Salthill Airshow 2003

daveg

As I posted info last year on after hours is anyone heading to the Salthill Airshow this year (July 6th).

Imo not going to be as good as last year but we will see a Panava Tornado :cool: and the red arrows . Also there will be aBae Nimrod

I'm sure the Aer Arann will be in attendance as well :rolleyes:

daveg

So anyone going today?

Myself and patch69 went out yesterday to see if any jets were practicing. We sat down outside Kilorglans and in the time it took to drink the pint we saw:

2 A10's


Panavia Tornado (did an excellent high speed pass right over the prom - loads of people shít themselves when the Tornado passed and the sound hit ).


We also saw 2 F-16's - nice and loud. Looks like it's gonna be good this year.

oeNeo

I was in Galway yesterday and I saw a couple of them practicing flying around the coast. They rawked.

The Tornado was the best tbh.

El Marco

I was in galway yesterday with a few friends relaxing on the beach when two A-10's flew over extremely low. I was seriously taken back as I hadn't a clue about the air show
Well the A-10's did four or five fly overs and landed and I thought nothing more about it. Then the tornado flew over and I was blown away. The cool thing was the fact I didn't hear the tornado till it was directly above us. It did some sweet moves, like swooping down, building speed and swooping up through the clouds in only a few seconds.
Afterwards the F-16's flew over but they were to far away to really appreciate. Needless to say it made me day.
Pity I couldn't stay another day and go to the air show.

Calibos

Course the neutrality guardians have been in the papers giving out saying the airshow glamourises war, blah, blah, blah. Killing machines etc etc. What a shower of boring, nothing better to do, psuedo crusties.

daveg

Twas so funny on Sat when the Tornado did made it's appearance and did a 500 mph highspeed pass parallel to the prom. To see the faces of the people walking was comical. The was one women standing across from us... she nearly shít herself.

suppafly

that blue lightening plane looks sweet!

Beëlzebooze

Last friday lunchtime, the tornado's where doing some training above Shannon freezone, got my own private airshow.

Yesterday afternoon (sunday) one A10 flew over my house, I assume on it's way to the UK.

daveg

Originally posted by Beëlzebooze

Yesterday afternoon (sunday) one A10 flew over my house, I assume on it's way to the UK.

Back to Italy to their US base. When you say Tornado`s do you mean there was more than 1? Only 1 flew at the airshow.

Beëlzebooze

two, defo two.

I thought they where blue, and I thought that was strange, and just assumed that it was an effect of looking into the bright sky.

But when tho's photo's where posted, that is exacly the colour they had.

Also last thursday driving home, I was on the new dual carriage way to ennis, and I could swear I saw TWO A10's doing some sexy formation flying. I was not aware of the airshow, so I was surprised to see two of them, flying circles over shannon. But as I said i could of sworn they where A10's ( thay where at quite a distance)

I only saw one A10 yesterday, but it was really up close to the house.

How do you know that the A10 is stationed in Italy? They have them stationed in Germany and Luxembourg too, although I'm not sure about the UK.

the Tornado's last friday where awsome, the whole freezone shook from the noise they made, at one point they disapeared from sight, only to come screaming over the building where I work, going in to a steep climb.

daveg

I thought they where blue, and I thought that was strange, and just assumed that it was an effect of looking into the bright sky.

More photo's of the "blue lightening" Panava Tornado's can be seen here and here, and some superb wallpaper can be found here.

They really are an amazing aircraft. They have a variable-geometry wing which means the wing sweeps forward during turns to enable tighter turns and then wing sweeps back during highspeed to give better wing resistance.

the Tornado's last friday where awsome, the whole freezone shook from the noise they made, at one point they disapeared from sight, only to come screaming over the building where I work, going in to a steep climb.

It's the loudest aircraft I have ever heard. The "screaming" you heard is when they ignite the afterburner for acceleration. To achieve this they dump fuel into the exhaust which is ignited. Even on the ground you can smell the spent fuel.

Also last thursday driving home, I was on the new dual carriage way to ennis, and I could swear I saw TWO A10's doing some sexy formation flying. I was not aware of the airshow, so I was surprised to see two of them, flying circles over shannon. But as I said i could of sworn they where A10's ( thay where at quite a distance)

Yes there was 2 but only 1 flew at the airshow as they were short on time to return to Italy (3 hour flight).

How do you know that the A10 is stationed in Italy? They have them stationed in Germany and Luxembourg too, although I'm not sure about the UK.

Was announced at the airshow.

Beëlzebooze

I doubt that was the afterburner, considering he was flying over the town at the time. It's very difficult to determine how high an aircraft is, but taking the distance he was from the airport and the angle he was climbing at, he could not have been more than 600ft in the air, igniting the afterburners 600ft above a town would have got the pilot into serious trouble.

Silvera

Guys,

For info (discussion board) and pics from the airshow, check out -
www.irishairpics.com

Silvera.

D-Generate

I am currently saveing money to try and go to the Paris Air Show next year, however I might put it off as I doubt the Americans will want to participate in it. There are no static displays at the Salthill Airshow right?

daveg

Originally posted by Beëlzebooze
I doubt that was the afterburner, considering he was flying over the town at the time. It's very difficult to determine how high an aircraft is, but taking the distance he was from the airport and the angle he was climbing at, he could not have been more than 600ft in the air, igniting the afterburners 600ft above a town would have got the pilot into serious trouble.

He would have no problem igniting the afterburners even at 600 feet. After his high speed passes along Salthill he turned into a climb and turned them on at about 200 feet. It would be a different story for him to break the sound barrier at low altitude as this would have broken every window in the surrounding area.

I am currently saveing money to try and go to the Paris Air Show next year, however I might put it off as I doubt the Americans will want to participate in it. There are no static displays at the Salthill Airshow right?

The Paris airshow would be the dogs bollax and is renowned as one of the best airshows in the world. It is mainly used as a sales show for goverments around the world. Just looking at the flying display lineup you have the Eurofighter, The SAAB Gripen & best of all a Su-27SK & Mig 29 from Russia. I'd give my right arm to see one of the migs/SU-27's in a display. If you can't afford Paris you should consider one of the UK airshows. We've been to RAF COsford & Waddington airshows in the past and they were excellent.

daveg

Originally posted by daveg
He would have no problem igniting the afterburners even at 600 feet. After his high speed passes along Salthill he turned into a climb and turned them on at about 200 feet. It would be a different story for him to break the sound barrier at low altitude as this would have broken every window in the surrounding area.



The Paris airshow would be the dogs bollax and is renowned as one of the best airshows in the world. It is mainly used as a sales show for goverments around the world. Just looking at the flying display lineup you have the Eurofighter, The SAAB Gripen & best of all a Su-27SK & Mig 29 from Russia. I'd give my right arm to see one of the migs/SU-27's in a display. If you can't afford Paris you should consider one of the UK airshows. We've been to RAF COsford & Waddington airshows in the past and they were excellent.

There are no static displays at the Salthill Airshow right?

No unfortunatly not. They would have had to push the Tornado up from Shannon as this is the nearest airport the plane can land (Galway airport too small).

Silvera

Last year there were 2 US Army Chinook helis on display. People there were queing for ages to have a look inside them.


One of our own Air Corps Alouette III helis also landed for a period, to pick up the Irish Army Black Knight parachute display team, and had the crowd enthralled for quite a while.

Those Alouette's have served us well - forty years and going strong

Silvera.