UK Airshow News – Page 43

Important safety information about the Flying Legends Air Show

Ahead of the Flying Legends Air Show, IWM Duxford has released some important safety information that it wishes to share with local residents:

IWM Duxford takes great care to ensure its air shows are as safe as possible for everyone involved.It is not safe to occupy the fields immediately south of the runway during the air show. If you do so you are putting yourself and the display pilots in harm’s way.

In support of this, Grange Road will be closed on 11 and 12 July 2015.

In the event of an incident it is imperative that the emergency services have clear, unhindered access to the tracks across this land.

There is no public access to these fields at any time.

Jointly issued by IWM Duxford, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and the landowners.

www.iwm.org.uk

Red Arrows Air Festival show times announced

Get ready for take off – the award-winning Bournemouth Air Festival takes place next month and organisers are delighted to confirm this year’s Red Arrows times.

Make sure you’re here for incredible performances from the world famous display team Thursday 20th, Friday 19th, Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st, at the following times:

Thursday 20 August: 2.15pm
Friday 21 August: 3pm
Saturday 22 August: 1.45pm
Sunday 23 August: 3pm

Air Festival Director, Jon Weaver, said: “It’s fantastic the Royal Air Force has again allocated us 4-days of superb Red Arrow displays. We are officially the UKs best national Tourism Event and to have such great continued support from the military, sponsors, visitors and festival goers all contributes to our continued success.”

With more aircraft and display teams to be announced, as well as Wave105 Night Air music line-up it’s set to be another not to be missed Air Festival!

www.bournemouthair.co.uk

*Please note times are subject to change.

Air Days Special V-Jet Formation for Vulcan Farewell

Vampires - Yeovilton Air Day

The Avro Vulcan’s final appearance at RNAS Yeovilton Air Day on Saturday 11 July will include a special ‘V-Jet Formation’ flypast. The famed ‘V-Bomber’ will be joined by Naval Aviation Ltd’s de Havilland Sea Vixen and the Norwegian Air Force Historical Flight’s two de Havilland Vampires to present a unique four-ship classic British jets flight. While the Vulcan and Sea Vixen’s joint flypasts were an outstanding highlight of Air Day 2011, the expanded formation will be a unique spectacle with the Sea Vixen leading the Vulcan with a Vampire on each wing.

The Vampire and the Sea Vixen each played a major role in post-war Royal Naval aviation development, the full story of which RNAS Yeovilton has seen unfold over the last 75 years. With its pioneering aircraft carrier landings, the Vampire paved the way for all naval jet operations which followed.

The Sea Vixen was, upon entering service, the Fleet Air Arm’s biggest and heaviest type ship-launched asset. Recalling the times when Sea Vixens were based at RNAS Yeovilton, ‘Foxy Lady’ – the world’s only airworthy example – is a similarly appropriate inclusion. Its current markings are those of 899 Naval Air Squadron, replicating its exact look when based at RNAS Yeovilton during its Fleet Air Arm service days.

The thunderous, iconic Vulcan has participated in the majority of Air Days staged since its return to flight in late 2007. While its Air Day farewell will be a sad occasion for many, this exclusive classic jets link-up will give the Vulcan a magnificent send-off.

Online and phone advance ticket booking deadline is Tuesday 7 July. Tickets are also available over the counter from participating Tourist Information Centres until 5pm Friday 10 July. Further information available at www.royalnavy.mod.uk/yeovilton-airday.

Rare Fighter and Worlds First Civil Tiltrotor Join Air Days Anniversary Celebrations

AW609 tiltrotor

Aircraft illustrating RNAS Yeovilton’s earliest days and Anglo-Italian helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland’s hi-tech future will underline Air Day’s two main anniversary themes. Separated by decades of history, each type will have a starring role in Air Day’s five-plus hour flying display on Saturday 11 July.

Exactly 75 years ago, on 18 June 1940, RNAS Yeovilton was commissioned as HMS Heron. Hawker Sea Hurricanes were among the first aircraft to be subsequently based here and a very rare surviving example is set to take part in the flying display at Air Day. The Shuttleworth Collection’s Hawker Sea Hurricane 1b Z7015 was built in 1939 and equipped the Royal Navy’s 801 and 880 Naval Air Squadrons between 1941 and 1942. Both of these squadrons were based at RNAS Yeovilton during that same period, making Z7015 a very likely former resident. Its involvement in Air Day will represent a homecoming for one of the UK’s display scene’s most cherished warbirds. Besides the Sea Hurricane, other historic fixed wing naval aircraft helping Air Day celebrate RNAS Yeovilton’s past 75 years include the Avro XIX, Swordfish, Seafire, Sea Fury, Sea Vixen, Phantom and Sea Harrier.

AgustaWestland was founded in 1915 as the Westland Aircraft Works and thus celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2015. The firm’s state-of-the-art AW609 TiltRotor will perform for the very first time in the UK at a public military airshow as part of Air Day’s AgustaWestland centenary line-up: a real Air Day coup. The AW609, the world’s first civil tiltrotor aircraft, can hover like a helicopter and fly as fast and high as a fixed wing turboprop aircraft due to its tilting rotors and is set to revolutionise the rotorcraft market..

Additional AgustaWestland anniversary participants will include preserved examples of the Wasp, Scout, Sioux, Whirlwind and Gazelle, plus QinetiQ’s A109E research helicopter. Air Day will also offer one last opportunity to see the Westland-built Sea King helicopter’s Commando and search and rescue variants in action over RNAS Yeovilton before their forthcoming retirement.

A full list of participants, further information and discounted advance tickets are available from www.royalnavy.mod.uk/yeovilton-airday

Last Flying Blenheim to Make Free Airshow Debut at Airbourne

Bristol Blenheim

The only flying Bristol Blenheim bomber in the world is set to make its free air show debut this August, when it displays for the seafront crowds at Airbourne: Eastbourne International Air Show.

The recently restored WW2 bomber, which flew its first public display in May, is yet to display for fans at a free airshow. It will join the Belgian NH90 helicopter and the Norwegian MiG-15 jet, all new attractions to Airbourne, in a truly international line-up.

The free four day airshow which returns from 13 – 16 August, has added the new attractions to its packed flying programme which already includes the final display season of the Vulcan bomber, plus the Typhoon, Chinook and RAF Red Arrows display teams.

The Blenheim’s first display will be on Super Saturday on 15 August, a 12 hour extravaganza of flying, ground displays and twilight pyro-aerobatics, plus live music on the beach from chart-toppers Scouting for Girls and Saturday night fireworks at 10pm.

Eastbourne Borough Council Lead Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Enterprise, Cllr Margaret Bannister said “The Blenheim will be an awesome addition to Airbourne and a wonderful tribute to those who flew during World War Two. Along with our first ever MiG and the NH90, it’s fantastic to see Airbourne attracting teams from Norway, France and Belgium, bringing a spectacular international programme to the show.”

The only flying Blenheim in the world, it took 12 years and 28,000 man hours to rebuild, and played a major part in WW2, scoring the first combat victory of any aircraft using its own radar. Its joins an impressive historic line up which also features a Norwegian Vampire duo, Kittyhawk, Jet Provost, Bulldog, Spitfire, Mustang and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, with a four-ship formation from the Lancaster, Spitfire, Hurricane and Dakota.

A new star attraction for the show, the MiG-15, was originally developed by the Soviet Union, and became one of the first successful swept-wing jet fighters, playing a major part in the Korean War.

It joins the brand new Hawk T2 duo display, The Rv8tors, Breitling Wingwalkers, Royal Navy Sea King, Tutor, The Tigers Parachute Display team and French team Patrouille Reva.

The Blades return in their 10th anniversary year to display for the crowds, along with a special prize of an aerobatic flight and hospitality for two at their home base at Sywell Aerodrome. The prize is available to win in the Airbourne lottery, with tickets costing £1, 30% of proceeds will go to charity and 70% to fund flying displays at the show. Tickets are available now at the Tourist Information Centre, Seafront Office and at the show.

The four day show also features plenty of fun on the ground, including a military exhibition, children’s entertainment areas, helicopter pleasure flights and evening concerts at the Bandstand, including Big Band Night on Thursday and the legendary pop-punk princess Toyah, on Friday.

The Airbourne Live stage on the beach will feature music throughout each day and into the early evening, with a wide variety of acts to be announced over the coming weeks.

Airbourne: Eastbourne International Air Show returns from 13 – 16 August 2015 and entry is free.

The flying display is part funded from public donations each year at Airbourne, thanks to contributions by Sussex residents David Dickens and Brian Bunce and the collections organised by Marco and Cathy Giorgi and the Rotary Clubs of Sovereign Harbour and Hailsham, with 30% of the proceeds also passed onto local charities.

To beat the crowds, there are exclusive seating areas available at the Bandstand at £12 per person, and exclusive hospitality available on the Western Lawns from £75 per person (including vat), ideal for special occasions or entertaining clients.

With thousands attending over the four days, Airbourne offers great trade space opportunities from just £163 per day, when attending all four days.

For more information or to book online visit www.eastbourneairshow.com, or email events@eastbourne.gov.uk, or telephone 01323 415442.

Farewell display for Vulcan at Wings and Wheels

Gnat & Vulcan by Tony Hart

Fans of the Vulcan XH558 won’t want to miss this year’s Wings & Wheels as she performs an emotional farewell on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August. Retiring at the end of the 2015 display season, the Vulcan to the Sky’s Avro Vulcan is the last airworthy Vulcan and only flying example of the country’s powerful V-Force.

The Vulcan team will be working especially hard to make summer 2015 a memorable flying season for every Vulcan enthusiast across the country following the difficult decision to ground the iconic aircraft.

Having evaluated a great many factors, the three expert companies on whom the Vulcan to the Sky’s Trust depend – known as the ‘technical authorities’ – have together decided to cease their support at the end of this flying season. Without that support, under Civil Aviation Authority regulations, the Vulcan is prohibited from flying.

At the heart of their decision are two factors. First, although the XH558 is currently as safe as any aircraft flying today, her structure and systems are already more than ten percent beyond the flying hours of any other Vulcan, so knowing where to look for any possible failure is becoming more difficult and impossible to predict with any accuracy.

Second, maintaining her superb safety record requires expertise that is increasingly difficult to find. Specialists are currently brought out of retirement specifically to work on XH558; a solution that is increasingly impractical as the necessary skills become distant in their collective memories. The Trust has also been made aware that the skills issue is particularly acute as the Vulcans engines age and will require a considerable amount of additional (and costly) inspection and assessment.

Jamie McAllister, Event Director, Wings & Wheels comments: “We have a rich aviation history at Dunsfold Aerodrome and the Vulcan was part of that in the 1950s. It’s only fitting that this magnificent aircraft will be at Wings & Wheels one last time in what will be an emotional and sad farewell display.”

Whilst it is the end of her flying career, it is not the end of the Vulcan XH558. Plans are underway for The Vulcan Aviation Academy and Heritage Centre at Robin Hood Airport, Doncaster Sheffield (ex RAF Finningley) in South Yorkshire. Even on the ground, XH558 is fascinating and exciting and in her new life she will still able to accelerate dramatically along the runway.

Visitors to Wings & Wheels can also enjoy the world famous Red Arrows, RAF Eurofighter Typhoon, RAF Eurofighter Typhoon & Spitfire (Synchro Pair), RAF Hawk T2 demo, Chinook, The Blades and a host of other modern and historic aircraft during the five hour flying displays. For four and two wheeled fans, supercars and classic and vintage icons put on an awe inspiring display of power and speed on the Top Gear track in a two hour auto spectacular from Brooklands Museum, and over in our Wheels Zone you can expect an array of interactive and static displays.

The show also includes over 25 fixed-price catering outlets, 2 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 11th annual Wings & Wheels will be held over the August Bank holiday weekend, Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th August 2015, at Dunsfold Park near Guildford, Surrey, and is open to spectators from 09:00 until 21:00.

Advanced rate tickets from £22 for adults or £50 for a family. Single child tickets (for children aged 5 – 15) will be £7. Children under 5 go free. Hospitality packages start from £150 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.

Wings & Wheels is promoted by Dunsfold Park Limited and in 2015 will be assisting the fundraising efforts of Brooklands Museum Trust and Help for Heroes.

Polish Air Force Signs Up To Display At Culdrose Air Day

Mig 29 by Bob Sharples

The Polish Air Force is the latest act to sign up to this year’s flying programme, meaning that RNAS Culdrose Air Day will have a truly international feel. The Polish display team will be showing off a MiG-29 – a modern fast jet which is sure to be a real crowd pleaser.

Commander Jason Phillips, who is in charge of flying at the Helston based Air Station said: “It is great that the Polish Air Force has signed up to display. Its team adds to an action packed flying programme which will last well over four hours. The public were really excited to see the MiG-29 on the ground at Culdrose Air Day last year, so we are very pleased to have it as part of the flying display for the first time this year. It is quite unusual to see it on the UK air display circuit, it is quite a unique fighter jet. Fast, furious, noisy and very manoeuvrable, I am sure that our visitors are going to love it!”

The MiG-29 will join the Italian Air Force’s ‘Frecce Tricolori’, (Italy’s version of the Red Arrows), and the Swiss Air Force F-18 who will also be flying on Thursday 30th July. They will be part of an all day flying programme which includes displays from the Breitling Wing Walkers, the Royal Navy Black Cats and the Blades. With fast jets and aerobatic display teams, historic aircraft and military helicopters taking part, the flying display for 2015 is sure to thrill visitors.

Display organiser, Lieutenant Commander Steve Gamble explains: “The Polish, Italians and Swiss add to what is already looking to be a very exciting day of flying at Culdrose. We have some fantastic displays lined up; from aerobatic teams, to fast jets, historic war birds and military helicopters – there really is something for every aviation fan. We are also planning plenty to see and do on the ground too. We still have more flying acts to announce, so keep watching our website for details.”

As well as an exciting, action-packed flying display, there will also be lots of things to see, touch and experience on the ground. Visitors can climb onboard aircraft, take a ride in a helicopter, be winched high into the air or jump into the driving seat of a military fire engine. The Culdrose Naval Air Squadrons and units will be on display ready to talk about what they do and explain how their aircraft are deployed and used around the world.

More information about the event, tickets and a list of display aircraft is available at www.culdroseairday.com

Savage Skills Anti Gravity Show joins Wings & Wheels line-up

Wings & Wheels Savage Skills

Wings & Wheels are introducing a *NEW* second Stunt Zone to the Wheels Zone on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August. Visitors can expect some thrilling and unique entertainment throughout the day from the sensational ‘Savage Skills’ who are headlining the Zone with their Anti Gravity Show four times a day.

With eight World and over 25 British Championship titles between them, the team will be putting on breathtaking displays of balance and agility as the riders manoeuvre their bikes and bodies over custom built ramps and obstacles, demonstrating the skills they have acquired thanks to years of national and international competitive practice.

Savage Skills pride themselves on being the most accomplished and disciplined stunt show team in the UK, and it’s no wonder after they have featured on numerous television programmes, worked alongside some of the world’s most respected celebrities and promoted products for a number of multi million pound companies, such as; Saab, Halfords, Nissan, Tiff Nedell, BBC, Extreme Sports Channel, Adventure sports channel, and the London Cycle Show.

Ben Savage 26, the founder of Savage Skills, has been a stunt trials rider for over 16 years performing in front of thousands of spectators making him a legendary entertainer. He has previously taken part in the British World Championships finishing 3rd, and has spent two weeks in Europe where he took part in the BikeTrial International Union (BIU).

Emily Hooton, Wheels Zone Co-ordinator comments: “We can’t wait to see our visitor’s reaction to the visually stimulating and energetic Savage Skills who will be performing in our second Stunt Zone. It’s really exciting to have two stunt arenas at Wings & Wheels this year, both of which will be packed with adrenaline pumping activities that our visitors won’t want to miss.”

Visitors to Wings & Wheels can also enjoy the world famous Red Arrows, RAF Eurofighter Typhoon, RAF Eurofighter Typhoon & Spitfire (Synchro Pair), Vulcan, Chinook, The Blades and a host of other modern and historic aircraft during the five hour flying displays. For four and two wheeled fans, supercars and classic and vintage icons put on an awe inspiring display of power and speed on the Top Gear track in a two hour auto spectacular from Brooklands Museum, and over in our Wheels Zone you can expect an array of interactive and static displays to wander around.

Tickets start from £22 for adults, £50 for a family (2 adults and 3 children aged 5 – 15yrs), £7 for children aged between 5 and 15yrs and under 5s are free. Hospitality packages start from £150 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.

Wings & Wheels is promoted by Dunsfold Park Limited and in 2015 will be assisting the fundraising efforts of Help for Heroes and Brooklands Museum Trust.

US Aircraft in Air Tattoo Show of Strength

RIAT Osprey

The United States Air Force is has announced it will be sending an array of aircraft to next month’s Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in the Cotswolds.

It will send aircraft from both of its British bases, RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, as well as some on deployment from further afield.

Appearing for the first time in a UK flying display will be a Bell Boeing CV-22B Osprey, now operated from Mildenhall by the 7th Special Operations Squadron, part of the 352nd Special Operations Wing. Previous demonstrations of the tilt-rotor machine at the Air Tattoo have involved US Marine Corps MV-22B models. A second CV-22B is due to be exhibited in the static park.

Another new special operations aircraft from Mildenhall making its debut on static display is an MC-130J Commando II version of the Hercules transport, from the 7th Special Operations Squadron. Stationed at the same base are the KC-135R Stratotanker air-to-air refuelling aircraft of the 351st Air Refueling Squadron, one of which will also attend the airshow on July 17-19.

The 493rd Fighter Squadron from nearby Lakenheath, known as the ‘Grim Reapers’, is due to send a pair of F-15C Eagle fighters to the show. These will be joined in the static line-up by two examples of a type once very familiar in British skies, the A-10 Thunderbolt II ‘tank-buster’. While no A-10s are now permanently based in Europe, the two A-10Cs taking part next month will be provided by a unit permanently stationed in the continental United States but on deployment to Europe.

Air Tattoo Chief Executive Andy Armstrong said: “The Air Tattoo has always enjoyed an excellent relationship with the US military. The support the US Air Force gives us in allowing our show to be staged at RAF Fairford, a USAF stand-by base, is invaluable and gratefully appreciated. I am very pleased that visitors to the Air Tattoo will have the opportunity to view this superb range of USAF aircraft next month.”

The Air Tattoo is staged annually in support of the RAF Charitable Trust. Tickets for the event on July 17-19 are only available in advance. Tickets priced from £36 are available from www.airtattoo.com or by calling 0800 107 1940. All accompanied under-16s go free. Free parking.

Wings & Wheels Stunt Zone will be smokin this August!

Wings & Wheels drifting

Prepare yourselves for some high energy action packed performances in this years Stunt Zone at Wings & Wheels on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August. Adrenaline pumping pro drifting displays will be brought to you by Scrape’N’Skid and Team 1340 who’ll be collaborating to headline the main arena.

The teams will perform spectacular feats of speed throughout the weekend demonstrating dramatic showmanship with smoke and squeals from every corner of the arena. Visitors can expect to see drifting basics all the way through to advance tandem drifting.

The drifting display teams boast four extreme technical drivers and some of the fastest time attack machines in the country. Dean Newport-Hall, 28 representing Scrape’N’Skid has been drifting for over three years honing his skills at Santa Pod Raceway DWYB (drift what ya brung). He has competed in many Barrel Sprint events, finishing 2nd at DriftCup, and 4th at the Gymkhana Grid European finals in Madrid.

Arron Stevens, 25 representing Scrape’N’Skid has been driving rear wheel drive Japanese cars since he was 17. He is best known for his super smooth calm style, and made his competition debut at the end of the Drift Cup series in 2014, wining the round.

Andy Stroud, 28 representing Team 1340 started drifting in 2007 at the Santa Pod Raceway DWYB days, cutting his teeth and learning the basics he went on to compete in top level UK drifting in the British Drift Championship. Expect to see Andy in the Drift Outlaws series Japanese powered ford sierra.

Adam Elder, 27 representing Team 1340 in the Drift Outlaws series Nissan S14 has been drifting for a number of years, and is known for his regularity on the podium at the Fueltopia Barrel Sprint. In 2014 he finished 2nd after a close cut final run at the Gymkhana Grid European finals in Madrid.

The teams wouldn’t be at Wings & Wheels without their supporters and special thanks going to Nispro Performance Ltd, Attitude Autos, Lock and Key, Bourne End Garage, STA Automatic Transmissions and Signum Signs.

Emily Hooton, Wheels Zone Co-ordinator comments: “We are really excited to welcome two drifting teams to Wings & Wheels this year. Drifting is a really popular Stunt Zone attraction and is the perfect setting for Scrape’N’Skid and Team 1340 to showcase their skills. The drifting teams will be supported by other displays throughout the weekend making it one Zone our visitors won’t want to miss.”