Langkawi International Maritime & Aviation Exhibition 26-30th March 2019
LIMA is a biannual show, showcasing military hardware. The exhibit hall is approx 110 x 250 meters and is packed with aviation and shipping companies.
I’ve been invited by AeroTree who supply the Malaysian government along with others target drones and other hard ware. I’m flying the Extra 300L of the Krisakti team, thus giving 10 mins of microphone time with eyes fixated on the plane.
My display in the 300L has been well recieved. Halim, has had various ministers of defence from countries in the area call in to see and compliment him 🙂 happy days I hope to come back. [A video to follow soon.]
30th March
Final day, again 2 slots, morning and afternoon sessions. To add something new to the show by request I started at 5000ft with a multi turn inverted flat spin down to 1500ft, then the 1/2 loop, 1/2 roll then the 8-10 turn snap rolling entry. The spinning is quite a long period at negative G, a short down line to fly again and a hard pull to 1/2 loop at 200 kts. It’s a massive anti G strain required before a short release and then into the snap rolls which are at approx 4.5G I think.
As traditional with the Global Stars team we take to the karting track for an evenings racing, a newly refurbished facility with new karts. 18 of us in total. Much fun was had.
29th March
Today is the first public day, they turn up in the 1000’s. Possibly as many at the venue as outside the fence line. On the airport access road entrepreneurs have set up food stalls under trees. Let the party begin 🙂
28th March
Plenty of jet noise even without the Russian knights flying today. Instead we have the Chinese “Wing Loong” translated means Dragon with strong wings. However for some reason it did not appear, hopefully tomorrow.
27th March
In the groove now, Halim takes the brief, photos the slides and send by WhatsApp. This allows additional time at the pool relaxing. 🙂 arriving on site 1:10 before slot time, lunch, dress and walk.
Today the PC7 is ahead of me. Its said the PC7 has the performance of the later spitfires. Its flown in gracefully style. After 2.5 hrs of air showing run totally on the clock by military precision (no 1 min calls etc) I’m cleared to take off just 30 second late!
26th March
Opening day, briefing at 10am which lasts 10 mins. Beat that UK airshows! We get to know what we need to know, simple really. Nothing to add, all went well opening with B52 flyby and 270′ to depart over the crowed at approx 500ft. Nice. Crowd rear arrivals with pull ups in front, nice.
I’m last to fly and get to the plane 15 mins early for team pics. I hear on the PA the preceding item F18 has an issue and needs to RTB very quickly. His slot is a 12 mins one. Easy to deduce what happens next, I start to expedite and sure enough immediately its a scramble situation to keep the show flowing.
Temps cause the Extra to loose a bit of performance, 36’c today. Easy to handle, pull less hard, put energy figures in, take energy figures out if needs be.
25th March
Today is rest day before the show opening on the 26th. So, just a couple of pictures from the hotel area.
24th March
Early start as we need to get into the show site before the NOTAM closes airspace for validation flights to take place. Take-off is at 08:15 for the 1:50 flight. Once out of the city area the countryside is very green, covered palm trees for palm oil production. Other farmed areas are paddy fields for rice.
23rd March
Today we try out FaceBook live video from the aircraft, it’s sort of successful but only to 1500ft with low resolution. I assume the 4G is just not fast enough to cope. The second flight I do is the last practice before we head north to Langkawi.
On route back we make prior arrangments with the tower at Subang in Kuala Lumpur city to fly around the Petronas twin towers.
22nd March
Alarm at 6am, breakfast and off we go to the airport. Flight plan filed and we depart to Melaka. Routing towards the coast and then south.
Halim is well-known in the country and we don’t get a “negative the pattern is full” on arrival. The guys in the tower get to see “top side” 🙂
We have 2 practice slots booked. 10:30 and 11:30. I fly those with no issues while the students from the 3 local flight schools hold for 10 mins.
20th/ 21st March.
Travel to LHR, T5 for the first time this year. Yes I choose BA, dress smart, know your captain and with luck 🙂 I managed a full nights sleep arriving in Kuala Lumpur 15:20 the following day. KL is on average 34’c this time of year, not stifling humidity. Halim has booked a rather nice hotel next to a large golf course, I take a walk around the periphery. Later we take supper opposite the Petronas twin towers.
Last words he said were “see you in the morning at 7am” oh, that’s 23:00 my body says……..
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