Mass Formation Flypast of up to 20 Super Hornets

[adrenalinmatt1]

Super Hornet pilots had their final mission brief before 20 of the RAAF jets fly over southeast Queensland on Friday morning.

The Commanding Officer No.6 Squadron, Wing Commander Terence Deeth, and the Executive Officer No.6 Squadron, Squadron Leader John Haly, headed the mission brief at RAAF Base Amberley about 1pm on Thursday.

A spokesman said the brief included details of the flight path and maps.

The massive flypast over the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Ipswich is part of RAAF celebrations on Friday that will see the completion of the fleet for 1 and 6 Squadrons, based at Amberley, near Ipswich.

An official ceremony, with flypasts, will be held at the base on Friday morning.

Earlier, the RAAF spokesman said the Super Hornet display would be a good training exercise for the RAAF.

"There will be a mass formation flypast of up to 20 F/A-18F Super Hornets over the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, Brisbane and Ipswich, this Friday  as part of the welcoming ceremony for four new Super Hornets," he said in a statement.

"Sixteen aircraft will depart RAAF Base Amberley between 10am and 10.30am and will fly in a loose formation to a point off North Stradbroke Island, where they will form up and fly south, crossing the coast at Southport before flying down the Gold Coast to Tweed Heads.

"The armada will then fly out to sea and reform at a point off the Sunshine Coast where it will join with the four new Super Hornets (coming from the US).

"The 20-strong formation will fly south from Noosa Heads down the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane where it will then fly over the CBD en route to Ipswich and RAAF Amberley.  It is expected to pass over the base at 11.30am.

"The formation will be accompanied at intervals by up to two Hawk Mk127 lead-in fighters.

"The final number of aircraft flying will depend on operational and training tasks for the aircraft."

The F/A-18F jets replaced the F-111s that were retired from the base last year.

The link below shows the map -

http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/ipswich/raaf-base-amberley-super-hornet-pilots-have-final-mission-brief-before-flypast-over-southeast-queensland/story-fn8m0yo2-1226171833906

[bpratt]

We were told in the Seniors briefing tonight to watch overhead at 10:26am for the fly past.

I'll see if I can get some shots when they fly overhead from the beach chicane.

[adrenalinmatt1]

Some footage of mine from the Super Hornet formation near Amberly Air Base 



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