1.
AERIAL VIEW APPROACHING Rio de Janeiro's Jacarepagua airport
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2.
AERIAL VIEW Aircraft parked on tarmac
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3.
CU Stearman biplane taxiing along tarmac
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4.
SV Variety of small aircraft (4 shots)
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5.
GV PAN Varig Airlines Boeing 727 flying low over spectators
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6.
GV PAN Boeing 707 flies past low
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7.
CU Spectators
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8.
GV PAN Four 'Xavantes' fighter planes fly past
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9.
GV Air France Concorde low approach and fly past (2 shots)
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Exavante, pronounced Shavanti, was built by EMBRAER (Empresa Brasiliera de Aeronautica), Brazil's national aircraft building company. Founded in 1970, it now ranks as the world's seventh largest planemaking company, producing 10 different types of civil and military aircraft.




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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: This year's 'Day of the Aviator' air show in Brazil was held at the Jacarepagua Airport in Rio de Janeiro last Sunday (23 October). On view was a wide range of Brazilian military, civil and commercial aircraft, but the highlight was a ground-skimming fly-past by an Air France Concorde.

SYNOPSIS: The show is an annual event, with venue changing from year to year.

As well as being a civil airport, and the base for several air taxi services, Jacarepagua has an air school, and is the centre of operations for the Aeroclub of Brazil.

This 1924 Stearman was a lovely reminder of carefree pioneer days but was considered too old for stunting. But the small aircraft of two generations ago were a fascinating sight merely standing still.

Brazil's four major commercial airlines, Vasp, TransBrasil, Varig and Cruzeiro were also out in force, showing off their latest Boeings. Varig, with a fleet of 51 planes, is the oldest of the four, and this year celebrates 50 years in aviation.

The crowd of more than 3,000 was thrilled by a display of formation flying by four Xavantes fighters of the Brazilian Air Force.

Then the high point .... the fly past of an Air France Concorde. The Concorde was on a scheduled flight from Paris via Dakar, and made two low-level passes along the airport, the second with nose down as though preparing to land. Air France's inaugural passenger-paying Concorde flight early in 1976 was form Paris to this very airport.