Hellenic Air Force A-7 retirement

[podge]

Mods please feel free to move / rename this thread.

While I was at a very swamped A-7 stall at RIAT I saw a banner stating that the last A-7 flight would be on I think 17th October 2014. I asked one of the crew for more info and he said there would be a spotters day and a public day. I asked for a website or email address and he said it's on the net, I've searched google and I can't come up with anything. Did anyone else manage to get more info than me? I've only ever seen two A-7's which were obviously the two at RIAT so I would be a fool to miss out on this event. Any info anyone has will be appreciated.

Stuart

[Thunder]

Yip the 17th of October is the sad day indeed, and there will be an open public day on the day to mark the occasion. Confirmed by the HAF PR office

[wezgulf3]

https://www.facebook.com/www.airforce.g ... 28/?type=1

Just found this if it helps

Wes...

[podge]

Cheers for info chaps, time to sort out my plans I think.

[Avtur]

Sad Sad day

It it wasn't for a (VERY) poorly wife which has precluded ANY visits to Greece this year, I would have gone to shed a tear myself

Thank's for the info.

Best Regards

Geoff

[Jazz]

Anyone else on here going to this show? A must-do for me, so will be there.
Bit of a pain to get to, looks like taking the hit with a long drive from Athens will need to be done... so will be!

Any further confirmation of the event, and aircraft attending (Tooms from Andravida please), will be appreciated

[Malcolm]

Anyone else on here going to this show? A must-do for me, so will be there.
Bit of a pain to get to, looks like taking the hit with a long drive from Athens will need to be done... so will be!

Any further confirmation of the event, and aircraft attending (Tooms from Andravida please), will be appreciated

Considering it - Just waiting to see if there are any other Greek open bases that week/weekend. It seems that most Greek bases are usually open during the first week in October - I'm hoping for nearby Andravida and perhaps Kalamata too. Sleasyjet and Rhinoair flights were sub £100 last I looked.

[Jazz]

Anyone else on here going to this show? A must-do for me, so will be there.
Bit of a pain to get to, looks like taking the hit with a long drive from Athens will need to be done... so will be!

Any further confirmation of the event, and aircraft attending (Tooms from Andravida please), will be appreciated

Considering it - Just waiting to see if there are any other Greek open bases that week/weekend. It seems that most Greek bases are usually open during the first week in October - I'm hoping for nearby Andravida and perhaps Kalamata too. Sleasyjet and Rhinoair flights were sub £100 last I looked.

I don't think so Malcom? Its around 8th November when the base open days happen isn't it? I saw the LCC flights to Araxos (not direct from the UK though). Not an option really for me, direct from the Mid East. Just to clarify, this event is 100% confirmed open to the public?... source?

[Thunder]

The Greek bases open for four days during Patron Day celebrations in November they are not open to the general public at any other time except for one off occasions like this. This event is confirmed along with the spotters day on the 16th but you have to register to attend both days. Not sure if any other a/c will be in attendance, although I would imagine the based F-16's will get in on the act.

Athens to Araxos is just over a 3hr drive so not too bad and it's motorway/dual carriageway all the way now (I think it is).

Word of warning, do not be tempted to spot at Andravida or any other base during your visit, the authorities know there will be a influx of spotters in the area and security will be tightened accordingly at all bases(that came from within the HAF).

[podge]

Anyone else on here going to this show? A must-do for me, so will be there.
Bit of a pain to get to, looks like taking the hit with a long drive from Athens will need to be done... so will be!

Any further confirmation of the event, and aircraft attending (Tooms from Andravida please), will be appreciated

There will be a spotters day on 16th and a public day on 17th for the retirement ceremony. To register for the spotters day send your details to a-7retirement@hotmail.com

Copied from their site: The ceremony is taking place on 17th of October 2014 in 116 Combat Wing, Araxos AB.

The official program is not yet announced but it is already ensured that the F-16 Demo Team "Zeus" shall give a demonstration and of course A-7s will fly in formation for their very last time.

If you're on facebook there is info here https://www.facebook.com/www.airforce.gr?fref=ts

If not there website is http://airforce.gr/cms/index.php/hellen ... retirement

Hope this is of use.

[Jazz]

Anyone else on here going to this show? A must-do for me, so will be there.
Bit of a pain to get to, looks like taking the hit with a long drive from Athens will need to be done... so will be!

Any further confirmation of the event, and aircraft attending (Tooms from Andravida please), will be appreciated

There will be a spotters day on 16th and a public day on 17th for the retirement ceremony. To register for the spotters day send your details to a-7retirement@hotmail.com

Copied from their site: The ceremony is taking place on 17th of October 2014 in 116 Combat Wing, Araxos AB.

The official program is not yet announced but it is already ensured that the F-16 Demo Team "Zeus" shall give a demonstration and of course A-7s will fly in formation for their very last time.

If you're on facebook there is info here https://www.facebook.com/www.airforce.gr?fref=ts

If not there website is http://airforce.gr/cms/index.php/hellen ... retirement

Hope this is of use.

Cheers for that. All looking good

[Malcolm]

I don't think so Malcom? Its around 8th November when the base open days happen isn't it? I saw the LCC flights to Araxos (not direct from the UK though). Not an option really for me, direct from the Mid East. Just to clarify, this event is 100% confirmed open to the public?... source?

I knew it was the wrong week - second/third week not first/second - but hadn't noticed it was the wrong month as well

We prefer Bristol, but there's nothing going to Greece in October - so Gatters, Heathers or Stanners. No rush to book though - we haven't even finalised next weekends Darlow/Laage trip yet

[Thunder]

Right o peps,

Myself and Stuart(aka Podge) are travelling to Greece for this event, there was a third person but unfortunately due to work commitments he can no longer make it.

The car hire and accommodation has all been booked and it would seem a shame to waste the empty bed and seat.

Therefore is there anyone here that would like to go? You will be responsible for your own flights/insurance to and from Athens where we will all meet on Wed 15th before driving to the Araxos area late afternoon/early evening, where we have 2 nights booked. We then attended the Spotters Day on the 16th and the Public Day on the 17th, before heading back to Athens late afternoon/early evening for 1 night stay. On the Saturday(18th)morning it is planned to visit the HAF museum at Tatoi before heading back to the airport for our respective flights home I would suggest booking your return flight for as late in the day as possible.

Accommodation will be on a triple room basis split 3 ways, if you would prefer your own privacy I dare say I can change the booking however you will be responsible for full payment of your own room.

The car hire and fuel costs will be split 3 ways. I will be the named driver and Stuart said he is ok with some driving, so if you can't drive your sorted.

The cost for the trip not including flights/insurance/fuel costs/beer tokens is £96.00ea paid up front. The fuel I would guess to be around £30-35 each.

You have to be 18 years or older and you'll need to register your details with 336M to gain access for both days, the email address is in an earlier post to do this. There is no facility outside of the base for viewing.


Now the crap part.....

Stuart and myself have agreed that there will be no spotting/number crunching at any other bases on this trip regardless if they are only a 10 minute drive from Araxos or we pass them on route, like I said in an earlier post the HAF are aware that there is the possibility of a large number of spotters heading to the area and security will be increased accordingly. We are not going to risk the trip, period The above scheduled has been set as such to try and maximize the most of the short time we have in country. The evenings have been left free so we can grab a beer or several each night ,it would be rude not to

If interested PM myself or Stuart for more details.

[Jazz]

For those attending, who may not of seen the official schedule, just released...

HAF A-7 Retirement Ceremony Schedule Friday 17th October

09:30-10:15 Public– Journalists Arrival

11:00 Honoree Arrival

11:02 Mass

11:12 Roll Call of the Fallen – A minute of silence

11:15 336SQ Officer speech

11:25 Revealing of a specially painted A-7

11:27 Α-7 Veteran Pilot speech

11:32 Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff salutation

11:40 End of Ceremony

11:45 Air Show

13:30 Departure

Air Show

11:50 Α-7 formation (Low Apex Attack)

11:51 Τ-6 Solo display (Daedalus Team)

12:07 Α-7 formation fly past

12:08 F-16 Solo display (Zeus Team)

12:23 Mixed Fighter formation fly past

(A-7, F-4, M2000, F-16)

12:24 Aircraft landings

[Thunder]

Looking good, hopefully some of the visiting a/c will appear during the Thursday Spotters Day and maybe/hopefully a couple of T-2's will make an appearance.

Are you attending yourself?

[Jazz]

Looking forward to it, Scott
Then straight over to Tyndall for the Phantom bash. Two 'last chances' in a week

[Avtur]

T-7 & counting

Regards
Geoff

[Thunder]

Guess who's going to see some A-7's today?

[podge]

Me

[Thunder]

What a brilliant few days, great company, great aircraft, great weather, great gyros and even greater beer, shame the pizza beat you Stuart

Roll on November 2015