AAD - Joburg
AAD - Joburg
Rather than return to the USA for the umpteenth time, I've decided to do a week safari followed by a couple of days at AAD. Now, this isn't going to be a RIAT/Farnborough or even a middle East scale trade show but should provide a few rare airframes. The Americans seem to be staying away so that leaves the Russians and Chinese if it's going to be anything other than a SA Hawk and Gripen show with a few locals on static. Does anyone have any experience of this show they can pass on?
Re: AAD - Joburg
To date there's been no information from the organisers about participants... until now with two weeks to go. It's not exactly RIAT although there are a few highlights. In the flying...
South African Gripen
South African Hawk Mk120
South African PC7
Chinese Y-20
Zimbabwean K-8
Mwari prototype demo
MB-326 Impala (historic jet)
Hunter (historic jet)
Role demo including (Gripen, Hawk, C-130, Rooivalk)
Swift PC7 display team
No info about statics yet. Hopefully the Chinese will put a J-10 in the back of the Y-20.
South African Gripen
South African Hawk Mk120
South African PC7
Chinese Y-20
Zimbabwean K-8
Mwari prototype demo
MB-326 Impala (historic jet)
Hunter (historic jet)
Role demo including (Gripen, Hawk, C-130, Rooivalk)
Swift PC7 display team
No info about statics yet. Hopefully the Chinese will put a J-10 in the back of the Y-20.
Re: AAD - Joburg
A bit of feedback from this enjoyable show. The two day public airshow is a bolt on to the defense trade show the week before so it includes ground vehicles and general defense as well as aircraft. Unseasonable weather on the Saturday meant the show was curtailed however a full event ran on the Sunday. Feature solo's were flown early when the sun was behind you and the show finished after sunset with the setting sun in front of you.
A specially marked Hawk Mk120 was the first fast jet and it put on perhaps the best Hawk display I've seen over the years (included flares). Six Hawks were present and they were used throughout the day.
The Chinese were very present at the show with Western manufactures conspicuous by their absence. They brought and displayed a Y-20 and put a Z-10ME attack helicopter in the back for static. The display itself included an impressive low pass however the aircraft wasn't thrown around like some Western Transport displays.
The only afterburning fighter on display was the local Gripen. Three examples were present and they were used throughout the day. A solo gave a spirited display equivalent to displays of other nations and it was flown in support of other displays including a 2v1 ACM demo against a Hawk. It was a bit of a mismatch and it'd perhaps be better to see one Gripen vs 2x Hawk Mk120's.
A surprise addition to the flying display was a T2 Buckeye in USN markings. The Hunter display concluded with numerous overshoots. The Mwari put on a dynamic display and the Zimbabwean K-8 put on a good show. It was showing its age and I'm not sure it'd fair too well against any modern fighter.
One of the best parts of the show was the three role demos. Mentioned above was a 2v1 ACM demo but they also put on a counter insurgency demo involving ground troops with Rooivalk for close air support, Oryx for utility and Hawk for top cover. There was also a Hijack rescue demo by the SA Police force involving a specialist Hostage rescue team arriving by Squirrel. Highly enjoyable and also an eye opener as the announcer mentioned their was a live incident ongoing a few miles up the road. Suffice to say, they are well practiced.
The show ended after sunset with the Rooivalk giving a demo including mass flare release and a formation of 6 Hawks and 3 Gripens bomb bursting against a twilight sky, the Gripens in full burner showing off their carrots.
This show is no RIAT. The Egyptian show the week before had far more fast jets but the acid test is would I go again? The answer is a resounding 'yes' and I'm already planning my next trip in 2026. The safari in Kruger was also awesome.
A specially marked Hawk Mk120 was the first fast jet and it put on perhaps the best Hawk display I've seen over the years (included flares). Six Hawks were present and they were used throughout the day.
The Chinese were very present at the show with Western manufactures conspicuous by their absence. They brought and displayed a Y-20 and put a Z-10ME attack helicopter in the back for static. The display itself included an impressive low pass however the aircraft wasn't thrown around like some Western Transport displays.
The only afterburning fighter on display was the local Gripen. Three examples were present and they were used throughout the day. A solo gave a spirited display equivalent to displays of other nations and it was flown in support of other displays including a 2v1 ACM demo against a Hawk. It was a bit of a mismatch and it'd perhaps be better to see one Gripen vs 2x Hawk Mk120's.
A surprise addition to the flying display was a T2 Buckeye in USN markings. The Hunter display concluded with numerous overshoots. The Mwari put on a dynamic display and the Zimbabwean K-8 put on a good show. It was showing its age and I'm not sure it'd fair too well against any modern fighter.
One of the best parts of the show was the three role demos. Mentioned above was a 2v1 ACM demo but they also put on a counter insurgency demo involving ground troops with Rooivalk for close air support, Oryx for utility and Hawk for top cover. There was also a Hijack rescue demo by the SA Police force involving a specialist Hostage rescue team arriving by Squirrel. Highly enjoyable and also an eye opener as the announcer mentioned their was a live incident ongoing a few miles up the road. Suffice to say, they are well practiced.
The show ended after sunset with the Rooivalk giving a demo including mass flare release and a formation of 6 Hawks and 3 Gripens bomb bursting against a twilight sky, the Gripens in full burner showing off their carrots.
This show is no RIAT. The Egyptian show the week before had far more fast jets but the acid test is would I go again? The answer is a resounding 'yes' and I'm already planning my next trip in 2026. The safari in Kruger was also awesome.
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Pablo Zibi
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Re: AAD - Joburg
Sorry, that was a typo on my part. The 'Silver Falcons' PC7 team flew a two ship early in the day.