Bucharest 2018

[zigzag]

The date for Bucharest has ben set as 28 July (although in past experience this can change) see http://www.bias.aero/

With it being a little gap from Fairford this is now in my sights, has anyone who has been before got any hints/tips (eg are arrivals/rehersals on Friday, and are these accesible on or off base etc). Thanks in advance for any pointers.

[Mictheslik]

Bring sun cream....and a hat...and lots of water, because it gets absolutely roasting!

Not open to the public for arrivals and departures but they did have some spotters/media in last year.

.mic

[shaggy101]

Bring sun cream....and a hat...and lots of water, because it gets absolutely roasting!

Not open to the public for arrivals and departures but they did have some spotters/media in last year.

.mic

Like me, you can stay on the road & catch some arrivals but they are quite sporadic on the Friday before. There is also no cover from the sun there & it can get seriously hot there. There are some rehearsals as well on the Friday, including the MiG 21's as well

[zigzag]

Thanks for the tips guys, I will grease up and drink lots (maybe some water too).

One/two further question, on the showday itself where is best to position for photography (crowd left/right/centre - any good spots you would recommend?), if there is such a prime spot do you need to stake it out and lay to claim to your space early.

[shaggy101]

Thanks for the tips guys, I will grease up and drink lots (maybe some water too).

One/two further question, on the showday itself where is best to position for photography (crowd left/right/centre - any good spots you would recommend?), if there is such a prime spot do you need to stake it out and lay to claim to your space early.

It gets pretty busy by all accounts, same as any air show really. Get there early & leave late. You'd want to stay for the evening as well, there are a lot of fast jts flying around during the twilight show, finishing off with the C-27 thrwoing flares all over the airfield. I was slightly to the left of crowd centre in the media bit but iirc its mostly North facing so it doesn't really matter too much until the sun swings round to the western end a couple of hours before sunset

[st24]

Probably last chance for LanceRs so yeah I'm game!!

[Mictheslik]

Position wise, I wouldn't be too bothered if not on the crowd line. It can get very busy, and everyone is standing (very few camping chairs in Romania!) which means it can get a bit dense and difficult to swing a big camera around. They also put flags along half of the display line which are great at ruining your shots of the flying display

I now prefer being back about 10-15m. The crowd quickly thins out giving lots of space, and it's easy enough to retreat into the shade of the beer tents!

.mic

[zigzag]

Flight booked

Just hoping they dont change the date at the last minute like they have done before

[Sall]

Czech Air Force:
+ JAS-39 Gripen (D)
+ Aero L-159 Alca (D)

Turkish Air Force:
+ Turkish Stars (D)

[Sall]

Polish Air Force:
+ Team Iskry (D)

[Sall]

Spanish Air Force:
+ F/A-18A Hornet (D)

Hellenic Air Force:
+ Mirage 2000 (S)

[monographix]

Bring sun cream....and a hat...and lots of water, because it gets absolutely roasting!

Not open to the public for arrivals and departures but they did have some spotters/media in last year.

.mic

• Ηow can someone access the spotters / media area?
• Is there something like a grandstand there?
• is it a bit elevated area ?
• can you point it on map ?
• Any shadow retreat maybe there?

• Whats the ticketing situation for BIAS?
• Free entrance?
• Any "VIP" kind of tickets /area maybe?

Thanks

[Mictheslik]

Bring sun cream....and a hat...and lots of water, because it gets absolutely roasting!

Not open to the public for arrivals and departures but they did have some spotters/media in last year.

.mic

• Ηow can someone access the spotters / media area? not sure...although someone was saying they may have just opened it up on the day for people who turned up!
• Is there something like a grandstand there? nope.....there’s a couple of shaded seating areas but nothing raised.
• is it a bit elevated area ? see above
• can you point it on map ?
• Any shadow retreat maybe there?there are a few big sun shelters back from the crowd line with plenty of beer available in them

• Whats the ticketing situation for BIAS? no tickets required
• Free entrance? yes
• Any "VIP" kind of tickets /area maybe?There is one, but no idea how to get in...I think it’s on invite and media only

Thanks

Hope that helps!

.mic

[Mictheslik]

Anyone else make it today? I wasn’t sure whether I was going to enjoy it without the LanceRs, but I really did. Highlights being the Turkish Stars who were very good today, and the light on the Spanish F18 this evening. Also thoroughly enjoyed the Air Bandits and their annual attempt to blow half of the airfield up!

Shame the C27 to close never appeared, but otherwise another great BIAS!

.mic

[zigzag]

Sitting in Vienna with a couple of hours to kill on my home from my first Bucharest show and it wont be my last.

The LancerRs were an understandable disappointment being my main reason for going, but Im so glad I went. I loved the show from start to finish and its amazing what a sensible display line does for the spectacle and enjoyment of the show, I havent enjoyed a show as much in a long time.

I throughly enjoyed the first half the show but the second half of the show with its thumping soundtrack, afternoon and sunset light, with the joys of cheap and excellent beer and food will make the show live long in the memory. UK show organisers should take a look at how Bucharest can be so entertaining compared to home and copy what they do, its a winning formula. Bucharest was a SHOW, it was entertaining, it was fun, it had energy, it was a spectacle, all of which are to my mind missing from the sedate and mundane UK scene with its overcautious sterile and boring approach to airshows.

Cant wait to go back next year and hopefullg get those LancerRs in the flying.

[Witchcraft24]

I"m genuinely intrigued by this, and always interested in "tips" from the continent.

So, do the Romanians use a display line closer than 230m? Do they operate the 450m line for fast jet on-crowd vectors?

A "thumping soundtrack"? Hmm, I guess that could go either way.

What time did the flying display finish? Should UK shows be moved to later in the day to make the most of the "evening light?"

Romania is a cheap country, I was there last month. I doubt it has the UK culture (or the local wages) of seeing what the market will bear at any large public event, whether it be a music festival, football match or theatre show.

[Mictheslik]

I"m genuinely intrigued by this, and always interested in "tips" from the continent.

So, do the Romanians use a display line closer than 230m? Do they operate the 450m line for fast jet on-crowd vectors?

A "thumping soundtrack"? Hmm, I guess that could go either way.

What time did the flying display finish? Should UK shows be moved to later in the day to make the most of the "evening light?"

Romania is a cheap country, I was there last month. I doubt it has the UK culture (or the local wages) of seeing what the market will bear at any large public event, whether it be a music festival, football match or theatre show.

The display line at Bucharest is....well....flexible. The Hawks team definitely flew right over it, as did the helicopters occasionally, the Fast jets are probably about the same as the UK though.

As for the thumping music, it really works in the dark when 3 Yak52s are going back and forward with Pyros everywhere. Bucharest really gets what a spectacle is....I can’t think of any other shows where I’d be captivated by a trio of Yaks,

Display finished at 21:15 with a massive firework display and rock concert. Again:it’s about putting on a show!

.mic

[Chrisse]

I can totally picture the scene with the metal music and spontaneous party dancing at Eastbourne