THE TORRE DEL MAR AIR DISPLAY IN IMAGES AND COMMENT
SUNDAY, 10th SEPTEMBER 2023
Torre del Mar is a seaside resort to the east of Malaga City on the Costa del Sol of Southern Spain, and is an easy 25 minute run from my home. The organisers reckon this is the biggest and best of the air displays in Spain this year, while they are biased, I wouldn't argue much with their claim.
In the lead-in to the Sunday display, there were practice displays on the Friday and an evening Air Show on the Saturday, which included the Typhoon solo and the Patrouille Suisse.
The Sunday event commenced at 1130 with two banner pulling Rallyes parading up and down the long shoreline promoting two charities. The display proper started at 12:00 and ran through to 15:15, with a number of slick hand-overs and no breaks longer than just a few minutes between 'acts'. In all 14 different sets of participants, operating 35 aircraft or helicopters. There were no 'no shows' on the day.
After a run of clear days, Sunday was partly cloudy and a shade temperature of 36º. Fortunately a gentle breeze was blowing from the west (right) along the beach, so keeping the temperature feeling moderate. As a location the long curving bay is ideal, however for the photographer it is nightmare facing south, shooting up into a glaring sun or bright back-lit white clouds. To get some of these images usable has taken a fair amount of manipulation.
Less of the chatter, as I'll take you through the programme for the afternoon. Spanish Air Display organisers tend to group the different types of performances together, so civilian aerobatic routines group together, as do helicopters then the military, ending with jet solos and jet display teams. I prefer variety, a mix during the afternoon. It is estimated that along some 8-10 kilometers of shore-line including several resort towns that some 300,000 people viewed the air display. Certainly near display centre, the crowd was some 15-20 deep under their sun-umbrellas on the beach or sat at Cheringitos (beach restaurants), plus those (like us) on the open promenade or sat under the promenade garden's trees.
As already noted the display started gently at 11:30 with two Rallye aircraft towing banners supporting local charities. Already the British enthusiast is aware that a Spanish air display differs to those in Britain, where banner-towing is almost regulated out of existence.
At midday a trio of light aircraft 'Ultra Plus' got the show off to a quiet and sedate start.
They were followed by a National Police Eurocopter EC.135 flying much lower and closer in to the crowd line.
Jorge Macias followed, this year performing a highly watchable aerobatic routine in a powerful Sukhoi Su-31. I can recall six years ago watching him perform a display in an Extra as though he was flying to judges in a highly rules-bound competition routine, this year he was most certainly flying to entertain and impress the crowd, which he most certainly did!
Next up a routine featuring the aerial assets of Guardia Civil, initially with an Dauphin helicopter, then sharing the sky with a CASA CN.235 maritime patrol aircraft, which finished with a solo routine. Despite the gentle concave curve of the bay, he managed a number of turns that showed of the top of the aircraft, not just the underside.
Two gentler demonstrations followed. Firstly Francis Gíminez of the local Trapiche airfield based Real Aero Club de Málaga (Royal Aero Club of Malaga) put their Bellanca Champion through its paces.
Followed by another local, an ELA-101 Eclipse gyrocopter, one of number based at Trapiche airfield only a few miles inland. The gyrocopter was flown in a spirited manner along the shoreline, getting lower and closer than the fixed-wing aircraft routines.
There seemed to be even more beach umbrellas this year, nearly blocking the view through to the yachts moored some distance out, beyond the flight line and patrolled and kept clear of the display line by a Guardia Civil fast patrol boat, M43.
Filling a great deal more of the sky, next came the team of 5 x Yak.52s, the 'Yakstars'. Plenty of smoke and lively turns.
A further solo aerobatic routine next, performed by Rámon Alonso in a Laser Z.300. Again a highly watchable and entertaining routine.
At 13:45 the air display tempo increased with the polished display by 'Team Aspa' (Blade) flying 5 x Eurocopter EC-120Bs of the Air Force training unit based inland near Granada.
After a pause of a few minutes once 'Team Aspa' had departed, the Spanish Air Force Eurofighter Tifón (Typhoon) roared onto the scene with a noisy, re-heat routine of turns and climbs. Despite being a 'warm' day the air was humid, so moisture flashes were pulled on many of the passes and turns. From where we were standing it was unfortunate that many of climbs either were directly towards the sun, or flew across it. The Spanish crowd just adore the Tifón, egged on by a highly enthusiastic commentator.
Next on came a major first for a Spanish seafront airshow, an appearance by the polished and tight Swiss Air Force team 'Patrouille Suisse' with 6 x Northrop NF-5Es. At this point my camera objected to being worked hard and temporarily shut-down.
The Spanish Air Force 'Team Águila' flying 6 x CASA.101s was follow the Swiss team and close the show. While I was struggling to regain control of my camera almost missed-out as 12 jet formation, a 'unique' combination of the two national teams flew across. My shot is very last minute with a beach-hut roof caught in the departing long-shot. They returned for a second pass, but this time as two separate formations flying side-by-side.
'Team Aguila' flew a 20 minute display ending at 15:15. After a few minutes of silence as part of the crowd readied to leave, one of the banner towing Rallyes reappeared with the appropriate and simple message 'Hasta el 2024' (translates as 'Until 2024') - a nice touch.
While the Spanish commentator clearly knew his 'stuff', both exciting and informing the crowd, why oh why, do it over near continual very loud pop music? After all it was an air display with varied engine noise, not a Torremolinos night club. It is interesting to reflect how the content of the Torre del Mar Air Display has changed over the years. Neither this year or last, was there a CL-415 water bomber (which was great to watch and photograph), a para-drop from a CASA-212, no Cessna 337 pair, no solo foreign air force contribution either, although appearances by European teams have increased. Still it was a good show, with some excellent display flying.
Hope you have enjoyed your few minutes at a Spanish seafront air display.
Brian "Beemer" was stood beside me all afternoon, he may be along shortly to add a couple of shots of the Swiss team and any shots he thinks are better than mine (so probably most)! Hopefully Brian will be concentrating on preparing and posting many of the airliners and executive jets seen at both Madrid and Malaga Airports, and likely GA aircraft at Cuatro Vientos and Trapiche aerodromes too.
I've still got a final Mediterranean Air Display yet to go to this year, in a fortnight's time. Not saying any more, but it is a display I've never been too, indeed it is 27 years since I was previously at the location. Before that I have a number of aviation museums around Britain to illustrate, visited while on a week-long 'road trip' last month.
