Coimbra Air Show 2007

Here are some photographs that I have taken during the weekend on the airshow. The airshow had some flaws, like the impossibility of using the oposite side of the runway during the afternoon - because of that, everyone, including the press, had to take the photgraphs against the sunlight with every disadvantage this situation implies. In any case, it is good to see an airshow in the city where I live since I usually have to make long trips in order to see one.

A soviet-build Yakovlev Yak-52 - which is a primary trainer - made a great exhibition on the saturday afternoon. The portuguese pilot pushed the aicraft to its limits and impressed the public.

The two Alpha-Jet from the Asas de Portugal. The two pilots were also present in the aerodrome for an autograph session.

A C-212 Aviocar made flights with children during the sunday. In the next year the Portuguese Air Force will receive the first C-295Ms which will substitute this aircraft.

A classical and impressive Boeing-Stearman N62TS from the Aerofénix museum.

A Allouette III with the paint scheme of the Rotores de Portugal. But, contrary to what was announced, they did not make an exhibition during the airshow.

Pedro Monteiro

Coimbra Airshow 2007

According to the Air Force, the programme of the Coimbra Air Show will include a significant presence of the military branch:

A Força Aérea Portuguesa irá marcar presença nem Coimbra, durante o fim-de-semana de 14 e 15JUL07, no âmbito das celebrações do do 31ª Aniversário do do Aero Clube de Coimbra. A presença da Força Aérea inicia-se no Sábado dia 14JUL07, pelas 09H30, no Aerodromo Municipal Bissaya Barreto, com a aterragem de um DO-27 do Museu do Ar, a fim de participar na exposição estática de aeronaves. Aquando da abertura do evento, pelas 10H00 de 14JUL07, os
visitantes poderão contactar com uma exposição do Museu do Ar, sob a temática "1917 - 2007, 90 anos a formar pilotos militares em Portugal". Nesta exposição, para além de vários artigos do valioso espólio do Museu do Ar, encontra-se também exposto um avião biplano "TIGER MOUTH", dos anos 20 do século passado. O Centro de Recrutamento da Força Aérea estará presente no aeródromo, para explicar a todos os interessados as várias qualificações de
elevado nível técnico e saídas profissionais, oferecidas pela Força Aérea. Da parte da tarde, a internacionalmente famosa patrulha ASAS DE PORTUGAL, irá executar um treino acrobático sobre os céus de Coimbra.

Pelas 22H00, na Praça da Canção, a Banda da Força Aérea irá actuar (entrada livre) com um reportório digno da reputação que a caracteriza, tanto em Portugal como no estrangeiro. No Domingo dia 15JUL07, pelas 09H00, no Aeródromo Bissaya Barreto, serão recebidas inscrições para baptismos de voo de crianças, em aeronave C212 AVIOCAR (de Sintra). Já da parte da tarde, o visitante do certame poderá assistir entre outros eventos, a uma demonstração de salvamento por guincho com um helicóptero ALOUETTE III (de Beja), e uma espectacular exibição acrobática dos ASAS DE PORTUGAL. Entretanto, os pilotos dos ASAS DE PORTUGAL vão estar disponíveis para sessões de autógrafos nos Sábado 14JUL e Domingo 15JUL de manhã, no Aeródromo Bissaya Barreto, bem como no Sábado 14JUL à noite na Praça da Canção.

Pedro Monteiro

Airshow at Coimbra

Next week, an airshow will take place at Coimbra. Both the Asas de Portugal and the Rotores de Portugal, the two acrobatic teams of the portuguese Air Force, will be present in this event.

Pedro Monteiro

Spotter's day at Beja

Last friday, on 29th June, the Portuguese Air Force organized, for the first time, a spotter's day. This gave to the portuguese community of plane spotters the rare opportunity of take some photographs inside of a military base - in this case, Beja's air base, located in the south of the country. Actually, it was the first time that this occured, since the spotter's day organized in 2002 was part of the Nato Tiger Meet military exercise - which also took place in Beja.

The Portuguese Air Force must be congratulated for the excellent reception gaven to the spotters: during all the day, we were moved from one area to the another in order to assure the best conditions for photograph the aircraft (angles, sun light, etc.); we were able to visit the front line of every squadron and assist to the preparation of some missions with Alpha-Jet and Epsilon aircrafts; finally, along with the Alouette III helicopters and Alpha-Jet and Epsilon aircrafts assigned to the 552, 101 and 103 Sqd. based in Beja, the air base recieved the rare visit of a C-130 transport aircraft, a P-3P maritime patrol aircraft and two F-16 A/B OCU fighters. In addition, the acrobatic teams Asas de Portugal (Alpha-Jet) e Rotores de Portugal (Alouette III) made their train for the exhibition of saturday.

For instance, this was the begining of a new relationship between the Air Force and the portuguese plane spotters. As an aviaton enthusiast, I must give my acknowledge for the great day that I had at Beja - it was one of the best visits that I ever made to an air base, including those that I made as a reporter.

A F-16B OCU (15118) from 201 Squadron "Falcões", based at Monte Real, arrives to Beja after a flight with the winner of a television contest. A monoplace (F-16 A, 15112, with low-viz marks) also took part of this special mission.

The impressive demonstration of the Asas de Portugal, here flying their two Alpha-Jet A in a close formation and at high speed.

A Alpha-Jet A aircraft arrives from a train mission. The Alpha-Jet fleet is now assigned to 103 Squadron "Caracóis", whose instructors are also pilots of the acrobatic team Asas de Portugal. The other operator, the 301 Squadron "Jaguares", is currently based in Monte Real where operates the modern F-16 MLU.

A Epsilon from 101 Squadron "Roncos" with a Alpha-Jet in the background. Currently, they are the backbone of the trainning fleet of the Portuguese Air Force.

The arrival of another Alpha-Jet A, painted with the old wrap around scheme.

The portuguese spotters captured every angle possible of this Alpha-Jet from the Asas de Portugal. Although it was the first time that a spotter's day occured in Portugal, the number of photographers and enthusiasts was very significant, inclunding some well-known portuguese spotters such as Luís Rosa, Jorge Ruivo, Álvaro Gonçalves, Luís Gonçalves, Pedro Becken, Floriano Morgado along with others.

Pedro Monteiro

Informations about the João Belo class

In the Military Zone I present a brief description of the João Belo class frigates. As I reported, the two remaining vessels will be sell to Uuruguay. The authorities of Montevideo plan to use this two frigates (similar to those they now operate) for about seven years, at a cust of 15 millions of euros.

Constituem juntamente com as fragatas Meko 200 os principais meios de combate da Armada. Inicialmente foram recebidos quatro navios, porém, actualmente apenas se encontram no activo três fragatas. (...) Atendendo aos requisitos da Armada para operar nos combates nas colónias africanas as fragatas foram equipadas para realizar estas missões. (...)
A modernização destes navios apenas ocorreria no final da década de 1990 (quando tinham já uma vida operacional de 30 anos), com a modernização a ocorrer em apenas três dos quatros navios iniciais, visto que a N.R.P. "Roberto Ivens" tinha sido abatida em 1998. A falta de verbas implicou apenas algumas alterações: foram modernizadas as acomodações e instalações para tripulantes, a capacidade para armazenamento de água doce foi aumentada, os sensores e sistemas electrónicos modernizados, e retiraram-se a terceira peça de 100mm (Mod55) e o morteiro anti-submarino. Esta modernização permitiu essencialmente capacitar o navio para o cumprimento de missões de manutenção de paz e prolongar a sua vida operacional.
Actualmente cumprem na Armada as missões de treino e luta ASW, embora mais recentemente tenham participado em missões de paz e em vários exercícios.
Em 2000, no âmbito da missão da UNTAET, parte para Timor-Leste a N.R.P. "Hermenegildo Capelo", tendo como função render a N.R.P. "Vasco da Gama" (Meko 200), prestando auxílio à população timorense durante o processo de transição.
Recentemente, em 2001, a fragata N.R.P. "Sacadura Cabral" integrou a EUROMARFOR uma frota constituída por vasos de guerra de Portugal, França, Espanha e Itália. No âmbito desta missão participou entre outros, nos exercício Trident d'Or e Tapon cujo fim é avaliar as prestações dos navios nas missões de luta ASW.
Espera-se que estes navios continuem a navegar até 2010, altura em que se pensa virem a ser substituídos por unidades novas ou usadas (...)

In the second half of the 1990s, Portugal executed a modernization of the three frigates which were operational (a fourth had been redraw from service). The modernization (fully described on this article) gave allows that these ships accomplish secundary missions on the portuguese Navy, since the modern Vasco da Gama class has become the backbone of the fleet. Actually, the N.R.P. Hermegildo Capelo was deployed in East Timor, in 2000, and, usually, the ships of the class have been assigned to surveillance and instruction missions, but also too international exercises.

[Photo taken with a Nikon F65 cammera and a Nikon AF 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G lens]

The 1990s' modernization consisted, for example, in the instalation of a new and modern sonar (AN/SQS-510, the same model used by the Vasco da Gama class), Mk32 Mod5 triple torpedo tubes, a new navigation radar and communication and control systems, a new electronic warfare system. The anti-submarine mortar and the third Mod 55 artillery gun were retired in order to reduce the crew. The ships were also prepared to recieve women sailors. This modernization clearly gave to this 1960s ships a new life and increased their capabilities.

[Photo taken with a Nikon F65 cammera and a Nikon AF 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G lens]

In addition, the João Belo class can recieve a large number of marines to support amphibious operations and other missions. This capability was used, for example, in 1998, in the Guiné-Bissau during the rescue of the portuguese refuges.

During the last decade, the portuguese Navy was studying their replacement. On 2005, it seemed clear that Portugal would recieve two american OH Perry frigates. A brief article which includes some references to the programme is avaible in Defesa Net.

When the socialists returned to the power, in the same year, it become clear that another option could be taken (see another article that I wrote for Defesa Net). In fact, by the year 2000, Portugal had even studied the two Jacob van Heemskerck class frigates. Finally, in 2006, an agreement was signed for the delivery, in 2008 and 2009, of two Karel Doorman frigates. Comparing with the previous option, they are more recent ships, they have several weapon systems and sensors and equipements in common with the Vasco da Gama class (Meko 200PN) and they're multi-role ships. It's true that the portuguese Navy wanted a air-defence ship but a frigate OH Perry with her SM-1 missiles could not accomplish that mission due the new meneaces and anti-ship missiles.

Pedro Monteiro

Portugal Air Show 2007

The main reference for the portuguese aviation enthusiasts is the Portugal Air Show, a biannual airshow. This year, it will happen, as usual at Évora, between 14th and 16th September. In this site you can check the first information (text in portuguese).

Pedro Monteiro