October airshow

[Ben Montgomery]

So if the RAF/RN stuff is turning up on friday, do they do a pratice display then?

Not usually Ben. Run and break and land and I did say 'probably', not 'is'

Brian

My apologies I guess the Typhoon will not be staying at Duxford as per usual?

Typhoon has never stayed at Duxford

Brian

Sorry thats what i meant to say - wasnt saying that i thought it had always stayed at Duxford before

[rdchawk]

I wonder what will the crew carrier be this year for the crews to get from Duxford to Cambridge and back.

[Chrisse]

I wonder what will the crew carrier be this year for the crews to get from Duxford to Cambridge and back.

Black Cats Lynx, I think, that's what they used last year.

[rdchawk]

Have the Patrouille De France still got the female commentator??

[stuart n]

There has been an advert for Sundays show in 1 of the papers for the last 2 days. It still says XH558 will be there and is no mention of the admission price. Not the best advertising....

[DamienB]

Have the Patrouille De France still got the female commentator??

Yep. She was useless at Jersey though - didn't get more than a few sentences out, with long gaps where she was obviously as confused as the crowd as to what the team were up to (displaying in France it seemed).

[Glenn Beasley]

Yep. She was useless at Jersey though - didn't get more than a few sentences out, with long gaps where she was obviously as confused as the crowd as to what the team were up to (displaying in France it seemed).

Obviously not the best at keeping abreast of the situation then.....

[SJMF-15]

Patrouille de France just departed Cambridge for practice display. 141.825 if you can speak French.

[Thoughtful_Flyer]

Well, I've just come back from watching them at a cold and windy DX. Three of their planes did various odd passes over the field then vanished. The word was that they were just "markings their GPS". Along with many others I decided that was that and went to my car. I then caught sight of the formation re-grouping so returned and watched a full 1/2 hour pracitce dispaly. I gather they had asked for 6 miles and 6000 ft. Certainally used all of it! Frankly, some (or even a lot) of it was a bit ragged. Still I'm sure it will be alright on the night (or in the storm clouds).

Ummm....

[CH2]

[quote="Thoughtful_Flyer" Frankly, some (or even a lot) of it was a bit ragged. Still I'm sure it will be alright on the night (or in the storm clouds).

Ummm....[/quote]
Yes its was a bit loose but the weather was pretty crap to be fair and the wind cannot of made things easy. That said I was impressed how they climbed into cloud and came out as tight. Not as good as the RAFAT, but DX did damn well to secure them. Still a pretty tidy act.

Surprised that the RAF stuff was turning up on a Saturday, I thought the UK division was shut at weekends

[Thoughtful_Flyer]

Well I went but decided to park nearby and save the entrance price in view of the weather.

Catalina flew first (about 20 mins late) Reported cloud at 3 to 500 feet.

Hawk, when told to change to display on 132.9, said "don't know about display but I'll make some noise" - a few passes.

Got even murkier for the Tucanno but he did his best.

Weather then improved a bit. F16 reported that WX was getting better all around but not good enough for his display. He offered to delay. Was told to do a couple of passes. Offered again to come back later. Was told "Display Director will call Micky on his mobile" !! Presumably Micky's mobile was switched off as he did not return despite weather continuing to improve!

A couple of other displays were give tight slots and told to finish by 3.35 for Pat France. They did one fly by, turned somewhere over the next County, then did one more and that was that. I would have thought the weather at that point was just as good as for their practice yesterday. I would love to know what reason was given.

Typhoon was good in OK ish weather as was Mark.s Extra.

A couple of warbirds and that was that.

Very glad I opted to stay near the car and save my money!

[psquiddy]

Have the Patrouille De France still got the female commentator??

Just got back - she was great - introduced the PDF as "the greatest aerobatic team in the world" - they then did 2 straight level flypasts and went away again - very funny!

[XH668]

Have the Patrouille De France still got the female commentator??

Just got back - she was great - introduced the PDF as "the greatest aerobatic team in the world" - they then did 2 straight level flypasts and went away again - very funny!

[davidm]

Just got in my self. I must say that they all concerned did well considering the weather!

[SuffolkBlue]

Just got in my self. I must say that they all concerned did well considering the weather!

I have to agree. I came away happy to see some flying, but a little disappointed with the PdF. I'm not up-to-date with display regulations at airshows, but I'm pretty sure that a display team with the word 'Red' in it would have put on a more of a show in the same conditions….

And how annoying was it when MH434 landed, bringing to a end of the 2008 season, and the sun appears. Rather sums it all up………….

Big well done to all concerned

[Domvickery]

I agree the organisers did the best they could with the weather situations today. Very disappointed with the pdf at the start of the day the commentator staed that 1000ft cloudbase was the minimum for a display of some sort which it was when they said hi & bye! disappointed that the f-16 wasnt invited back (as was offered) but these things happen and i had a nice day out.
oh and did anybody see the sunset down the A14? I watched it all the way back to the midlands just draw droppingly beautiful.
bring on may 2009!!!!

[Seamus]

Just got back from Duxford, a good show despite the conditions. Well played to all the pilots, especially those at the start of the show, for braving the conditions and giving those of us there some flying.

Was a bit disappointed the F-16 never returned, but was still good to see it eventually this year having missed it at RIAT and Culdrose, and as has been said, the PDF was a bit of a let down. The Tiffie flat/rolling display was awesome- loving the vapour- but my favourite display of the day was the P-39; lovely looking aircraft with a great sound, something you don't normally get much of a chance to hear when it flies with other types

All in all, a decent display considering, looking forward to next year

[Elanor_g]

I really enjoyed today, I've lost count of the amount of airshows I've been to and nothing flew. I think my favourate memory was when the typhoon arrived, everyone just ran to the flightline The PDF were very boring, I knew the Black Cats would go up in almost any weather they're indistrucable.

Heres to next years season.

[comedyjock]

We do our best! If the weather was not good enough for the pairs, we'll always try and send a solo up.......usually me!

See you all next year.

Dave

Black 2

[ythanpythan]

I came down from Scotland for the show and was thinking I had made a terrible mistake getting off the train in Cambridge in the middle of a monsoon. Although the weather was rubbish and it was freezing (Scotland had glorious sunshine for the first time this year.... typical) I enjoyed the show and 'hats off' to all the staff at IWM and pilots for putting on a good show under difficult conditions.

Ian

[BossMan]

I think that the organisers did an excellent job with yesterdays display especially with the awful weather.

I was really dissappointed with the PDF, especially since they had been re-scheduled for 3.35 in the hope that they could get at least a flat display in, but they came did two passes and left. I dunno exactly what the cloudbase height was like but I'm sure that it must have been high enough for their flat show, especially since they had no problems with their two flypasts. I agree with what has been said above, if it was the Reds I am sure that they would have displayed their flat show. I would also love to know what the excuse was for not even attempting a display!

If only the organisers had shifted the F16, Typhoon and PDF to 430pm-ish - the conditions for the immaculate Spit-mustang duo were very good and as they landed some blue sky appeared.

Also to note one of the chipmunks went 'tech' so we didn't get the Duo display but a solo one.

Black cats were the only team to present their full show - hats off to them!!

also impressive was the Extra 300 solo - if only the blades/ aerostars/ yakovlevs/ matadors were there then they could have displayed since they would not have needed so much airspace that kept the PDF away.

Once again, well done duxford for their efforts yesterday.

[SEMAE]

I posted this in another thread but I have deleted it now, amended it and put it here.

I went on the basis that the weather could possibly turn out better than forecast by a couple of hours (it has happened before at some shows). Sadly it turned out exactly as forecast in the morning. I was prepared to get as far as five miles of Duxford after a 100 mile drive and make a decision whether to turn round and go home. By the time I got to Duxford the rain had died out a bit.

I was in no hurry and I arrived just after 2.00pm as I did not think much would happen at the official start time anyway. Instead for the first time I went to Duxford itself, paid £7.00 to park at the school and walked about five minutes to a field and watched and took a few snaps. Saw the Catalina first.

Sorry for a bit of freeloading just this once (or twice) but I recon over the last 20 years I have probably spent so much on show related expenses that otherwise could have sponsored an appearance of the Vulcan somewhere

The School had a time schedule of the flying order and the PdF had been due on at 1.30pm but it was obviously binned earlier at some stage hoping conditions would later but that was not to be so two flybys only.

Only the last 45 went fully to schedule. Most things that flew flew near or at their allotted slot times. Where you had gaps, these were the missing or part displays.

The weather was very marginal for the first two hours so well done to the pilots. It was cold and probably too breezy for others to take off

Judging from outside on how it would look if I were inside, I thought the OFMC Spit/Hurri were the best particularly from the eastern end. T28s nice and close as well. No idea about the western end. Also it appeared a few warbirds top sided to the north east very shortly after take off.

Generally you are better off taking pics in side the airfield but I was not too bothered about it on the day and I am not too bothered about posting any pics anytime soon though they are okay.

In hindsight, I should have turned round and gone home but I do not take anything away from those who went and well done. There are some nice pics posted already, particularly prop wash shots.

Would be ironic if next Sunday turned out nice and sunny. It would normally have been the usual second weekend of October for the show.

Martin