A pilot from North Wales will swapping his jumbo jet for a historic fighter plane to amaze the crowds at a top air show.
Ever since he left secondary school in Bala, Mark Petrie’s life has been about flying.
Next month there is a chance to see his amazing flying skills when he flies his Strikemaster jet over Rhyl Promenade during the two days of Rhyl Air Show, a free event, organised by Denbighshire County Council, on August 6 and 7.
Mark is originally from Canada, but his Welsh mother moved back to Carrog in 1972 and Mark attended school in Bala. His wife comes from Corwen and for the last 11 years they have lived in Clawdd Newydd.
On leaving school in 1978 Mark joined the RAF, where he trained as a pilot and during the next 12 years he travelled the world and flew Phantoms out of RAF Leuchars in Scotland and Tornados in the Falklands.
He set up his own military aircraft aviation business in Flintshire in September 2001. “Not a good time to be starting out in the aviation business,” said Mark (September 11, 2001 was the attack on the Twin Towers in the USA).
“I was flying a privately owned Jet Provost and the maintenance company was closing down so I had the opportunity to buy the equipment and start my own maintenance company.
“I still fly for British Airways when I’m not doing this. I remain on their full-time roster so I’m away four times a month on long-haul flights, in a 777,” he said.
In just three years the Rhyl Airshow has grown to be the biggest event in North Wales with last year’s attendance approaching 90,000 and with over 60,000 lining Rhyl promenade on the Sunday.
It is organised by Denbighshire County Council Events Manager Sian Davies, who is based at Rhyl Pavilion Theatre, and she said: “This is the third year of the Airshow and the seafront here at Rhyl really is a wonderful venue.
“It is a real natural stage for what has already become a major event and again it promises to be a spectacular show with the Red Arrows headlining on Sunday and a fantastic lineup of attractions.
“Mark and his Strikemaster will put on a great display for us and we’re really looking forward to what has already become one of the must-see events in North Wales.”
The aircraft which Mark flies at the Air Show is a Mk82a Strikemaster, the last ever built in 1986 by British Aerospace in Wharton.
“It belonged to the Omani Air force where it was on active duty for 10 years before being withdrawn for ground instruction. I bought it from the Omani Air force in 2004, brought it over and re-built it and first used it at an air display in July 2005,” said Mark.
In Oman the Strikemaster, which was first developed in 1967 by BAC as a jet powered training and light attack aircraft, would have been fitted to carry a variety of weapons from four 500lb bombs, 32 rockets and two machine guns.
A total of 146 Strikemaster aircraft were built. They are still used operationally by the Ecuador air force but the remainder are now in private hands. In addition to the one Mark will be flying at the show, he has two others which he is in the process of rebuilding.
“It’s an excellent aircraft with lots of power, it will fly at 450 nautical miles per hour which is about 515mph. I come in from one side at full power and then straight up into a loop for basically about 10 minutes of high energy aerobatics. You can do a very tight display with this aircraft because of its power,” said Mark, who will also attend air shows later this year in Northern Ireland and Blackpool.
But like others who fly at air shows, Mark is having to consider rising fuel costs. His Strikemaster consumes a mind-boggling 1,200 litres of fuel an hour.
Mark’s company, North Wales Military Aviation Services Limited (NWMAS), which is based at the Airpark in Flint road, Saltney Ferry, also holds virtually all the available spare parts for all Strikemaster jets, thanks to a couple of clever purchases in America and Oman.
NWMAS employs five full-time highly skilled engineers, qualified to work on a wide variety of aircraft and are currently working on an RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Chipmunk.
This year’s free Air Show onRhyl promenade, being organised by Denbighshire County Council, in conjunction with Rhyl Town Council, is on Saturday, August 6 and Sunday, August 7.
It will see the return of the world famous RAF Red Arrows who will open the main flying display day on Sunday. Other confirmed displays on Saturday include Steve Carver’s Aerobatic Display, a Jet Provost, a Piper Cub and the RAF Falcons.
On Sunday as well as the RAF Red Arrows and the Strikemaster, the skies above Rhyl will be filled by the Breitling Wing Walkers, a solo aerobatic display, a Pitts Special, the Royal Artillery Black Knights Parachute Display Team and the Matador display team.
Keep up to date by visiting www.rhylairshow.co.uk
