RAF Displays - Dull but why?
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 12:55 pm
Looking at the various comments made at Dubai and elsewhere of the 3 Sqn Typhoons being as dull as a door nail compared to the Rafale (hard to beat) etc i was wondering why "now" the RAF displays have indeed become so dull....
1. They are flying further away and higher than ever before
2. They really do not show what the aircraft are capable of.
If i remember correctly, when the Typhoon was on its first legs and displayed by BAe Test Pilots it was thrown around the air like a good'un including zoom climbs until you couldn't see it anymore. Obviously this sort of display is good for marketing but then so should all air displays.
Since the displays are now flown by the RAF they seem to have gone down hill dramatically in terms of putting the jets through what they were designed for (High energy manoeuvres).
At Dawlish and Elsewhere, the Hawk displayed so far out to sea you might as well have been in Jersey to see it and so high at times it was useless to any photographer without a 500mm lens and converter!
With the excellent Rafale display team this year in the UK and elsewhere, many, including myself have commented about the superb flying the pilot put on and he really did show what the Rafale was about and to be honest, it put any British fast jet display to shame....including the USAF too.
With the absence of RAF aircraft at most shows now (flying) it is obvious we are becoming to rely on foreign air forces to crowd please because the RAF are simply not flying anymore at most airshows bar their own.
IF other nations are prepared to give the public and aviation industry what they are looking for in a jet then what on earth is happening to the RAF displays?
And don't come out with "We are fighting a war" excuse because so are the other nations and they can still put on a show and support airshows with so much more.
The other fact is... if the RAF can fly a large formation of aircraft over London for the Queen several times a year then why can't they find a couple of front liners to display at an airshow, it is far cheaper than those flypasts and obviously far fewer aircraft involved.
It shouldn't have to the way where people look at participation lists (if they choose too) and decide to go or not to go because there are no European or American or Eastern Bloc roaring going on.
The Government/MoD should be proud to show off our inventory at public events anf put on the show the public (and corporate) want.
Afterall, bad publicity is not good for anyone. The more the RAF put on such dull displays, the more people will snub them and comment like they have done with "Dull, boring, not dynamic enough, crap, not up to standard".
I'm sure the crews want to do their bit but are they restricted?
1. They are flying further away and higher than ever before
2. They really do not show what the aircraft are capable of.
If i remember correctly, when the Typhoon was on its first legs and displayed by BAe Test Pilots it was thrown around the air like a good'un including zoom climbs until you couldn't see it anymore. Obviously this sort of display is good for marketing but then so should all air displays.
Since the displays are now flown by the RAF they seem to have gone down hill dramatically in terms of putting the jets through what they were designed for (High energy manoeuvres).
At Dawlish and Elsewhere, the Hawk displayed so far out to sea you might as well have been in Jersey to see it and so high at times it was useless to any photographer without a 500mm lens and converter!
With the excellent Rafale display team this year in the UK and elsewhere, many, including myself have commented about the superb flying the pilot put on and he really did show what the Rafale was about and to be honest, it put any British fast jet display to shame....including the USAF too.
With the absence of RAF aircraft at most shows now (flying) it is obvious we are becoming to rely on foreign air forces to crowd please because the RAF are simply not flying anymore at most airshows bar their own.
IF other nations are prepared to give the public and aviation industry what they are looking for in a jet then what on earth is happening to the RAF displays?
And don't come out with "We are fighting a war" excuse because so are the other nations and they can still put on a show and support airshows with so much more.
The other fact is... if the RAF can fly a large formation of aircraft over London for the Queen several times a year then why can't they find a couple of front liners to display at an airshow, it is far cheaper than those flypasts and obviously far fewer aircraft involved.
It shouldn't have to the way where people look at participation lists (if they choose too) and decide to go or not to go because there are no European or American or Eastern Bloc roaring going on.
The Government/MoD should be proud to show off our inventory at public events anf put on the show the public (and corporate) want.
Afterall, bad publicity is not good for anyone. The more the RAF put on such dull displays, the more people will snub them and comment like they have done with "Dull, boring, not dynamic enough, crap, not up to standard".
I'm sure the crews want to do their bit but are they restricted?
