Brantford, Ontario Airshow August 28th, 2013

A couple of us went to the airshow in Brantford. It's a small airport and the admission was donation only. It was a great show. The crowd was large but not overwhelming and we had a perfect vantage point from the parking area. Though we went in to the main viewing area where I grabbed a hot dog, the parking area proved to be the better vantage point in our opinion, so we went back to it for the photography. The aircraft were doing their turns and staging in front of us.

The only disappointment was that the F-18 Hornet had mechanical difficulties so we didn't get to hear & feel it's awesome power and scheduled display.

The Skyhawk parachute team opened the show.

Walking on air.

I used to know my planes, especially the jets, but I'm not sure what this one is.

I think they said this is one of only two Lancasters that are still flying.

Coming in for a landing after his performance. If you enlarge this one (just click on it)... you can see the pilot.

Harvards have a very distinct sound. Their engines roar like no other prop plane I know of. I grew up with them in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan where the Canadian Forces trained their pilots, as well as those from other NATO countries, back in the dinosaur age. They would roar overhead daily... more often than not several times a day.

 

They perform a lot of the same maneuvers as the Snowbirds (jets) do. Here they're doing the high-speed pass just like the Snowbirds.

And drawing the heart-in-the-sky as the Snowbirds do.

Coming in for a landing. Enlarge the image to see the pilot.

A flying-boat of some sort.

The countryside around the airfield added to the feel of freedom that flight gives you.

Waiting for the Snowbirds.

There are always a couple stunt fliers at airshows. Often as not at least one will be a biplane.

It's not just the stunt planes that fly upside down, but it's a must for them.

The Snowbirds always end the day at a Canadian airshow and I think everyone looks forward to their performance. I think some people come just for the Snowbirds. They never disappoint. They're based in Moose Jaw too, just as the Harvards were years ago.

Taxiing out for take-off.

A complex but exciting maneuver.

Approaching for their high-speed pass.

They come within a few feet of each other. I was told that one pilot flies straight and it's up to the other one to do the 'miss' at the last second. Sounds like a strong sense of trust would be required.

Just before the separation.

The separation. They have a better name for the move but I can't remember it.

Joining up together... wait for me.

Lost in their own smoke.

I think this is the 'bomb burst'.

 

See you at another airshow in the future guys... though by then it'll be a different group of pilots.

I hadn't been to an airshow in a few years. I enjoyed this one more than most because of the smaller airfield and smaller crowds. The main difference at this show was that the ground display was much smaller and it was fenced off from the crowd so you couldn't wander amongst the aircraft on display.

Other than that and the F-18 problem, it was a great day. I'll seriously consider going again the next time the show is on.

- fini -