TFDC FlyIn 07

Attended the 07 Fly-In at the TFDC (Test Flight Development Centre) outside Bredasdorp in South Africa this weekend. Despite a 2.5 hour drive there and a looong trek from the parking lot to the flight line, it rocked!

Added to this, perfect weather (mostly sunny, but not too hot) and R 40 a ticket (about $6.50).

Form 10h30 until just after 17h00, there was literally non-stop action. They didn’t even stop for lunch, and dazzled the crowds with superb performances all round. Part of this was enabled by the fact that the TFDC is alongside a firing range. Other than a wide variety of aircraft (Buccaneer, Lightning, Rooivalk, Cheetah, C-130, Hunter, Silver Falcons, Oryx, Agusta 109) there was some other nice stuff:

– Live 70 mm rocket firings
– Live AAM firings (with live warheads) – 3 in total (targets were flares fired from a 120 mm mortar)
– Showing of the loading of the inert bombs
– Dropping of inert iron bombs
– Supersonic Lightning run…
– Fly-in of 160 civilian aircraft for the show

Have attached a few pics – apologies for quality – all my fault not the camera’s. Congrats to the personnel of the SAAF and the TFDC in particular. Sadly, this is apparently the Cheetah’s last show appearance in this part of the country as it is due to be phased out in May 08.