Airshows

Rubecula

There is probably another forum that would be better suited to this, but some of us elder folks do like a bit of this sort of thing.

This weekend it is the RIAT (Royal International Air Tattoo) and next week is the Farnborough airshow (Trade all week and airshow on the weekend) Both are pretty big events.

We have a contingent going to both of these, so we will be short staffed here. (I wanted to be part of one of the contingents but sadly I was not picked as I am needed here.)

Anyway, not sure how many of you will be going, or how many of you want to go to either, but anyone who does go, look out for the Hawk flypast in the shape of E II R as that is our lot, and of course the ground crews there are my work mates.

If you fancy going at all you can find the info for the airshows on the net. I hope you enjoy it, it takes an awful lot of work getting these things up and running and it is nice to be able to show off a bit.

RIAT:

http://www.airtattoo.com/airshow


Farnborough:

http://farnborough.c...isplay-aircraft

Hope that anyone who does go has fun and it isn't too wet.

OldGoat

For the last couple of years I've been going up to Dundrum in County Down to see the airshow there. Have to say that - cynic that I am - the Red Arrows are AWESOME. I tried to be nonchalant and blasé about it but 10 minutes into their flypast I was squeeling like a girlie and giggling, real giggling. And I was sober at the time!

Jellybaby1

Ahhhh, the Red Arrows, they can even turn the head of Old Goats!

Rubecula

They are pretty good indeed, a few of our pilots went to them. (They fly the same aircraft you see,) We sometimes get a red arrow jet in for a major servicing. and they often pop up here to try out their new routines on us.

When one of theirs is in need of major work (over stressed or whatever) they borrow one of ours (after a new paint job of course)

I say one of ours I am referring to the old Mark 1, I work on the newer Mark 2 nowadays, the Dead Sparrows don't have them.

Jellybaby1

Ya lost me between "They are..." and "...have them".

P.S. Don't be spreading rumours about Red Arrahhs being 'stressed' - that scares the fibre outta me! :eek:

Chucken

We stumbled on a Red Arrows display in Malta a few years back.
Of course himself said he knew all about it happening, so it was a surprise...ya sure!:rolleyes:
It was brilliant..even though I had a non stop narration in my ear from he who knows everything *sigh*

Rubecula

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Ya lost me between "They are..." and "...have them".

P.S. Don't be spreading rumours about Red Arrahhs being 'stressed' - that scares the fibre outta me! :eek:

All aircraft are stressed, they have gauges in them that monitor the stressing. It is perfectly safe, there are certain limits (well within safe zone) where we take them out of service and check them over before letting them fly again. If any repairs are needed we do them. Over-stressing is very rare, even for the red arrows. When this happens the aircraft is taken out of service until fully repaired and tested, or in extreme cases, scrapped.

Spread

Chucken wrote: »

We stumbled on a Red Arrows display in Malta a few years back.
Of course himself said he knew all about it happening, so it was a surprise...ya sure!:rolleyes:
It was brilliant..even though I had a non stop narration in my ear from he who knows everything *sigh*

In a Micheal O Muiracheartaigh voice, "And now the fellow in front has his left indicator on .......... OMG, they're all turning left ................"

nompere

As a kid I remember going to the Airshow at Farnborough on a number of occasions. I suppose it would have been from around 1960 to 1964. There are various things that stick in my mind.

The Avro Vulcan, which was probably the most beautiful plane I have ever seen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Vulcan

The Victor, another of the three V bombers of the era, which was not quite as beautiful as the Vulcan, but still gorgeous: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handley_Page_Victor

The Lightning, which even flying subsonically hurt as it flew past: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Electric_Lightning

Hawker Hunters – I think they did formation flying as well in those days.

The Red Arrows – they were only formed in 1964 – flying Gnats.

Buccaneers – planes were lovely in those days, weren’t they? Look at the Royal Navy plane on this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Buccaneer

The earliest Harriers – a plane that could hover!

The ferocious traffic jams to get out of the car park and then home – my father was never the most patient driver!

Rubecula

I worked on Vulcans, put out a fire on a Victor, worked alongside the Lightenings, serviced Hunters, and until very recently did work on Red Arrows aircraft. I was X-trained on Buccaneers.

Hate Harriers though ever since they first started to appear. (They may be good but a pig to work on and the noise they make is horrible)

Yes traffic is usually bad at airshows, they are amazingly popular.

Jellybaby1

Hi nonpere! Another chum for Rubes to play with in the sandpit! Hope you brought your model aery-o-plains! (Was Rubes James Bond in another life, or was he really Peter Sellers?)

Spread

Was going to say Snoopy but I won't as these aircrafty people can be terribly sensitive Bless!

Go Snoopy Goooooooooo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YG8GNenGcM

Rubecula

I am sobbing away here as we speak Spread :pac:

Cicero

Bray air show on this weekend ...in Bray, of all places.:p