Monday, August 31, 2009

LIMA 2007

Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition has been a popular show for quite some time for Malaysian and also neighbouring countries. It is always good when the host country Malaysia is considering purchasing new military assets. All the big aircraft companies will be showcasing their top of the range cutting edge technology aircrafts be it helicopter, transport aircraft or the crowd's favourite, the fighter aircraft. At the 2007 show, the main attraction was without a doubt the massive and leading edge technology produced by the mighty Russian's Sukhoi, the SU-30MK and in this case the unique to Malaysian SU30MKM (a derivative from the Indian SU30MKI but with different avionics).


The 3 images above are the images of the SU30MKM about to take off, my friend and I were outside the airport and I just pulled out my zoom lens by the roadside and took a few shots. I wouldn't want to miss this. It was my first time seeing the SU30MKM live and what a massive aircraft compared to the MiG29N. I was so impressed looking at the movable nozzle or what they called the "thrust vectoring" nozzle moving in almost like a circular motion. Wow and the noise is pure music ....


The pictures above were the only ones usable because the pilot was doing the impressive display quite far away from the airport. But good enough for me. You can see the cloud-like vapour above the canard (the small 3rd wing just behind the cockpit) as the pilot did a quite high G maneouvre. This was on Friday. I arrived in Langkawi on the same day.


The above picture was the ground crew for the SU30MKM looking very curiously at me because I was aiming my 1.5 kg zoom lens directly at them...hahahaha. Quite an interesting image :D.


Rows of MiG29N. And their days are numbered. Sad because these MiGs are quite an impressive aircraft. I have seen they did an "outside loop" before if I am not mistaken in LIMA 1999. Below are a bunch of SU30MKM ground crew having a break and some of them still staring at me and my zoom lens :D ....

And man.... look at the SU30MKM thrust vectoring nozzle below. It is massive.

RMAF F-18D Hornet crew entertaining a VIP getting into the cockpit (below).


Front view of Sukhoi's cockpit with the crowd below.



MiG29N from a lower angle at the static display area (below).

The very old (retired) RF-5F of the RMAF also making an appearance (below).

Royal Airforce's Red Arrows Team (below) is a regular visitor to the LIMA show and as always with spectacular displays. In 1999, I managed to get all the team's members signature on a big poster and it is still with me (my brother actually :D).






The final farewell flight of the RAAF F-111 at the LIMA 2007 and it was my first time seeing that big bird and it was really a big aircraft with the sweepback wing capability. First 2 pictures below showing the F-111 making a tight turn (below).




The RMAF F-18D Hornet also made an impressive aerial display with tight high G turns as shown below.

Sukhoi SU-30MKM making a very short take off and making an impressive display (below).



SU-30MKM finally landed to a massive reception by the crowds including the RAF and RAAF crew (below).
After the show, we went for our usual sight seeing and of course the much needed dinner. The shots below are a few spot at the place called Porto Malai. In the 2nd picture below, even a submarine was decorated with lights :).




Saturday, August 15, 2009

2009 MotoGP Testing in Sepang

Every year most of the MotoGP teams carry out their "winter testing" preparing for new season and I have never missed a single "winter testing" (hahahaha it is bloody hot in Sepang) at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC). Just want to share a few images I managed to capture. To me, this is the best time to capture these superstar riders because not a lot of spectators and you have plenty of room and time without any hassle.

Look how The Doctor at the limit in braking, pretty amazing stuff by Valentino Rossi and he is probably the best GP rider of all time. He reminds me of Kevin Schwantz.


A Bridge To Nowhere

One bridge that hangs across Putrajaya lake but unfortunately the construction never completed.

Junior Wakeboard & Waterski Competition 2009

To begin with, there were a few cultural shows before the main event starts to entertain the crowd and the VVIP that day.


A few images from 2009 Junior Wakeboard & Waterski Competition in Putrajaya which was a fun event to just do a leisure photoshoot not as hectic as F1 or some other motorsports :).

A few more images from the competitors.