Good eve,

So are scanners a no go for the Williamtown airshow? The quote is •"No radio transmitters/devices will be allowed into the event"... devices being scanners? If anyone can confirm this that would be great..

Cheers

Looks Like it's going to be a good airshow if the Program from the show website is anything to go by:
Program


All static aircraft, hangar and outdoor displays will operate from when the gates open at 8am. Concert bands, military working dogs, fire-fighting, model aircraft, ADF Federation Guard and other active displays will be staged throughout the day.


Flying Displays

1145 – 1300

L39 Albatros and Tiger Moths Displays
Matt Hall - Giles Display
F111 Dump and Burn
Navy Seahawk, Catalina, Mustang Displays
Hudson, Super Hornet, Meteor, F-111, Mustang Formation

1300 – 1345

Meteor and Hudson Winjeel Displays
F111 Formation Display
Navy 'Dancing Squirrels' helicopter Display

1345 – 1600

F111 Solo Display
Porsche 911 Turbo versus Hawk Challenge#1
Roulettes Formation Display
F111 Dump and Burn Departure
F/A-18F Super Hornet Display
Porsche 911 Turbo versus Hawk Challenge#2
AP3C Orion Display
BaE Hawk display
F/A-18A Hornet Formation Display
Fighter Formation Display
C130J Display
Spitfire and Avon Sabre Displays
F/A-18A Hornet Solo Display

Ground Events and Dispays

Radio Controlled Model Aircraft Displays

0810 – 0845
0930 – 1030

Royal Australian Army Corps of Transport Pipes and Drums

0830 – 0900
1000 – 1030
1610 – 1630

Explosives Ordnance Demolition Demonstrations

0840 – 0850
1000 – 1010
1120 – 1130
1620 – 1630

RAAF Police Dog Demonstrations

0900 – 0930
1015 – 1045
1600 – 1620

RAAF Ceremonial Band Performances

0930 – 1000
1145 – 1215
1600 – 1630

Federation Guard Precision Drill Team Displays

0950 – 1000
1050 – 1100
1610 – 1620

All Day

Corporate Precinct Area Trade and Commercial Displays
Historic Military Vehicle Display
Helicopter Joy Flights
Children's Rides and Amusements

http://www.airforce.gov.au/airshows/

You just beat me to it Sean

Does look like a pretty good program with some nice formations planned, especially the 3 x F-111

Mind you, i think there's a bit of duplication in that list, not that i will mind if the F-111 goes up 8 times! :D

Program has just been updated and now makes a bit more sense

http://www.airforce.gov.au/airshows/

Connie is on her way to Williamtown this afternoon apparently.

Yes i think it departed Wollongong yesterday for somewhere in QLD... Must be heading to Willy from there today....

Arrived from MCY, Lockheed P-2 and a DC-3 have also arrived from Wollongong.

Wheres the C-17 handling display?? I want another compressor stall!!!!!

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5839195

Single handedly the biggest fluke in Aviation Photography....

I've just heard off a very reliable source that a KC135 landed at Willy this afternoon ..

Dave C

Watched it land at 3.30pm. Most stuff practiced today.

So whats the KC-135 supporting??

Nothing. It was on static display.

No US planes today, I assume tomorrow will be the same.

What was the show like Matt ?

Anything interesting to report in the way of colour schemes or new types on display ?

I would have loved to have been there but instead spent most of the day pulling weeds out of my garden in Perth.

The KC135R was the only overseas aircraft participant . It flew from its base Mc Connell AFB Kansas to Willy via Hickham AFB Hawaii . I only went to see the F111 , I wasn't disappointed there , some great dump and burn runs , however , I thought the display was pretty ordinary overall . I would have liked to have seen a Eurocopter Tiger , but no show there either .. The Super Hornets were very impressive though .. The rest was all very regular stuff , and nothing to get too excited about .

Dave C

How they made the Rhino louder than three F-111s, I'll never know. But yeah, I'd seen it all before at Avalon and Albion Park.

Not as close to the runway as Avalon, and all the buildings in the background kinda ruin the photos.

I'm rather sunburnt, but I don't care. It was worth it.

OH SAME HERE!

My skin is so red. Its going to hurt alot trying to get to sleep tonight.
I had an OK day. I thought that the organisation of the event needs major improvement. No matter what or when, the lines for the food were at least an hour long. No shade. No drinks carts. The line to get on the shuttle bus to get back over to the other side of the runway was about 1.5 hours long. We wanted to leave early, but we were trapped, with no food/shade or means to leave. Nothing ran on time and the totally just gave up on getting the C-130 out flying.

We finally get to the car and spend the next 90 minutes parked trying to get out. The planes were great. Mostly everything else sucked :(

Might give it a miss next time. WOI is alot easier.

I think the site and sound of 3 F111's flying in formation was worth me driving 200km. In all previous air shows I had been to, only one F111 was the usual fare but three was something special, particularly when I doubt I will ever see them flying again.
The Super Hornets are noisier than the classic Hornet probably due to the larger engines? very impressive particularly the low pass over the crowd.
Yes the organisation was a bit of a disappointment, with inadequate food and drink outlets, but overall it was still a great day.

Have to agree, the flying display was awesome. Static display - forget it, nothing open at all.
The day was great but beware...It took an hour to get from one side of the airfield to the other and then another hour to get out of the car park. It took 40 minutes to get food and it was tolerable to eat and expensive to boot.
The flying schedule was running late and some events were obviously cancelled but the F111 and F18 made up for it.
No shade as has been mentioned - and it was disappointing to not see more availability of refreshments as it was a hot and glaring day.

My advice would be to pack a family picnic and head to the car park ( as plenty of others did). There's nothing worthwhile on the air base side to rave on about.

What a waste of the yanks sending the tanker down for it to just sit there. Blue Angels or sime of that stealthy stuff would be nice.

The F111's and F18's were superb and I was also greatly impressed with the maneuverability of the AP3C Orion. Aside from that our experience of the day almost exactly mirrored that of Mike S. We were feeling pretty happy about bringing our own food and drinks after seeing long long lines at every food vendor from about 9:30 onwards. The 90 mins it took to get out of the carpark, whilst infuriating is an improvement on the two hours it took us 25 years ago :rolleyes: Would still recommend it to the average member of the public.

I have to Agree the F111's and F18s were great, I also didn't mind the roulettes. It took you 90min to get out ??? i won't tell you how long it took me to get out then :D

We queued up for lunch just after 10am. We finished eating just in time for the flying to start.

The guy next to me went for coffee and came back 90 minutes later...

Further to my original post , here are a few shots taken yesterday ..

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...h_IMG_3138.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...h_IMG_3096.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...h_IMG_3139.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...h_IMG_3041.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...h_IMG_3034.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...h_IMG_3022.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...h_IMG_3004.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...h_IMG_3153.jpg

Dave C

Enjoyable but not well organised
 

I really enjoyed the flying displays and having commercial flights taxi by so close was a thrill, if only we could get that close all the time everywhere!
I echo the comments in respect of food, seating and shade. I could not even find anywhere to get fresh water to refill my own bottle! I also have my own issues with the parking, great availability but to take 2 hours to exit the venue by car really put a damper on it. After a long hot day on my feet, sure 2 hours sitting in the car was ok, but to have a 2 hour drive after that 2 hour wait made it a long trip home!

On a lighter note
 

Would you believe that someone actually asked me to sit down because I was blocking the view for their 7 year old daughter. They were some distance behind me and it confused me as the action was in the air! And keeping in mind I was also some distance from the crowded fence line. I pointed out that it was an "Air" show, so he should encourage his daughter to look up and the problem would be solved ;)

Wow! I have only been to two major airshows - Amberley '08 and also in '03(?) and all I can say was they were superbly organised! Took train/bus in '03 but risked taking the car in '08. Parking was easy and close, little wait to get out, plenty of drinks/food and shade was there if you wanted it.

I think with the car parking it was a matter of luck .. We drove straight in . parked up and at the end of the show we were out in a matter of 5 minutes . As for the food outlets , I've been to enough airshows now to convince me to take my own food and drink , it's always a nightmare trying to queue and you miss so much of the thing you're there to see ... I'd love shares in those food outlets though , they must have made loads of money this weekend !! ..

Dave C

I don't know what everyone's whinging about!! It was a great flying display with a lot of formations that won't ever be seen again. The static display was pretty standard but what did you expect? I went for food at about 1pm and was back at my spot by 1:30pm or so....not all that bad really (and a long way from 90 minutes!!). When the show was over, it was a 15 minute walk to the car then literally 5 minutes to get on the road and outta there! The food at the stands was expensive but, once again, what did you expect? As for being trapped at the show because you couldn't get across the field...what a load of rubbish!! They made a number of announcements that shuttle buses were running ALL DAY to get from one side of the field to the other!!

Well you were lucky.. I was stuck with a 13 month old in the carpark for nearly 2 hours.. if it wasn't for some one saying they were told to go the other way I would have been stuck at least another hour..

As for food my sister in law took 2 hours to get 3 pluto pups.. so organisation wasnt the best..

and as others have said the airial display was amazing.. and here are a few of my shots...

Well - I don't know what the Sunday show was like but my comments for Saturday would be

Pretty good static display - good to see the Wedgetail up close.
Flying - very good overall - continuity not so good - too many long pauses - and then to learn that some displays were cancelled through lack of time (if that's true) - very ordinary

F111 - excellent dump & burns - 3 ship display very disappointing -could have been so much more than a couple of passes - imagine a 3 ship dump & burn to say farewell

Car park - an absolute **** up - we got out in about 20 mins due to some cross country travel - but half an hour after the show there was hardly any flow down the road through the swamp -and no-one in control of the traffic flow until everyone was on the road - too late to be of any use

Overall an enjoyable show - 7/10 score for me

Dave

Did you goto the same airshow????? Hahaha

I thought that the static displays were great. You must of been VERY lucky to get food in 30 minutes. I did not see a single line that would of been that quick. What line were you in??!!??

As for being trapped. Well i DID hear that the shuttle buses were running, hence why i attempted to try and catch one. But at 3pm, the line for it had AT LEAST 1000 people in it, with strollers and foam planes and you name it. It would of been a time wasting exercise catching the bus.

So 4 rolled around, we waited about 20 min for the 2 VB and DJ flights to come in, and proceeded to sit in the carpark for 90 min. SO wanting to leave at 3 quickly turned to finally exiting the field at a bit after 6. And not getting home till a bit after 9.

Im not whinging as such, i had an OK day. Its just quite clear that they either have no idea how to run an event or they wont expecting that many people.

I know this is unlikely but did anyone manage to get the serials of any of the F111's in the flying display on Saturday?

Also - if anyone went yesterday, did the F111's perform - I recall the PA on Saturday saying something to the effect that "you won't see this tomorrow after the final solo dump & burn run?

MTIA

Dave

I managed to catch one AB-126 I think.. this one did the afternoon flyover and burns..

The morning one was Possible AB-125 as I can only see the 25 on the photo I took

But I cant read any serials off the Trio that came together...

Also any Idea where they came from as We never saw them take off..

We must have got very lucky then! We even had to wait until most of the crowd on the base side had gone because we lost one of our group and waited for him! I managed to walk to the road, get in the car and drive away unhindered. We left the ground as the 2 RPT flights were coming in around 4:15ish and were back at Maitland just before 5pm!! Luckily I didn't have to come back to Sydney until Sunday so it turned out to be quite comfortable (except for the decent case of sunburn!!).

Thanks Krishna - those serials would be A8-125/126 not AB-

I'm guessing that the 111's came down directly from Amberley and returned there after the show. As you say they did not take off or land from Willy

Anyone get a decent shot of the 3 ship formation which gives up any serials?

thanks

Dave

Wings forward was 135, Middle was 126. Can't read the fully swept one.

Touch-n-go dump-n-burn was 126.

I went on the Saturday and had an excellent time myself! First airshow since the Richmond show in 2005 and I was quite impressed. The F-111 touch n' go dump & burn was fantastic, really happy to have captured that on video!

The queue's for food and drink were crazy! Some were saying it was taking over an hour to get served. I avoided them completely. Some have mentioned previously about the pauses in flying displays but I welcomed those as it allowed us to look through the static displays and stands without missing too much action.

It was my fiancee's first proper airshow and she loved it. Particularly the Hornet fly-bys that ripped your ears out. She was laughing so hard after the surprise/shock of the first Super Hornet one.

It was also great for me to be able to go aboard the C-17 and 'Connie'. You couldn't really get anywhere near the C-17 in 2005 and I've never seen Connie in the flesh before.

Had a great time as said, my only gripe was the queue to get out of the carpark, but traffic flowed pretty well once we were let out onto the road.

A screencap from the F-111 touch n' go, a site never to be forgotten! http://twitpic.com/2pzzy7

Cheers,

Dan

Dan, you must have been right near me. I was standing behind the chairs in the middle of the north-south taxiway with a 5D2 and 100-400L.

http://www.shakesbeare.com/gallery/d...2/IMG_3746.jpg

Hi,
The fully swept lead aircraft in Saturday's formation was A8-125.
Steve

Thanks all for the F111 serials - I think we have the lot now by the looks of it.

Hey Matt,

To be honest I can't remember exactly where I was standing but our shots look almost identical! That's a screencap from my Sony HD video camera probably at full zoom there. Was an awesome sight, so glad to have caught it on film!

A few more pics I've put up on Twitpic...

Wedgetail (Connie in the background) http://twitpic.com/2q9k3p
C-17 Dwarfing everyone http://twitpic.com/2q9l5n

Dan