Bray Air Display 2023 - 29th & 30th July 2023

[jasT1981]

The Bray Air Dsiplay website has been updated to confirm the 2023 dates. The show will take place over 2 days on Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th July.

https://brayairdisplay.com/

Line-up

RAF Red Arrows - Flypast Saturday, display Sunday
RAF BBMF Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane
Royal Jordanian Falcons
SAAB Viggen
Aerosuperbatic Wingwalkers
Irish Air Corps
Black Knights Parachute team
Irish Parachute club
Garda Air Support Unit
Catalina flying boat
P51 Muatang 'Miss Helan'
Eddie Goggins - Flying Dentist
Irish Coast Guard S92 S&R Demo
Sean Bennett - Boeing Stearman
Team Raven
 Irish Historic Flight Foundation Chipmunk and Stearman

[jasT1981]

Viggen and Catalina both self confirm for Bray.

No Red Arrows or BBMF this year (so far, international dates may be added)

[Sneaky_Nikon]

Just to remain in my grumpy online persona, the organisers would need to pull in something special or radically adjust their attitude for me to consider Bray again. The ads on social media in the run up last year read like the house rules for a 1960s B&B.

[Angry Turnip]

I was nearly going to go last year, and I`m glad I didn`t bother, it was good a few years back but I wouldn`t rush back either, unless they had something really good confirmed.
Also I found Bray not to be the friendliest place I have been to, but that could have been down to blow-ins.

[jasT1981]

I was nearly going to go last year, and I`m glad I didn`t bother, it was good a few years back but I wouldn`t rush back either, unless they had something really good confirmed.
Also I found Bray not to be the friendliest place I have been to, but that could have been down to blow-ins.

With a lot of European displays having already released schedules, Bray isn't on any of them so far. I expect the RJF will display at Bray this year again but I don't see any big military displays.

Certainly 2015-2017 was this shows peak as it stands.

[jasT1981]

And the Royal Jordanian Falcons have self confirmed today

[Sneaky_Nikon]

Meh... Same as last year then, hope the Air Corps have one of the new CASAs in time. Even that's just the novelty of seeing it for the first time, they're unlikely to be strangers. Although if the organisers want to prove me wrong and pull in some rare heavy metal I'll certainly buy a a program!

[jasT1981]

Doesn't look like any RAF involvement this year. Typhoon schedule dropped this morning and only 2 European dates and neither in Ireland.

80 days or so to go and there still hasn't even been an official announcement from Bray on their social media, though the website is still counting down and aircraft have self confirmed for it

So far Viggen, Catalina and RJF are still the only self confirms.

[jasT1981]

Line up revealed.

RAF Red Arrows - Flypast Saturday, display Sunday
RAF BBMF Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane
Royal Jordanian Falcons
SAAB Viggen
Aerosuperbatic Wingwalkers
Irish Air Corps
Black Knights Parachute team
Irish Parachute club
Garda Air Support Unit
Catalina flying boat
P51 Muatang 'Miss Helan'
Eddie Goggins - Flying Dentist
Irish Coast Guard S92 S&R Demo
Sean Bennett - Boeing Stearman
Team Raven
 Irish Historic Flight Foundation Chipmunk and Stearman

Looks to be a smaller show this year. 3pm start on both days. Nothing jumps out at me as must see. As much as I love the Lancaster, I will have seen it at least 4 (maybe 6) times before Bray even takes place. Not really worth 4 hours each way.

[Sneaky_Nikon]

Yeah... Nah.

[Angry Turnip]

Line-up is very similar to the other recent shows, nothing stand out except the BBMF and the Saab Viggen , which are always worth a look, just wish it was let off the reins and show what it can really do.

BBMF are dependant on super-douper weather which can never be taken for granted.

[jasT1981]

 Irish Historic Flight Foundation Chipmunk and Stearman are also listed, missed them last night.

Whatever happened to their Rapide?

[Angry Turnip]

It`s actually a De Havilland DH84 Dragon, EI-ABI has not flown for a few years as far as I can tell.

More info about the aircraft can be found in these links.

Irish Historic Flight | De Havilland DH84 Dragon EI-ABI “iolar”
Historic Dragon flies again (scramble.nl)
Iolar-Article-May-2011.pdf (flyinginireland.com)

[Angry Turnip]

1445 I see Lancaster PA474 over Liverpool area on ADSB, due to display at Bray at 3pm I think.

[jasT1981]

Lancaster flew with 3 IAC PC9s to 'honour Sinéad O’Connor.'

Watching ADSB it looked like the Viggen was quite far out.

[Angry Turnip]

Few pics online, everything looked really far out into the bay except the Royal Jordanian Falcons and Helicopters.
People moaning ( as ever ) the Red Arrows did not do a flypast at Bray before landing at Dublin Airport.

The weather for tomorrow looks dreadful, 80% chance of heavy rain from 3pm until after 7pm

Bray - BBC Weather

[jasT1981]

Lancaster returned to England apparently instead of landing in Dublin. Wind too high it is being said.

[EchoIndia]

Lancaster was not due to land in any case.

[EchoIndia]

As well as the display line being set where it is (the high ground presumably also influencing this), several of the pilots yesterday advised that there was moderate turbulence at low level.  That may also have influenced some to stay a bit further away from Bray Head.

[Angry Turnip]

Display lines at shows seem to be getting pushed out further and further each year, especially the seaside shows.
Personally speaking I think seaside shows are all but pointless now, unless there is something really special happening.
Every year you need more powerful lenses, or Bino`s to see anything, and that`s assuming it`s not raining.
Also from what I have read, many display pilots do not like to display over water, as lack of ground reference is a major problem.

[jasT1981]

Looks like all in all they had a pretty successful show. Almost everything that was due to display got to display, the Lancaster didn't make it today though.

AT is right about seaside shows, they are getting pushed out further and its almost like a 'travelling circus' these days with each seaside show having the same displays give or take a few. There is little variety in them anymore. Got the Red Arrows and maybe the Typhoon? Great, that will bring the crowds and it is like everything else is an after-thought.

Most know I am a big advocate for Newcastle and they are apparently still wanting to bring it back, and Portrush moving to every 2 years, but with rising costs after Covid, the seaside show scene is dwindling.

I got some great photos at Cosford and RIAT this summer with only a 300mm lens, and Duxford is very good for closer displays too. The last Seaside show in NI I was at with a 600mm it was still very far out. I've made my peace that if I want to see anything of significance I need to go to Duxford, Cosford and Fairford these days as we will never have the likes of Newcastle 2014, Portrush 2015 and Bray 2016 which were all stacked with jets, again on this island.

[Angry Turnip]

I found this on youtube........Bray Air Display 2023 July 29th (Saturday) - YouTube

It`s so so awfully bad, it`s brilliant, highlights include " Confused Girl with Huge Hot Dog " " Mrs Massive Black Umbrella ", " Putin`s Spy " , and many more.

Could be edited down to 15-20mins of the actual flying, it`s a great illustration of why I dislike seaside air-shows, most of the people there haven`t got a clue, I don`t just mean the aircraft.
The fact that whoever is recording this did not think to move to one side of " Putin`s Spy ", also zero manners from the other spectators, who just amble about in front of the person recording,
it`s actually very entertaining in a bizarre way--like a social experiment almost.

It should be entered into the Cannes Film Festival as Best / Worst Documentary.

[jasT1981]

The flying seemed even further out than it seemed to be as shown on FR24/ADSB. Might just be the device it was recorded on with no zoom?

I think Bray have moved into the 'We got the Red Arrows and a fast jet, everything else is an after-thought' territory of airshows.