UK Airshow News – Page 24

Air Tattoo Takes Centre Stage in Reds’ TV Salute

Red Arrows at RIAT

Millions of viewers tuning into the final episode of a fly-on-the-wall documentary series on the Red Arrows next week will see the Royal International Air Tattoo take centre stage.

Channel 5’s Red Arrows: Kings of the Sky documentary concludes next Wednesday (February 13) at 9pm with their appearance at the world’s greatest airshow.

As well as offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the airshow from the team’s perspective, the episode features footage of their thrilling flying display and their interaction with the many Reds’ fans on the ground.

Last month, the Red Arrows confirmed that they will be returning to the Cotswolds in the summer to take part in the Air Tattoo. Their displays at RAF Fairford on July 19-21 will be their last in the UK this year as they will be jetting off shortly after on a high-profile tour of the US and Canada.

The Western Hawk 19 Tour will see the team travel to North America as UK ‘ambassadors’ promoting trade and co-operation.

Air Tattoo Chief Executive Andy Armstrong said: “We’ve been told that next week’s episode is not to be missed by all Reds’ fans and Air Tattoo supporters. We were delighted to host the TV series’ production team at RIAT 2018 and what they’ve produced is a wonderful tribute to this amazing team.

“Permitting cameras behind-the-scenes at last summer’s airshow enables viewers to get a fuller appreciation of how important it is for all our participating aircrew and the airshow team to work closely together.

“I hope that after watching the series, viewers will want to come to the Air Tattoo in July to see their final UK display this year and to bid them farewell on their upcoming tour.”

Tickets for the Air Tattoo are already selling fast with Super Earlybird Saturday and Sunday tickets, and Saturday Earlybird tickets already sold out. To find out more about the airshow, book tickets and view the wide variety of enclosure options available, visit www.airtattoo.com or call 01285 713456. All accompanied under-18s go free.

Red Arrows To Perform Air Tattoo Farewell Before USA Tour

Red Arrows

The world’s favourite aerobatic display team will be performing their final salute at the Air Tattoo this summer, before they jet off on a high-profile tour of the USA and Canada.

The RAF Red Arrows will perform their last public displays in the UK on 19-21 July at RAF Fairford in the Cotswolds, before they fly to North America for the Western Hawk 19 Tour.

The team will travel across the two nations with a view to promoting trade and co-operation in support of the UK’s prosperity agenda.

Defence Minister Mark Lancaster announced their participation earlier this week: “The Red Arrows are an international symbol of Britain and this landmark event will generate a significant amount of investment. It is only right that, after more than a decade away, they return to the home of our closest defence ally.”

The Red Arrows are no stranger to the skies above RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and have been a firm crowd-favourite at the airshow for the past three years.
Air Tattoo spokesman Richard Arquati said: “As always, we are delighted to welcome the Red Arrows back to the show.

“Their breath-taking flying displays never fail to disappoint however this year will be extra-special in light of their upcoming tour – we wish them a successful trip”.

In addition to featuring exciting aircraft from around the globe, this summer’s Air Tattoo will feature a wide range of entertaining and interactive activities in its critically-acclaimed Techno Zone®, Activity Zone, Vintage Village and RAF Experience.

Tickets for the airshow, which is staged annually in support of the RAF Charitable Trust, can be purchased online at www.airtattoo.com or by calling 01285 713456. All accompanied under-18s go free.

German Navy Participation Confirmed for RAF Cosford Air Show

German Navy Orion by Dirk Jande Ridder

Two aircraft from the German Navy will be heading to Shropshire later this year to join the exciting array of aircraft displays planned for the RAF Cosford Air Show on
Sunday 9th June, including an extremely rare flying display by a Lockheed P-3C Orion.

The Orion is an iconic maritime patrol aircraft of Cold War era, which is currently flown by 18 different countries around the globe, with the German Navy operating a
fleet of eight airframes which perform patrols over the North Sea. On the ground at the Air Show, visitors will be able to get up close and personal with a Westland Sea
Lynx Mk.88A helicopter, also from the German Navy.

Air Show Operations Manager, Mr Peter Reoch, said, “We’re thankful to the German Navy for planning to support the RAF Cosford Air Show 2019 with these two fantastic aircraft, which will be highlights of the 2019 event for many aviation enthusiasts. These aircraft join the exciting aerial extravaganza planned to mark the 70th Anniversary of NATO at the RAF Cosford Air Show this year.”

Tickets for the Air Show are currently available at the discounted ‘early-bird’ price of £25.00, with accompanied under-16s entering free of charge, making the Air Show a great value for money family day out. This discounted ticket price will only be available for a limited time so Air Show organisers advise buying yours today to avoid missing out. Tickets are only available to purchase in advance of the Air Show, and last year’s event was a complete sell-out in the week prior to the show.

For more information about the displays planned at the Air Show, and to purchase your admission tickets, visit the Air Show website: www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

Iconic Jet to Perform Rare Air Tattoo Display!

Spanish AV8B by Jakub Zurek

One of the world’s most iconic jets will make a welcome return to the Royal International Air Tattoo this summer – almost a decade since it last made an appearance in the flying display.

The Spanish Navy EAV-8B Harrier II Plus from 9 Squadron will display as part of the Air Tattoo, which takes place on 19-21 July at RAF Fairford in the Cotswolds. The aircraft is based at Rota Naval Base and operates from the Spanish Navy’s amphibious assault ship Juan Carlos I.

Until the arrival of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the Harrier had been unique in being able to take off and land vertically, fly backwards, sideways and rotate on the spot. Its gravity-defying aerial displays were regularly among the highlights of the airshow’s flying programme.

Spanish Navy Harriers, in the form of the earlier AV-8S and TAV-8S variants, were last seen at the Air Tattoo in 1994. In 2010, an RAF Harrier GR.9 performed its final Air Tattoo display prior to its retirement from service in March 2011. Spain remains one of only a handful of nations that continue to operate the Harrier, Italy and the US (US Marine Corps) being the others.

Air Tattoo Chief Executive Andy Armstrong said: “The chance to see a flying Harrier is always a hugely welcome one, and we at the Air Tattoo are delighted that the Spanish Navy will be participating at RIAT 2019, especially in this NATO 70th anniversary year.

“The Harrier has been a major part of NATO since it first entered RAF service 50 years ago, and its attendance will be an important part of our tribute – as well as offering a spectacular flying display.”

Tickets for the airshow, which is staged annually in support of the RAF Charitable Trust, can be purchased online at www.airtattoo.com or by calling 01285 713456. (Tickets for Friday 19 July come with a £10 money off merchandise voucher if booked before 31 January). All accompanied under-18s go free.

Swiss Fighter Jet Adds Noise to Air Show Line-Up

Swiss Hornet by Peter Reoch

Exciting news arrived today that the Swiss Hornet Display Team will be performing at the RAF Cosford Air Show on Sunday 9ThJune 2019, showcasing their breath-taking fast jet display of the legendary McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet.

The Hornet was designed as a naval fighter with reinforced undercarriage, folding wings and tail-hook, however it is used by many land-based air arms across the globe. The Swiss Air Force operate their fleet of Hornet for air defence duties, armed with a 20mm Cannon and Sidewinder missiles.

Air Show Director, Mr Clive Elliott, said, “We’re excited and honoured to be welcoming the Swiss Air Force, once again, to the RAF Cosford Air Show this summer. The Swiss Hornet Display Team won the award for best flying display on their previous visit to our Air Show in 2015. They are regarded as one of the best fast jet displays in Europe and I’m sure their display will be a highlight of the day for all of our visitors.”

Tickets for the Air Show are currently available at the discounted ‘early-bird’ price of £25.00, with accompanied under-16s entering free of charge. Earlybird tickets will only be available for a limited time so Air Show organisers advise buying yours today to avoid missing out. The RAF Cosford Air Show is an advance ticket-only event, with last year’s event completely selling out in the week prior to the show.

For more information about the displays planned at the Air Show, and to purchase your admission tickets, visit the Air Show website: www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

Voices to soar for Christmas Concerts at the Fleet Air Arm Museum

HMS Heron Band

All the right Con-chords will be played as this year’s popular Christmas Carol Concert returns to the Fleet Air Arm Museum on December 13th and 14th.

Visitors can join the HMS Heron Royal Navy Volunteer Band under Concorde 002 in Hall Four of the Yeovilton museum.

The concert features several classics and festive numbers for the occasion. Doors open at 6.30pm, the concert starts at 7.30pm.

General Manager of the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Marc Farrance, said: “Our Christmas Carols are very popular and they’re held in such a unique setting – under the Concorde 2.

“We are delighted to host the HMS Heron Royal Navy Volunteer Band for another two evenings of fun and entertainment.

“The event has been incredibly popular in recent years. We now hold it over two nights to make sure no one missed out on tickets and this year will be the same.
”
Tickets are £15 each and include a mince pie and mulled wine on arrival. A bar and refreshments will also be available

It is strongly recommended that those wishing to go purchase their tickets in advance.

They can be purchased from the museum during normal opening hours, by calling 01935 840565 or online at www.fleetairarm.com

Wings & Wheels Changes Date in 2019

Wings & wheels

For its 15th Show, Wings & Wheels is returning to its original 2005 spot in June! The airshow will now take place on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th June 2019.

The decision to change the date was made following the announcement that the Red Arrows will be on tour in North America throughout August and September and after consultation with exhibitors, participants, volunteers and visitors.

Jamie McAllister, Events Director, Wings & Wheels comments: “We’ve thought carefully about changing the date of Wings & Wheels to ensure that we are able to continue to put on the very best show for visitors. We had to consider a number of things, including what exhibitors and air displays would be available in August vs June and have concluded that a return to the show’s roots in June is a positive step for the airshow. We are now moving forward and planning the show for Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th June and are excited to welcome visitors to the new dates.”

The sensational summer event for the whole family, Wings & Wheels at Dunsfold Aerodrome, will be celebrating its 15th Show with a change in date to Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th June. Famous favourites in the air and on the ground will blow your mind, whilst the attractions and Zones in the Arena will keep you entertained and buzzing with delight the WHOLE weekend.

Eyes to the sky as the ‘Wings’ of the event treats visitors to outstanding and diverse 5 hour air displays which have previously included show favourites the Red Arrows, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Lancaster, Spitfires), Chinook, Hurricane, the Tigers Parachute Display Team, The Blades, Jet Provost, Hurricane, Strikemaster, O’Brien’s Flying Circus, the Bronco Demo, Richard Goodwin, The Turbulent Display Team, B-17 Flying Fortress Sally B, NAHF Vampire Pair, NAHF MiG 15 and Fireflies Aerobatic Team, accompanied by witty and knowledgeable commentary from aviation experts and display pilots.

The ‘Wings’ of the event would not be complete without a close-up inspection of all the weekend’s visiting aircraft including Dunsfold’s resident Boeing 747 in the ‘Wings Park’ and Aces High DC3, all open for tours.

Supercars and classic and vintage icons put on an awe-inspiring display of power and speed on the Top Gear track in a 2 hour auto spectacular. The ‘Wheels’ of the show included displays from Koenigsegg Agera R, McLaren 12C, Lamborghini Aventador Roadster and Huracan, Pagani Zonda, Ferrari California T, Aston Martin Rapide, Dodge Monaco, TVR Tasmin 280i, Ducati Multistrada 1200s, Ferrari F355 Berlinetta, Ford GT40 and Lotus Elise.

Visit the Wheels Zone with a bigger and better crowd line parade and interactive displays from car and motorbike clubs. The popular Monster Truck arena returns offering demonstrations and passenger rides.

The Military Zone & Parade is interactive and explosive bringing re-enactors in a living history zone and our popular military vehicle parade. The Zone has over 80 military vehicles, six re-enactment groups, as well as the history of Dunsfold Aerodrome and Army, Navy and RAF recruitment stands for everyone’s enjoyment.

Sid’s Zone is an action packed free area for the little ones. From 10:00 until 16:00 the kids can join in with colouring competitions, arts and crafts, paper plane challenges, face painting and the popular Sid’s Trail which encourages the whole family to search the arena for questions and answers to win a goody bag. Meet and greets with show mascot Siddeley and the display pilots are not to be missed.

The excitement and anticipation doesn’t stop at the main displays as the 32 acre public arena is bursting with a huge variety of interactive attractions containing all you need for a great family day out. The show arena boasts go-karts, aviation and motoring simulators, military outlets and displays, static aircraft, fairground and over 60 retail outlets selling a wide variety of products and gifts. Shopping in the arena includes a craft marquee full of tempting tea time treats to take home and craft gifts.

As the last aircraft touches down the party starts across the arena with musical evening entertainment from Champagne at the Blitz, a 1940s songbird trio armed with smooth harmonies, seamed nylons and lots and LOTS of red lippy!

Taking the hassle out of your day the show includes added extras to make your experience even more enjoyable; over 18 fixed-price catering outlets, two bars, hospitality facilities, free on-site parking, public camping, lost children point, disabled access, informative show commentary, opportunities to meet the pilots, official show merchandise and grandstand seating.

The 15th annual Wings & Wheels will be held on Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th June 2019, at Dunsfold Park near Guildford, Surrey, and is open to spectators from 09:00 until 20:00.

Advanced rate tickets from £24 for adults or £55 for a family. Single child tickets (for children aged 5 – 15) will be £8. Children under 5 go free. Hospitality packages start from £199 per person, weekend passes, grandstand tickets and camping are also available. For more information visit www.wingsandwheels.net or to book standard tickets call 08712 305 572.

The Royal Navy International Air Day Welcomes Lithuanian Air Force UK Debut

Spartan by Kevin Wills

Christmas has come early at the Royal Navy International Air Day HQ with news of the first confirmed participants! The Lithuanian Air Force will make its UK flying display debut with an L-39C Albatros jet trainer at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton on Saturday 13 July. The eastern European air arm is also reprising its popular 2018 static display contribution with examples of the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft and Mi-8UTV Hip troop transport/search and rescue helicopter.

The L-39 Albatros was a real success for Czech firm Aero Vodochody. During a 25-year production run, 2,900 were built and supplied to almost 50 militaries. Lithuania, plus around a dozen other nations, took delivery of the L-39ZA armed trainer/light attack variant. Its duties include surveying and defending Lithuanian airspace.

The remarkable Mil Mi-8 (NATO codenamed ‘Hip’), winner of the Best Rotary Wing Static Display at Air Day 2018, is the world’s most produced-helicopter: a staggering 17,000-plus examples of the Soviet-origin design having been manufactured. Lithuania only employs three Mi-8s in the troop transport and search and rescue roles.

The C-27J Spartan is a versatile and highly deployable type that can operate from 2000-foot-long airstrips and has a very useful payload capacity of 11,500 kg. One of only three examples operated by this air arm, the Spartan was open to visitors at the 2018 show and proved to be extremely popular.

These very rare contributions get the Royal Navy International Air Day 2019 participation announcements off to the very best of starts and we are sincerely grateful for the support shown by the Lithuanian Air Force. Early bird tickets with no booking fees are now on sale for a limited period only at http://www.store.yeoviltonairday.co.uk/.

Air Tattoo DVD Captures RAF Centenary Thrills

RIAT DVD

A newly-released DVD of this summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo has captured all the aerial thrills and action from the world’s most exciting airshow.

In total, 302 aircraft from 30 nations participated in the event at RAF Fairford in the Cotswolds, with more than 120 taking part in the flying display. Expertly shot in high definition and ultra-high 4K resolution by aviation film specialists PlanesTV, the Air Tattoo DVD/Blu-ray includes in-cockpit footage, behind-the-scenes features and pilot interviews alongside coverage of the extensive flying display, arrivals and departures.

The focus of this year’s airshow was the RAF centenary and visitors to the three-day airshow were treated to a series of show-stopping joint flypasts to mark this special occasion. The RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) flew their evocative Trenchard formation comprising one of only two airworthy Avro Lancaster bombers in the world, a Douglas C-47 Dakota, Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes. Also featured on the DVD is the Diamond Nine formation of RAF Typhoons flown to mark RAF100 and the special tribute to the legendary 617 ‘Dambusters’ Squadron. This saw the BBMF Lancaster fly in formation with the squadron’s current aircraft, the Tornado GR4, and the RAF’s new state-of-the-art F-35B Lightning II.

Among the flying highlights featured are displays by the US Air Force Heritage Flight; the Ukrainian Su-27 Flanker; the Royal Canadian Air Force CF-188 Hornet; the French Aeronavale Rafale M duo; the Italian Frecce Tricolori aerobatic display team and the RAF’s Red Arrows. Also captured is the surprise flypast by a USAF B-2A Spirit stealth bomber that had made the round trip from its base in Missouri, US.

In-cockpit cameras give dramatic views of the action during many of the displays, including the RAF Typhoon, Patrulla Aguila, A400M, French Rafale, Turkish F-16, Finnish F-18 and the Swiss PC-7 team.

The DVD features a number of special featurettes providing a fascinating glimpse behind-the-scenes at the Air Tattoo. These include a participant’s view of the airshow courtesy of the Royal Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron plus the historic arrival of General Atomics’ MQ-9B SkyGuardian, the first civilian-registered Remotely Piloted Aircraft to land in the UK having made a transatlantic crossing.

A Collector’s Edition is also available offering an additional two hours of action including comprehensive coverage of arrivals and departures and extended in-cockpit features giving a sense of the full display routines on board with 12 of the displays including Canadian CF-188, Finnish F-18, Greek and Turkish F-16.

Sold in support of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, the official Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Official Souvenir DVD is priced £25 (Blu-ray, £30). The two-disc Collector’s Edition DVD, featuring an additional two hours of special features including extended in-cockpit action, is priced £30 (Blu-ray, £35).

A must-buy for aviation fans of all ages, the official Air Tattoo 2018 official souvenir discs can be purchased from www.airtattoo.com.

Tickets go on sale for the Royal Navy International Air Day!

Yeovilton Air Day

Tickets to the Royal Navy International Air Day, which takes place at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset on Saturday 13 July, are now on sale. The increasingly popular military airshow will celebrate modern and historical Air Power in its many forms not least its central role for Maritime Capability and for the capabilities of our sister services, the Army and Royal Air Force.

It is also an opportunity to welcome NATO, European and other close Allies and Partners from across the globe underlining the importance of international cooperation and the international nature of Royal Navy and UK military operations.

In 2018, the airshow welcomed participation from Qatar and Lithuania for the very first time and it is hoped that more nations will make their Air Day debut in 2019. Over 70 invitations have been sent out and the initial response has been very positive.

Special offer discounted adult tickets are now on sale priced £25 representing a saving of almost 30% on the cost of an ‘On The Day’ ticket. The booking fee has also been waived on all transactions during this special offer period. Those wishing to purchase hospitality or viewing enclosure packages will benefit from an early choice of seat selections or enhanced seating positions. This also applies to the newly introduced Wessex Viewing Enclosure. This value for money outdoor enclosure is perfectly suited to families and visitors that do not want the trouble of bringing their own seating to the show and want their own reserved garden space.

For full details on various enclosure options or to book tickets visit www.store.yeoviltonairday.co.uk.