Torbay Airshow today announced that the UK based aerobatic display team, the Yakovlevs, will be flying over the weekend.
With a breathtaking military and civilian flying programme planned and exciting on the ground activities for all the family on Friday 10 June, 2pm to 10pm, Saturday 11 June, 10am to 10pm, and Sunday 12 June, 10am to 6pm – this is an event you will not want to miss!
A Torbay Council spokesperson said: “Our flying programme just gets better and better. The Yakovlevs is a specialist airborne display team flying authentic cold war Russian training aircraft in precise, yet graceful combinations of tight formations and exciting aerobatics, high speed passes and breath-taking crosses.
“Earning a reputation for excellence over the last 14 years, and delighting over a billion people in the process, across four continents, the team flies the Russian aircraft made by the Yakovlevs design bureau. This display is sure not to disappoint.”
These reliable and robust aircraft were designed for training and world class aerobatic competitions. Leading the Yakovlevs is the world’s most powerful Yak 52, known as the Super 52. This world championship aerobatic aircraft is much loved for their sparkling performance, grace and precision formation flying.
Consummate believers in pushing the boundaries of high performance, The Yakovlevs exude the highest of standards in every aspect of their operation.
In 2012 the team broke China Central Television (CCTV) viewing figures, attracting more than 380 million spectators over a five-day period when they were displaying at Faku on the North Korean border for the first ever AOPA China Airday.
Yak HQ is based at a new facility on Henstridge Airfield, in Somerset.
So far, military aircraft confirmed for the airshow includes the world’s premier aerobatic team The Red Arrows, as well as the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4, King Air B200, and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight aircraft – the Hawker Hurricane, Avro Lancaster and The Spitfire as well as The Tigers Freefall Parachute Display Team, the flagship team for the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment.
Also, The Blades, a full-time civilian aerobatic display team based in the UK and made up entirely of former RAF Red Arrows pilots will be attending. Renowned worldwide for flying close formation aerobatics to the highest level within a dynamic and cutting edge display, The Blades currently hold a world record in formation looping.
Also a brand new aerobatic team – AeroSPARX – a pyrotechnic-equipped formation flying team will thrill the crowds on the Friday evening.
A British jet-powered training and light-attack aircraft, the Strikemaster will also take to the skies. The BAC Strikemaster will be piloted by Mark Petrie, a former RAF pilot who also now flies the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft with British Airways.
The Gyro flying display, also known as a Gyrocopter or Gyroplane, can also be seen over the weekend. This unusual aircraft is great to watch and is described by the pilots as fun to fly. The rotor blades of the gyro are completely freewheeling in flight, being driven solely by the air going up through the rotor disk.
This year will be the first time Torbay has held an air show and over 150,000 visitors are expected to watch the action unfold over the weekend.
Sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities are still available, to find out more visit www.torbayairshow.com
