St Aubins’ Bay – Jersey
Channel Islands

14th September 2023
13:00 – 17:00

This year’s show had the following aircraft displaying:

Military Flying Displays
Red Arrows – BAE Systems Hawk T1 x 8
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – Avro Lancaster B1
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – Supermarine Spitfire
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – Hawker Hurricane lIc
RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team
Patrouille de France – Dassault Alpha Jet Ex 8 – French Air Force

Civilian Flying Displays
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina – Plane Sailing Catalina Operations
Swedish Air Force Historic Flight Jet – Saab J35J Draken (SE-DXR)
North American Sk16 Harvard × 2 – Swedish Air Force Historic Flight

North American OV-10B Bronco – Musée Européen de l’Aviation de Chasse de
Montélimar
Team Raven – Vans RV8 x 6
Pitts S-25 Special – Rich Goodwin

Jersey Airport Photos

Aviation experts and amateurs alike know Flabob for its famous vintage air racers built under the sponsorship of Tom Wathen with a number of these racers still at the airfield on public display.

In addition Flabob is home to EAA Chapter One and a chapter of the Antique Airplane Association.

The Flabob Express a classic 1940’s Douglas DC-3 registered N103NA has been based at the airfield since 2001. It continues to fly at air shows do scenic flights tours and even gives the 'DC-3 personal flight experience' to those who want to put some DC-3 time in their logbook.

Flabob Airport

During May 2017 Flabob Airport hosted an event dedicated to the Douglas DC-3 including military C-47's and other variants with invites sent to aircraft from various parts of the USA. Friday May 19th was arrival day with a number of aircraft being open for tours and there were flights available to the public throughout the weekend. It was not a formal airshow as such rather a gathering of DC-3 enthusiasts with the aircraft displayed up close and personal no ropes no crowd lines. The weekend hosted various programs/seminars and provided opportunities to talk with aircrew and operators.

Flabob promotes itself as a very friendly airfield and still has the nostalgic feel of airports of a bygone era including the cafe which is located in a building which was originally the cookhouse of the NCO Club at Camp Haan the anti-aircraft auxiliary of March Field during WWII (now March Air Force Base).

Overall it was an excellent event with superb aircraft on display and very well organised by friendly people which will hopefully be repeated in future years at Flabob.

Douglas DC-3 Photos

Flabob Airport Photos

Reporter Simon Willson

The fourth Marrakech Airshow was held at the Menara airbase from 23 to 26 April 2014 and this year the event co-located with the African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA) which was featuring its first AfBAA Expo. This exhibition pavilion ran in conjunction with the Marrakech Airshow hosting the leading aircraft Original Equipment Manufacturers alongside a significant number of Business Aviation services.

Despite unseasonal torrential rain and storms in the build-up to the Airshow the days of the Airshow provided perfect flying weather.

A flying highlight was the aerobatic demonstration team of the Spanish Air Force Patrulla Aguila based at San Javier airbase in the Murcia region of Spain. Flying seven Casa C-101 Aviojets the team was in spectacular form.

Royal Morocco Air Force

Morocco’s air force the Forces Royales Air (FRA) was displaying its Bombardier CL415 also known as the Superscooper in the United States which is a world-renowned fire fighter that can scoop and drop more than 6000 litres in a single pass. The Moroccan air force display team the 'Marche Verte' also performed in the daily air display in their aerobatic Mudry CAP-10 aircraft.

Static Display

On the static display business jets included Embraer‘s Legacy 500 which made its African debut and is scheduled to enter into service in the first half of this year; Beechcraft’s newest generation King Airs; and Dassault Aviation’s Falcon 7X which was introduced in 2007 and is the fastest selling Falcon ever having recently celebrated the rollout of the 250^th 7X. Thanks to strong development of the African economy and fast growth in industries such as mining oil and gas agriculture and construction manufacturers see great potential in Africa for long term growth in business aviation.

One of four Alenia Aermacchi Spartan C-27J’s in service with the Royal Morocco Air Force was at the Airshow and which is the only aircraft capable of directly transporting troops and equipment over the harsh Moroccan operational scenario.

US Air Force

The US Air Force were exhibiting a C130J and a KC135 which were popular with the visitors on the Public day of the Airshow. Another popular exhibit was Beechcraft’s AT-6; Beechcraft offers the AT-6 to nations in need of light attack air support for the most demanding scenarios. Textron closed its 1.4 billion USD acquistion of Beechcraft in March 2014 bringing together Cessna Aircraft and Beechcraft to form Textron Aviation.

With more than 200 helicopters on order for African government and commercial customers AgustaWestland was at the Airshow celebrating a significant and growing presence in Africa. On the static park the Anglo-Italian manufacturer was displaying an Italian Air Force AW 159M intermediate twin helicopter and an AW109 Power light twin.

French manufacturer LH Aviation creator of the LH-10 Ellipse had two aircraft on display. LH Aviation has launched a subsidiary in Morocco called LH Aviation Moroc to build a factory capable of producing up to 80 of the multi-role LH-10M light aircraft. The LH-10M will be the first aircraft built entirely in Morocco.

Across the runway from the Marrakech Airshow towering cranes were working on new terminal buildings to meet the growing demand for Morocco’s biggest tourist destination. Morocco’s Office National Des Aeroports (ONDA) is expecting to see its traffic double at all of its airports by 2020.

Report by Simon Willson

Once a month from October to May Coolidge Aviation LLC sponsors a breakfast fly-in which is served by the Coolidge Lion’s Club a non-profit charity that raises money for the local community.

Dozens of aviators from across the state of Arizona and beyond arrive to show off their airplanes. The Pilots all enjoy the breakfast strutting around in their flight suits talking shop with each other and taking questions from curious visitors. Everyone is welcome to wander onto the tarmac peer into the different aircraft discuss with the pilots whose father flew in which plane during the different wars and generally envy one another's toys. The event usually starts around 08.00 and ends at 12.00.

Coolidge Airfield History

Coolidge Airfield was originally constructed as an air transport command base. The Coolidge Army Airfield served as an auxiliary operating base for Williams Field during World War II. The original airfield was constructed with three runways in a triangular configuration. Of the three runways built two remain: Runway 17-35 and Runway 5-23. Numerous support facilities were constructed including a 120-foot by 80-foot hangar in the 1940’s by the U.S. Department of the Army and this facility is still utilised today in-part for the breakfast fly-in.

On the 19th January 1950 the airfield was transferred to Pinal County as the airfield was no longer required by the U.S. Department of the Army. Pinal County owned and operated the airport until 1959 when the City of Coolidge obtained ownership of the airport. On the 2nd March 1959 the airport was officially transferred from Pinal County to the City of Coolidge.

From 1962 until July 1992 operations at the airport were dominated by training activities for the T-37 jet aircraft based at Williams Air Force Base. The Air Force had a lease agreement with the City of Coolidge for four parcels of land joint use of the main runways taxiways in return for the continued maintenance and upkeep of the main runway and taxiway. In addition they constructed several facilities along the runway and apron to support their operations. The Air Force lease was terminated in July 1992 and training operations at the airport ceased in June 1992.

Photos from the Coolidge for Breakfast Fly-In

Report by Steve Flint

Woburn Abbey - 28th International Tiger Moth Rally

Woburn Abbey has been associated with de Havilland aircraft and particularly the Tiger Moth since the first rally in 1980 when the de Havilland Moth Club were invited to organise a gathering of Moths in the Deer Park of Woburn Abbey by the Duke of Bedford. From that date the event was held annually until 2007 (apart from 2001 when the park was closed) and attended by enthusiasts from around the world. Moths were flown in from around the UK and Europe whilst on occasions owners shipped aircraft in from the USA and Australia to participate.

de Havilland Leopard Moth

After a 6 year break the event returned in 2013 with organisers hoping for around 100 aircraft to be involved including a flying display by various aircraft on the Sunday afternoon. A number of different de Havilland types were in evidence as well as aircraft from other manufacturers which were specially invited. The Rally certainly captures the spirit of flying and is a reminder of a bygone era in aviation. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the first flight by a DH.85 Leopard Moth an aircraft type which had success in the Kings Cup air race.

Woburn had in fact experienced its first flight back in 1926 when the Duchess of Bedford had her first taste of aviation making a landing in the park. She subsequently became known as the 'Flying Duchess' and went on to set many world records in aviation. This was a year after the first Moth had been assembled by Geoffrey de Havilland making its maiden flight in 1925.

de Havilland Moth Club

The de Havilland Moth Club started in 1975 when a group of owners decided to form an association with the aim of sharing technical knowledge and assistance as well as facilitate the availability of spare parts for the aircraft. Initially it was formed as a Tiger Moth owners club but requests from owners of other Moth types began to filter in and soon it became open to those who owned other variations of Moths as well as other individuals who just had an interest in the type. Today the club has a membership of enthusiasts from around the world.

de Havilland aircraft photos

International Moth Rally 2013 Photos

Report by Simon Willson

In the second weekend of August 2013 115 aircraft gathered at West-Danish Stauning Airport (EKVJ) for the 46^th KZ Rally fly-in. This yearly aviation event - normally held in the beginning of June - is well-known all over Northern Europe but has suffered heavily from 3 years of distressful weather conditions. 2013 presented a revised rally concept in close co-operation with the unique Danmarks Flymuseum (Danish Aircraft and Air Force Museum) situated just a few hundred metres from the airport terminal. The weather behaved almost perfectly and offered 3 600 curious spectators a fine and varied aviation experience during Saturday’s Stauning Airshow. The Royal Danish Air Force showed up with a spectacular EH-101 SAR demo and two F-16s from the Moonbeam airspace defence unit. Apart from the modern jets two vintage jet trainers – a newly restored French-built Fouga Magister and an Eastern European L-29 Dolphin – made spectacular passes. 3 T-6 (Sk16) in a newly established team from Swedish Air Force Historic Flight performed smoke-trailing dogfights and a lot of individual vintage and homebuilt aircraft went to the skies in formation.

KZ & Vintage Aircraft Club

The KZ Rally and Stauning Airshow is organized by the 500-member KZ & Vintage Aircraft Club - founded in 1969 by a group of private pilots and aviation enthusiasts who wanted to preserve the Danish-built KZ aircraft from Skandinavisk Aero Industri (SAI) – and maybe even resume an actual production of Danish aircraft.

The idea of updating the legendary KZ was stillborn but the club managed to keep a considerable number of these and other vintage aircraft airborne up to now. Thanks to one of the founding fathers of the club Jens Toft up to 150 vintage planes were imported from all over Europe of which many still gather at the club’s annual rally at Stauning Airport (EKVJ) .

Since 1980 the KZ Club also handles the Danish homebuilding of experimental aircraft as Chapter 655 of the American EAA organization. Right now app 50 aircraft and helicopters are being built by handy people as well as a number of restoration projects. Within the last months a Van’s RV-8 Baby Lakes Rotorway 162 and Piper PA-12 have been readied for test flights before the issue of official Permit-To-Fly.

The aircraft from Skandinavisk Aero Industri were named KZ after their constructing engineers Viggo Kramme and Gustav Zeuthen. The production of 220 aircraft spread over 11 different models took place from 1937 to 1951 and consisted of military training aircraft specialised ambulance and aerobatic planes as well as a large number of sport aircraft. Many of them were especially well-known for their simplicity reliability and excellent short-field capabilities. International post-war competition from series production types like Cessna and Piper made it impossible for the small Danish company with proud traditions of hand making to compete in the European market. Today one airworthy example of each KZ model can be found and frequently flies at Danmarks Flymuseum in Stauning – kept alive by volunteers. The museum was founded in 1975 after strong inspiration from the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden UK. Today it also contains the official collection of all RDAF aircraft.

Stauning Airshow 2013 Photos

Report by Dannish Aviation Photo

Chipfest Duxford 1^st – 4^th August 2013

Chipfest is the annual gathering in the U.K. for owners of Chipmunk and Bulldog aircraft. The primary aim is to practice various manoeuvres and to promote formation flying in both types and Rod Brown who has some 10 500 flying hours is one of three organisers in the U.K. This year there have been two extra events Goodwood in June and at Duxford in August. The main meeting is due to be held at Sywell on 19^th – 22^nd September.

In the past Chipfest has been held Sywell in 2008 Cambridge in 2009 and 2010 then Wickenby in 2011 & 2012.

Rod Brown who is the owner of Chipmunk T.10 G-ATHD / WP971 gave a few details about himself and the origins of the Chipfest.

“I learnt to fly in the RAF at Central Flying School Little Rissington on a Tiger Moth whilst there as a ground engineer for three years......I continued flying when I left the service in 1959 and purchased my own aircraft in 1979 in order to build hours to become a flying instructor .....this I did in 1985 and then worked full time to become a Senior Instructor and then Chief Flying Instructor with Cabair Flying Schools ....I worked for that company until it closed in September 2011 and ran schools at Cranfield Elstree and Denham as well being their flight test pilot for over ten years keeping some 100 aircraft airworthy with Cabair Engineering at Elstree”.

“I am one of three organisers here in the UK dealing with the airfield and flying side general organisation except hotels and food which is taken on by Janice Doyle and Ken Kelso runs the Chipfest website”.

de Havilland Canada Chipmunk

“We have regular owners that attend plus we welcome qualified pilots with either Bulldog or Chipmunk aircraft.Everyone has to be formation current and up to the standard required as set by our CFI Robert Miller ...we have SOP's (Standard Operating Procedures) available on our website and all of our instructors are ex RAF and selected by Robert”.

“I don't have too much detail on the instructors but Robert has over 4000 hours on the Chipmunk and has only recently retired as a civilian instructor working under contract at RAF Cranwell having spent his entire career in the RAF”.

“Chipfest is an extension of Chipmeet which was first started in France in 1998 then moved to Belgium and thence to Abbeville in France in 2012 .....Chipmeet is usually held in May and Chipfest first started in September 2008 at Sywell in order to promote formation training and flying skills for Chipmunk owners here in the UK”.

de Havilland Canada Chipmunk photos

Report by Kieron

On the 10^th of July 2013 a modern modification of the famous Antonov An−2 biplane being designated as An−2−100 performed its maiden flight. This new aircraft was named “Henrih Ongirskii” after H.H. Ongirskii (1939−2012) Deputy General Designer of the ANTONOV Company who made a great contribution in the An−2 and An−3 program development.

An-2-100 first flight

In the first flight the An−2−100 was piloted by a crew of the ANTONOV Company test pilots: Sergii Tarasiuk commander and Valerii Epanchintsev co− pilot. The flight within which the aircraft passed first tests was continuing over an hour.

The An−2−100 is intended for passenger cargo and mixed cargo−passenger transportations on local airlines. It can be operated autonomously at small airfields with low sub−soil strength including ice and snow−covered ones in a wide altitude range under good and adverse climatic and weather conditions.

The main difference between the AnN−2−100 and its predecessor is in a power plant with MC−14 turboprop engine made and produced by Motor Sich stock company (Ukraine). One of the advantages of this replacement is substitution of the aviation gasoline that now is not being produced in CIS countries for aviation kerosene. Thus the aircraft profitability rises significantly. Besides the An−2−100 is equipped with the AV−17 reversible propeller (instead of the AV−2). The operational empty weight of An−2−100 is 200 kg less than that of the An−2.

The An−2−100 production will be realized by reequipment of the An−2 being in operation. It will let the An−2 operators continue working with this aircraft. So there are 135 An−2 on the territory of Ukraine today and only 54 aircraft have airworthiness.

Obtaining orders on realizing such reequipment from foreign operators is also planning. Taking into account unique performance and all−airfield operation of the An−2 modernization and reconstruction of the airworthiness these aircraft fleet becomes the most important task for development of north and east regions of Russian Federation. There are 1580 such aircraft in Russia today only 322 of which having airworthiness. The An−2 is also the main aircraft of Russian agricultural aviation.

290 AN−2 are being operated in Kazakhstan 143 – in Uzbekistan 89 – in Turkmenistan 82 – in Belarus 63 – in Azerbaijan 30 – in Kirgizia 13 – in Moldova and 4 −− in Armenia. The AN−2 modernization and its life cycle extension is one of the important current tasks.

Main performance of the An−2−100 in comparison with the An−2 aircraft

Antonov An-2 photos

Report by Derek Pedley

The world’s last flying Avro Vulcan one of the UK’s most popular heritage aircraft is to receive a vital airframe modification that will help to keep her airworthy until the end of 2015. It had been feared that Vulcan XH558 might have to stop flying at the end of this year but following extensive research by the charity that operates the aircraft the Vulcan to the Sky Trust engineering team now believes they can solve the series of complex technical challenges that could have grounded her.

“If everything goes to plan we should be able to release sufficient additional flying hours for XH558 to complete full display seasons in both 2014 and 2015 in addition to this year’s spectacular season which is just about to start ” says Trust chief executive Dr Robert Pleming. “There are still many gateways to pass through but we are sufficiently confident to begin the vital fundraising that will make this exciting extension to XH558’s flying life possible.”

There are three elements to the engineering programme which the charity has called Operation 2015. “The most technically challenging is a vital modification to the leading edges of the wings required to increase the fatigue life of the airframe ” explains engineering director Andrew Edmondson. “The second element which is less technically complex but in some ways even more difficult to solve is to ensure that we have sufficient stocks of all the system components needed for the additional two flying years.” The final item is to complete the 2013-14 Winter Service including the rectification of any technical issues resulting from the 2013 flying season.

Wing Modification to proceed

The wing strengthening will be carried out to Modification 2221 which was developed by Avro while the Vulcans were in service. It’s a high-precision operation made more difficult by none of the original manufacturing tools and key drawings surviving. Phase 1 of the Modification therefore called on heritage aircraft specialists at Cranfield Aerospace (who also support the UK’s last flying Avro Lancaster) to “reverse engineer” the critical components.

Using data from a precision three dimensional scanning system combined with research into the original wing design the Cranfield team created a detailed computer model of the relevant wing sections. Following rigorous stress analysis this was used to study the feasibility of the complex operation which requires panels approximately two metres square to be precisely shaped in three dimensions so they fit each wing leading edge perfectly. “The success of Phase 1 has shown that Modification 2221 one of the most important elements of Operation 2015 is feasible ” says Edmondson.

In parallel with this research Edmondson and his team discussed component availability with key suppliers. “This is the real limiting factor ” he says. “We concluded that by the end of the 2015 flying season we will have almost exhausted the available engine life and will be critically short of other components several of which are either prohibitively expensive to remanufacture or simply can never be made again because the drawings no longer exist.”

The next step in Operation 2015 is to design and construct the manufacturing former for the wing modification. This should be completed during the summer. As soon as the aircraft lands following her final display of the year the engineering team will begin the Winter Service while the high-precision panels are manufactured. The final phase of the Wing Modification will be to fit the new panels early in 2014. Following further testing XH558 will be ready to take off for another spectacular season of displays across the country.

All flying life targets beaten

Dr Pleming says that by the end of 2015 the aircraft will have flown for around 80 hours more than was anticipated during the award winning restoration in 2007. “We will have beaten all our targets by a significant margin ” he says proudly. “XH558 is now enjoyed by around three million people every year – 50% more than two years ago – including children and young people who are inspired to learn more about engineering and aviation hopefully to help fill the UK’s desperate technology skills gaps. We have packed tours of adults and young people at the hangar at Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport and also support engineering training for local businesses.”

“When XH558 does finally touch-down for the last time ” he concludes “it is hoped that she will form the heart of a new type of engineering education and experience centre so that she can continue to inspire new generations.”

Why is the Vulcan Important

The Avro Vulcan is an iconic example of British aerospace engineering at its world-beating best. The design brief was issued by the MoD in 1946 and the aircraft flew for the first time on August 30^th 1952 just eleven years after the first flight of its predecessor the Avro Lancaster. Its impressive list of technical achievements includes being the first successful large delta wing aircraft (leading directly to Concorde) innovations such as electrically-powered flying controls one of the first applications of anti-lock brakes and a speed and agility that was so close to a jet fighter’s that it was given a fighter-style control column in place of the traditional bomber pilot’s yoke.

Success as a Cold War peacekeeper meant that the Vulcan might have flown its entire service life without ever entering combat if it hadn’t been for the Falklands Conflict in 1982. During a marathon 8 000 mile flight supported by eleven Victor tankers Squadron Leader Martin Withers and his crew released the bombs over Port Stanley Airport that prevented Argentina operating its Mirage III fighters from the island and initiated the campaign that recaptured the Falklands. Two years later the last Vulcans were withdrawn from service. Squadron Leader Withers earned a Distinguished Flying Cross for his part in this action.

Avro Vulcan XH 558

Today only one Vulcan is left flying: XH558 owned by the Vulcan To The Sky Trust a Registered Charity. Returned to the air in 2007 following one of the world’s most challenging restoration programmes she has become an airshow phenomenon. “People forget that airshows attract seven million people annually. As a spectator activity that’s second only to football ” says Dr Pleming. “An appearance by the Vulcan builds even on this remarkable level typically increasing attendance by 20-40 percent. Airshow organisers talk about ‘the Vulcan Effect’ and have described the aircraft as a national treasure.”

Squadron Leader Martin Withers DFC is a passionate supporter of the educational role of the aircraft. “Part of our mission is to ensure that young people learn about the knife-edge fear of the Cold War ” he explains. “If I had been ordered to press the button that releases the nuclear payload over our enemy there would almost certainly have been no Britain left to fly home to.The Vulcan is the most powerful symbol of a remarkable period in global history that we must never forget”

Withers is also passionate about the aircraft’s growing role in technical education. “This is one of the most significant steps forward in aerospace technology ever and it is thoroughly British. The Vulcan fires young people with a passion to develop and build world-beating technologies. And we can help give them those skills through training that call upon the extraordinary knowledge rigour and precision needed to restore and maintain the UK’s only flying ‘complex’ heritage aircraft to world-class safety standards.”

Photos of Avro Vulcan XH558

Report by Derek Pedley

Lewis Hamilton

Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton born 7th January 1985 (age 28) has splashed out on an even speedier mode of transport – a $30 million private Bombardier Challenger 605 executive jet.

The Formula One drivers blood-red Challenger 605 which cruises at 530mph will undoubtedly ease the strain of his long-distance relationship with X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger.

Lewis Hamilton lives in Monaco while his girlfriend the former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger is based in Los Angeles.

The 2008 world Formula one champion has given the aircraft a personal touch by having the aircraft registration G-LCDH standing for Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton.

Mercedes

On 28th September 2012 after much speculation it was announced that Hamilton would be leaving McLaren after the 2012 season to join Mercedes for the 2013 season onwards partnering Nico Rosberg after signing a three-year contract with the team.

Bombardier Challenger 605

In service since January 2007 the Challenger 605 jet features the widest stand-up cabin of any large category business jet available today. It is equipped with the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite and an all new cabin electronic system. Optional equipment on the Challenger 605 jet now includes the Bombardier Enhanced Vision System (BEVS) providing pilots with significantly improved situational awareness and the ability to observe runway lights and the runway environment in difficult operating conditions such as low visibility and or darkness

Bombardier Challenger 605 photos

Report by Derek Pedley