- Bray Air Display takes place 1 August with ground entertainment from 12pm.
- The airshow runs from 3pm to 6pm over Bray Seafront.
- Highlights include Irish Air Corps, Aer Lingus Iolar and AeroSuperBatics Wingwalkers.
- The Future of Flight Tech Zone features interactive drone and tech showcases.
- North and South car parks open at 10am and close at 8pm.
Tens of thousands attended the 19th Bray Air Display in Co Wicklow on 1 August, Ireland’s largest aviation event. Displays included Team Raven, Defence Forces Black Knight parachutists, wing walkers and historic aircraft, plus a Future of Flight zone with virtual reality and drones.
A small deliberate fire near the beach was quickly extinguished by a firefighting helicopter with no impact on the free event. The lineup included the Irish Air Corps, Aer Lingus Iolar, and AeroSuperBatics Wingwalkers, in order of appearance:
- Aer Lingus ‘Iolar’ (de Havilland DH.84 Dragon): This beautifully restored 1936 vintage biplane departed first to launch the airshow. It flew a historic solo flight to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Aer Lingus.
- Black Knights Parachute Team: Ireland’s elite military free-fall demonstration team opened the main seafront spectacle, executing precision jumps through the sky to land exactly on the Bray shoreline.
- Garda Air Support Unit (GASU): Specialised law enforcement aircraft demonstrated vital tracking maneuvers, providing a live look at how Ireland’s police force utilizes its “eyes in the sky”.
- Irish Coast Guard Demonstration: A joint search-and-rescue simulation featuring the heavy AW189 helicopter acting out a water rescue, flanked by the fixed-wing Beechcraft B200 King Air maritime patrol aircraft.
- Emerald Airlines: The regional commercial carrier put on a display showcasing commercial aviation styling, tight banking maneuvers, and airline precision over the coast.
- AeroSuperBatics Wingwalkers: A massive fan-favorite consisting of daredevil wing-walkers performing gravity-defying acrobatic stunts and wing-dances on top of vintage Boeing Stearman biplanes.
- Team Raven: A world-class civilian six-aircraft display team flying Vans RV aircraft in synchronized, ultra-tight formations with intense smoke trails.
- P-51 Mustang ‘Marinell’: A thundering, historic World War II fighter warbird that filled the bay with the raw horsepower and deep engine roars of its classic Merlin engine.
- Aer Lingus Airbus A321XLR: A massive highlight featuring the airline’s next-generation, long-range commercial airliner.
- The “Crown Jewel” Formation: The final show-stopping moment of the event happened when the massive Aer Lingus Airbus A321XLR and the Irish Air Corps PC-9Ms flew together in a historic, tightly synchronized formation sweep across the clear blue coastline.
- Irish Air Corps Solo & Tactical Displays: Following the joint flypast, the Air Corps closed out the event with their premier tactical military flypasts, aggressive defense maneuvers, and high-octane aerobatics.
The main air display flight programme ran over the Bray Seafront from 3pm to 6pm. The ground attractions included the Future of Flight Tech Zone with an interactive drone and tech showcase, and the Kilometre of Euro seafront fundraising challenge targeting €40,000
