Leeuwarden 2011 Opinions

[Polecat]

Perfect show, great effort of the KLu despite all the hard times they are going through.

Annual tradition, moaning about the commentators. Found the comments during the airshow -again- quite 'interesting'...few really funny ones of the last half hour (watching the livestream):

"there are even versions of the Hawker Hunter for use on aircraft carriers"
"the MiG-29 is an improved version of the Sukhoi 27"...

[Hans Rolink]

Seconded, Polecat! I enjoyed every minute of it. Big difference between this one and previous ones was the lack of demoteams, more than made up by e.g. a Polish MiG.29 and an Italian Eurofighter.
The narration was indeed remarkable at times, with references being made to a French Hawk. They used to have them in the 30's though (Curtiss 75's that is). But I have to hand it to the commentators, talking to x00.000 strangers must cause some nervousness.
Sadly, we will have to do without a KLu Open Day in 2012, so will propably visit Texel's Air Show which did give us some surprises in previous years.

Hans.

[attila.szabo]

"the MiG-29 is an improved version of the Sukhoi 27"...

Sorry, I think they're mistaken, the otherway round is more likely but also not true, for the start, they are two different aircraft manufacturers.

[Hans Rolink]

"the MiG-29 is an improved version of the Sukhoi 27"...

Sorry, I think they're mistaken, the otherway round is more likely but also not true, for the start, they are two different aircraft manufacturers.

Of course they are mistaken, you are missing Polecat's point.
However, both the MiG.29 and the Su.27 emenated from a TsAGI (Central Aerohydrodyanamic Institute in Russian) rough design which was perfected by the MiG and Sukhoi OKBs (Experimental Design Bureau's) into the hardware we can see today. So in that respect, they do have mutual ancestors.

Hans.

[Wildpicture]

KLu thanks for a very nice show. We only went on friday and enjoyed it. Weather was lovely and the organization perfect. And with the smaller amount of visitors everything went very smoothly. No waiting for busses or anything.

The only minor negative point would be that the power demo wasn't very spectacular and very hard (NOT) to see for visitors not standing directly in front of it. We couldn't see anything that was happing (apart form the occaisional F-16 flying over) and my kids were very disappointed about that. I promised them we would watch it again live on the internet today. But thanks to UPC the my entire connection was dead from 11.30 till 16.00 today....

Anyway KLu thanks!

[aviodromefriend]

Annual tradition, moaning about the commentators

At least it wasn't as terrible as in the last years, with L. being replaced by that looking for publicity female 300 Squadron pilot. And at least it prevented J. into getting to his well-known pub-talk with his friend without realising thousands of other people can hear it. And a great lack of Kuifje BTW.

[flieger28]

Today i was once again guest in the Netherlands. Think it was the 6th time i went for a open day to Holland.
The 5 other times i always visited the open days on Friday, today was my first Saturday. Even the whether was not perfect i liked the show. My feeling was that the KLU made every effort to make sure that the visitors have a nice day. I had.
Seems that they had to do much improvisation today.
Do someone know why the German P-3 doesn't show up?

[mart]

Sadly, we will have to do without a KLu Open Day in 2012, so will propably visit Texel's Air Show which did give us some surprises in previous years.

Hans.

I understood that 2012 is the year of 100 years KLu and the opendays of this year will be held at Volkel, was I misinformed?

edit:
luchtmacht.nl says the following
Volgend jaar zijn er geen Luchtmachtdagen. In 2013 wel, dan is het 100 jaar geleden dat de militaire luchtvaart is opgericht. De Luchtmachtdagen vinden dan op Vliegbasis Volkel plaats. In de aanloop naar het evenement is de informatie daarover weer te vinden op deze website.

so looks like you are right

[DJMikey]

Because of weatherpredictions I only went on Friday.
I feel the only thing you can give the organisation are compliments for a well organised show. Considering the financial challenges these days I feel they made the most out of it ... and more. Personally I feel there was a perfect mix of solodemo's and demoteams. Yes, the commentators were mistaking sometimes and yes ... both loved to hear themselves speak. But ... it was an improved to last years because mr. L wasn't there.
Conclusion: great day!

[SquAdmin]

The whole event was pretty well organized. Static was very small, airshow was interesting enough throughout the day. I agree with the comment above that the 300 sq lady was a nice addition to the guy that has been annoying me for decades.

Remarkable were all those tiny spiders that seem to crawl just about anywhere (and even managed to make a web in the sunhood of my camera!)

Btw, did anybody notice the new recruitment strategy of the KLu?

[MainPower]

The only minor negative point would be that the power demo wasn't very spectacular and very hard (NOT) to see for visitors not standing directly in front of it.

My point as well .. also there where some gaps in between where noting seems to happen during the power-demo.

Great show and I really enjoyed this openday ... but the only minor point was the newly setup power-demo.

Cheers,
Matthijs

[Mad Viper]

At least it wasn't as terrible as in the last years, with L. being replaced by that looking for publicity female 300 Squadron pilot. And at least it prevented J. into getting to his well-known pub-talk with his friend without realising thousands of other people can hear it. And a great lack of Kuifje BTW.

Commentary improved by 50% this year. Indeed, no "kuifje gehalte" or "cadillac of the skies", but that was merely because of the absence of a Mustang. More interesting facts that could me understood by every one. Sometime I think that mister J.C. is a bit jealous. saying "oh so your a re just practising for civilian flying" when they say that a Libya misison is lasting 6 to 7 hours makes me wanna puke. Sometimes I wished the pyrotechnics guys strapped on of those fireworks under his chair. I was glad somebody from the RNLAF was sitting next to him all day long. Not always perfect but improving. Maybe in 2013 two RNLAF personnel in the booth?

Overall a good show. Enjoyed the mix of the show. A wake service from a Polish Mig, always a winner. Air power demo, well I second the viewability, it was nice, but not as spectacular as the years before.

Negative thing: the cliché speakers. Friday the started with crazy loud sound, luckily it was a bit toned down. But still, why do they have to stand in front of the fence and why so high. A thank you by the way for the military personnel that tumbled the speakers over so the sound was directed to the runway on Thursday. Way better.

Oh and have one small question. What was the purpose of the parkingstickets? Just bought them but nobody at the parking took the time to actually check if I got one? I understand at Volkel and Gilze that a parking fee is paid for the use of farmers land. But 5 Euros to park at a highway? Just curious for what purpose, and who is receiving the parking funds from the RNLAF.

[mikek1357]

The parking tickets thing was a bit strange, everyone had to buy them. I stood at the WTC parking spot and nobody was checked for it, either friday or saturday.

Oh and was it me, or did one of the Black Cats Lynxes had a small problem. The commentators said it was due to the Orion not flying, though there was a gap because of it. On friday they landed at the same time, but on saturday they didn't.

[FAB]

Btw, did anybody notice the new recruitment strategy of the KLu?

Nice catch! Mercenary army in the future, scary

[Glidepath]

I did not speak anyone who liked the whirly grirly commentator a sinlge bit.

Sound from tower speakers was deafning, during concerts sometimes sound level is checked by officials and if to loud, it MUST be lowered or else! De speakers in front of the crowd is a shame, it should (and can) be done in a different way.
and
The sound here to was rather loud and sharp, it could be less and I heard somebody say, it was more nice, in the firday early morning.

@ parking sticker wonderer(s): Paying and not checking the payment sticker is not new, noted that in earlier editions. But who cares, if payment is obviously needed? Food for thought: Ask yourseld how the civil busses are paid for. Could it perhaps be by means of the sale of these parking stickers? .

The static was pretty, but could be more compact, instead of 31/2 different sites with cavities in between. My buddies and I hate the way fencess are so close to a/c in the shelter area, and tehre is really no need for that, we feel.

to the demo:
The Fin was a winner, as were the 2 BAF F-16s demo. IMO.
Liked the Black Cats. (why did the MLD never do that creative gournd-air suncro demo). lovely, welld done chaps!!

All helo-crews: next time conclude the demo with a[b] low level farewell (sideway) hover [/b]over the entire crowd line with more than one bow in between please!

The turk was nice to and good heaveens, were we happy with the FOUR Hunter formation. The Dutch should have joined friday, but this 4 man ship was SUPER!

Sadly on Friday the sun disappreared with the Turk, Polak and PdF, but nonetheless, we had a great day.

Thanks for all involved at the KLu, including all (but 1 blond female) guards and in particular the two dog handlers near the C-17A frisday morning. tnx.