Turning Gas Into Noise…
…is what the gentlemen flying modern combat planes specialize in. Like many others I love the smell of kerosene in the morning, and with more than half a dozen of solo jet displays there was no shortage of that.
In sheer numbers, the Vipers probably won. All in all we witnessed the arrival of nine different F-16 Fighting Falcons from five nations. The Netherlands, the United States, Denmark, Belgium and even Greece sent us their electric jets, two of which actually flew an aerobatics display (Netherlands and Belgium). I guess this goes to show what an export success the Falcon really is.
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Sadly many of the interesting planes ended up in the static display only, so most of the regular visitors did not have a chance to see them taking to the air. Amongst those were a GAF F-4 Phantom, a GAF Tornado IDS, USAF F-15 Eagle and even a Romanian MiG-21. That one was scheduled on short notice so they had no display-trained pilot available and the German Air Force, for reasons unknown to me, doesn’t usually allow flying displays anymore.
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On the bright side, the Saab/BAe Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, two of the most modern European combat planes, did an amazing performance in the air. Somehow the Eurofighter got past the display restrictions put forward by the GAF, even though it’s formally not fully operational and the transition is still going on. So, given how impressive even its handicapped display looked like, it’s absolutely amazing to imagine what this jet can do at the very edge of its performance.
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The Austrian Air Force itself opened the day with two jet types in a single display — the Saab 105 Trainer, and our new F-5E Tigers which are operated under a “wet-lease” agreement with Switzerland till delivery of the ordered 18 Eurofighter Jets will be finished in 2009.
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The swiss F-18C Hornet, italian AMX, two french Mirage 2000 and the hungarian MiG-29 from the 59th tactical fighter wing also had no problems with the gas/noise conversion thing. The MiG-Pilot especially made it a point to really put the lights and sound on. And of course we had to have the Saab Draken with registration 08 flying in its special paint scheme done in 1996 to celebrate the Austrian millennium — always a real crowd magnet, and by tradition the conclusion of both days program.
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