[Hornet]

Just wondering if anyone else is going to the NI airshow at portrush this year? Looks like a good show with the raf sending the Typhoon, Harrier ,Red Arrows, Hawk and the Battle of Britain Memorial flight sending the Lancaster Spitfire and the Hurricane. You wont see them so close to home except here.... Saturday the 2 of sept is the only day the Battle of Britain flight will be there.....So thats the day i'll be there.... Nothing like the roar of 6 merlin engines to get the hairs to stand on the back of your neck lol Also the roar of a Typhoon with full afterburners to get all the hair on your body to stand up lol if you want to check the aircraft the RAF are sending the address is http://www.raf.mod.uk/displays06/as_sep06.html

[Hornet]

Almost forgot!!!! the Falcons will be there too... Thats the RAF parachute display team so they will probably have a Hercules with them.. And he usually gives a few low passes once the team are on the ground....

[casper]

Yea I'll be there but only on the Sunday

The full list (so far) is:
Flying Display:
Eurofighter Typhoon
Harrier
Blue Eagles
Battle Of Britian Memorial Flight (Lancaster, Spitfire, Hurricane) - Saturday only
RAF Falcons - Both days
Red Arrows - Sunday
Antonov AN2 "Baltic Bear"
2 Excel display team - Northern Ireland debut of the 4 plane display
RAF Hawk
Utterly Butterly Barnstormers - Portrush debut of the 4
plane display
Skybolt
Bird Dog L19 - Portrush debut!
Royal Aircraft Factory SE5
Ulster Gliding Club
Pitts Special
Piper Arrow
Messerschmitt Me108
Nanchang
Husky Float Plane
Lake Amphibian
Spirit of Endeavour', a homebuilt GlaStar


Static Display:

Puma
Gazelle

Should be a good weekend

[casper]

Merlin has just been added to the display list (both days)

[Michael Gilligan]

I see on their website that the Air Corps PC7 display has been removed from the display line-up and they have been replaced by a Cessna flypast.

Anyone know why this has happened?

Michael

[casper]

Haven't heard why. I've fired of an email to one of the organisers. Hopefully get something back

[casper]

Well just got word back that there has been a swap but no reason given (to me).

[Michael Gilligan]

Thanks Casper, I think you will find its because they are now going to the Belgian Defence Days at Beauvechain for the Military show there on September 2nd & 3rd.

Shame really as it would have been nice to see them at Portrush. The Cessnas wont do much on the day.

Michael

[casper]

Just looking at a few sites listing aircraft for the Belgian Defence Days. One or two of them seem to be out of date and list the Merlin in the flying display, but the official site doesn't list it. Seems Portrush may have lost the PC-7s to them but gained their Merlin

[alphaLaura]

Aw wow, there's a Harrier display. Not sure I could make it though.

[Michael Gilligan]

Was going to go up at the weekend but the weather forecast is looking pretty poor, wet and windy with lower temps than at present.

Have to feel sorry for anyone doing anything outdoors in this Country as you cannot depend on the weather.

I hope they are wrong with the forecast.

[K Byrne]

I will be there rain,sleet,or snow, much better line up than salthill and irish debut of the eurofighter
Cant wait for the weekend,rock on

[Flyer1]

Just noticed, I see a Piper Arrow in that list.

Can't imagine that being the most interesting thing in the world to watch.

[casper]

much better line up than salthill

I'll agree that the line up looks better than Salthill, but I liked Salthill because all the flying was crammed into 3 hours, with very little waiting about between displays. Portrush is over 5 hours and there can be some waiting around
But I'll be there no matter what the weather's like.

[Michael Gilligan]

Well K Byrne I cannot see what is more exciting at Portrush V Salthill their lineup for this year is below, they only thing would be the Typhoon the harrier was at Salthill last year.

2006 Flying Display
Royal Air Force Aerobatic Display Team - The Red Arrows
Royal Air Force Hawk Solo Display
Royal Air Force Team Merlin Display - Merlin HC.3
RAF Shorts Tucano T.1
2Excel Display Team
US Air Force F-15 Eagle
Irish Air Corps Pilatus PC-9M
Irish Air Corps CASA CN235-100MP Persuader
Irish Air Corps Eurocopter EC135P2
Irish Air Corps Aerospatiale SA316B Alouette III
Irish Air Corps Reims Cessna FR172H Rocket
Irish Air Corps Learjet 45
Garda Air Support Unit Eurocopter EC135
Garda Air Support Unit Defender
Eddie Goggins Extra 200
Coast Guard Sikorsky S-61N
Irish Army Parachute Team, The Black Knights

By the way dont forget that not all the display aircraft are on both days, the Red Arrows Sunday only, Battle of Britian flight Saturday only.

Sad to say I am a fine weather aviation fan only, if Salthill was bad this year I would not have gone down, but I do admire all you hard core Air Show guys.