Is the RAAF full of big girls' blouses nowadays?

Stevian said :

futto said :

. I really want them to churn up the water on the lake, the way the US Navy does in San Fransisco Bay.

If you want to see that then go to San Francisco.

If you want a *real* airshow, go to San Diego, location of NAS Miramar, although I think the Marines own it now.

It was the “Fightertown USA” base where they made “Top Gun”. I’ve been to two airshows there, and they go all day. It’s just a continuous day long series of passes and aerobatics by every aircraft you could imagine, from old WW2 prop planes to Stealth fighters. And it’s all right in front of you, perhaps 200m away.

The highlight was seeing the Blue Angels working out. Truly amazing skills and fantastic technology combined with balls of steel, right over the tops of our heads. Simultaneous head on crossing runs by multiple aircraft with 900 knot closing speeds etc. Of course, if any tiny thing had gone pear shaped then thousands would’ve died in the flaming wreckage.:-)

yoyo23 said :

It’s the reason I would travel to see an air show if I could see it all again.

On the other hand, cow bells would be cool too!

http://www.airshow.net.au/avalon2013/index.html is the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere, held every two years and is on again next year. There are smaller ones at Illawara yearly, and regular smaller shows at Temora.

Deref said :

I’ve always assumed that it’s a cost thing – I suppose it costs in the thousands of dollars per minute to keep those things airborne.

When Obama came to town the cost being quoted by the media was $30 000 an hour per jet.

So yes very expensive. But a very cool site IMO.

deye said :

Thoroughly Smashed said :

If you were after an airshow, the middle of a city is exactly the place you won’t find one.

Victory In The Pacific day airshow 2005 http://www.flickr.com/photos/d-eye/sets/1364038/

over the central basin. Was a great day, would love it if they did a similar show again.

That was the best air show I have ever seen. The F/A-18’s that day were absolutely awesome. Low & slow, then to vertical. Low & screamingly fast with the afterburners, turns to produce cloud over the wings… Truly spectacular and it was a long display with something like 10 fly overs (plus all the other planes that day). It’s the reason I would travel to see an air show if I could see it all again.

On the other hand, cow bells would be cool too!

so the planes only did one pass over LBG.

good thing I stayed at home then. I got three passes over my house, so a better show!

deye said :

Thoroughly Smashed said :

If you were after an airshow, the middle of a city is exactly the place you won’t find one.

Victory In The Pacific day airshow 2005 http://www.flickr.com/photos/d-eye/sets/1364038/

over the central basin. Was a great day, would love it if they did a similar show again.

I was there too. I should have been clearer; given the number of accidents that have occurred at airshows over the years, you generally won’t find aerobatics displays over built-up areas.

It’s been like that for as long as I can remember. Pretty disappointing. I’ve always assumed that it’s a cost thing – I suppose it costs in the thousands of dollars per minute to keep those things airborne.

Great shot though.

johnboy said :

dump and burn was an f111 speciality

Dump and burn is different from afterburners. Dump and burn is used by F111’s to get rid of fuel quickly (with spectacular side effects) to lighten the aircraft so it can land safely, much like civvy jets if they have to come back.
In afterburning, fuel is added INSIDE the jet pipe to give a huge increase in thrust and fuel consumption.

harvyk1 said :

futto said :

I too was very disappointed. The media release said they were going to do a 700kmph approach and I’m sure it was half that speed. I still loved it though, but I want more!

Can I ask what sort of measuring equipment you used to determine a max speed of only 350 km/h?
Eyeballs do not count…

I had a GPS on my bicycle and I matched their speed until I determined how fast they were going…:p

futto said :

I too was very disappointed. The media release said they were going to do a 700kmph approach and I’m sure it was half that speed. I still loved it though, but I want more!

Can I ask what sort of measuring equipment you used to determine a max speed of only 350 km/h?
Eyeballs do not count…