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Blue Eagles Team News Archive

Archived 29 August 2001

Sunderland Air Display – Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 July

Saturday. Huge crowd. Let me repeat that, HUGE crowd, miles and miles of people as far as the eye could see. Which, unfortunately, could have been a lot further if it weren’t for a seriously thick and impenetrable bank of sea-fog that chose the display time to roll in off the North Sea and obliterate the flying display line. It was only 500 feet deep, and sat about 75 yards off-shore, but it made a display absolutely impossible. We had no horizon reference, and over the sea, that makes it very easy to fly straight into the water. Cuz took the decision to scrub a full display after flying the crowd line himself, and was bitterly disappointed to let down so many people. However, a number of flypasts in formation were flown, and Cuz managed just to scrape enough height to perform the now-famous backflip to finish, much to the crowd’s delight. The forecast for tomorrow is uncertain, but stay tuned for the news page and we will bring you the latest shots, including images from inside the Lynx!


Cuz is multi-talented

On arrival in Sunderland on Friday night, Cuz proved that he drives everything like a Ducati motorcycle or Lynx helicopter, and throttles are two position switches….

Ritchie isn't

….however, Ritchie proved to be a driver, not a navigator….

Tim and Rupert take the lead.

….so we all ended up in a race to see who could get lost first. At the third roundabout, in an audacious move worthy of Schumacher, Rupert and Tim take the lead!

The stand crew worked miracles

Andy Hassell and Phil Costello drove all day Friday to get the stand set up and were inundated on arrival on Saturday morning.

Cuz flew by on slot to check the weather

To check the visibility on the display line for safety and a visible horizon….

But the fog was simply too dense off the coast

….Cuz made a solo flypast, but the fog over the sea was simply too dense for safe flying.

A full display impossible....

As the full display was impossible, Cuz led the Team in a formation flypast….

....several formation flypasts....

….which enabled the crowd to sample a flavour of the full show.

....were flown, including the reverse....

The reverse formation with the lynx flying backwards, which normally starts the full display was included….

....where the Lynx flies backwards, as it does at the start of the full show

….as was the Lynx breaking over the Gazelles, after which Cuz climbed the aircraft and managed one backflip under the edge of the fog bank.

Cuz and Ritchie watch the Belgian F-16

After landing, the Team went to the stand to sign posters, during which the Belgian F-16 attempted a display, but he too was thwarted by the fog.

The Team Manager gets interviewed by Tyne-Tees television

The local television network interviewed Rupert, the Team Manager, about the Team and the display.

A new cure for disappointment

To overcome the disappointment of not flying a full display, Ritchie tried his hand at oriental massage!

Jim in fine form

After this treatment and an overdose of caffiene, Jim’s personality caption light fully illuminated and all was well!

Tim Gray in full flow

Tim Gray signs a poster for a fan of the Blue Eagles. Anyone is welcome to visit the stand and meet the crew.

The pilots fully engaged in signing posters for fans

The pilots at the stand, fully engaged in signing posters for their many fans!

 

Click here to see later pictures from Sunday’s display.

 

Click here to see earlier pictures from Sunday’s display.


Archived news is available by clicking here.


 

 


 

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