NTM 2016- Zaragoza

[Dr Cake]

Landivisiau '08 was a superb Tiger Meet and one of the best French open days I've ever attended, a staggering amount of aeroplanes were crammed end to end on the base. Sun behind you, bags of photo ops well worth it, just a shame they're missing the SuE retirement - what a send off for the old girl their last Tiger Meet would have been...

I recall some very nice imagery from Landivisiau 08 but I'm sure I remember a report stating that the best images were from the field on the approach. Thought this was the case at Cambrai to be honest! No idea whether this is true at Landivisiau but would love to find out.

Shame we won't see the Super Etendards but pleased we got them at Yeovilton last year.

[capercaillie]

A mix of the two worked perfectly well. Landivisiau's approach was good, although there are better places, some of the stuff was a little high still over the fence.

The spotters day was excellent with most of the tigers taxi-ing by slowly and posing as you expect with the added bonus of the airshow arrivals taxi-ing in as well. The airshow itself was packed with good items and display pilots brought in to fly the tiger meet types in their solo routines, so Spanish Mirage F1, Swiss F-18, Czech Mi24 and Gripen, Austrian Saab 105 etc all flew along with most of the French Navy including Super Frelon, 2 Lynxes, tiger Nord 262, 3 ship Cap 10 team, a whole host of Rafales and SuEs, just the E-2s were missing.

Like at Cambrai the active runway was beyond the taxiway, so the take offs on the spottersday a little distant for those without Joddrell bank attached to their camera, but still some gettable shots.

Hopefully my finances may be healthy enough to head there, would love to have gone to this year's NTM.

[Dr Cake]

A mix of the two worked perfectly well. Landivisiau's approach was good, although there are better places, some of the stuff was a little high still over the fence.

The spotters day was excellent with most of the tigers taxi-ing by slowly and posing as you expect with the added bonus of the airshow arrivals taxi-ing in as well. The airshow itself was packed with good items and display pilots brought in to fly the tiger meet types in their solo routines, so Spanish Mirage F1, Swiss F-18, Czech Mi24 and Gripen, Austrian Saab 105 etc all flew along with most of the French Navy including Super Frelon, 2 Lynxes, tiger Nord 262, 3 ship Cap 10 team, a whole host of Rafales and SuEs, just the E-2s were missing.

Like at Cambrai the active runway was beyond the taxiway, so the take offs on the spottersday a little distant for those without Joddrell bank attached to their camera, but still some gettable shots.

Hopefully my finances may be healthy enough to head there, would love to have gone to this year's NTM.

Hi capercaillie,

Thanks for the information, it's really useful to find what they've done in the past and how people have got on. I'm sure I'd like to get out there for a few days and capture whatever it has to offer. I know what you mean about the take offs being a little tricky at Cambrai. I only consider two shots of mine worth posting whereas I got loads of decent landing shots outside and passby shots at the spottersday. Fortunately we went to the first one which I believe had the best weather of the three.

IMG_0078 by Dr Cake, on Flickr

IMG_9526 by Dr Cake, on Flickr

Maybe I'll post the rest of the decent ones in the Golden Oldies section at the end of next month. Now that's a frightening thought.

Dr Cake

[Dr Cake]

Has anyone got any news about the open house?

Milavia are stating the Frecce, Aguila, Aspa, Spanish Hornet and Typhoon, Slovak Mig-29 and L-39. I'd love to see so me of the rarer Spanish stuff.

[PeterR]

Update on Spotters Day online at: http://natotigers.org/tiger-news/spotters-day-ntm-2016

1600 spotters on the list... 1200 metres of crowdline available in the spotters area...

[frank]

Update on Spotters Day online at: http://natotigers.org/tiger-news/spotters-day-ntm-2016

1600 spotters on the list... 1200 metres of crowdline available in the spotters area...

and we will all want the same spot !

It works out as just under 0.75 metres per spotter which I have to say to worse than Turkey but better than Cambrai.

[Dr Cake]

Update on Spotters Day online at: http://natotigers.org/tiger-news/spotters-day-ntm-2016

1600 spotters on the list... 1200 metres of crowdline available in the spotters area...

and we will all want the same spot !

It works out as just under 0.75 metres per spotter which I have to say to worse than Turkey but better than Cambrai.

Not sure where we'll have to go during lunch time:

'One of the new things regarding safety is that during lunch time, the dynamic area (between taxiway and runway) needs to be cleared to allow the Display aircraft to train for their Saturday Display routine.'

Don't forget to print off your accreditation card:

'There is also an accreditation card, that should be printed and placed in your car to assist guards at the main gate to detect cars with spotters more easily.'

[AARDVARK]

Where do 1600 spotters go during lunch then ???

[PeterR]

Back to the car park I assume?

[frank]

Back to the car park I assume?

Looking at the map issued we should be able to watch and take photos from there, don't you think?

[PeterR]

Looking at the map issued we should be able to watch and take photos from there, don't you think?

I thought that until I looked at the distances involved considering how far back we will be... I took the standard distances from the NATO STANAG which lists separation distances for flying displays. Of course if the Spanish Military have their own regulations which are more stringent they will use those. Mocked up onto a map of Zaragoza it looks like this...

*Disclaimer, I'm just totally guessing so don't blame me if this isn't what actually happens.


So to me it looks like when we're back in the car park the action will be over 500m away, so maybe just about passable for shooting the display teams but most likely not solo fast jets. Add the heat haze into the equation and that'll probably bugger us too! I plan on using that break to take on liquids and raid the squadron souvenir stalls which have been promised..!

[canon55k]

Anyone know which way the sun moves as cannot see North on map.
Thanks

[PeterR]

According to SunCalc [ http://suncalc.net/#/41.6704,-1.0595,15/2016.05.02/08:55 ] the morning launch will be backlit, sun is straight down the runway for the midday recovery, but sun is in a good position for the afternoon mission.

[st24]

Hmm, don't think the open day will be up to much..

We have (for now) for Saturday are:

10:30-10:50 PAPEA
10:50-11:10 C - 15 (F-18)
11:10-11:30 c-16 (Eurofighter)
11:30-12:00 P. Aspa
Between the 12 and the 13 dogs ETESDA display
13:15-14:00 patrol Eagle
We hope you enjoy the day in the Zaragoza Air Base. See you there!
Notice: the Organization of the Tiger Meet puts these schedules and they may vary

[MRTT]

Don't suppose anyone happens to know what happened earlier almost causing a base evacuation, seen it on Twitter?

[Arno 01]

Nothing happened, they originally said on arrival that the Spotters day would finish at 1400 due to security issues. This was latter confirmed as lack of Spanish Air Force police to look after the 1200 people on base due to setting up the airshow for tomorrow. They then changed their mind and everybody ended up staying till 1800 after the Hawkeye had landed at the end of the afternoon mission.

[st24]

Fabulous two hot sunny days in tiger town. Limited local support and short display but French Navy Rafale pair rocked it. Aspa and particularly Aguila were on top form, great, non stop crowd pleasing performances, and no I'm not drunk!!. I don't think the CAA would have approved though. Spanish solo jets were okayish , cracking high speed pass and zoom from the Tifon. No high alpha from either which was odd as the EF18 always takes the prize for most nose high pass.

[FTS]

Fabulous two hot sunny days in tiger town. Limited local support and short display but French Navy Rafale pair rocked it. Aspa and particularly Aguila were on top form, great, non stop crowd pleasing performances, and no I'm not drunk!!. I don't think the CAA would have approved though. Spanish solo jets were okayish , cracking high speed pass and zoom from the Tifon. No high alpha from either which was odd as the EF18 always takes the prize for most nose high pass.

The Rafales were incredible. I've just found this video on Youtube and it says it all as to why I will be doing shows abroad from now on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50_Lo0EEJLs

[Dr Cake]

Nothing happened, they originally said on arrival that the Spotters day would finish at 1400 due to security issues. This was latter confirmed as lack of Spanish Air Force police to look after the 1200 people on base due to setting up the airshow for tomorrow. They then changed their mind and everybody ended up staying till 1800 after the Hawkeye had landed at the end of the afternoon mission.

Indeed true but we only got as far as the edge of the taxiway pm. Absolute pain as the best shots of the trip (pm take offs) were missed. Good trip overall though.

[Dr Cake]

Fabulous two hot sunny days in tiger town. Limited local support and short display but French Navy Rafale pair rocked it. Aspa and particularly Aguila were on top form, great, non stop crowd pleasing performances, and no I'm not drunk!!. I don't think the CAA would have approved though. Spanish solo jets were okayish , cracking high speed pass and zoom from the Tifon. No high alpha from either which was odd as the EF18 always takes the prize for most nose high pass.

Yes, good trip. Agree with all that, particularly the Aguila which looked like a different team to what we're used to!

If you liked the Friday night out, you'd have absolutely loved the Saturday night / Sunday morning! I'm sure you've been debriefed!

[st24]

Fabulous two hot sunny days in tiger town. Limited local support and short display but French Navy Rafale pair rocked it. Aspa and particularly Aguila were on top form, great, non stop crowd pleasing performances, and no I'm not drunk!!. I don't think the CAA would have approved though. Spanish solo jets were okayish , cracking high speed pass and zoom from the Tifon. No high alpha from either which was odd as the EF18 always takes the prize for most nose high pass.

Yes, good trip. Agree with all that, particularly the Aguila which looked like a different team to what we're used to!

If you liked the Friday night out, you'd have absolutely loved the Saturday night / Sunday morning! I'm sure you've been debriefed!

I did hear about a rather late one and would have loved to have been part of it! Unfortunately I was heading back to Madrid whilst you were debauching yourselves....

[Dr Cake]

I did hear about a rather late one and would have loved to have been part of it! Unfortunately I was heading back to Madrid whilst you were debauching yourselves....

I trust it was all worthwhile?! Are you going to Florennes?

[UK Airshow Review]

"Spanish Stripes" - Peter Reoch reports from NTM Spotters Day & Open House at Zaragoza.

[st24]

I did hear about a rather late one and would have loved to have been part of it! Unfortunately I was heading back to Madrid whilst you were debauching yourselves....

I trust it was all worthwhile?! Are you going to Florennes?

Indeed, the Spanish museum is superb and just enough time to make my flight. Yep, Florennes on the list!

[Dr Cake]

Indeed, the Spanish museum is superb and just enough time to make my flight. Yep, Florennes on the list!

Not sure when I'll get to he museum in Madrid but will keep it in mind. Diary pretty full at the moment so not sure when I'll get to post the Zaragoza imagery. Off to Shuttleworth on Sunday.

UKAR review ties with in our thoughts but didn't have any great expectations the Open House would deliver much Spanish exotica tbh. Nice to get round the static in reasonable lighting before they threw us out!! Some decent bits on each day making it a good trip. Town was nice too.

Sure we'll see you in Belgium soon.