Post by viscount on Jul 7, 2022 23:02:34 GMT 1
FÊTE AERIENNE AÉROTOR SHOW 2022, VALENCE-CHABEUIL.
Sunday 3rd July 2022
Sunday 3rd July 2022
I timed a trip to collect items from near Chambery, to include a French air display. Decided Ebace would fill the Geneva hotels, and a general aviation show at Lyon/Bron did not really appeal, but I certainly fancied an option of an 'on-airfield' military base air show - even if it was a French Army Aviation airfield. A fairly quick 50 minute drive from my Grenoble Hotel to arrive at 09:00. Almost immediately parked in one of several huge fields between road and the air base. Then a long wait near the start of the queue under an avenue of trees as the queue grew exponentially. After a long wait, admitted via a very through bag and personal search at 10:35, by which time the air show was underway, with a parachute drop commencing at 10:30. The public area was not huge and filled quickly. The majority of the static exhibits were inside a securely fenced apron area. Continually during the day aircraft were pulled out and in to participate in the flying display. There were a handful of larger helicopters and a fast jet on another apron just about out of view.
Fine cloudless weather, indeed a day that got rather hot, very quickly under an unrelenting sun. With the display line south to north, the intense sun was a photography issue until mid-afternoon. However no sooner was the sun relatively 'over-the-shoulder' than a mass of white cloud spread quickly from behind, with a dark thunderstorm moving in rapidly from the west. The rain fortunately drifted off to the north - but made for a windscreen wiper slapping drive back north. The air display continued until 18:30, with only a 30 minute break for lunch. There were some 22 'acts' listed in the programme, with a fair few appearing twice, so around 27 display slots in seven and half hours - actually I didn't mind the repeats as the light was continually changing during the afternoon.
I had a light folding chair with me, claimed a spot on the crowd line and had a totally enjoyable day, with some good flying to watch. The pair of Mirage 2000s were disappointing, I anticipated the skill of the Mirage F.1 pair of several years ago with close flying and great choreography. The "Couteau Delta" team concentrated on tail chasing with speed and noise, but very little grace. The only other modern jet display was superbly performed by the Spanish Air Force with a Eurofighter - but as the air was so dry not once did the tight turns produce that photogenic condensation flash. The Spanish commentator came on the PA, apologising that he would have to use English as he had no French. By the time of the second pass the PA system was breaking up badly - only brief broken snatches of the commentary being broadcast for the remainder of the display. The 'fault' magically disappearing once the commentary reverted to French as the Eurofighter disappeared over the horizon!
Pre-selected enthusiasts/photographers had access to a strip some 5 metres wide infront of the public crowd barriers. Annoying was the red and white tape that marked the outer limit of this enclosure and the occasional body in the way. I had applied for a pass (in French), but did not even get an acknowledgement. Mind you this was a completely free show - free parking, free entrance, free glossy magazine style programme, free filling your water bottle - don't think I have encountered such a totally free formal air show ever before, even the beach-front events find ways of making you pay, even if only for a paper programme.
Right through the afternoon I was pondering on just how long ago it was since I last attended a 'proper' on-airfield air display, rather than a beach-front
air show. Even now back on my PC and exploring photo files, the answer keeps on being pushed back. To my surprise it looks like it was Barton way back in July 2015! Lots of sea-side events since: Southport, Bray, Torre del Mar, Motril, Mar Menor; and fly-ins: Kenyon Hall Farm, Shobdon, Breighton, etc, but 7 years since a 'traditional' on-airfield display - mind you I have tickets booked for two more (both in the UK) before July is out.
Enough of my waffle, on with the display list and a bucket-load of images to follow.
STATIC DISPLAY AND FLYING DISPLAY PARTICIPANTS, VALENCE-CHABEUIL
Many of the aircraft involved in the flying display, were also parked in the static public area - these are shown with a *. Those taking part in the flying, but parked out of sight of the public with a +, the single flying only item with a ^.
CIVILIAN REGISTERED AIRCRAFT & HELICOPTERS
*F-AYSB 01675 NA F-86 Sabre USAF green, coded buzz-number 'FU-675'
F-AYZO SE. Alouette II c/n 1398, Danish flag
*F-AZCC Pilatus P.2 sort of period Luftwaffe markings
*F-AZEG 22-NP F.4U Corsair US Navy, VC3 period markings
*F-AZHK AF37002 Douglas AD-4N Skyraider USAF, period scheme, coded 'TC-002', "Sandy"
*F-AZJB white 60 Yak 11 Red Star period markings
*F-AZKM 55454 NA OV-10B US Marines, coded 26-UU. Les Ailes Brisées.
*F-AZPZ 413 Potez CM.170 Magister Armée d'air, coded 315-JB
*F-AZSN 405 PT-17 Stearman USAAC, period Army blue & yellow scheme
*F-AZST 184 N2S-3 Stearman US Navy, period yellow scheme
*F-AZYB 163 SE Alouette II (with wheels!) Aeronavle, 'Marine', French Navy, c/no 2067
*F-AZYI No.59 Bréguet B.1050 Alize Aeronavle, 'Marine', French Navy scheme
F-CJBG Alliance 34 2-seat performance glider
*F-GGAO AS.350 Ecureuil Jet Systems, pleasure flights & two display 'slots'
F-GIFE PA-28R Cherokee Arrow Aerospeed
F-GLRO Robin DR.400 Dauphin 2 Aeroclub de Valence
F-HBKD D EC.120 Calliope Helidax
*F-HBVO O EC.120 Calliope Helidax
F-HLAB Velis Electro electric motor light aircraft, conventional design
*F-HMKM Beech 58 Baron Air Project # 11 Air Show
F-HUBE AS.350 Ecureuil Jet Systems, pleasure flights
*F-HXZM Pitts S-2B solo aerobatics, no sponsor decals applied.
F-WCAI Whisper electric powered helicopter, conventional design
38-PE Jora (a ULM) Les Ailes Chabeuillosis
41-QC Bingo 45 (a ULM) Planeur CVW (somewhat Rans Coyote in shape)
W01 AJP Choppair CR4-T Electric helicopter with 6 rotor heads. (FSM or real thing?)
- - Airbus H160M Safran a Dauphin development, appeared to be a FSM
- - Flexiform trike fitted up as a flight simulator, no wing attached.
- - Bleriot XI A rather nice, highly detailed, replica to original plans
ALAT - Aviation Legére de l'Armée de Terre (French Army) machines
ABS SOCATA TBM 700A based Rennes, departed during the display in the afternoon
AYC AS.355 Ecureuil departed during the display in the morning
*BHP EC.665 Tigre HAD ALAT Scénario demos
+BJM EC.665 Tigre HAD Tigre duo demo operated from out of sight apron
+CAA EC.725AP Caracal ALAT Scénario demos operated from out of sight apron
+CGB AS.532UL Cougar ALAT Scénario demos operated from out of sight apron
CGG AS.532UL Cougar
CSH SE.319 Alouette III mounted in the base admin area
CRE SA.341F Gazelle mounted in the base admin area
+EAJ NH-90 THH Caiman ALAT Scénario demos operated from out of sight apron
EBB NH-90 THH Caiman
*GFA SA.342Ma Gazelle ALAT Scénario demos
JDI Eurocopter EC.135T2 Gendarmerie, dep once air show was over
LBE SE.3130 Alouette II mounted in the base admin area
*MCD No.890 Pilatus PC-6 based Montauban, paradrop mount
PYB SA.330 Puma mounted in the base admin area
OTHER AIR ARMS
*46 Agusta A.109 Belgian Special scheme, celebrating 30 years of service
ZH845 EHI-101 Merlin HM.2 British Royal Navy, 814 Sqdn, HMS Northumberland, but flown down from Culdrose
N-979 Sikorsky MH.60R Sea Hawk Denmark RDAF, 723 Sqdn
P-369 AS.350C-2 Fennec Denmark RDAF
1184 IC SA.330 Puma France DGA Essais en Vol. 50 years of this Puma 1972-2022.
87 EMB-121 Xingu Aeronavale 'Marine', French Navy
03 709-FF Pilatus PC-21 Armée de l'Air based Cognac
*613 3-MO Mirage 2000D Armée de l'Air based Nancy
+680 3-XM Mirage 2000D Armée de l'Air based Nancy parked on out of sight apron
74+22 Eurocopter EC.665 Tigre UHT German not marked 'Heer'
+74+60 Eurocopter EC.665 Tigre UHT German not marked 'Heer'. Tigre duo demo parked on out of sight apron
^C.16-62 14-62 Eurofighter EF.2000 Tifón Spain (^ flying display only)
*T-339 AS.532UL Super Puma Switzerland
As can be seen, an emphasis on historic aircraft and rotary machines. Few fast jets and no large transport types, not even a single aerobatic team! The ALAT Scenario demonstration involved 5 helicopters 'showing off', but for me the sight of 4 guys 'hanging' off the end of a long rope being swung around the sky for what seemed like ten minutes was the most daring, if not foolhardy, action of the afternoon - and they did it twice! Some interesting glimpses into the future of electric powered aviation, although not easy to tell FSM (full scale models) from functioning builds as none actually aviated.
Images to follow tomorrow .........
