Hi gang.
This post comes a few weeks too late, but better late than never, right?
Background is that a few of the local pilots once again decided that it was time to fly the traditional "Christmas Star Formation" over the local towns.
Many years ago, this tradition where done by the Norwegian AF, but at our local airport ENRY, there isn't any fighters stationed anymore. Thus; no Christmas Star formation either.
A few uf us former AF pilots feels this is too bad, so we had to take the case in our own hands, schould there be a Christmas Star in our local area.
2014 was the third year in a row we did this, and it was as fun this year as it was the years before.
We had quite a few different airplane-types in the formation, but that was how it had to be schould we be able to do the formation.
The fastest the leadplane would do, was 105 KIAS, so the fast Lancair had to use t/o flaps.
All the pilots-in-command where previous pilots in the Norwegian AF, and we all had a lot of fun!
We did one training-day and then the real thing on dec 23rd.
Here's a few pics:
First the brief:
Then airborne:
We where "only" five planes on the practice-day and I was both spotter, photoship and flew as #5.
Here a pic from my position:
Then we did a finger-left formation:
Then it was time to get into echelon formation for the overhead break:
On the 23rd, we had planned for a six-ship, but unfortunately two planes had to cancel, so we where only four. Too bad, but we decided to fly with what we had. After all; a four-ship makes at least a nice diamond-formation.
Number 4 , a Lancair; brought along a journalist from the local newpaper:
I was flying as no # 3 that day, and here's a shot from my position when we where in echelon on the way to the overhead break:
We made it to the local newpaper too.
Here's a short video made by the journalist in the Lancair. It's all Norwegian language ofcourse, but at least you'll see clips from both on the ground and in the air:
PS: you might have to see a stupid commercial before the video starts... sorry about that....
http://www.moss-avis.no/Flygende_julestjerne_fikk_mange_lovord-5-67-13256.html
It's fun to think about that on the practice-day, three out of five planes (60%) in the formation where homebuilts, and on the 23rd, three out of four (75%) where homebuilts. It's fun to be a homebuilder with those numbers!
BTW: here's a link to a VAF post which I made after we did the same thing in 2013:
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=107924&highlight=christmas+star
This post comes a few weeks too late, but better late than never, right?
Background is that a few of the local pilots once again decided that it was time to fly the traditional "Christmas Star Formation" over the local towns.
Many years ago, this tradition where done by the Norwegian AF, but at our local airport ENRY, there isn't any fighters stationed anymore. Thus; no Christmas Star formation either.
A few uf us former AF pilots feels this is too bad, so we had to take the case in our own hands, schould there be a Christmas Star in our local area.
2014 was the third year in a row we did this, and it was as fun this year as it was the years before.
We had quite a few different airplane-types in the formation, but that was how it had to be schould we be able to do the formation.
The fastest the leadplane would do, was 105 KIAS, so the fast Lancair had to use t/o flaps.
All the pilots-in-command where previous pilots in the Norwegian AF, and we all had a lot of fun!
We did one training-day and then the real thing on dec 23rd.
Here's a few pics:
First the brief:
Then airborne:
We where "only" five planes on the practice-day and I was both spotter, photoship and flew as #5.
Here a pic from my position:
Then we did a finger-left formation:
Then it was time to get into echelon formation for the overhead break:
On the 23rd, we had planned for a six-ship, but unfortunately two planes had to cancel, so we where only four. Too bad, but we decided to fly with what we had. After all; a four-ship makes at least a nice diamond-formation.
Number 4 , a Lancair; brought along a journalist from the local newpaper:
I was flying as no # 3 that day, and here's a shot from my position when we where in echelon on the way to the overhead break:
We made it to the local newpaper too.
Here's a short video made by the journalist in the Lancair. It's all Norwegian language ofcourse, but at least you'll see clips from both on the ground and in the air:
PS: you might have to see a stupid commercial before the video starts... sorry about that....
http://www.moss-avis.no/Flygende_julestjerne_fikk_mange_lovord-5-67-13256.html
It's fun to think about that on the practice-day, three out of five planes (60%) in the formation where homebuilts, and on the 23rd, three out of four (75%) where homebuilts. It's fun to be a homebuilder with those numbers!
BTW: here's a link to a VAF post which I made after we did the same thing in 2013:
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=107924&highlight=christmas+star
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