After three empty years, Airpower has returned to Austria. Please let me know how you like the shots, especially curious about the B-25. In high res, the reflections pretty much scream out of my screen, it looks almost like an airbrush painting.

Very Nice pictures, only hope i can results like that this year.

they look good, the B-25 is fine.
got any more Do-24 pics? - don't get to see many of those ...

I was there, too, on the first day - Friday.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! THE SHOW WAS BRILLIANT!!!

Yep. Despite less Display Teams and a handful less "true Combat Jets" compared with 2005 (for example, L-39 and L-156 instead of Hungarian MiG-29, French Mirage 2000...) the way they set up themed sections was brilliant, and the pictures prove pretty well how diverse a show this is.

Also, for the fact that our guys aren't even officially cleared to fly a "display" on the Typhoon, their two-man show was super excellent, and I'd even say some of the figures they flew I saw the first time ever from Austrian Pilots.

The whole Air Assault presentation was also amazing - it had been done in the past, but never so truly war-like, and this was the first ever time they used pyrotechnics in Zeltweg.

Yes, the 2x Eurofighter vs. Hercules definitely was a highlight. The speed-gaining and maneuverability of the Typhoon is breathtaking!!

I found that even more impressing than the later presentation of the italian EF (which was very good, too!!).

There were many visitors, too! They talked about 80.000 and that was at about 1400. I estimate that there were 100.000 already on the first day, with 250.000 expected in total (two days).

There is a first video on:

http://www.airpower09.at/EN/

RSColonel_131st, do you have any special rights there (VIP-Pass)? I was a normal visitor, and some of your shots are taken from positions, a normal visitor was not allowed to go to.

Brilliant shots btw!!! Seems like you are one of the pro's with those huge teleobjectives.

Falcon, since 05 you can buy "Spotter-Passes" at the show, which gives you access to various special locations, transport by Army LKW there, free food, water and electricity in a nice tent only for spotters.

I got my pass from a Colonel in Joint Information Operations, as I'm regularly working with the Austrian Forces in articles and also behind the scenes (for example sharing information from my industry or political sources with the people in the Forces) that was a nice reward for "being their friend" trough some of the harsh media idiocy we have here in country regarding the "Bundesheer".

Normal Media - which I also am - or even VIP-Pass Holders didn't get that kind of access, so if you want to try it next time, order a "Spotter-Package". Not at all expensive, somewhere around 50EUR a day but that includes two full meals, unlimited soft drinks, snacks and so on too.


Oh, and for the Eurofighter display - people here ask all the time why we didn't buy Gripens. Seeing our two fly soon after the Hungarian Gripen display, the answer to me was pretty self-evident - the differential in raw power and performance was clearly displayed by our guys.

And true enough, while the years past I always loved the single EF display flown by the Italian test pilots or EADS company pilots, the setup with two EF beat that easily.

Some more done now:















BTW, I'm really in love with the B-25 Red Bull shot. For two years now I wanted to something different at an airshow, and that shot - while absolutly not within any rules such as "centered, no parts cut off, nothing growing out of it on top" just perfectly works for me. Shame is only that you need it in high res to really see every detail in the reflections, it's that sharp. Need to get that one published in print somewhere.

Yeah, the B-25 on your very first shot is an absolute beauty! The effect of that mirror finish-aluminium is simply amazing!!! Same for the P-38 and the DC-6, they probably got the same treatment.

I repeatedly looked at your photo shots, which are just great!! Not only that you perfectly know how to put the planes in scene, you probably have a very good cam.

Will have to seriously upgrade my photo equipment !!!



That's not at all expensive, considered that you do not have to argue with others for the best photo positions, never have any hair/heads/caps on the pics, free meal (you can spend 25 € easily just for food)... good deal, will have to go for that next time!



Oh yes, one example is the Eurofighter... all press and media in Austria tried to torpedize that plane, especially the Kronen-Zeitung, those ******* ****** (it's better not to write down those words).

He was crazy!!!

Yep. I've seen a Casa 295 do ONE barrel roll with a lot of initial speed diving, but that dude flew multiple rolls in a damn transporters!

Falcon99, please check your private messages

WOW - GREAT pics!

I was there, too - uploaded a load of my photos here:

Airpower 09 gallery

not as impressive as the other ones shown here - lack of equipment
but I got a few nice shots nevertheless, I think!

Jander, check your PM too please And your pictures aren't half bad.

I was there on Saturday as well, together with my girlfriend and my father;
we booked special spotter passes and spent the day at spotter point 2 exclusively;
the result were some very nice shots when the weather was good and some average ones when the skies turned grey;

i will post some of mine later;

concerning the show itself, I have to second what the Colonel said, the demos by our armed forces were some of the best show acts I have ever seen in air shows, i even managed to snap two shots of the fireworks

that B-25 shots looks good, but the Lightning looks even better
I just managed two shots of that bird when it departed on Saturday and made one single pass against a rather grey dull sky, not that good lighting condition unfortunately;

anyhow, the show was great with some gaps and fillers in the flying program, nevertheless a great show for the short time the team had to organize it;

Colonel, we will give a short summary of our experiences and a feedback in your dedicated thread over at the airpower forum

cheers from me
BL

I should really look into visiting this next year.

It is every second year, so look for the next AP in 2011!

I'll be there, definitely!

Colonel,
Outstanding, and thanks for the SimHQ July Calendar shots.

Gotta say, my favorite is the Corsair pic. Go Navy!