Red Arrows to fly in air display again
THE Red Arrows will once again cut a dash in the skies above Wicklow during the Bray Air Display this July.
The display will be on Saturday and Sunday, July 28 and 29, with the Red Arrows appearing on the Sunday.
The famous Red Arrows team first jetted into Ireland in their distinctive red livery for the 2016 event and wowed the crowds with pin point precision moves and graceful manoeuvres. Anyone unlucky enough to have missed their performance two years ago will have a second chance to marvel at these master craftsmen this July.
Joining them in the skies this year will be the Royal Jordanian Falcons, which are some of the most skilled aerobatic pilots in the world. The national aerobatic team was formed in 1976 with the mission of promoting peace and friendship globally through the art and science of aviation.
Wildcat Aerobatics will be bringing their close formation aerobatics and precision synchronised flying in the iconic Pitts Special biplane in their choreographed air show act combining a mix of balletic, close formation aerobatics and high speed opposition passes.
The Blades Aerobatic Team are amongst the most expereinced on the circuit and include pilot Kirsty Murphy, formerly the first and only female Red Arrow’s pilot. Consisting of 30 exhilarating manoeuvres showcasing a variety of mind-blowing aerobatic stunts, The Blades Extra-300 aircraft are flown just 12 feet apart.
A Celtic jet team from Brittany in France, Tranchant Jet Team, will fly four Fouga aircraft while individual performances will include Dublin’s Eddie Goggins (aka ‘The Flying Dentist’), the UK’s Richard Goodwin and Gerry Humphries with his ‘Flying Cow’ Vans RV7 solo display.
Bray Air Display isn’t just about high energy, exhilarating displays and spectators will enjoy a trip down memory lane with some of the world’s most iconic aircraft of the past.
The ‘Shamrock 1942’ display involves the DC-3 aircraft, one of the most recognisable and iconic planes of the 1930s and ’40s and one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made. A total of 19 DC-3s were in use by Aer Lingus until 1964.
The Catalina Flying Boat PBY-5A celebrates its 75th birthday this year and will add its display of Dumbbells, flypasts and Orbits to festivities.
The Irish Historic Flight Foundation, which commemorates aviation achievements as well as encouraging an interest in Irish aviation, will bring old world glamour to Bray with Chipmunk and Stearman aircraft flying across the shoreline.
Sé Pardy, Director of Bray Air Display, said: ‘It is full steam ahead as we organise the 13th annual Bray Air Display and it’s going to be a thrilling spectacle with a line-up of more than 40 aircraft. The calibre of the aerobatic displays at Bray is really second to none and, I believe, inspirational for those considering a career in aviation. Everyone is welcome to enjoy what will be a wonderful free event for young and old alike.’
The weekend will include live music, markets, fun-fair, helicopter rides over Bray Head, hospitality packages and much more.
THE Irish passport card is a credit-card sized Irish passport. You can use it for travel within the European Union, the European Economic Area (which includes Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and Switzerland. So, you will be able to use it when going to Spain this summer.
You must be aged 18 or over to apply for a passport card. You must also hold a valid Irish passport that is not due to expire in the next three months. The personal details you provide when applying must be exactly the same as those on your passport book.
The passport card is valid for a maximum of five years or until your passport book expires, whichever period is shorter.
If you plan to use your passport card when travelling, you must use the passport card number when checking in online.
The passport card costs €35. If you are applying from outside Ireland, there is an additional delivery cost of €5.
You can apply for a passport card online on dfa.ie. When making the application you need:
Your current passport book
Your digital photograph (see the detailed guidelines on dfa.ie) A valid email address
A debit card or credit card
When you submit your application online, you are issued with an 11-digit application number. You can track your application’s progress on the department’s website using the application number.
Further information is available from the Citizens Information Centre below. I am 17 years old and I have just finished school. I would like to get a part-time job over the summer. Are there restrictions on the number of hours I can work and will I get the minimum wage?
THE maximum working week for young people aged 16 and 17 is 40 hours, and you cannot work more than 8 hours a day. If you work for more than one employer, your combined daily or weekly hours of work cannot be more than this maximum.
Usually, you are only permitted to work between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m, but in licenced premises (pubs and restaurants) you are legally allowed to work until 11pm at weekends and during school holidays.
The national minimum wage for an experienced adult is currently €9.55 per hour. People aged under 18 are only entitled to up to 70 per cent of the experienced adult rate; this is €6.69 per hour. Your employer is free to pay you more than the minimum wage if they wish, but they are not required to do so by law.
You must get a payslip from your employer. A payslip is a statement in writing from the employer that shows your total pay before tax and details of deductions from your pay.
If you get tips from customers, there is nothing in law to state you are automatically entitled to these tips. However, the law does not require you to hand these tips to your employer either. Instead, it depends on the custom and practice in your workplace.
These rules are set out in the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996. Your employer must give you the official summary of the Act, along with other details of your terms of employment, within one month of your start date. All employers with employees under 18 must display the official summary of the Act somewhere visible where it can be easily read. Your employer must also see a copy of your birth certificate, or other evidence of your age, before employing you.
Further information is available from the Citizens Information Centre below.