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Crowds throng air show's first day

Spectators watch an ultralight aircraft swooping low at the 2004 Taiwan Sports Air Show yesterday at the Taoyuan Air Force Base in Taoyuan County. PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES

Four fly-bys of the renowned Russian Sukhoi SU-26 aerobatic aircraft officially launched the 2004 Taiwan Sports Air Show at Taoyuan Air Force Base yester-day.

It was the first time that the Sukhoi aircraft flew in Taiwan.

The four SU-26s were maneu-vered by pilots Viktor Chmal, Viktor Muhortov, Halide Makagonova and Svetlana Lupanova, and they pushed the limits of aerobatics.

Among the four, champion pilot Chmal enjoys the best reputation.

The SU-26 is equipped with a three-blade propeller and is powered by a nine-cylinder air-cooled piston radial engine of four cycles.

Compared to other aerobatic planes, the SU-26 is well equipped, with a 360-horsepower engine.

In addition, the aircraft features a pressurized fuel tank and reduction gears.

It is also the first aerobatic sports plane that expands the seat-back angle to 45 degrees, like the US-made F-16 fighters, which increases the pilot's gravity tolerance.

Following the show by the SU-26s, Taiwan's own IDF jet fighter, piloted by the state-run Aerospace Industrial Development Corp service business department director Wu Kang-ming (吳康明) who was also a master test pilot, continued the air exhibition.

On the ground, a total of 18 different aircraft models currently used by the military were displayed.

These aircraft included T-34C adn AT-3 training planes, a F-5E fighter jet, two Mirage 2000-5s fighter jets, two F-16s, one AH-1W attack helicopter, two UH-1H rescue helicopters, and 500MD, TH-67, S-70C and OH-58D helicopters.

As of noon yesterday, the air show's information desk said that all 70,000 available tickets had been sold, but the crowd kept moving in.

To deal with the huge attendance, the event's coordinator -- the Taoyuan County government -- has hired many volunteers and staff workers with friendly faces to help at the scene.

But there were still com-plaints, because it was obvious that the extra volunteers had not all been completely trained.

In addition, showgoers complained about the food vendors' high prices, and the lack of good signage.

"The signs to the exit, to the rest rooms and to the food venders are not clear at all," said Huang Kuan-chun (黃冠群), a Taoyuan resident who had brought his family and parents to the show.

"In addition, many staff workers could not answer my simple questions, such as where to buy a hat ...

"There is still room for improvement when it comes to holding a big event like this in the future," Huang said.

To find the best vantage point for watching the show, many air show visitors climbed up on the roofs of the hangers, which were supposed to be restricted areas, reserved for photographers.

These showgoers ignored repeated requests from staff mem-bers and police to get down from the hanger roofs.

Tickets to the show are available for NT$150 for regular visitors and NT$100 for students, firefighters, police and military officers.

Handicapped people, children and those older than 65 enjoy free admission.

The Taoyuan County government urged those who are planning to visit the base for the air show today, tomorrow or Tuesday to take public transportation in order to avoid parking frustration, as no parking is allowed inside the base.
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