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Location: Windsor
International Airport, Ontario, Canada |
Admission: Advance
tickets $15 adults (ages 13-65) FREE for children
under 12. Seniors $10.00, Family pack $120. Gate price $20 for adults,
$15 for kids under 12, seniors $15 and family pack $140. VIP and
Photo passes were available. |
Parking: $10.00
advance, $15.00 at the gate. |
Value: Very
Good |
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This
was the 3rd annual Windsor air show in recent times, and it is
one of the biggest held annually in Ontario. |
The Windsor
International Air Show (WIAS) has a great potential to become
one of Canada's premier air shows, if
the weather cooperates! This year once again it was hampered
by rain and cloudy weather to a large extent, which is of course,
out of the hands of the organizers. Regardless, on
the weekend the show did go on. It was more than
just thunder from the weather that made thunderous noise, it
was from the jet aircraft from the Royal Canadian Air Force,
from the USAF, USN and from the US Marines.
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On Saturday
several performances were cut short or were cancelled outright
including the OPP Motorcycle demo, due to rain. Still,
thousands toured the US KC-135 fuel tankers and US transport
aircraft in the static area, and cheered Astronaut and Space
Station Commander Chris Hadfield in Hawk One. Sunday too started
out with a bit of rain, but it cleared up by opening, and by
far it was the best day to attend WIAS.
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The Canadian Icons, the Snowbirds, with the
help of the Canadian Forces Skyhawks Parachute Team and the CF-18
Demo Team, dazzled the spectators in the sky with their precise
maneuverings and flying skills. Additionally, several
WWII and warbirds from the collection of the Canadian Warplane
Heritage Museum and the Vintage
Wings of Canada performed. They
were supplemented by four Harvards from the Canadian
Harvard Aircraft Association, and a couple of civilian flyers,
including Pete McLeod of Red Bull
fame.
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Compared to
the 2010 show, there were less static aircraft. This
was due mostly to the date of the show: 9/11! Many American cities
and air bases remembered this tragic event's 10th anniversary
by staging an air show themselves. Accordingly, this
made less aircraft available to perform at WIAS
and there were no top tier US performers.
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To
add additional interest there were performances by FLASH FIRE II
a jet truck, and the CBC television comedian Rick Mercer from the
Rick Mercer Report was present for a taping of his show. There
were antique vehicles again a bit less due to the rain than last
year. |
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We at AirShowsReview
wish to thank all the people who have welcomed us, and who organized
the air show. Our gratitude goes out to all of you and especially
to Keith and Theresa Baxter. We will be back next year!
|
Some of the participants
were:
-
Snowbirds
-
CF-18 Demo Team
-
Canadian Forces Skyhawks Parachute Team
-
F-86 Sabre Hawk One
-
P-51D Mustang
-
Harvard
- Lancaster
- Pete McLeod
-
Air Cadets
- MH-53
- T-45C
- KC-135
- C-130
- F/A-18
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Rating:
8.5 out of 10 |
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| October 2011 update: WIAS will
not be back in the future. This was the swan song of the air show! |
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Photography and report by
AIRSHOWSREVIEW LLC
|
© 2011
AIRSHOWSREVIEW LLC All Rights Reserved. |
All trade names, trademarks and
manufacturer names are the property of their respective owners. |
