Exercise Pitch Black 24 Mindil Market fly by details confirmed

Locals are being urged to arrive early ahead of the massive fly by event set to take place at Mindil Beach. See the full program.

The route and display area for the Mindil Beach flyover. Source: Royal Australian Air Force.

Territorians are being urged to plan ahead for the much-anticipated jet flyover at Mindil Markets on Thursday, with parking space expected to be limited.

The massive fly by, organised by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to showcase flying activity Exercise Pitch Black 24, will be the largest to grace Mindil Beach’s sunset horizon, with more than 45 airframes scheduled to swing by the markets.

Air Commodore Micka Gray and Colonel Randy Pascua ahead of Mindil Market's Exercise Pitch Black 24 flyover. Picture: Harry Brill.

Head of Air Shows Air Commodore Micka Gray said locals interested in catching the action should “get there early”.

“The car park will be busy, we expect it will fill up by 5pm if not earlier so get there early if you can,” he said.

“Main viewing will be at Mindil Beach, but the aircraft will also be visible from East Point, along Fannie Bay and along Cullen Bay.”

Air Commodore Gray confirmed the event would start with a hover display by a US MV-22 Osprey, followed by international aircraft.

The last appearance will be Australian FA/-18 Super Hornets in a special display.

“You’ll see aircraft that have never been seen in the Top End here before.”

Filipino pilots will also feature in the flyover. Picture: Harry Brill.

Some of the notable jets that will feature include the Rafale, the FA-50PH Fighting Eagle, the Su-30MKI Flanker, and the AV-8B Harrier II.

Philippine Air Force commander Colonel Randy Pascua said his pilots were excited to take part in the fly by.

“We are happy that we are involved in the exercise (and) the Mindil Beach fly by.”

The Mindil Beach flying display takes place on Thursday, July 18 2024 and will run from 5pm to 6.30pm.

The flying program will be as follows:

5pm – 5.30pm

United States Osprey

Australian “Tiger” helicopter

Papua New Guinea PAC 750

German Airbus A400

Philippines FA-50PH Fighting Eagle

Malaysian F-18D Hornet

French Rafale Fighter

5.30pm - 6pm

Italian Navy F-35B and Harrier

Italian Air Force KC767, G550, Typhoon and F-35A

Australian E-7A Wedgetail

Australian F-35A Lightning II

Thai Gripen Fighter

British Voyager and Typhoon

Republic of Korea F-15 Eagle

6pm – 6.30pm

Singaporean F-16 Falcon and F-15 Eagle

Japanese E767 and F-2 Fighter

Indonesian F-16 Falcon

Indian Su-30

United States F-22 Raptor

Australian F/A-18F Super Hornet and E/A-18G Growler

Originally published as Exercise Pitch Black 24 Mindil Market fly by details confirmed