Ostrava Airshow, Czech Rep. 24-25 Sep

[24left]

Anything for the 2011 event to go here!!

[Screenes]

Austria:

Typhoon (F)
BlackHawk (S)

Belgium:

A-109 (S)
C-130 (S)
Sea King SAR (F)

Czech republic:

JAS-39 Gripen (F/S)
L-159 ALCA (F/S)
2x L-159 ALCA Close Air Support (F)
Mi-24 (F/S)
Mi-171Sh (S)
2x Mi-171Sh (F)
C-295M (S)
L-410 (S)
W-3A Sokol (F)

France:

Mirage 2000N (S)

Germany:

Typhoon (S)

Hungary:

JAS-39D Gripen (S)

Italy:

2x Typhoon (S)

Latvia:

Baltic Bees 5xL-39 (F)

Netherlands:

F-16 (F)

Norway:

2x F-16 (S)

Slovakia:

MiG-29 (F/S)

Turkey:

Turkish Stars (F)
C-160 (support)

UK:

KingAir B200 (F)
E-3D Sentry (S)
2x Typhoon (S)
Red Arrows (F)
C-130 (support)
Tucano (F)

USA:

B-52 (S)
C-130H2 (S)
2x F-15E (S)

http://www.dny-nato.cz/technika.php?lang=en

[st24]

Updated - now with added Israelis....

http://www.dny-nato.cz/page.php?page=27

Every single major foreign show has made the RAF ones look like a country bazaar with a flypast or 2. Why are ours so rubbish?

Loving the UK/Czech "special defence relationship logo". Or should that read " send us all of your display acts and we'll send you pretty much nothing" realtionship???

[Kieran]

For what is meant to be a 'small' airshow, having a Polish Hip, Austrian Tiff, Austrian S-70, Slovak MiG 29, Turkish Stars, Red Arrows, USAF B-52H and the Israelis is a superb effort! Really is baffling to see that the RAF have sent 4x Hawk T1As, Red Arrows, King Air display, 2x 6 Sqn Typhoons, Tucano display, C-17 and E-3D to the CIAF and Ostrava whereas the Czechs only sent a Gripen and '295 to Leuchars...

[st24]

the Czechs only sent a Gripen and '295 to Leuchars...

...and nothing to Cosford or RIAT, cancelled Wado to got to Zeltweg and sent a Mi24 & Mi8 all the way to Weston for a very low key museum open day.

[24left]

Bags packed, hit the road tomorrow. Hotel room has a snooker table and private patio for 100 euros!! Gonna be good.

[TonyO]

Amazing how the RAF can suddenly spare an E-3D for a show in the Czech Republic, isn't Ellamy still on?

[TomG]

and a C-17 (although I note that it's down for support, presumably the Reds) ......... guess it's a sign of how much 'value' the RAF attaches to the 'NATO Days' event as opposed to supporting our own events ............. where was the E-3D, C-17 at Leuchars?

Tom

[TonyO]

and a C-17 (although I note that it's down for support, presumably the Reds) ......... guess it's a sign of how much 'value' the RAF attaches to the 'NATO Days' event as opposed to supporting our own events ............. where was the E-3D, C-17 at Leuchars?

I guess the next round of recruitment is coming from Eastern Europe then!

[pako-2008]

Maybe it's more of a case of the RAF trying to build/rebuild relationships for next year, considering the Czechs pulled the plug on Waddo this year, with a small support for 2 other events.

Everybody wants such and such air arm to send this or that asset to RIAT or the next UK airshow, but the RAF don't always do it the other way. Outisde of Izmir and this show, maybe Koksijde included, the RAF haven't really supported much outside of the UK with more than one display. Perhaps other air arms view it in that perspective.

[tomcatforever]

Red Arrows just arrived back at Scampton so can say they might have cancelled

[24left]

What a pile of pants it was!!!! More detail when I get home with a few photos.........

[SilentFlight]

What a pile of pants it was!!!! More detail when I get home with a few photos.........

On the contrary it is always very good, just as this year was, its not an airshow more a defence show showing everything from the emergency services, civil defence army and air arms. there never has been a non stop flying display and sadly the positioning of the sun puts pay to any really decent display shots, but there is plenty going on.

I for one enjoyed it and hoping we have got some support for Waddo next year.

[IanOlder]

I for one enjoyed it and hoping we have got some support for Waddo next year.

Been chatting to the Israeli's?

[st24]

I for one enjoyed it and hoping we have got some support for Waddo next year.

You did have this year....

[Sussexlad]

Having just returned from a visit to the Czech Republic (beautiful country btw) I think we need to put things into perspective:

Pros:
Well organised.
Good variety of static content.
Free.
Great weather.

Cons:
Display line over countryside at 90 degrees to the active runway.
Mostly shooting into the sun during the rather distant flying displays.
Ground display (artillery/tanks) going on at the same time as aerial displays.
A very long trek around the airfield to get into the event.

As for the RAF vs Czech airshow attendance debate, bear in mind that the Czech AF is going through the same rounds of cost-cutting as the RAF e.g. all of the Mi-24's are reputedly up for sale. Also bear in mind that both the Red Arrows and the Typhoons failed to show, the former given as family issues with one of the team members that is fully understandable but no explanation given for the latter. Also both the King Air and Tucano displayed to ELO's 'Mr Blue Sky' that I think puzzled the locals a little who quite rightly questioned whether they'd spoken to each other before choosing their music!


To sum up, I think CIAF at Hradec-Kralove is a better event that has the bonus of the sun being behind you during the display and some great scenery in the background with the display acts being much closer.

Photos to follow when I get time.

[p2philip]

The sun in front of you is a disadvantage but I can`t see why people need to complain about it as it is very well known from previous shows that a 20min walk will bring you right below the display line with fantastic light.....

[kichu]

philip is right, you go to airfield than you get out of airfield using the exit closest do the display line, the you do 10 minute walk through the field, and you are on the display line