Bray Air Display 2023 - 29th & 30th July 2023

Royal Jordanian falcons arrived at Baldonnel this afternoon, four turboprop red aircraft, they usually arrive early.

4 planes just passed over Leixlip in formation. Glorious sound. Thought they looked spitfire-shaped?

(Edit-Looks like it was probably the Jordanian Falcons.)

Now routeing back towards Pigeon House for Weston.

No French Fouga team, no Strikemasters, no Norwegian Vampire / Mig 15 team. Seems too be less every year, its not a real airshow, its more to draw crowds to Bray. Nothing like Salthill was, or Air Spectacular in Baldonnel years ago.

When you consider the Airshow in Salthill had 2 F16s in 1999 and every fighter you could think of there after with the Red Arrows 5 times it was an amazing show sadly missed as is the Air Spectacular and even Abbeyshrule who had A10s .

I think modern restrictions are the main reason we get this type of airshow now I.e. similar acts each year bar one or two notable exceptions e.g. the Freece Tricolori at Bray in 2016. In the era of the Abbeyshrule, Baldonnel and finally Galway Airshows, my understanding is that the display authorisation requirements for pilots were not as stringent as they are now, hence the fantastic variety of military aircraft. Air Forces now seem to have dedicated display aircraft were as before, it would have been a case that you would see say A 10s, F1 11 F16s etc. coming over from the UK or Germany that would not nessecarly have been a dedicated display aircraft, so much more choice for airshow organisers perhaps?

This seems to be similar in the UK- if you look at a lot of their Airshows, barring of course RIAT and one or two others, they pretty much have the same acts perform each year-Red Arrows, Eurofighter and the BBMF.

Also after the Shoreham airshow accident in 2016? Display lines have been pushed way out, meaning Airshows are definitely much less spectacular now.

Very true, weather for next weekend not looking great, does anybody know where the reds will be based ? Am hearing Dublin Airport but would they have the space for 9 Hawks and accommodation for the crew ?

If you get any wind next Sunday the BBMF won't fly not sure but I think its over 20 knots, was at the Bournemouth Air Show one year and they cancelled over the wind despite it being a lovely day commentator said they don't take chances with these aircraft, would that be for take off and landing hardly an issue when Airborne.

Yes agreed the Bray Airshow keeps coming back every year as it is good for the local economy. I recall pre 2015, the gripes re; the show where that there was no jets or international display team.

I appreciate they have been seen before, but this year we have the Red Arrows and a Viggen.

Let's not forget this is a free airshow with the aforementioned RIAT carrying an admission fee. If we look at the line up, although repetitive against previous years, particularly in the eyes of an aviation enthusiast, there is variation in the types on display, that I feel is key for an airshow;

Warbird Type from WW 2 -Mustang

As above -Hurricane

As above -Spitfire

WW 2 Heavy Bomber -Lancaster

WW 2 Flying Boat -Catalina

Fast Jet -Saab Viggen

International Aerbotic Display Teams;

Red Arrows

Royal Jordanian Falcons

Team Raven( although civilian, they have performed in several Airshows across Europe)

AeroSuperbatics Wingwalkers(likewise)

Helicopters EC 135 and AW139 Irish Air Corps

Civilian Airliner-Aer Lingus A320neo

Maybe not a bad line up after all 🤔and comparable with seaside shows in the UK

Salthill ran for 17 years and was free yet they had the most advanced aircraft in the World there who can forget the B1B Bomber they flew low level along the prom the noise set off every alarm on cars an buildings it was unreal loud , it flew from its base in the US refuelled in Portugal displayed at Salthill then straight back to the US. I went to all the Bray airshows but did not go last year or this year with the price of hotels and the line up it's not worth the hassle but I hope it goes well for them.

Comparable maybe, but as it’s Irelands only airshow it’s a poor performance.

Bear in mind this forum is mostly if not all enthusiasts. So yes we are going to complain when it’s literally our only shot at an airshow without leaving the island. At this point anyone who ventures to Bray is sadistic with its poor access, poor traffic management, dismal display and poor communication.

What do they say that the definition of insanity is ? Doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome !

Anyway, I wait with bated breath for the pages and pages of complaints next weekend.

Are there not airshows elsewhere that still have a lot of military participation?

The Bray show always draws a large crowd. So people seem to like it. So it's hard to argue it's not a success.

I've only been once to Bray at an early show. Was ok. Never been to another as not interested in the hassle of getting there. If I was younger and less grumpy seems like an ok day.

I was at the fairy House and Baldonnel shows and Farnborough. I'd probably travel back to Farnborough or such again.

For anyone citing RIAT as a comparator, you should appreciate that this is a massive event with a worldwide reputation, a large budget and entrance fees to match - we paid £68 each for entry on a public day and £28 for the departures day on Monday last, the latter not being an airshow as such. Corporate and other packages are pricey, as you would expect. There is a massive corps of volunteers who give the best part of a week to working there, at their own expense. RIAT has been running now for fifty years and is world-renowned as the biggest military show there is. I think there were a few dozen national air force chiefs there last week. Even with all of the resources and connections that the RIAT team have, they get refusals, cancellations or no-shows but the scale of the event is such that this doesn't unduly affect its success. I guess that if there is one show in these islands that an overseas air arm is going to pull out the stops for, it is RIAT and not one of the lesser events.