THREE COAST AVIATION
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Airshow London​
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Airshow London is an annual event held at the London International Airport (CYXU) in London, Ontario. Reborn in 2016, the event maintains a focus on modern military aviation but also features local aerobatic acts and vintage jets. The lighting and proximity to movement areas present the opportunity for high quality pictures while aircraft taxi, takeoff, perform and land. The multiple day show includes an evening display on Friday night, providing gorgeous golden light conditions and lots of burners at dusk.
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2022
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SkyDrive returned for the third show in a row as Airshow London celebrated the 75th anniversary of the United States Air Force and the 50th anniversary of the first flight of the F-15 Eagle. Seven versions of the Eagle were on display including five 'C' models, a 'D' model and an F-15E Strike Eagle. Other representatives of the USAF included the Thunderbirds, the F-22 Raptor Demo Team and a B-2 Spirit that opened the show on Sunday. The static display returned in 2022 and was full of highlights, including six F-16s from the Air National Guard, an RC-135W Rivet Joint, and all three versions of Air Force tankers.
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The RCAF was also well represented even though the Snowbirds were once again grounded. The CF-18 Demo Team, CT-155 Hawk, CC-130J and the beautiful CC-150 Polaris all flew displays during the weekend shows while static highlights included a CC-177 and a rare CP-140M Aurora.
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Finally, there were three warbirds involved this year. The B-17G "Yankee Lady" and C-47 "Hairless Joe" made the short trip from the Yankee Air Museum in Michigan and were joined by a P-51D named "Double Trouble Two" in the flying display.
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2021
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In 2021 Airshow London once again presented SkyDrive, but this time most of the performing aircraft were based at London Airport. Weather conditions turned out to be much better than forecast and allowed for three full days of flying, from beautiful golden light during the Hour of Power on Friday evening to the final performance in clear blue skies by the Blue Angels on Sunday afternoon. There was plenty of Canadian content, including multiple CF-18 displays, a CC-130J Super Hercules and of course the Snowbirds. The US Coast Guard was also a major contributor displaying an HC-144A Ocean Sentry as well as a Search and Rescue demo from an MH-65 Dolphin. Surprisingly, the highlight of the show was the spirited display from a VAW-120 Greyhawk E-2C Hawkeye, as the crew impressed everyone by showcasing the impressive maneuverability of the big carrier aircraft.
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2020
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The 2020 show was possibly the best aviation event in Canada in the 21st Century. Due to the many government restrictions that were in place at the time, Airshow London presented Skydrive, a drive-in style event that only featured aerial performances while prioritizing safety among its guests, volunteers and crews on the ground. Since they were the only air show in North America that weekend, Skydrive included displays from the United States Air Force Thunderbirds, all four Air Combat Command Demonstration Teams, the C-17 West Coast Demonstration Team and a variety of flypasts from the Royal Canadian Air Force and US military.
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For a more detailed review of this event please visit Checksix - the military aviation online magazine.
https://www.checksix-online.eu/review/airshows/airshow-london-2020/
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2019​
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The Snowbirds, SkyHawks, CF-18 Demonstration Team, two previous CF-18 display pilots performing in CT-155 Hawks, a pair of CT-133's honouring RCAF paint schemes and a very special father and son dissimilar two-ship formation combined to make the 2019 edition of Airshow London uniquely Canadian. The United States presence was also significant and included the A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team in the air and a strong static display highlighted by a Navy F-35C Lightning II and a B-52H Stratofortress from the Global Strike Command.
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For a more detailed review of this event please visit Checksix - the military aviation online magazine.
https://www.checksix-online.eu/review/airshows/london-airshow-2019/
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Every so often the stars align and things work out perfectly. That was the experience I had on Saturday September 14th, one of the most memorable days I've enjoyed at an air show. The morning started with me jumping from a Short SC.7 Skyvan while attached to a member of the Canadian Forces Parachute Demonstration Team SkyHawks. I was originally the fourth person in line for the three available tandem jump positions therefore I will be forever grateful to the individual who decided not to show up. As well I must also express my sincerest gratitude to air show organizer Mike Lewis who helped make this moment possible. After the show, I received an invitation to go flying with friend and air show performer, Mike Tryggvason, in his Giles G-202. Although it was a tight squeeze to fit in the front of the aircraft, the flight was incredible and I enjoyed my first aerobatic experience complete with loops, rolls and even a high speed stall.
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