Friday 29 March 2013

LIMA 2013 DAY 4

Cloud cover: 3 oktas in morning
                      2-3 oktas in afternoon



Wow. What a day. So many things came together to make it just right. The day started off sunny and cloudless, and it remained so during the morning display at Site A. This is really what one comes to LIMA for! The lighting was also a lot better, starting at 1000h.

This was the first of the two days with two air displays, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. 


After the morning display, I transited to the MIEC from Site A, and there was a traffic jam 2 km long. I didn't remember this happening in 2011...


The day became hotter and hotter, and some clouds built up over the Langkawi hills. More worrying was the low/medium cloud over Bukit Cengkuan, and the heat haze. (This was, however, nowhere near as critical as on my first foray there on Day 2).




Luckily, this vanished as the afternoon air display progressed. This was the scene at the end of the display, and you know who the die-hards really are.


"We laugh at sunburn".


The crowd control was not the best, as the crowd line kept creeping forwards, to be driven back when some PASKAU guys barked commands...








How the crowd line should be





When PASKAU turns around, the crowd cranes forward for a better look.







Unfortunately, the clouds blocked some of the Russian Knights display, which was early on in the afternoon. If they had taxied just a half hour later, things would have been just perfect.


Russian Knights at LIMA 2013


Russian Knights at LIMA 2013




Russian Knights at LIMA 2013



Russian Knights at LIMA 2013



The Jupiter team displayed, too, and put up a spirited show.


Team Jupiter at LIMA 2013



Team Jupiter at LIMA 2013


Team Jupiter at LIMA 2013


Team Jupiter at LIMA 2013




Whatever it was, this was a near-perfect day for photography, blue skies and everything. Some more highlights:


RMAF Su-30 MKM at LIMA 2013


RMAF Su-30 MKM at LIMA 2013



Dassault Rafale at LIMA 2013



Dassault Rafale at LIMA 2013



F-18 Super Hornet at LIMA 2023



Gripen in full flight




RTAF Gripen at LIMA 2013



C-17 at LIMA 2013


Smokey Bandits at LIMA 2013


Smokey Bandits at LIMA 2013



Eurofighter Typhoon at LIMA 2013



Kris Sakti at LIMA 2013


C-17 flypast video:





C-17 landing:





The thankless job of FOD patrol




Morning display sequence:

Kris Sakti
Gripen
Su-30 MKM
Smokey Bandits
Rafale
Typhoon


Afternoon display sequence:

Russian Knights
C-17
Team Jupiter
F-18
Smokey Bandits




The display sequence for Saturday should be similar. Sadly, LIMA draws to a close tomorrow, with departures on Sunday. The sunburn will vanish. The memories, however, will remain in the form of the images captured. That is what spotting is all about.

But tomorrow is another day. May the light be the best!



UPDATE:


Complete photo galleries have now been posted:

LIMA Airshow 2013 Site A Photo Gallery 29-3-13 1000- 1115h
http://www.mediafire.com/?radh91zuxbrnc
LIMA Airshow 2013 Site D Photo Gallery 29-3-13 1430-1615h
http://www.mediafire.com/?le928ys6do7a7






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