FIVE popular restaurants and bars – four in Folkestone, one in Sandgate – are inviting patrons to put their ‘own’ aircraft in the sky at next year’s Folkestone Airshow. Designated as an Official Supporter, each has signed up to raise an amount of money which will enable Open Air Promotions Ltd, organiser of the two-day event, to hire a named type of aircraft or aerobatic team.

The fund-raising scheme was launched this week and will run until the flying programme is complete.

Folkestone Airshow pr and marketing manager Maddison Broom said that each Official Supporter had chosen the particular military or stunt aircraft they would ask their customers to fund. “They have their own ideas about how to hit necessary targets – by organising events and activities, for example – and we will help by promoting them through our social media websites. Their efforts will be invaluable in lining up the fly-pasts and thrilling high-speed aerobatics performances we are programming”.

Folkestone Airshow 2014 Official Supporters, the amount they have set out to raise and their chosen aircraft are:The Chambers (£3,000, Tornado); The View (£2,500, Trig Aerobatic Team); Fresh & Easy(£2,000, Grob Tutor); The Frenchman (£2,000, King Air); The Royal Norfolk (£2,000, Sea King search-and-rescue helicopter).

Chris Smith, owner-manager of The Chambers said: “We are thrilled to be fund-raising to bring the Tornado to Folkestone Airshow. It will be one of the loudest aircraft in the flying display and we aim to make as much noise with our fund-raising”.

Folkestone Airshow 2014 will take place on Saturday and Sunday, June 7 and 8. For latest information log on to www.folkestoneairshow.com

Tags: 2013, December, Folkestone Airshow, News