AIRSHOW NEWS: The Black Eagles Soar into Waddington!

Posted by Flightline UK on 17/05/2012 under Military Airshows, Waddington | Be the First to Comment

For the first time ever the Republic of Korea Air Force will be seen in the skies above the RAF Waddington International Air Show this summer, with their Black Eagles Display Team, in what will be the team’s very first UK air show appearance.  The team, who reformed in 2009 to fly the indigenous T-50 Golden Eagle training aircraft, will arrive in the UK in mid-June and then display at RAF Waddington before moving onto RIAT and Farnborough. 

The T-50 is an advanced jet trainer first flew in 2002 and is capable of Supersonic speeds.  The type has also been modified into a light attack aircraft, has been exported to Indonesia and is being marketed across the globe for various next generation trainer programmes. The Black Eagles, resplendent in their black, gold and white colours scheme are the international ambassadors for the Republic of Korea, they fly with 8 aircraft, in both formation and synchro manoeuvres. 

 Their display at the RAF Waddington International Air Show will be their debut appearance in the UK and make Republic of Korea the 36^th nation to appear at the event since 1995 and the 18^th nation to take part in 2012 the RAF Waddington International Air Show.  The Black Eagles display at Waddington will be part of an unprecedented line-up of international display flying from the UK, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Austria, USA, Czech Republic and the United Kingdom.   The flying display will be further bolstered with an impressive line-up of aircraft in the static line –up from: UK, France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Australia, Algeria and Qatar.

AIRSHOW NEWS: RNAS Yeovilton International Air Day and RAF Waddington International Airshow welcome the Saudi Hawks in 2012

Posted by Flightline UK on 17/04/2012 under Display Team News and Dates, Military Airshows, Waddington, Yeovilton Air Day | Be the First to Comment

RNAS Yeovilton International Air Day Press Release

We are delighted to announce that The Royal Saudi Air Force’s Saudi Hawks’ Display Team will be making their debut display at Air Day 2012, their second ever in this country. Equipped with six BAE Hawk Mk65s, this highly exotic international display team will begin a short UK goodwill tour commencing at RNAS Yeovilton, performing here in company with the RAF Red Arrows.

Like the Red Arrows, the Saudi Hawks use one of the world’s best advanced jet trainers. First flown in 1974, the Hawk has since become a major UK defence export success story and, since forming in 1998, the Saudi Hawks have achieved their own considerable success. Their highly accomplished routine mixes formation loops and rolls with dynamic passes and, in the right weather conditions, includes a record-setting vertical palm tree split manoeuvre. As the Royal Saudi Air Force’s official aerobatic team, the Saudi Hawks are painted in the national colours of green and white and their figures are accented by thick smoke trails.

BAE Hawks will be much in evidence at Air Day 2012: besides those of the Saudi Hawks and the Red Arrows, it’s also planned for examples operated by FRADU to participate. Based at RNAS Culdrose, the FRADU (Fleet Requirements and Air Direction Unit) Hawks are tasked with carrying out simulation and training sorties for the Royal Navy and, as in previous years, it’s expected there’ll be examples involved in the show-closing Commando Assault

RAF Waddington International Airshow Press Release

RAF Waddington’s International Airshow has welcomed the news that another nation will make their debut at the 2012 show.  It will be the first time that the Royal Saudi Air Force has been represented at Waddington International Airshow, and what better way to make an entrance than with their national display team, the Saudi Hawks.

The Saudi Hawks, flying 6 BAe Hawk jets, painted in green and white the national colours of Saudi Arabia, were formed in 1998 to represent the Saudi nation and act as ambassadors across the world.  The Team, who are based at King Faisal Air Base Tabuk, completed their first public display in 1999, over the capital city of Riyadh, which marked the 100^th Anniversary of the nation of Saudi Arabia.  Since then the team have gone from strength to strength, completing tours across the Middle East and Europe, appearing in the UK for the first time last year.

Their 2012 visit to the UK will see them display at the Royal Navy’s airshow at Yeovilton, before flying into Waddington for the weekend. The team’s Airshow Advisor, is no stranger to the Lincolnshire skies, Sqn Ldr Simon Rea is a serving RAF officer, who left the Red Arrows to take up an exchange position with the Saudi team.  The arrival of the Saudi Hawks at Waddington will make the nation of Saudi Arabia the 33^rd nation to take part in the air show since it began.

AIRSHOW NEWS: Belgian Air Componest Airshow Participation 2012

Posted by Flightline UK on 13/04/2012 under Civilian Organised Airshows and Trade Events, Cosford, Display Team News and Dates, Duxford, Military Airshows, RIAT, Waddington | Be the First to Comment

The Belgian Air Component have released details of thier 2012 Airshow Participation. It is available from http://www.mil.be/aircomp/subject/index.asp?LAN=fr&ID=1478

AIRSHOW NEWS: Royal Navy Black Cats Display Dates 2012

Posted by Flightline UK on under Cosford, Display Team News and Dates, Duxford, Royal Navy, Seaside Shows, Southend Air Festival, Waddington, Yeovilton Air Day | Be the First to Comment

The Royal Navy Black Cats Helicopter Display Team have published their 2012 display dates on their Facebook page. They are as follows:

26 – 27 May Southend Air Festival
8 Jun Dawlish Air Show
17 Jun RAF Cosford Air Show (Solo Display)
23 Jun RNAS Yeovilton Air Day
30 Jun – 1 Jul RAF Waddington Air Show
20 – 22 Jul Sunderland Air Show
1 Aug Weymouth Bay Festival
25 – 26 Aug Chris Evans’ CarFest
20 – 31 Aug Dartmouth Regatta
31 Aug – 2 Sep Bournemouth Air Festival
8 – 9 Sep Southport Air Show
12 – 14 Sep Guernsey & Jersey Air Shows
14 Oct Duxford Autumn Air Show

AIRSHOW NEWS: Il Frecce Tricolori to perform at RAF Waddington International Airshow

Posted by Flightline UK on 14/03/2012 under Military Airshows, Waddington | Be the First to Comment

Il Frecce Tricolori - RAF Waddington International Airshow 2012

The skies above RAF Waddington’s International Airshow will see the addition of red, white and green smoke trails as the event welcomes the return of the Italian Air Force’s famous display team, the Frecce Tricolori, their last appearance was in 2004.   The airshow held over the 30^th June and 1^st July 2012 will see Italy’s spectacular military display team take to the skies to perform their polished routine with true Italian style.

The Team, formed in 1961 are one of the largest display teams around, flying Aermacchi MB339 aircraft and the only team to display with 10 aircraft.  The team’s routine consists of large formations, solo and synchro elements and are the only team to stall a jet aircraft during a display. Based at Rivolto in North East Italy, Waddington will be Frecce Tricolori’s only UK appearance this year.

The Team have been wowing crowds across the world for many years and in 2012 they mark the 30th anniversary of introduction of the Aermacchi MB339 into their inventory.  The Frecce Tricolori demonstrate the very best of Italian flare and panache in the execution of their routines. Their appearance helps to mark the 100^th anniversary of the RAF’s Central Flying School, a theme that will be celebrated at the airshow this year.

AIRSHOW NEWS: RAF Tucano Display Dates 2012 now online

Posted by Flightline UK on 06/03/2012 under Abingdon, Cosford, Display Team News and Dates, Duxford, Military Airshows, RIAT, Royal Air Force, Seaside Shows, Shoreham, Southend Air Festival, Waddington, Yeovilton Air Day | Be the First to Comment

The Royal Air Force Tucano T1 Display Team have posted their deisplay calendar for the 2012 season. It can be found at the following address:-

http://www.raf.mod.uk/tucanodisplayteam/displayinfo/displaycalendar.cfm

AIRSHOW NEWS: Top Award for RAF Waddington International Airshow

Posted by Flightline UK on 21/02/2012 under Military Airshows, Royal Air Force, Waddington | Be the First to Comment

RAF Waddington Team, Tony Goodwin and Courtesy Cup

The Royal British Legion (RBL), which provides support to serving and ex-Service personnel and their families, has awarded RAF Waddington Airshow its Courtesy Cup for 2012. RAF Waddington received the prestigious accolade from the Lincolnshire Branch of the RBL following its efforts to promote and raise the profile of the charity during its annual International Airshow.

The Lincolnshire Branch of the RBL is recognised as one of the most active and successful in the country and has been a regular attendee at the Airshow for many years now.

On Friday 17^th February at RAF Waddington, Mr. Tony Goodwin the County Chairman of the Lincolnshire Branch of the RBL presented the award to the Waddington Airshow Director Mr. Paul Sall who said:

“Delighted and honoured to receive this award, for it reinforces what is already a fantastic relationship between the RAF Waddington International Air Show and the RBL.“

RAF Waddington International Air Show is the largest RAF Air Show in the country. Indeed; it is one of the largest summer events in the East Midlands calendar.

To promote its good work for the community and in particular those who have been in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, RBL will be in attendance again at this year’s show where  crowds in excess of 140,000 are expected over the entire weekend.

The Courtesy Cup will be on display at RAF Waddington until next year when it will be returned to the Royal British Legion.

AIRSHOW NEWS: Royal Australian Air Force Boeing 737AEW&C to attend RAF Waddington International Airshow

Posted by Flightline UK on 17/02/2012 under Military Airshows, Waddington | Be the First to Comment

Boeing 737AEW&C - RAAF

The Royal Air Force Waddington International Airshow is thrilled to announce the participation of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and its Boeing 737 AEW&C, Wedgetail aircraft at this year’s Airshow on 30^th June and 1^st July 2012.

The Wedgetail, which is the RAAF equivalent of RAF Waddington’s own E-3D Sentry aircraft, is based at RAAF Williamtown on the east coast of Australia and will make the flight to the UK, after taking part in a major exercise in Alaska, solely for the airshow.  It will be the first time a RAAF Wedgetail has been to a UK Airshow since the first aircraft was delivered to Australia in 2009, and is a welcome addition to what is shaping up to be a truly international event, at the home of the UK Combat ISTAR capability.  Based upon Boeing’s most successful airliner the 737, the Wedgetail aircraft has an endurance of 10 hours without inflight refuelling and can fly up to 41,000 ft.

Combat ISTAR, which means Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance, is RAF Waddington’s primary role, and provides support to allied forces at home for national security and in operational theatres.   The combat ISTAR theme is an enduring theme for the Air Show and the participation of the RAAF ISTAR aircraft will give visitors the chance to see a different and new type of platform with an ISTAR capability.  RAAF involvement at the Air Show reinforces the strong links between Australia and Lincolnshire, where many RAAF personnel were based during the Second World War, and more recently at RAF Waddington which has a number of personnel on exchange tours between their respective military Services.

The Wedgetail joins the growing list of international participants, with the news that the Swiss F18  Hornet will make a welcome return after 10 years absence from the show, partnered by the Swiss Super Puma display, which has not been seen in the UK since 2001. More information can be found by visiting the RAF Waddington International Airshow at www.waddingtonairshow.co.uk .