The Wales Airshow is an annual two-day event, usually taking place at the end of June or the beginning of July. Swansea Bay is ideally suited as a venue, as it is semi-circular in shape and provides ample room for spectators on the beach and the adjoining promenade. The programme for the two days is usually identical, apart from the timings of the different performances. As the show is right on our doorstep – and completely free (!) – we try to go along for at least one day.
The photo at the top shows my favourite act from this year's line-up: the 'Aerosuperbatics Wingwalkers' (also known as the 'Flying Circus'). They are based in Gloucestershire and describe themselves as the world's only formation wingwalking team. The display involved a series of impressive manoeuvres, including loops and rolls – all with two girls simultaneously performing acrobatics on top of the planes. Stunning!
Below are a couple of further shots from the team's performance.
On their website there is a section labelled “Come and wingwalk with us!”. Apparently, you can have a go for £399. Whilst the price seems reasonable enough, I have not yet put my name down for it.
There were many other interesting displays. A parachuting team's performance was another personal highlight for me. The photo below shows three of them, just before they separated their canopies and landed on the beach.
For several years now the airshow's star attraction have been the 'Red Arrows' – the RAF's aerobatic display team. Their nine Hawk jets were a very impressive sight as they arrived at the show, seemingly out of nowhere, from the hills behind Swansea.
The weather was magnificent on the day we went and the Red Arrows were able to put on what they refer to as the 'full performance'. (In adverse weather conditions the display is shortened.)
Below are three photos from the performance.
(Note that you can look into the cockpits – the jets are upside down!)
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