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Baldonnel/Shannon Airshows - things were different then (PICS)

  • 07-02-2014 11:11pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 548 ✭✭✭


    Probably breaking some forum rules? Prepare for some crappy pics, but just remember I was a kid with a crappy camera.

    How these were in an airworthy condition after a bunch of Irish yokels climbing all over them, opening and closing panels I'll never know. Yeah, if you were lucky you could get into the pilot seat of a Warthog or Viper.


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,370 ✭✭✭b757


    The country needs a proper airshow. These Air "Spectaculars" don't cut it any more!

    Cool pictures!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 781 ✭✭✭CINCLANTFLT


    Shannon 1990 is it? I have a similar set of photos, even the same angle shot of the C5 and A10!


  • Registered Users Posts: 548 ✭✭✭Nwm2


    Shannon 1990 is it? I have a similar set of photos, even the same angle shot of the C5 and A10!

    Thought it might be a bit earlier than 1990? Could be wrong. The B17/Warthog formation was Baldonnel a few years earlier again.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,559 ✭✭✭andy_g


    Talking to a friend recently about the idea of how they do it in Malta. Have a aviation foundation to seek the participants and run the show.

    They seek funding through donations and memberships, then run it with the international airport.

    If this was in place and had good standing with the Air Corp i wouldnt see why it couldnt be run.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,979 ✭✭✭Stovepipe


    the Yanks learned the hard way in Shannon that year. The punters nicked everything that wasn't set in concrete from that Galaxy........at one of the Don airshows, the pilot of one of the Mirage 2000s was enraged to discover that the passing public used his tailpipe as a bin.I put a set of steps up to the tail and cleaned out the accumulated crisp bags and coke cans. Some other genius actually put a biro cap into the pitot tube of a Tornado.Fortunately, it melted when the pitot heat was selected and did not block the tube. there were several other incidents of public interference so the aircraft were cordoned off from then on.

    regards
    Stovepipe


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,559 ✭✭✭andy_g


    Stovepipe wrote: »
    there were several other incidents of public interference so the aircraft were cordoned off from then on.

    regards
    Stovepipe

    To be fair at all airshows th A/C should be cordoned off or only open to certain types of ticket holders at certain times.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 9,698 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tenger


    andy_g wrote: »
    To be fair at all airshows the A/C should be cordoned off or only open to certain types of ticket holders at certain times.
    Indeed. Absolutely shocking that these aircraft were allowed to be mauled by the public.

    Personally I would love to hand hands on access to such machines but its always the lowest common denominator (ie muppets) that you have to plan for. Just look at the idiots in zoo's who think it is funny to bang on the tiger/lion/snake/spider glass.

    I can still remember being able to touch a B-17G in Fermanagh approx 25 years ago....or even being onboard the B787 prototype (ZA003) 3 years back in DUB.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,048 ✭✭✭✭Grandeeod


    Ive great memories of the airshows in Baldonnel. Fuega jets, F-16 fly over, AL 747 fly over, fab displays, glorious sunshine. Brilliant days.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,770 ✭✭✭EchoIndia




  • Registered Users Posts: 548 ✭✭✭Nwm2


    Grandeeod wrote: »
    Ive great memories of the airshows in Baldonnel. Fuega jets, F-16 fly over, AL 747 fly over, fab displays, glorious sunshine. Brilliant days.

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  • Registered Users Posts: 276 ✭✭stopthepanic


    OP's second picture, 'What do you call a man with a missile on his head?'...............................................................................'SAM'.

    Sorry, couldn't resist!!!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,112 ✭✭✭notharrypotter


    How these were in an airworthy condition after a bunch of Irish yokels climbing all over them, opening and closing panels I'll never know.
    Indeed. Absolutely shocking that these aircraft were allowed to be mauled by the public.
    or only open to certain types
    I feel the above comments are unfair.
    An air show in Ireland in the 1990's would have been a big day out for most people.
    Flying was still a novelty for most and their idea of exotic travel was a week in Spain.

    Most would have not understood the significance of taking a "souvenir" of their visit.

    Nor do I believe the organisers could foresee the dangers of "yokels" climbing all over their hardware.


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,015 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    Is it just me or are those German aircraft actually cordoned off? There doesn't appear to be anyone mauling them at least. I grew up near Baldonnel so remember the airshows very well. Some years we went down to the aerodrome, some years we just sat on the shed roof! Great days really.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,979 ✭✭✭Stovepipe


    The problem was, a lot of the punters ignored barriers or became aggressive when told to stay off the aircraft or parents allowed children to swing out of props and pitot tubes and wingtips and steal "remove before flight" streamers and /or because the Military visitors trusted the airport police to provide European-standard security to the aircraft. Several European visitors refused to ever attend a civil airshow again, in Ireland, unless the Air Corps or Army provided tamper-proof security. I did see a very angry German officer berate an Irish Officer, who was tasked with keeping the aircraft secure, because of the amount of people who regarded it as their right to touch the aircraft. I'm perfectly aware that people want access to the aircraft but there comes a time when you have to cordon them off, even from in-house people. As an example, a friend of mine brought his fabric-covered biplane to a small, local air display and parked it up and then went off for a pee and tea.When he came back, kids were climbing all over it and using as a playframe. He removed the children and got a great deal of grief from their parents, so he has stayed away from such events ever since. You really should only allow access under controlled conditions.

    regards
    Stovepipe


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,005 ✭✭✭✭AlekSmart


    murphaph wrote: »
    Is it just me or are those German aircraft actually cordoned off? There doesn't appear to be anyone mauling them at least. I grew up near Baldonnel so remember the airshows very well. Some years we went down to the aerodrome, some years we just sat on the shed roof! Great days really.

    Well spotted........These Germans know the value of stuff,whilst the Mericans just make some more to replace whatever is destroyed....:rolleyes:


    Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.

    Charles Mackay (1812-1889)



  • Registered Users Posts: 14,005 ✭✭✭✭AlekSmart


    Stovepipe wrote: »
    the Yanks learned the hard way in Shannon that year. The punters nicked everything that wasn't set in concrete from that Galaxy........at one of the Don airshows, the pilot of one of the Mirage 2000s was enraged to discover that the passing public used his tailpipe as a bin.I put a set of steps up to the tail and cleaned out the accumulated crisp bags and coke cans. Some other genius actually put a biro cap into the pitot tube of a Tornado.Fortunately, it melted when the pitot heat was selected and did not block the tube. there were several other incidents of public interference so the aircraft were cordoned off from then on.

    regards
    Stovepipe

    Proof,if twas needed of Winston Churchills thinking on democracy.....

    “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”.....or Airshow attendee :)


    Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.

    Charles Mackay (1812-1889)



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,100 ✭✭✭ectoraige


    I just love that picture of the Galaxy with the Zig & Zag ice-cream van.


  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭Franticfrank


    Great pictures! I remember being at the Shannon show...was that 1989 or 1990? That level of access is unbelievable...I can imagine the anti-war crowd would strip the aircraft to the bone if that was allowed today.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 9,698 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tenger


    I feel the above comments are unfair.
    An air show in Ireland in the 1990's would have been a big day out for most people.......Most would have not understood the significance of taking a "souvenir" of their visit.

    Nor do I believe the organisers could foresee the dangers of "yokels" climbing all over their hardware.

    I'm not sure how I was being 'unfair'. My comment was critical of the organisers. Of course people are going to see it as a big day out and want to touch the aircraft. The organisers should have barriers and supervision.

    I had access to the EI staff party in 2011....even with all the attendees being aviation staff(who in theory should be familiar with the situation) or family of staff, there was discrete supervision of the light aircraft that were parked on the ramp. And the jets were out of bounds.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,112 ✭✭✭notharrypotter


    We are applying 2000+ standards to the 1990's.

    In 1990 things were a lot less regulated and "security" did not command the power it has today.

    An airshow was a huge deal. But organization and foresight were not respected or properly appreciated in Ireland at the time.

    I attended a holiday fair in Shannon around that time.
    It had a huge attendance with long queues.
    Its easy to judge in hindsight but looking back I don't believe they expected the crowds that turned up.


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  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 9,698 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tenger


    In 1990 things were a lot less regulated..........
    But organization and foresight were not respected or properly appreciated in Ireland at the time.......

    This (admittedly misquoted) statement sums up Ireland over the past 20 years.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18,184 ✭✭✭✭Lapin


    We are applying 2000+ standards to the 1990's.

    In 1990 things were a lot less regulated and "security" did not command the power it has today.

    An airshow was a huge deal. But organization and foresight were not respected or properly appreciated in Ireland at the time.


    Meanwhile in 2007. From RTÉ News

    The Royal Air Force helicopter was being piloted by a 35-year-old man.

    A report from the Air Accident Investigation Unit found that 400 members of the public were in the aircraft over several hours as the crew prepared to perform a static display.

    The door fell from the helicopter which was hovering at around 40m over the public park close to the promenade at Salthill in Galway.

    In the report, three spectators give accounts of the door falling to the ground.

    A woman attending the airshow told inspectors that the door hit her in the chin before she fell to the ground.

    The investigation team found that the event was not malicious but occurred as a result of, 'a mindless act of curiosity on the part of an unknown spectator.'

    It also found that a contributory factor was the failure of the flight crew to detect the unsecured condition of the emergency exit during a pre-flight inspection.


    Boards Thread


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 472 ✭✭folbotcar


    I missed out on the Shannon airshow at the time. I was at most of the Baldonnel shows. Never managed to get close to anything. At RAF Valley the crowd were allowed into a C130 and a Shackleton. But it was well controlled.

    At one of the Fairyhouse shows there was a CH 53 on static display. When I lifted up my little bro to look inside the cockpit. He hit his head on the open window. The slightly irritated crewman closed it after that leaving me redfaced.

    But at Fairyhouse you were even close to flying aircraft. Really close. If you were in the stands you'd be looking down at some of them! I have a photo of a Bandeirante somewhere that probably wouldn't have cleared the final fence on the straight.


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