Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

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tankbuster81
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Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by tankbuster81 »

Well the weather has certainly turned more seasonal now,and we are almost at the end of another Airshow season.So thinking back what were my highlights and Lowlights from the season (Bearing in mind i could only get to Yeovilton,Riat,and Eastbourne)

Highlights:-

Yeovilton:- In general terms as i hadn't been before. Nice to see so many Helicopters,and a small but varied static. Extremley hot day,but a fantastic show from start to finish,and the Assault Demo at the end was one of the best set pieces i've ever seen.One for next year!

Riat:- This was always going to be controversial for me ,as there were to be to many civilian/Warbird types at what is/was billed as the largest military display in the world.Enjoyed the Rafale especially ,PC7 team and the Reds with the Airbus.

Eastbourne:- Miss Demeanour (From Beachy Head) and the Flamant pair.

Lowlights:-

Riat:- was not good at all,awful static with major gaps,then infills of general Civvy types and even mountain Rescue Vehicles! to many warbirds,sub standard nosh and those bloody caterhams!!!! oh and lack of urinals. Bring back the USAF.......sorely missed!!

Eastbourne:-

Most acts were all at sea,literally ,specks in the distance.The Lynx bottled it,No F16 on the weekend,and the worst traffic to and from Beachy Head.wont be going again.

Biggest disappointment of the year....easy... The vulcan! (or was it a motorised glider? embarassing to be honest,and not what we've come to expect)
Biggest irritant.... A certain commentator who is everywhere this year (Mr Bacon) so so irritating with his Childrens tea party mentality ,wave this in the air,that etc etc,more akin to a Butlins Redcoat than an airshow commentator.Please get rid for 2014!!!!

Just the Autumn show at Duxford to come.I wonder??????
Last edited by tankbuster81 on Wed 11 Sep 2013, 4:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by Shoreham Airshow »

tankbuster81 wrote:Well the weather has certainly turned more seasonal now,and we are almost at the end of another Airshow season.So thinking back what were my highlights and Lowlights from the season (Bearing in mind i could only get to Yeovilton,Riat,and Eastbourne)

Highlights:-

Yeovilton:- In general terms as i hadn't been before. Nice to see so many Helicopters,and a small but varied static. Extremley hot day,but a fantastic show from start to finish,and the Assault Demo at the end was one of the best set pieces i've ever seen.One for next year!

Riat:- This was always going to be controversial for me ,as there were to be to many civilian/Warbird types at what is/was billed as the largest military display in the world.Enjoyed the Rafale especially ,PC7 team and the Reds with the Airbus.

Eastbourne:- Miss Demeanour (From Beachy Head) and the Flamant pair.

Lowlights:-

Riat:- was not good at all,awful static with major gaps,then infills of general Civvy types and even mountain Rescue Vehicles! to many warbirds,sub standard nosh and those bloody caterhams!!!! oh and lack of urinals.

Eastbourne:-

Most acts were all at sea,literally ,specks in the distance.The Lynx bottled it,No F16 on the weekend,and the worst traffic to and from Beachy Head.wont be going again.

Biggest disappointment of the year....easy... The vulcan! (or was it a motorised glider? embarassing to be honest,and not what we've come to expect)
Biggest irritant.... A certain commentator who is everywhere this year (Mr Bacon) so so irritating with his Childrens tea party mentality ,wave this in the air,that etc etc,more akin to a Butlins Redcoat than an airshow commentator.Please get rid for 2014!!!!

Just the Autumn show at Duxford to come.I wonder??????


You do realise the Eastbourne Airshow takes place 2 miles away from Beachy Head? It is up to the pilots as to how close they fly to the cliffs so not fault of the organisers as it is not part of the show site. I suspect some of them were simply giving themselves a safety buffer this year considering the low cloud and windy conditions there this year.

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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by tankbuster81 »

Of course i do!! simply seemed further away than previous visits from my vantage point.Its simply my own personal perception and opinion. And the weather was indeed awful,wish i'd taken my kite with me!
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by DanH »

My highlight for the year has to be the RAF Typhoon display which was much improved on previous years and blew the Italian version out of the water at RIAT.

Lowlight for the year for me was the emergency service helicopter role demo at RIAT. Has there ever been a more pointless and low-impact display?

Special mentions go to the return of the Canberra, the brilliant show at Shoreham and the return of the Red Arrows to their full 9-ship display.
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by strangelookingalien »

Highlights:

Best Airshow: RIAT (one of the worst RIATs, yet still the best UK airshow by miles).

Best Display: RAF Typhoon - nailed it this year!

Best 'moment': Numerous amazing moments this year (seeing the Canberra arrive at RIAT, seeing the Viggen at Waddington, double Lightning run at Bruntingthorpe) but the best was the Vulcan's (almost overhead) full power climbout at Clacton this year. The sight, the sound and the smell will stay with me for a long time and is what airshows should be all about!

Lowlights:

Eurocopter demo... never again please!

Tucano display - interestingly flown but too far away!

Struggling to recall a 'bad' airshow this year... I think it's been a good one!

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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by tankbuster81 »

I'd forgotten how bad the Eurocopter Demo was. :facepalm:
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by TBPhoto »

My Highlights:

Best Airshow: Yeovilton by miles. Flaretastic.

Best Display: RAF Typhoon - Deafening, yet so awesome.

Best airshow moment: Easily Miss Demeanour's first pass at Beachy Head.

My Lowlights:

Worst Military Display: Lynx Display - Way to far away at most .

Worst Civvy Display: Eurocopter Demo at RIAT.

Worst Airshow: RIAT - Some really bad displays, statics are layed out horribly, and its not there fault, but the loss of the USAF.
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by FarnboroJohn »

Only did a couple of shows this year so limited choice but here goes:

Highlights:

The Horsemen in the three early model Spitfires at Flying Legends
Sally B at Bournemouth
Miss Demeanour at Bournemouth

Rather ordinary:

Tucano - miles off, quite high and not the desert camo one.

Gutted by:

Vulcan, Vixen and Vampire all absent from Bournemouth.

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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by Gregg »

Went to loads and didn't see any of 'em!

I have loved the Reds this year, much improved over recent years.

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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by CJS »

My only airshow was RIAT:

Highlights - RAF Typhoon, C27j Spartan, Swiss PC7 team, Meteor and the Reds in the air and the Super Connie and Arctic Tiger Luftwaffe Tonka on the ground.

Also making it on the Friday with 2 kids from my school who had won a Red Arrows contest and got to meet the team and be presented with a framed 2013 protocol each - they and DBH were excellent to us!

Lowlights - The Eurocopter display (not actually that bad I didn't think, something a bit different but I admit totally lost somewhere that big) and the Freece Tricolori, who just didn't do it for me at all this year.
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by dconnery1966 »

Highlights

Leuchars :yahoo:

Lowlights

Last Leuchars Airshow ever :sad:

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Andover
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by Andover »

My lowlight was the absence of the Kemble show...again :sad: will it be on next year?

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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by Flare Path »

Highlights:

Cosford: Portuguese Chipmunk, Harrier Hide; Peter Teichman's Spitfire.

Waddington: SAAB AJS 37 Viggen, Aero L-159 ALCA; Turkish F16.

RIAT: Flying Bulls, Gloster Meteor T7; Swiss PC-7 Team.

The return of the Sea Vixen.

The unveiling of Lulu Belle.

Lowlights:

The death of Swingy. I didn't know him personally, but always a familiar face on these forums and I certainly miss his contribution.

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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by LN Strike Eagle »

Highlights:

The Eagle Squadron at Duxford in May - Extraordinary effort to go to, shipping an aircraft across the Atlantic and repainting two others.

Hangar 11 P-40 reveal - I'm not a fan of the paint scheme on 'LuLu Belle', but a wonderful little event held at North Weald to mark the unveiling.

Horsemen at Legends - Their most impressive performance to date IMO. Far more graceful flying sweeping passes in the Spitfires than the loops in the Mustangs.

Lowlights:

RIAT - It had its moments, but overall a poor show, not helped by the Saturday weather or the distance at which most aircraft flew.
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by Chris G »

Highlights - The crews of the Typhoon, Tucano, Merlin, Sea Fury, Sea King who made it to Whitehaven when the weather was absolutely atrocious and right on the limits.
Also the Viggen and Turkish F-16 at Waddington were awesome, a big thumbs up to the Tucano scheme this year, stunning job. Also credit to the nutcase (Micheal Brageot) in the Breitling Sbach stunning aeros!

Lowlights - The truly dire Vulcan display on the Saturday of Waddington and although the Tucano was in a nice scheme it's display was distant as usual, apart from the first and last pass, why can't they change the regs to allow the Tucano down to 50ft, or if they insist on doing the distant aerobatic routine put a smoke system on it.

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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by andrewman »

Highlights,

Viggen at Waddo (thought I was going to miss out on seeing it display as it actually went tech on start up missed its display slot but went up about 30mins later)

Vulcan at Cosford about the best Vulcan display I got to see this year - I think i'm one of the few people who enjoyed seeing it with the Rv8tors.

Solo Turk take off on the Thursday for Waddo arrivals - best F-16 display ever

Low points,

Missing out on Duxford and Yeovilton oh well always next year
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by Domvickery »

Shocking to see how RIAT features in nearly every negative post.

My highlights for every event I went to was the sun, never have I shot so many aircraft in the blue stuff, it earned me an awesome T-shirt tan too!

Aircraft wise the season has to go to the swedes & Turks at Waddington, then the formations, Reds & the eagle sqn, XH558 & rv8ors (even though it was the most random formation ever) Reds & sentinel, 617 tribute, Reds & A380, finally for me seeing captain harry at cosford

Lowlights: See the first line, I just didnt get the buzz for the event I usually get, the only other lowlight for me is Duxfords autumn show (my last show of the year) being the same weekend as the BTCC now I cant decide which to go to
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by Kieran »

Yes you lovely lot, I do have positive things to say for once. :wink: I've had quite a busy 2013 season with two overseas airshows and a whole load of shows in the UK, with 3 still left to do! So what I enjoyed this year and "moments" for me in no particular order:

-Mustangs at 'Legends on the Saturday.
-Viggen at Waddington.
-Battle of Britain scramble at Shoreham.
-Rafale at RIAT.
-Pete Kynsey and John Romain's superb displays at the Duxford May show.
-Watching a legend retire in fine style at Flying Legends.
-Nick Grey's utterly fantastic Gladiator joker slot- again at 'Legends.
-"Sarinah" at Manston and Shoreham.
-Meteor T7 at RIAT.
-SoloTurk at Waddington.
-The Eagle Squadron commemorations May Bank Holiday weekend.
-BBMF's PDA Practice Day back in April.
-Hawker quartet at 'Legends.
-Two Gladiators at 'Legends.

Now onto some lowlights/constructive criticism. Firstly, the RAF Tucano display is a waste of money and resources. In no way shape or form is this display going to persuade youngsters to join the RAF, even before the display got so high and distant. Perhaps it's due to familiarity, but this year's display was horrendously boring with next to no charisma or presence that would make anyone want to watch for more than 30 seconds. I feel for the crews and pilots as I'm sure they work hard to deliver a nice routine but it just lacks a lot of impact.

The RAF Typhoon display is getting there. In no way shape or form is it the best solo jet demo in Europe, far from it. If you wanted to see that, speak to either the French or Turks on how to properly display a machine! In 2014, I would like to see the addition of smokewinders and, please, send the aircraft abroad! Our friends who send over their kit regularly for RIAT/Waddo are long overdue the RAF's main solo display and it was embarrassing to see it staying in the country for the whole of this season.

The RAFGSA's Vulcan. 'Nuff said.

RIAT. After doing Kecskemet, I've realised RIAT was actually really, really bad. It's everything including the prices, aircraft quality, display line and atmosphere. RIAT really lost its spark this year and in 2014, I'll be going to Payerne to get my modern military fix.

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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by cfan »

Rafale at Riat was great. I think the AAC Lynx display team are very under rated. At riat they were easily one of the best displays. Lowlights, Vulcan disappointing displays in general, that stupid eurocopter demo was awful!

Roll on 2014 season! :rock:

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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by Abingdonman »

I only went to Abingdon and half of RIAT but I was a happy chappy!
Abingdon ....t'was a lovely little display in good weather,just to walk on the sacred grass in the sun is almost heaven to me! :grin:
RIAT ....I got to see the displays I really wanted to...Rafale,RAF & Italian Typhoons,Mig 29,Dutch F16,Gripen....I said at the time from where I stood there was little between them,and looking at their displays on Youtube for the relevant day(Sunday)...I havent changed my mind!
the Meteor,A400,Red Arrows,Chinook,BBMF etc made it a cracking 4.5 hrs!....
how anyone can say RIAT was even remotely bad is beyond me! :dizzy:
Last edited by Abingdonman on Wed 11 Sep 2013, 7:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by Maisie »

Chris Strawson wrote:My only airshow was RIAT:



Lowlights - The Eurocopter display (not actually that bad I didn't think, something a bit different but I admit totally lost somewhere that big)



Likewise for me to, although I did Cosford..

Highlights for me at RIAT were the Connie, Canberra, Mig-29, Spartan, Meatbox, RB F4U/B-25 & Vulcan.

People say the lowlights were the light aircraft in the static etc, all very well but if they wasn't there then it's clear nothing else was going to be, so it's better IMO to have something over nothing.

Hopefully next year the USAF can participate again, was hugely missed and I haven't even been to a show for a few years.


Cosford, my first time and I enjoyed it, but the static was better there for me over the displays, few reasons why - I didn't enjoy getting sunburnt so I left early (my fault entirely - lesson learnt, take cream or cover up at an airshow!), shooting into the sun, huge gaps between flying was a downer for me especially with ignorant people on the front line barging in the way etc!, but the static I give 110% for effort, loved the Harrier hide and Jags all out of the hangars etc, making use of the frames for the airshow was a great sight :)

Not been to any others and doubt I will now, work and time, or lack of... here's to 2014.
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by shaggy101 »

Highlights:
Canberra in the air again (I prefer it over the Vulcan, always have)
ADLA Rafale displays
Super Connie at RIAT
MAKS as a whole but especially the SU35 & attack Heli demos
RAF Chinook
The weather :smile:

Lowlights:
Vulcan, flown like a glider at times & seems to have a display routine thought up by an accountant
Cost of everything, & at RIAT especially
Already been said but the Eurocopter demo, what a waste of time
The fact I didn't see the Viggen at all this year
My camera meeting it's end during the Russian Falcons routine at MAKS :sad:
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by Ledhead27 »

Another air show season done and another year of highs and lows for me:

Highlights:
- Reds and A380 flypast
- Meteor T7 at RIAT
- Turk F16
- (Finally) see the SWAFHF
- Stunning weather at Waddo and Cleethorpes

Lowpoints:
- Crappy weather on Saturday at RIAT
- Vulcan being flown like a paper aeroplane
- A certain commentator being about as clear as mud
- No Tutor display :wink:
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Mictheslik
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by Mictheslik »

A decent season for me with my first 2 proper foreign shows :)

Attended Dawlish, Legends, RIAT, Zeltweg and Kecskemet

Highlights:
-Rafale at RIAT
-Austrian set pieces at Zeltweg
-That Dawlish Meteor pass
-The Russian Knights' sunset display at Kecs
-Watching the Frecce do their crossover from underneath the display line at RIAT
-Bombing around Kecskemet Airbase in the back of a Soviet truck

Lowlights:
-Legends as a whole....no stand out participants this year, though it was nice to finally see SNAFU
-The Hungarian heat!
-The Eurocopter display :P

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zigzag
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Re: Highlights+Lowlights of the 2013 Season.

Post by zigzag »

My season isnt quite over yet with Axalp still to come but here are my highs & lows

Highs
Wittmund 14.00-15.00 Sat 29th June - about an hour of pure Phantom magic, I didnt get the best photos but every time I think about that hour I smile, you just had to be there
Return of the Viggen (Volkel & Wadington) - not the greatest display compared to old, but a return of one of my all time favourite aircraft
Volkel airshow - thats how a show should be done
Rafale (RIAT) - is there a better fast jet display in Europe
Solo Turk F16 (Waddington) - well there might be, a close second anyway
Meteor (various) - thats the way to display a classic jet, lovely paint scheme too
The weather - scorchio
Friends, acquaintances, and those who have just been stood next to me - some good fun, chats, and banter

Lows
The seemingly greater distances and heights of display lines, maybe Im getting older and my memories are fading but continue down this route (perceived or otherwise) and the spectacle will decrease. It cant be just my memory playing tricks as there are many posts which have similar thoughts.

Disappointments/could do betters
Echo many others, the Vulcan display just doesnt get the hairs on the back your neck to stand up anymore
RIAT - Im sorry, I love RIAT, and it still is the best UK show, but I didnt get the same fun or enjoyment from this years show as I have done in the past

Could have been a downright disaster
My D300 slowly dying through Wadd & Yeov before giving up the ghost completely late on RIAT Thursday, there followed a mad scramble to source a s/h replacement on Friday am, still made it to p&v by well before 10.00, so not as bad as it could have been - now come on Nikon and get that D400 released or I may have to go to Canon by next year, these D300s will not go on forever

Next year
Need to do more time in the loop, as this year as seen my lowest number of days there in over 10 years as family priorities become ever greater - though have a few days pencilled in if we get the glorious October light
More foriegn shows (although I did a not too shabby 3 this year), I feel so much more excitement from European shows than we get at home
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