MALTA and the MALTA AIR DISPLAY, September 2023.

[viscount]

THE MALTA AIR DISPLAY
Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th September 2023

The Malta Air Display has a slightly different format to many displays, having both an on-airport static display with paid admission and a quite separate, free seafront air display location.

Not my first attempt to get to a Malta Air Display. Booked flight tickets early in 2020 with Air Malta AGP-MLA, however with the Covid epidemic, the event and flights were cancelled and payments eventually refunded. Decided to have another go this year, so way back in late March booked my flights. Not so easy this time as the direct service from Malaga to Malta had not been reintroduced, so flights via Milan outbound and Madrid inbound booked. Tickets for entrance to the static park purchased once on sale.

The two day Air Display operates in the same way each day. In the morning the static aircraft, which are at 2 different locations within Luqa, Malta Airport are available to view by the public with an advance ticket costing €·· which permits entrance to both sites and a free coach for the 10 minutes trip on public roads between them. At 1pm the static display areas are emptied of the paying public and become active aprons. The Air Display itself does not start until around 2pm along the rocky seafront at St.Paul's Bay on the north of the Island. A good location on north facing, rocky, sloping land with an essential ingredient for photographers - the sun behind your back.

I arrived on Malta late Thursday and met up with friends. On Friday watched the airline movements, late airshow arrivals and a short walk along the outside of the airfield fencing around the Safi site to view the gathering static aircraft. On Saturday we were fairly early at the Safi site (where most of the participating aircraft where) before it got crowded, then used the chartered coach to get to the SR Technics apron site. From there we walked back to the terminal, a lengthy walk, but at times could read off based aircraft on some of the many small aprons. After the somewhat lengthy walk, lunch in a roadside cafe, then returned to the terminal to view activity through thick glass from the excellent balcony and back through the runway tunnel to the spotter's spot to watch airliners and other aircraft activity.

On the Sunday, after a short stop at the Spotter's site to see just regular traffic, took a service bus via Valetta to St.Paul's, getting there in plenty of time after a couple of adventures. Early enough to get some seats at a cafe table and have some lunch. After a wait in the bright sunshine for the start of the air show a helicopter appeared and performed a simulated rescue of two divers with some difficulty in a very brisk on-shore breeze. Then public started leaving and word spread that due to the strong wind the air display was cancelled! Win some, lose some. Had a walk around, a good meal in restaurant and after a considerable wait for a bus, made our back to Valletta which became far from straightforward when the bus lost traction and broke down! However eventually made it back to our accommodation in Kirkop (south of the runway), 5 mins walk from the spotters 'bridge'. Travel by bus is good value at €2 for 2 hours travel, including changes of bus route.

Monday morning saw us at the airport in the morning, then bus back into Valetta and out again to Ta'Qali, a former airfield and now the site of the Malta Aircraft Museum. The trip back to Valetta and onwards to the airport this time proved uneventful, we were becoming experienced bus passengers! Later we split-up either getting the evening flight for Liverpool, or my return leg early on Tuesday morning to Malaga via Madrid.

AIRCRAFT DISPLAYED IN THE STATIC PARKS,
SATURDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER.

The air display static parks gathered together aircraft of 14 national markings, the 50 aircraft gathered included a diverse range of military hardware from around Europe and a number of local aircraft. Some aircraft participated in the air display, some 'spares' and others present just for static display.

																
OE-FAS		Austria	Dornier Alpha Jet	Red Bull, black & red with a tiger-stripped nose			
OE-FRB		Austria	Dornier Alpha Jet	Red Bull, black & maroon scheme			
F-HUBK		        Tecnam P2022 Sierra JF	Professional Aviation Training Academy Malta titles			
125	XO      France	SOCATA TBM-700A		French Air Force, white			
31+41		Germany	Eurofighter EF.2000S	German Air Force, TLG 31 'Boelche' c/n, GS0101, with 'mission' record below cockpit			
31+48		Germany	Eurofighter EF.2000S	German Air Force, TLG 31 'Boelche' c/n, GS0108, 			
283		Ireland	PC-12/47E Spectre	Irish Air Corps, 104 Sqdn, 100th Anniversary markings			
mm 62311 20	Italy	ATR-72-6000MP   	Guardia di Finanza			
mm 81489 2-10	Italy	EH-101 Merlin ASW	Marina			
mm 81815 PS-109	Italy	Agusta AW.139C		Polizia			
mm 81897 11-09	Italy	Agusta AW.139CP		Guardia Costiera			
mm 82048 508	Italy	Agusta AW.169LUH        Guardia di Finanza			
9H-EFA		Malta	PA-28-161 Warrior II	European Flight Academy			
9H-HMJ		Malta	Dassault Falcon 10	Harmony Jets			
9H-LQA		Malta	Tecnam P92 Echo JS	European Flight Academy			
9H-MEP		Malta	Tecnam P2006T II	Malta School of Flying			
9H-MIO		Malta	Cessna FR182 Skylane RG with the Malta School of Flying			
9H-MLH		Malta	Pipistrel Virus SW121	European Flight Academy			
9H-MLT		Malta	Tecnam P92 Echo JS	Malta School of Flying			
9H-MSF		Malta	Tecnam P92 Echo JS	Malta School of Flying			
9H-STAR		Malta	Diamond DA.42 Twin Star	European Flight Academy			
9H-VLT		Malta	Tecnam P2002 Sierra JF	European Flight Academy			
AS 1227		Malta	Beech B200 King Air	Armed Forces of Malta			
AS 1429		Malta	Agusta AW.139		Armed Forces of Malta			
AS 9212		Malta	SA.316B Alouette III	Armed Forces of Malta			
AS-9819		Malta	BN-2T Islander		Armed Forces of Malta			
S-419		Netherlands  AS.532U-2 Cougar	300 Sqdn, "Tommy"			
1504		Poland	C-130E Hercules		33rd Aircraft Base, 1918-2018 centenary "Charlene"			
4046		Poland	F-16C Fighting Falcon	31st BLT. Fitted with conformal long range tanks			
13810   810	Romania	Antonov An-26		shark's mouth paintwork			
L9-62	62	Slovenia     Pilatus PC-9M	c/no. 635			
J-5009		Switzerland  F/A-18C Hornet	standard grey			
J-5018		Switzerland  F/A-18C Hornet	Panthers' on tail			
88-0021		Turkey	F-16C Fighting Falcon	132 Filo, Gösteri Ekibi (Solo Turk), special colours			
88-0025		Turkey	F-16C Fighting Falcon	132 Filo, special colours			
XX177		UK	BAe. Hawk T.1A		The Red Arrows	RAF Demonstration Team of 8, plus 2 spares.	
XX188		UK	BAe. Hawk T.1A		The Red Arrows			
XX219		UK	BAe. Hawk T.1A		The Red Arrows			
XX232		UK	BAe. Hawk T.1A		The Red Arrows			
XX245		UK	BAe. Hawk T.1A		The Red Arrows			
XX278		UK	BAe. Hawk T.1A		The Red Arrows			
XX295		UK	BAe. Hawk T.1A		The Red Arrows			
XX310		UK	BAe. Hawk T.1A		The Red Arrows			
XX322		UK	BAe. Hawk T.1A		The Red Arrows			
XX325		UK	BAe. Hawk T.1A		The Red Arrows			
ZZ500		UK	Beech Avenger T.1	Royal Navy, 750 Sqdn			
ZZ501		UK	Beech Avenger T.1	Royal Navy, 750 Sqdn			
N25Y		USA	P-38L Lighting		Red Bull			
N6123C		USA	B-25J Mitchell		Red Bull			
AF62-127 OF	USA	Boeing TC-135W		USAF, 55th Wing, 38RS (62-4127) from Offutt AFB			
								
Also a number of aircraft logged immediately adjacent to the public apron areas, which were not involved in the air show:
Medavia apron, Safi site:																
9H-CRM			Robin DR.400		long-term parked up.			
9H-ALM			DHC-8-102 Dash Eight	Universal Air, all white no titles.			
  -			DHC-8-100 Dash Eight	totally stripped frame, white. History currently obscure.			
  -			DHC-8-100 Dash Eight	totally stripped frame, mid grey. Once N634AR, C-GGOM, N810LR. C/no.003.			
  -  			ATR-42-500      	Air Cosmetics. Bright yellow, used for painting demo & tests. Once Blue Islands G-ISLF.			
9H-RWM			Beech 200GT King Air	airfield side of the Safi site
Former SR Technics apron area:			
T7-AAA			Global Express XRS	believed impounded outside SR Technics			
2-SMSM			Challenger 601		believed impounded outside SR Technics
EI-DFO			Airbus A.320-211	ex Windjet, dumped opposite SR Technics	
In the LH Technics hangar and out on the apron:			
HS-THQ			Airbus A.350		tail out of Lufthansa Technics hangar, Thai flag on tail, all white, ex SAA.			
D-AIHF			Airbus A.340-642	Lufthansa, outside Lufthansa Technics hangar 			
										
Support aircraft:								
T-752			Challenger 604		Swiss Air Force, in & out on the Friday			
While on the Thursday and Tuesday the Turks used a C-130 and an A.400, not seen by us.

[viscount]

MALTA AIR SHOW, STATIC PARKS

The 'head-turners' in a line of mostly current military hardware, were two magnificently presented aircraft from a past era:





The superbly polished Lockheed P-38L Lightning N25Y operated by Red Bull, as if that was not obvious.





Along with the equally highly polished NA B-25J Mitchell, also from the Red Bull Collection.



'Red Bull' also brought along a pair of Alpha Jets, both civil registered and in fancy colour schemes. One being flown in the flying display at St.Paul's Bay.

The 'home team' were represented by the Armed Forces of Malta with a pair of helicopters and a pair of fixed-wing twins.



AS-9819 BN-2T Islander



AS 1227 a Beech B200 King Air



Along with an Alouette III (which was surrounded by people) and this one, AS 1429 an Agusta AW.139

The Italians, who are not that far away from Malta, provided a bevy of attractively painted machines



One I've seen working refugee monitoring flights out of Malaga Airport is this ATR-72-600MP mm 62311/20 of the Guardia di Finanza



Also working for the Guardia di Finanza, this yellow and green Agusta A.169LUH mm 82048/508



Working for the Italian Guardia Costiera is mm81897/11-09 an Agusta.139CP



Working the Italian Polizia mm-81815/PS-109 an Agusta AW.139C



In comparison very toned-down is this Westland EH.101 Merlin AEW mm81489/2-10 of the Italian Marina (Navy) operating from Catania on Sicily.





Another very much 'toned-down' scheme is this green one, with tricky to see faded matt black serial S-419, Eurocopter AS.532U Cougar of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, 300 Squadron, with individual name "Tommy".



Romanian Antonov An-26 810 with various badges and grinning shark's teeth paintwork.





A pair of Eurofighter EF.2000S from TLG 31 'Boelche' of the German Air Force. Interestingly 31+41 carried 'missile' mission record below the cockpit. These are thought to record inceptions made of Russian aircraft over the Baltic while recently working with the RAF protecting NATO's Northern Flank.





This F-16C Fighting Falcon 4046 is from the Polish Air Force and was noticeable, not for the far from formidable cuddly Tiger, but unusually having a pair of 'conformal' over-wing long-range tanks fitted.





The Polish also provided a Lockheed C-130E Hercules, 1504 with anniversary 1918-2018 markings and individual identification "Charlene". How the shade of grey changes between shadow and bright sunlight on the same surface.



Pilatus PC-9M 62/L9-62 from Slovenia.





The Irish Air Corps provided a Pilatus PC-12/47E Spectre from 104 Squadron at Casement in dark grey with 100 anniversary logo.



Sole aircraft from the French military was this SOCATA TBM-700, number 125/XO



The Royal Navy have long historical links with Malta and 350 Sqdn at RNAS Culdrose were a Hal Far based unit in the 1950s with Gloster Meteor TT.20s for fleet co-operation gunnery training.





The Turkish Air Force sent a pair of decoratively painted F-16Cs, one flying a solo aerobatic routine in the air show.





The Swiss provided a pair of F/A-18C Hornets, one with additional low-key 'Panthers' unit markings



Under the nose of the TC-135W is a Lufthansa A.340 D-AIHF outside the Lufthansa Technics hangar.





Largest aircraft there was this Boeing TC-135W of the 55th Wing, 38th Reconnaissance Squadron and as shown on the decorative engine covers maintained by the 55th Air Maintenance Squadron. Given that these 'Rivet Joint' style machines are normally considered top secret, it was a surprise to find a long queue of locals patiently waiting in the heat for a walk-through the aircraft.



Harmony Jets Dassault Falcon 10, 9H-HMJ



Pipistrelle SW121 Virus. Do you reckon that two tall pilots could fly together comfortably in one of those? A type gaining popularity, I've seen three in just over the same number of weeks in three different countries! The blue, winged Maltese Cross is the logo of the Malta based European Flight Academy.



Also with the European Flight Academy is 9H-STAR a Diamond DA.42 Twin Star.

Now stand by for a lesson in the recognition of Tecnam aircraft:



9H-LAQ also of the European Flight Academy is a Tecnam P92JS Echo





These are both Tecnam P2002JF Sierra aircraft. 9H-VLT with European Flight Academy and F-HUBK with 'Professional Training Academy Malta' on the tail, and appeared with Malta School of Flying aircraft.



While this twin is a Tecnam P.2006T II, 9H-MEP operating with the Malta Flying School.

PARKED CLOSE-BY TO THE TWO STATIC AIRCRAFT PARKS

3 x DHC-8-100 Dash Eights, one noted on another day out on an air test, the other two parted-out right down to a shell, although apparently with ownership disputed, they cannot be fully scrapped. The Robin DR.400 with them also has not moved for a number of years and appears to be 9H-CRM.



DHC-8-100 Dash Eight, the white one, 9H-ALM is in full flying trim.



This ATR-42 has also been reduced right down to a shell, which is used by the local spray shop, 'Aviation Cosmetics', to test the durability of finishes and to display the prowess of their spray team.



This Beech 200 King Air, with peeling serial 9H-RWM sits on the airfield side of a closed access gate to the Safi, Medavia site.





Two aircraft which have been outside the SR Technics hangar for some years, presumed impounded, are Global GLX T7-AAA and Challenger 601 2-SMSN.



Airbus A.320 EI-DPO, last operated by Windrose has been outside at Malta for a number of years.

[robaero]

Hi Viscount, your yellow painted ATR 42-500 is an ex Blue islands one G-ISLF.

[ian531]

Another great report

Ian

[viscount]

MALTA AIR DISPLAY, Saturday 23rd September

By the time we had walked back from the distant SR Technics apron and through the tunnel to the south-side spotters area, the air display at St.Pauls Bay was well underway. However we did watch the departure and return of some of the aircraft involved.



Polish F-16 returning from it's display flight.



The Swiss Hornet departing to display.





The Turkish F-16C making a dramatic departure to display.





The 'Red Arrows' departing to close the show at St.Pauls Bay.

MALTA AIR DISPLAY, ST.PAUL'S BAY, Sunday 24th September

As already related at the top of this thread, we made our way by bus to St.Paul's on the Sunday morning.



So used to a promenade and beach front location in cool British weather, it was a different experience to sit on a cliff-top, in bright, clear sunshine with the sun behind you.











With a moderately stiff on-shore wind, the Armed Forces of Malta arrived with an AW.139 and an Alouette III helicopter to give a role demonstration. The AW.139 made a few passes, dropped to sea-level and two divers jumped out and were then rescued, the pilot had his tail to the crowd much of the time to remain into wind and it was clear that he was fighting the weather conditions. On completion of his recovery of the two divers he flew off, chased from much further out to sea by the Alouette III and that was it. After around 5 minutes some the crowd started moving away and the message spread that due to the high winds the display was cancelled. A great shame as the prospect for some great photos was good, but safety is a prudent course of action.





So we were left with just 3 small fast boats patrolling the display line to occupy our long lenses!

[ronturner]

Great location. Pity no show. Even so, looks like you made the best of it all.

It causes me to hark back to 1970 when I took my fairly newly wedded beloved to Farnborough for the first time. It rained, and rained and rained, and the show was cancelled. We had installed ourselves for the weekend in a nice hotel on the river bank by the bridge at Henley. Following morning, awoke to find the river had risen so much, the car parked at the front of the hotel was flooded and our car appeared to be floating. It wasn't but it was close to.