of the BOI.
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I watched the Phantom display at Duxford a week or two before the Abingdon crash and recall feeling extremely uncomfortable - the pull outs looked extremely hard to this then 24 year old civvy whose only expertise was a decade or so of airshow attendances.
The Abingdon accident still haunts me. I watched that display on many occasions as it was practised at Leuchars from the Runway Caravan and the tower. What sadly happened was predicted by more than one. At previous shows comment was also noted about the display, but they were allowed to continue. May they RIP.