Salthill Has Gone Through the ROOF!

[P.Doff]

So true,
           Seen him up practicing today after everyone else was gone home. Nice fast low run across the drome today, hope thats included in the future!!

[Tony Kearns]

The PC9 did a great display at Baldonnel on Friday despite the weather and as Big Willie correctly says display flying has to take a back seat to normal training.
Guinness Your F16s had no problems at Baldonnel in July 1997 what has changed?
Tony K

[clan]

I thought the PC 9 pilot did a great job, I certainly did not think it was below par, he was damn good. Which is quicker the Tucano or the PC9. The Tucano seemed quicker to me. But the PC9 seemed quicker then the PC7 which I suppose would make sense.

[sniper]

Quote

the Pilots of the Tucano and PC-7 do nothing else all year round except practice and perform their routine

Sorry, the only full time RAF display pilots are the Dead Sparrows all others are from the normal Sqns, Monday to Friday they carry out normal duties with extra hrs to perfect their displays.The Tucano pilot this year is Flt Lt Ben Mark 27 from RAF Linton on Ouse ,during the week he is an instructor on the Tucano.

[davedublin]

listen guys, i love the way u all jump to defend the airsorp, but honestly, i think they culd have put up a better show. for most of the afternoon, no one was allowed within 30-40 metres of the allouettes. the pc-9, was too high, compare it to either the pc-7 or tucano displays. the lear jet might as well not have been there, it was also too high and too far away . i remember seening the casa at abbeyshrule, a fair while ago, mayb 96 or 97, . it was the best twin prop display i ever saw, that includes several italian g222 displays
the guy threw it all over the sky, an excellant display
. i just think, those of us who have seen other shows know what a real show is like. but what we got yesterday was not up to the mark. joe public might b satisfied, but it is shows like salthill last year which will keep the show going in years to come, not this years line up

[P.Doff]

Tony, RE '97.
The Dutch F-16 didnt land at the don that year it was based in EIDW fo the duration. The one that did land was Belgian.
The airshow in '00 that also saw Belgain F-16's had them by accident. Funny story this ,but the lead pilot was on the ground slowing down and about to taxi in when he realised that indeed we dont have a barrier/arrestor wire and decided "ah well Im here now" and just parked it on the ramp. He told me later that he was briefed to overshoot and go straight to RAF Valley if the runway wasnt suitable  but by the amount of beer he was  knocking back(he was static display by the way!!) I think he was glad he stopped!! I can only assume that the guys who landed in '97 had a similar story??
Anyone remember the Airshow in '92 when the pair of Draken's landed on the Friday and the lead guy panicked thinking the runway was too small and pulled his brake chute as his wing man whizzed by him on the left using brakes only?? Pretty scary looking!!!

[clan]

Might be silly question, but why don't we have arrestors in Baldonnell. I mean they are even made in this country, yet we don't have one.

[P.Doff]

Dont know about cables but we dont have enough run off area for a barrier the way the runways are at the moment as the barrier is usually a good bit after the last taxiway. Maybe Im wrong??
Ive seen the ones at UK bases and they have a good 2 or 3 hundred metres between the barrier(at the end of the usuable runway) and the end of the actual runway surface!

[Optic]

JUST TO CONFIRM AND SAVE CONFUSION THERE WAS A DUTCH F-16 @ BAL 97(unless it was towed from DUB on a low loader by road)

[P.Doff]

Hi Optic,
            Maybe I should have looked in to it more but the F-16 that displayed(the one with the dutch colours on its tail and the smoke generators on the Aim-9 rails!!) was Based in Dublin. I actually thought the 2 seater on the ramp was Belgian(??), but the flying a/c was 100% based in Dublin I know that for a fact and as a matter of fact I have it on Video coming in over the drome and leaving after its display!!

[Tony Kearns]

P.Doff,
The F16 departed Baldonnel at 0926 on Monday (7th) for Valkenberg serial may have been J-311 (having difficulty reading my scribbled notes, it's an age thing! )
Tony K

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi all
With regard to all the comment about fast jets using Baldonnel,bear in mind that the main runway is a shade short of a mile long.Which sounds plenty long enough until you touch down at 150mph,with no reverse thrust and no wire/barrier.Any fast-jet pilots that I spoke to weren't overly delighted about that.The Draken pilot could be forgiven for using his brake-chute.Cheaper and less embarrassing than digging the jet out of the mud.
Maybe next year, the PC-9 display will be low enough for the anoraks.Given that it's their first year,they could be excused for being cautious.
regards
GttC

[Irish251]

Here is F-16B J-368 at Baldonnel on 6 July 1997.

[Fouga]

The RNLAF "Huey" never came as he had an engine problem and had to get engine parts from Canada but they never arrived on time. The crowd were allowed up to the Blackhawk, and Alouettes all day as soon as they were satisfied that the AC were safe to open to the Public to look at etc except for take off and landings etc so sorry if you thought it was most of the day DaveDublin but it was not..

[P.Doff]

My appologies re the F-16!!! But as i said , the Display one(single seater) was based EIDW for some reason??
I must be getting old, I have a picture of the 2 seater myself and didnt reakise it was Dutch!! Time to retire me thinks! :;):