NATO Air Days in Ostrava / CZ 22.-23. September 2012

[F-16]

Apologize

[F-16]

Apologize

[Leadfoot]

The website says the following about the opening hours:
Saturday: 8.30 - 18.00 (programme: 9.00 - 17.00)
Sunday: 8.30 - 17.00 (programme: 9.00 - 16.00)

Gates open only half an hour before the start of displays? Not a lot of time for the static area in the morning...
Does anyone know why is the Saturday programme 1 hour longer? My bet is that it's due to the official opening ceremony, but it would be good to know for sure, since I don't want to miss anything. (Sadly enough, I had to cancel my two-day trip due to family issues, so it's either Saturday or Sunday for me.)

[Eizo]

http://lumfile.com/fbjf6o5v1a23/00007.part2.rar.html

http://rapidgator.net/file/43095115/000 ... 1.rar.html

Would you please mind and stop spamming this thread with offtopic pictures?

If you want to show them, please continue here:

viewforum.php?f=8
viewforum.php?f=12

Thanks!

[Eizo]

The website says the following about the opening hours:
Saturday: 8.30 - 18.00 (programme: 9.00 - 17.00)
Sunday: 8.30 - 17.00 (programme: 9.00 - 16.00)

Gates open only half an hour before the start of displays? Not a lot of time for the static area in the morning...
Does anyone know why is the Saturday programme 1 hour longer? My bet is that it's due to the official opening ceremony, but it would be good to know for sure, since I don't want to miss anything. (Sadly enough, I had to cancel my two-day trip due to family issues, so it's either Saturday or Sunday for me.)

To be honest I would go for the Friday, if possible. The weekend itself looks terrible actually, both days with rain. Hope the forecast turns out wrong...
Otherwise I would go for Saturday, for sure less people compared to Sunday. (I did not count the last shows )

[F-16]

Apologize, thanks for the links. - EIZO

First change - First B-52 today 8:30! (in next ten minutes)

[F-16]

EIZO - Saturday has always more people than Sunday, because a lot of people (from Czech Rep.) travels from distant places and they have to be Monday morning at work. So they choose mainly Saturday. But this is only my idea. But I am local so maybe I am right?

Leadfoot - Opening ceremony - maybe 15 min? - Usually it is flyby of helicopters (Mi-171, Mi-24), training aircrafts (L-39, L-159), fighters (Gripens) (each in formation of 3 units) and transport aircrafts (CASA, Airbus). Main "Ace" F-16 from Netherlands about 15:00 or 16:00. Typhoon from RAF before 2 years about 12:00. Saturday is recomnended by me, overcrowded by people does not count in this case. Sunday program is shorter because of departures of visitors (read my text above for EIZO) - flight program has smaller gaps and is a little bit different (It means, if you can is good to be there booth days). So sure take Saturday, but if you can be at Mosnov with your car about 7:30. If you go by train or foot - no problem, anytime.

[Eizo]

French Air Force sends C-135FR

I thought refuelling would be done by USAF?

EDIT:

NO USAF F-16
NO USAF F-15E
NO USAF KC-135 (Static nor Dynamic)

Instead now 2x F-15C, Refueling demo done by French Air Force

http://www.natodays.cz/the-aerial-refue ... force.news

[Eizo]

Program for Saturday and Sunday published:

http://www.natodays.cz/saturday-programme-2012.htm

http://www.natodays.cz/sunday-programme-2012.htm

No Mi-24 display! I mean: There would be 4 Mi-24 at Ostrava...

Without foreign participation, they could really lock up NATO AIR DAYS!

But the MiGs and Sukhois will hopefully calm myself!

[whitecat]

On Saturday between 16:00 - 17:00:
Assault with hostage taking with heliborne drop off - Mi-171Š and assault of Mi-24
102nd Reconnaissance Battlation, Czech Air Force

On Sunday between 13:00 - 14:00:
Assault with hostage taking with heliborne drop off - Mi-171Š and assault of Mi-24
102nd Reconnaissance Battlation, Czech Air Force

[Eizo]

On Saturday between 16:00 - 17:00:
Assault with hostage taking with heliborne drop off - Mi-171Š and assault of Mi-24
102nd Reconnaissance Battlation, Czech Air Force

On Sunday between 13:00 - 14:00:
Assault with hostage taking with heliborne drop off - Mi-171Š and assault of Mi-24
102nd Reconnaissance Battlation, Czech Air Force

Not comparable with the known Mi-24 duo...

Weather is so-so... Hope the sunday shows no signs of rain or clouds, but doubtful... And the wind...

BTW: Nice display by the Red Arrows!

[Leadfoot]

A great show indeed. The Solo Türk was my favourite with is very low, very fast fly-by (exactly above our heads ). Ramex Delta was also great, not to mention the BUFF. But really, hats off to all participants.

The weather was also really good, except it was a bit chilly in the morning.

However, the organisation didn't seem as good as in previous years. Opening the gates just half an hour before the start of the programme, and closing the airport just after the end of the flight displays (on Sunday) was not a good idea. There was no time left for the static.
Also, some of the security guards were a bit hostile. They didn't want to let us back around 4 pm (1 hour before the closing time). Actually, the guard I talked to was kind, and when I told him we wanted to get to the car parked on the other side, he asked for our parking ticket, which I didn't have with me, but he let us in anyway. But some friends were not as lucky, and the guard they talked to was a complete ass (they were not the only ones getting into confrontation with him). So they had to walk around the airport, and they let them inside at the other gate...
I understand that emptying the showground on time is important, but it seemed to me last year that the organisers developed a really efficient way to do that.

But these are just some minor issues that could be improved, and I'm not complaining, since all-in-all, this year's NATO Days were great. Can't wait till next year.

[Eizo]

@ Leadfoot: As my friends and I were waiting for the doors to open up, I took a look at the security guys and said to my friends, I would knew a method how we could enter the static much earlier even with car: "Quick! Step aside comrade, by highest order of the leader..."

I also agree the static opening was too late. But the problem is, even at 10:00 am some aircraft canopies were covered...

[Traveller]

Opening 30 mins before start!!!! There is always something wrong with this show, thank goodness I gave it a miss.

[Chrisse]

Better than Florennes, opening 15 minutes after it started...

[Screenes]

Opening 30 mins before start!!!! There is always something wrong with this show, thank goodness I gave it a miss.

Unimportant fact at this show. Everybody who wants to take photos of flying displays or enjoy watching them, stays outside the showgrounds