Author Topic: Neat airshow tricks (Read 813 times)

SunTracker · « **on:** April 08, 2004, 11:48:42 AM »

Heres some neat things I've seen at airshows-

(1) After hearing the announcer saying a pair of F-16s were coming, two F-16s fly over the crowd in full afterburner at about 500 feet. There was a hush over the crowd before the 16s arrived, so it was amazingly loud.

(2) As it was getting a dusk, a B-1b did a slow roll over the Ohio River with about 20 feet flames shooting out of its engines.

(3) Wierd condensation clouds forming on the wings and fuse of an F-15 flying at about 100mph (high AoA).

Some of the lamer things I've seen at airshows have been :

Thunderbirds (flew too high and were very boring)
AH64s doing a mock attack
C-130s doing fly-bys
KC-135s

ra · « **Reply #1 on:** April 08, 2004, 11:59:41 AM »

Another cool show is that Waco biplane with the turbojet slung underneath.

midnight Target · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2004, 12:02:03 PM »

Best T-bird show I ever saw was at the graduation ceremony for the AFA in the 70's. Sat in the stands of the football stadium, and the entire show was pretty much at eye level. Stadium is kind of a horseshoe with the stands built into a mountain. When they announced "Ladies and Gentlemen... The Thunderbirds" They came in from behind the stands ... All 6 in formation low and loud. Very very cool.

AKIron · « **Reply #3 on:** April 08, 2004, 12:05:25 PM »

Nothing lame about a C-130 doing a RATO, too bad ya didn't get to see one of those.

FUNKED1 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 08, 2004, 12:12:50 PM »

1. Masters of Disaster at the Salinas airshow last year.
2. Ohio ANG/NG mock air strike and air assault at US Airshow (Dayton) around 1985. Low level recon pass by RF-4, A-7 strike (4 ship) with F-4 CAP (4 ship), AH-1 guns pass (2 ship), Then 4 x CH-47 troop insert, troops capture field, C-130 lands and vehicles drive out. Whole thing took about 5-10 minutes. Huge pyro on the air strike and the AH-1 and all the troops were firing tons of blanks and popping smoke.
3. Same airshow, announcer directs crowd to look show left for skydivers, meanwhile B-1B comes in transonic from the right, full AB, scares the living crap out of everybody.
4. First time I saw the classic F-15 demo with the vertical zoom to 15k immediately after gear up.
5. Robert A. "Bob" Hoover, Shrike Commander demo and Old Yeller P-51 aerobatics. You don't appreciate the P-51 slow roll on takeoff until you try flying one in a good flight sim.

FUNKED1 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 08, 2004, 12:16:17 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by AKIron
Nothing lame about a C-130 doing a RATO, too bad ya didn't get to see one of those.

Those are great, especially at night.

Chairboy · « **Reply #6 on:** April 08, 2004, 12:46:23 PM »

The Canadian Snowbirds were disappointing. They took forever to get going, held the airshow hostage while they spent 5 minutes taxiing, then another 5-10 minutes getting up to speed a few miles away. When they finally did their show, it was... ok.

Now seeing Fat Albert (Blue Angels C-130) do a JATO takeoff, THAT'S cool.

I'd like to go to an airshow where, because of the location out in the boonies, they get clearance to go supersonic as part of the demonstration. That would be... most excellent.

I can see the brochure now: "PARKING $5 - You are advised to leave two car windows open at least an inch while parked to avoid any unfortunate side effects of the F-18 demonstration."

Furball · « **Reply #7 on:** April 08, 2004, 12:48:40 PM »

its illegal to fly over the crowd at an airshow.

midnight Target · « **Reply #8 on:** April 08, 2004, 12:56:10 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Furball
its illegal to fly over the crowd at an airshow.

No, it is illegal to do tricks that have momentum toward the crowd.

Furball · « **Reply #9 on:** April 08, 2004, 01:15:09 PM »

isnt flying over the crowd taking the momentum of the plane towards them then?

TheDudeDVant · « **Reply #10 on:** April 08, 2004, 01:33:49 PM »

The blues fly over crowds all the time.. Seen them many times in P-cola, Fl. The two solo planes really have a nak for sneaking up behind the crowd as all attention is placed on the other angels flying formation... Great show to see as well as fat albert doing it's JATO takeoff and demonstrating it's short runway landing ability..

dude

Furball · « **Reply #11 on:** April 08, 2004, 01:35:38 PM »

may be a different rule in the US to UK

ravells · « **Reply #12 on:** April 08, 2004, 01:55:09 PM »

On the 60th Battle of Britain Airshow at Duxford, the display included:

21 spits
9 hurricanes
6 mustangs
2 F6Fs

flying over the crowd.

As the announcer said, 'This is strictly not allowed, but I don't think any of you will complain'.

We didn't.

My enduring memory is seeing an old English guy who had tears in his eyes when he saw the spits and hurris. And then I noticed I had a tear in mine.

Ravs

Dago · « **Reply #13 on:** April 08, 2004, 02:06:51 PM »

I believe MT is correct

J318 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 08, 2004, 03:31:49 PM »

I don't know about in the US but in europe theres this 'Utterly Butterly' spearman Bi-planes with the supposed 'wing walkers' who are straped left, right and center to the planes, now THEY SUCK!!

But the red arrows rule!!