Military Jets Photography: 2005 06 11 Meeting de l'air Cazaux

Together with a friend I went to the Meeting de l'air at Cazaux. We departed the night of Friday on Saturday. After a 12h drive we arrived at our camping around noon. After we've installed our tent, we visited the Zoo of Arachon, had a look where the entrance was for the Sunday and then we went to the beach of Cazaux. There we had a wonderfull view of the Patrouille Suisse performing their demo. Unfortunally I didn’t had my camera with me so I couldn't take any pictures of them above the lake of Cazaux.

On Sunday it was showtime. We left our camping in time because we didn't wanted to queue for a long time. The gates opended at 10 o'clock sharp and we were able to enter the base very smooth. After having a look at the programme we decided to do the static at the end of the day since the flying already started at 10 o’clock. In the morning we had 2 local Alpha Jets together with 2 Belgian Alpha Jets who are based at Cazaux who were the opening of the flying programme. Other acts were more tactical flying such as an interception of a slow flying airplane, a Tucano, by 2 fast flying aiplanes, 2 Mirage’s 2000C, an interception of some fast intruders performed by a couple of Mirage's 2000C, a base attack by 4 Mirage’s 2000D and an another one by 2 French Alpha Jets, 2 Belgian Alpha Jets and 2 Singaporian TA-4SU Skyhawks. We also had the Austrian Draken.

The first jets that took of in the noon were the Mirage IVP, the Mirage IIIE and the Jaguar E. They performed a fast on and a slow fly by. Before they landed for nearly there last time all three made a touch and go. Later during the display we had 3 F-16’s, a Danish, a Belgian and a Dutch. Other French flying were an Alpha Jet and a Mirage 2000C. The Sécurité Civile was there with a Canadair CL415 and a Trekker. There were also 5 acrobatic teams, Patrouille Suisse, Marche Verte, Royal Jordanian Falcons, Frecce Tricolori and the Patrouille de France.
At the end of the day we had a look at the static. The layout of the base made that we had to walk quit a distance to see everything. But there were some nice planes in the static like a special painted Mirage 2000C from the Tigermeet held earlier in Turkey, the new Rafale, special decorated French and Belgian Alpha Jets and a Singaporian A-4SU .
We had a very nice day with some fantastic weather. The flying was very good with the highlights being the last flights of the Mirage III, Mirage IV and the Jaguar. The position of the sun was sometimes a bit tricky but I managed to take some descent pictures.