Air14 air show at Payernes Switzerland

submitted by Frederic Cottin:

From the show earlier this summer. This meeting was organized to celebrate the century of Swiss military air force and all aircraft lovers in Europe were very exited about it, because generaly Swiss Air Force meeting are quite awesome!  It's not an exaggeration to say that it was the best meeting in Europe this year and maybe the best meeting of the last ten years!  The show was a complete success with, at least, 400 000 visitors during the four days.

Click the photo below for a full photo album:

Indy Transponder 06-AUG-2014 1230z

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Salon de Provence meeting - Frederic Cottin | Another Photo contribution from our friend in France. Thank you! Be sure to click the link and view the whole album!

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Ferte Alais 2012

Another submission from our friend Frederic Cottin:

Email subscribers:  You'll need to click on the picture below to see the slide show!

Frederic shared that the weather was fantastic, which was a miracle since the last two months of weather in France left a lot to be desired.  This created great conditions for some rare aircraft to take flight.  More notes in the slide show below, enjoy!

And again, our thanks to Frederic for submitting these photo for us to share.

Slideshow: Reno 2011

Our friend, and a regular contributor of European air show coverage, Frederic Cottin, sent in some great photos from his visit to Reno this year.

We appreciate all that Frederic has sent in this year.  It's been a privilege to share some of his images from the shows overseas that we are not able to cover.

Frederic wanted to echo what most of us have shared over the last couple of months:  Heartfelt wishes for Jimmy's family, the victims and their families. 

Email subscribers, click HERE to view the slide show.

Aerobatic Championship Darois Airfield

A new submission from our friend Frederic in France:
The final of France aerobatic championship have take place two weeks ago at darois airfield (near city of Dijon).
It was a good opportunity to see aircrafts and have good time! The Championship took place for one week and during this event the public was admitted, a great idea.  Cherry on the cake was that the weather was good - reminded us that the sun does exist!

So please find attached file some photos taken during end of week and Sunday meeting when warbirds came for public pleasure!

Best regards.

Frederic

[embedded slideshow]

Saint Exupery Air Base 2011

More from our French contributor, Frederic Cottin:

Despite being strongly involved in air strikes over Lybia , The French Air Force have maintained three air shows this season.  The second occured last week and took place on BA 113 "Saint Exupery" Air Base.  Located east of France this base is home of Rafale squadrons and unfortunately for us, this part of France is one of the most rainy and coldest!

So despite of cloudy weather I decided to go to the air show.  Here are some pictures taken during this event.

Email subscribers: Click Here to view the slideshow.

Pictures 1 and 2:  Specially dressed up for 30000th hours of fleet flight, this Rafale was lucky enough to fly during a brief moment of sun!

Pictures 3, 4 and 5: Two Mirage 2000N have made a powerful demonstration

Three acrobatic teams have come, Breitling jet team pictures 6 and 7, Patrouille de France pictures 8 9 and 10 and Jordanian Falcons with extra 300 aircrafts which were badly damaged by a hail storm on Saturday!

The Belgian Air Force came with this beautiful F-16 AM picture 11.

And last but not least the most exotic competitor was this impressive Mil MI24 "HInd" from Czech air Force. Have you ever seen a tank flying?

Frederic

Duxford 2010

Our friend, Frederic Cottin, from France, traveled to Duxford for the air show that was taking place there.  As we've read in previous posts, they turned people away the first day because the grounds had reached capacity.  The show commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.  May we never forget the sacrifices made!

In addition to Frederic's photo of the sixteen Spitfires in formation, we found some good videos of the formation and have added them to our You Tube Channel.

One important guest forgot to show up for the show - the sun!

Frederic's photos:
(email subscribers:  this is an embedded slide show viewable only on the site)

Habsheim 2009

We've got another submission from our friend Frederic Cotton in Europe.
[I have edited the write up a bit - hopefully Frederic won't be too mad at me! - MS]

Email readers - you'll have to click the link above to view the slideshow

My holidays in United States are coming closer!

This little message is to show you some pictures taken last Sunday at Habsheim. The meeting was held to celebrate the hundred years of existence of the local airfield.

It was a small meeting, but with very beautiful aircraft. Sadly, the weather wasn't good. In fact, it was sunny on Saturday (when I couldn't go), and cloudy, then rainy, on Sunday (when I was on site). After the Patrouille de France performed, a real storm came on us. I had just enough time to protect my camera before the rain came down, from the sky - from the left, from the right and I'm pretty sure from under!

In this situation, it was not very easy to take good pictures, so please find attached the better photos from the batch.

And, yes of course, we have a beautiful sunshine all over France since Monday morning, unfair isn't it?

Best regards

Fredric

Zeltweg Air Power 2009

We received this submission from Frederic Cotton earlier this week. Our apologies for the slow turn around on getting this posted. Here's is Frederic's summary, with some editing by yours truly (Mike S)

A little selection of pictures taken during the Austrian's Air Force meeting.
Airpower is a big event in Austria, because it's a small country with a limited number of air bases, so when the Austrian Air Force decides to organize an air show, they're seeing things in Technicolor!
Estimates are that 232000 people came during the two days of Airpower 2009 and they organized a special organization for spotters (like me)!
The show is sponsored by Red Bull energy drink.
That meant a huge number of aircraft from the Red Bull collection and more important to my eyes, the P-38 Ligthning!
Zeltweg is situated in the Alpes Mountain, so the panorama is beautifull but the weather can change at an incredible speed. Luck prevailed - the weather was rarely sunny, but the rain decided to leave us alone!

Slides start with the tenants of Zeltweg,the new Austrian's Eurofighter Typhoon, who have made a very impressive show!
Then, Netherland Air force came wiht her solo display F-16 in her new (and beautifull colors)!
Hungarian Air force came with her new fighter, the Saab Gripen
Austrian Army put on a great show with their choppers!
Far from her home an Agusta A109 from Belgian army
Swiss Air force came with their acrobatic team "Patrouille Suisse"
Turkish Stars made an appearance also
Then the Breitling Jet Team
Classic aircraft took the skies also: A very unique douglas DC-2, no not a DC3 an DC-2, amazing!
Unique again an Dornier DO-24T!
An authentic Messerschmit BF-109G!
Then the "members" of the Red Bull collection. (Stateside fans may recognize a certain P-38 Lightning!)

And the last picture, In Frederic's words: Oh I've almost forget to talk to you about the most important think who have occured during the show, a pilot school have installed a recruitment booth , and when I've seen there teachers, I couldn't resist and signed for long studies!

For those viewing via RSS or Email, you might want to click on the title above and visit this on the site so you can view the slide show. Some great photos were submitted.

Once again, our heartfelt thanks to Frederic for taking the time to compile these and share them with us all.

Also of interest - there is a brief video from the show on the official website:
Zeltweg Air Power 2009

Ferte Alais 2009

by Frederic Cotton
(complete slideshow at end of post)

On May 30 I attended the Ferte Alais air show (just south of Paris).

The Ferte Alais air show has a lot of tradition for old aircrafts lovers in France. This was the 37th edition of this annual show!

Over the last seven years the air show interest has waned due to an organisation does not have an "air spirit" (less aircrafts, more police and increased price for the visitors; so all fans were very worried about the future of this air show.

Thankfully, Jean Salis, who is the owner of the Ferte Alais airport, and happy owner of lot's of old aircraft, decide to organize the air show for 2009.

The day arrived with lot's of sun, lot's of aircraft and an ambiance mixed with passion for aviation and a desire to show the public that planes are such beautifull things!

So please find a batch of pictures taken during this memorable day.

Also, the show commemorated the fact that a century ago Louis Bleriot flew over the English Channel (La Manche for the French). The Ferte Alais team has decided to make this crossing again with a real Bleriot XI (pictured) at the end of July!

For a number of years, the French Navy (Aeronautique Navale in the language of Moliere) has shown her aircraft during this meeting. This year they displayed four Super Etendard from flottille (squadron in french navy) 11F, two Rafale M from flottille 12F and one E-2C Hawkeye from flottille 4F.

Flotille 11F lost two pilotes in an air collision last year, one was the official demontrator of Super Etendard. To honor the pilots lost they made a formation of four aircrafts in diamond formation and at the end, one of them broke away, nose straight to the sky to symbolise the souls of their friends climbing to heaven. We will never forget!

Warbirds were also in attendance at the Ferte Alais 's meeting.

The biq star of the show should have been the Fw-190 (see previous post), but the German lady rebelled, a trouble in her right landing gear grounded her during the meeting - perhaps revenge of the French sky?

Fortunately, many fighters and bombers were present in the sky for our pleasure!

Two aerobatic teams took to the skies also and made a beautifull show during Ferte Alais's meeting.

The Breitling demo team is a private patrol, this year they are flying with seven aircraft!

The Red Arrows were very impressive (as usual) - it was a real pleasure to see them!

Complete slideshow

TLP 2009

Frederic Cottin sent us the pictures in the slideshow below.  He said that the Belgian Air Force organized a "spotterday" last week to celebrate the last Tactical Leadership Programm (TLP) that was held at Florennes air base (related article).  

Despite being a NATO exercise Frederic shared that watching the air traffic was a real treat because he was able to see planes that he doesn't normally see in France, like the Polish and Greek fighters.  He said many call this the "F-16 Show" because they see planes from Belgium (normal) Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Greece and the U.S. (USAFE mainly).  

Frederic also shared:

French air force came with two Mirage 2000N and two Mirage 2000D, French navy arrived with two Super Etendard (one of us was a veteran of Afganistan with symbols of bombs raids against talibans), Czech air force came with four L-39 albatross and Italy in bonus of her F-16ADF (ex Air National Guard aircrafts!) came with a sharkmouthed Tornado!

For the little story this spotter day was sponsorised by Shimay, a very good belgian beer company

So, again the Indy Transponder thanks Frederic for his submissions.  Enjoy!

A New FW 190

I received an email from Frederic Cottin in France. Regular readers may recall I met Frederic at the Reno Air Races last September. Frederic was kind enough to send the following pictures with a summary of what has taken place. I've paraphrased Frederic's summary below. Credit to Frederic for the photos also!

There is a new Focke Wulf 190 flying in the skies of France and Frederic was there to see the first flight. This Fw190 was not build during WW2, instead it is one of the "new" Fw 190 builds in Germany. The aircraft arrived one year ago in France at Darois airport unassembled. A three person team worked through numerous challenges to get her put together, and last Saturday she made her maiden flight. This aircraft is equipped with a Russian engine (same as the Lavochkin LA-9).

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Thank you Frederic!