UK Airshow News – Page 47

Ramex Delta To Make UK Debut

RAMEX Delta MIrage 2000N

With less than a month to go before the RAF Cosford Air Show, organisers have confirmed the appearance of more exciting aircraft which will be jetting in on Sunday 14th June.

Adding to the international flavour of this year’s flying display will be an exciting display from ‘Ramex Delta’ featuring a pair of Mirage 2000N jet fighters. One of the French Air Force’s official display teams, the tactical display showcases the capabilities of the Mirage 2000N aircraft and the techniques used by the French Air Force when operating in challenging combat environments.

Peter Reoch, part of the Air Operations Teamsaid, “The exciting news that Ramex Delta will be performing further strengthens the flying programme which is shaping up to be the biggest and best of recent years. I expect Ramex Delta’s fast paced display will be a highlight of the flying display for many of our visitors on Sunday 14th June.”

Another two additions to the flying display announced today alongside Ramex Delta include a rare flypast from a RAF Voyager KC3 tanker aircraft and a performance from Ian Gallacher flying the RAFSGA Schleicher ASK-21 Glider. Other rare and exciting aircraft which will be appearing at the show include a flying display from a Boeing B727 airliner, a rare flypast from a German Navy P-3C Orion and an explosive display from a pair of Apache helicopters.

More than 60% of the tickets for this year’s show have already been sold, with show organisers urging people to buy their tickets now to avoid disappointment. They are again reminding people that tickets will not be available to purchase on the gate for the first time this year. With adult tickets only £22.00 and accompanied under-16s entering for free, it is a great value for money event with entertainment for all the family.

www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

Air Tattoo Prepares For Vulcans Last Hurrah

Vulcan by Richard Cooper

This summer will see one of the most iconic aircraft of the past 60 years make its last ever Royal International Air Tattoo appearance.

Itfollows an announcement by the Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VTTS)that 2015 would be the legendary Cold War bomber’s final display season.

The delta-winged Vulcan XH558is the only flying example in the world having been restored to flying condition in 2007 following a public fundraising campaignthat helped raise more than £7 million. Since then its thunderous yet graceful display has been one of the most eagerly-anticipated on the UK airshow circuit.

However, VTTS has announced that a number of factors, including the withdrawal of technical support, had contributed to its decision to ground the aircraft for the final time after the 2015 airshow season.
VTTS is now determined to see XH558 end its flying days with a flourish and has earmarked the world’s largest military airshow as the place to give the aircraft a special send-off.

VTTS director Michael Trotter said: “This will be a very emotional year for everyone who enjoys the unique sight and sound of a Vulcan in flight. She has given many memorable displays at the Air Tattoo and we are grateful to the airshow’s substantial and appreciative audience and to the organisers for their support as we celebrate this remarkable aircraft.”

“In her new life on the ground, XH558 will still be able to accelerate dramatically along the runway at her home in Doncaster as part of both a heritage centre and a new type of engineering education centre. We hope that many Air Tattoo visitors will come and see her there.”

Air Tattoo Chief Executive Andy Armstrong said: “The Vulcan’s iconic design and its sheer size and power has made it one of the most popular aircraft to have ever displayed at the Air Tattoo.VTTS and all its supporters have done an incredible job to keep the aircraft in the air for so long, enabling a new generation to appreciate the beauty and power of this legendary aircraft.The Vulcan was top of our ‘shopping list’ this year and was the first aircraft to be announced – its final appearance at the Air Tattoo is going to be very emotional.”

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. Special Earlybird tickets priced from £31 are available until May 31 from www.airtattoo.com or by calling 0800 107 1940. All accompanied under-16s go free. Free parking.

Plans For VE-Day 70 Celebrations Confirmed For Air Show

Cosford Victory Village

Organisers of the RAF Cosford Air Show today confirmed details of displays marking the 70th Anniversary of VE-Day planned for Sunday 14th June, along with the exciting news that the University of Wolverhampton will be sponsoring the VE70 theme at the show.

Visitors to the Shropshire airfield will be taken back in time to 1945 in the ‘Victory Village’ with an exciting array of displays lined up. As well as vintage vehicles and WWII re-enactment groups, there will be period entertainment courtesy of The Glamophones, Bexi Owen&George Formby tribute artist, Colin Bourdiec.For those who fancy some retail therapy, Blondies Vintage Events will be running a Vintage Fair inside the village too. A 1940s tea-room will give visitors the chance to sit back and relax surrounded by classic aircraft such as an Avro Anson, Percival Proctor and Supermarine Spitfire. WWII Veterans will be on hand to tell their stories to visitors and there will also be speeches from historic characters such as Winston Churchill, Field Marshall Montgomery and King George VI.

Air Show Commercial Manager Marilyn Summers said, “We’re all extremely excited about the Victory Village, it will definitely be the centrepiece of a fantastic family day out at this year’s Air Show. We would urge all our visitors to go and enjoy the period entertainment we have lined up, which will continue after the flying displays have finished.”

Of course the ‘VE70′ theme will also feature in the spectacular six hour flying display, with an increased number of historic aircraft appearing at the show this year. Alongside favourites such as the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Lancaster, Dakota, Spitfires & Hurricanes there will be displays from a P-51 Mustang, P-40 Kittyhawk, PBY-5 Catalina and Gloster Meteor.

This year the RAF Cosford Air Show has become an Advanced Ticket Only event in an effort to speed up access to the showground and improve access for visitors. With ticket sales up on last year’s numbers, organisers recommend the purchase of tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. With adult tickets only £22.00 and accompanied under-16s entering for free, it is a great value for money event with entertainment for all the family.

For the first time, tickets for the RAF Cosford Air Show 2015 are advance sale only. Adult tickets are priced £22.00 with accompanied under-16s coming free! For more details on the event, hospitality packages and to purchase tickets, visit www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

Bournemouth Air Festival soars in the Visit England Awards for Excellence

Bournemout Air Festival Award of Excellence

Bournemouth Air Festival, sponsored by Mouchel, has won the coveted Gold in the Tourism Event of the Year at the most prestigious awards in English tourism, the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2015.

Other finalists in this hard fought category were The Cotswold Show and Food Festival, Mallard 75 at the National Railway Museum, Northumbrian Water/Kielder Winter Wonderland, Leapish Waterside Park and Vintage by the Sea at The Midland.

Mark Smith, Director of Tourism Bournemouth, said; “We’re absolutely delighted to win gold in the Tourism Event of the Year. Being part of the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence cements Bournemouth Air Festival’s reputation as one of the premier events in the national and international calendar.

“The Bournemouth Air Festival encapsulates the spirit of modern Bournemouth as a world-class experience. This free festival brings together the thrill of gravity-defying displays in the air and an abundance of family entertainment on the ground against the spectacular backdrop of the UK’s best seaside resort.”

Bournemouth Air Festival 2014 attracted over 1.2 million festival-goers, generating in excess of £25m for the town and creating over 350 full-time jobs.

This year’s Bournemouth Air Festival is from 20-23 August 2015. This summer the skies of Bournemouth are set again to host some of the world’s best military and civilian aviation display teams and a huge off shore naval presence. When the sun goes down, Night Air entertainment will light up the skies of the UK’s leading coastal resort with night flying illuminated by pyrotechnics and the moon. For more details, visit www.bournemouthair.co.uk.

Award for Pilots of the Caribbean Exhibition

The RAF Museum is proud to announce that its exhibition ‘Pilots of the Caribbean: Volunteers of African Heritage in the RAF’ was given a Highly Commended Award in the ‘Best Temporary Exhibition’ category at the Museums and Heritage Awards 2015 held in London on 29th April.

Pilots of the Caribbean: Volunteers of African Heritage in the RAF tells the story of Black servicemen and women from the Caribbean, Africa and Britain who volunteered to serve in the Royal Air Force in two World Wars and the subsequent peace. These volunteers fought and died for their mother country and for freedom, and the exhibition commemorates and celebrates their vital contribution to the defence of Britain, her Empire and Commonwealth.

The exhibition also highlights the RAF’s success in embracing diversity, demonstrating how the rich, cosmopolitan nature of modern Britain owes much to the Black men and women who wore air force blue.

‘Pilots’, was curated in partnership with Black Cultural Archives with an initial call out to the Black British community which encouraged a dialogue, engagement and sharing of stories. The exhibition display incorporates these stories along with archive materials, video footage and photographs.

The temporary exhibition was opened in November 2013 at the Museum’s North London site by Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE. In 2014 it was on display at the Mitchel Library in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games and it is currently on display at the Museum site at Cosford in the West Midlands. It has been an incredibly popular exhibition with visits from Black History Groups across the country, local dignitaries and celebrities such as JLS and Reggae icon Eddy Grant.

An online version of the exhibition is in development and plans are now afoot to tour the exhibition across RAF Stations around the UK.

www.rafmuseum.org

Get On Board For RAF Cosford Air Show

RAF Cosford

Organisers of the 2015 RAF Cosford Air Show announced today that a combined rail travel and Air Show ticket is now available from all manned UK rail stations. If purchased with rail travel to Cosford, admission is discounted to £18.00 per adult, a saving of £4.00 on the standard price. Accompanied under 16s have free entry to the show.

Air Show Commercial Manager Marilyn Summers said, “With the train station right on the doorstep for access to the showground and extra services being put on for the day, we would encourage visitors to take the train if they have the option and just sit back and enjoy the ride to what promises to be a fantastic day out with the bonus of a discounted entrance ticket.”

The RAF Cosford Air Show is the largest aviation event in the Midlands with an exhilarating six hours of aerial displays. It’s a fantastic day out for the whole family with a huge variety of attractions on the ground including this year, for the 70th anniversary of VE Day, the Victory Village, an all-day street party transporting visitors back to 1945. There will also be plenty of opportunities to get hands on with engineering experiments and a great mix of shopping opportunities.

Tickets for the RAF Cosford Air Show 2015 are on sale now, priced at £22 and with free entry for accompanied under-16s. Visit www.cosfordairshow.co.uk to purchase online orfor details of retail outlets selling tickets.

Classic Jet Icons For Anniversary Air Day

Yeovilton Air Day Sea Vixen

From the mighty Avro Vulcan to the feisty MiG-15, classic jet aircraft will be out in force at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton International Air Day on Saturday 11 July. Several will help mark the show’s key theme celebrating RNAS Yeovilton’s 75th anniversary, none more so than the world’s only flying Sea Vixen, based here since September 2014. The former fleet defence fighter in its 899 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) markings will surely take many visitors back to when the Sea Vixen’s unmistakable shape speared regularly through the Somerset skies.

Canberras and Hunters also became a familiar sight over the county and there will be an example of each performing a joint flying display at Air Day. Designed as a bomber, the Canberra became latterly a photo reconnaissance platform and this example is, like the Sea Vixen, globally-unique. In their very smart silver colour scheme, both jets represent British post-war aviation technology at its classiest.

Representing RNAS Yeovilton’s thunderous ‘70s era – the muscular and potent F-4K Phantom FG1 in its newly-applied 892 NAS markings will be on static display. Two examples of the legendary Sea Harrier FA2 will also be on the ground representing the Air Station’s last frontline fixed wing squadrons.

One of the star attractions will be a MiG-15, belonging to the Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron, making a rare appearance in the flying display. The Cold War classic jet fighter will be the first of its kind to display in this country since the late-1990s. The MiG-15 is well known for its role in the Korean War and engaging Royal Navy Sea Furies where remarkably on one such occasion the piston-engined aircraft gained superiority over the jet.

Finally, in what truly might be its swansong season, Avro Vulcan XH558 is returning to give yet another hugely powerful account of itself. The much loved and strongly supported V-Bomber, named ‘Spirit of Great Britain’, will perform a ground shaking flying display and be present on the ground for guided ‘under-wing’ tours, perhaps for the last time ever at Yeovilton.

Advance tickets priced at £20 (adults) and £6 (children 5-15 yrs) are available to order from www.royalnavy.mod.uk/yeovilton-airday.

Air Tattoo Welcomes Delta Force

RIAT Delta Force

This summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo will feature one of the most spectacular fast jet displays on the European circuit.

The French Air Force’s Ramex Delta team of two Dassault Mirage 2000N strike aircraft is set to provide a dramatic and noisy role demonstration at the Air Tattoo, which takes place at RAF Fairford in the Cotswolds, on July 17-19.

The Mirage 2000N is the nuclear strike variant of the type and visitors to the airshow will be able to see this outstanding combat aircraft perform various tactical manoeuvres along the lines of those used in combat.
Last demonstrated in a solo display at the Air Tattoo in 2006, the delta-winged Mirage 2000 entered French Air Force service in fighter form during 1982. It remains a highly manoeuvrable and effective combat aircraft, and has seen extensive operational use in its different variants, not least over Iraq, the Balkans, Afghanistan and Libya.

Air Tattoo Chief Executive Andy Armstrong said: “It is always a pleasure to welcome new display acts to the show. I know many visitors to RIAT 2015 will be looking forward immensely to seeing Ramex Delta in action.”
Also confirmed for this summer’s Air Tattoo is a mass flypast of historic aircraft to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, a display by the world’s only airworthy Vulcan bomber and, of course, the legendary Red Arrows.

Other aircraft confirmed for the flying display include the UK debut of Team Zeus from the Hellenic Air Force, a Czech Air Force SAAB JAS-39C Gripen and a Royal Netherlands Air Force Apache helicopter.

On the Showground, attractions include theme areas such as the Adrenalin Zone, ideal for thrill-seekers of all ages; the Techno Zone, which brings engineering to life with demonstrations and hands-on activities designed to engage young minds; the evocative Vintage Village andnew for 2015, theAutodromefeaturing a wide range of rare and exciting cars and motorbikes.

Plans For SAR Celebration At Cosford

RAF Cosford SAR

Organisers of the RAF Cosford Air Show today confirmed more aircraft that will be appearing on Sunday 14th June, as part of the Search and Rescue theme.

In the air, visitors to the show will be treated to a search and rescue role demonstration from the iconic RAF Sea King HAR3. The appearance of the yellow helicopter, which has been in service for over three decades, will likely be one of the type’s final public appearances with the Sea King retiring from Royal Air Force service later this year. Showcasing the history of air-sea rescue, a historic American sea-plane will also be taking part in the flying display, a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina. The Catalina was used by both the US Navy and Royal Air Force during the Second World War, landing on water to rescue downed Allied airmen.

Air Show spokesperson Peter Reoch said, “The appearance of the Sea King & Catalina both strengthen the flying display line-up, adding to the colourful and eclectic mix of aircraft already confirmed for the show.” With these aircraft additions, organisers are again reminding visitors that tickets to the show must be purchased in advance. The advance tickets only policy is hoped to further improve the traffic flow into the event, which last year attracted 55,000 visitors.

On the ground, the ‘SAR Zone’ will contain numerous SAR related displays, including RAF Mountain Rescue Service and the West Midlands Fire Service Technical Rescue Unit, who specialise in Urban Search and Rescue. Aircraft already confirmed for static display within the area include a Griffin HAR2, Whirlwind HAR10 and the Midlands Air Ambulance.

Helicopter Extravaganza At Cosford

RAF Cosford Helicopter extravaganza

(Crown copyright)

Helicopter fans will be well accommodated at the RAF Cosford Air Show 2015, with news of more participants for the show on Sunday 14th June announced by the organisers today.

Making a welcome return to the Air Show will be the RAF Chinook Display, showcasing the stunning agility of the RAF’s primary heavy-lift helicopter. The Chinook is used for troop transportation, supply and battlefield casualty evacuation, and can carry up to 55 troops and 10 tonnes of freight. Another RAF helicopter due to appear at the show is the Puma HC2, which will be making its debut at RAF Cosford on static display. The Puma will form part of a special ground display showcasing the role of the UK Armed Forces in Belize which will also include a Harrier GR3. The Royal Navy will also be taking part in the flying displays, with a Lynx HMA8. This year is likely to be the last chance to see this maritime helicopter as they are slowly being retired from service.

For those visitors who want to get involved in the aerial action, the show has teamed up with Adventure001 to offer helicopter pleasure flights at the show, for the first time in a number of years. Flights will be available to visitors throughout the day in Bell Jetranger helicopters. Air Show Spokesperson Michaela Kitto said, “We’re really excited about the introduction of helicopter pleasure flights at the show. The flights will offer visitors a chance to get some unique views of the Shropshire countryside and make the day at the Air Show extra memorable!”

Organisers have seen a boost in ticket salesover the Easter period, with over 20% of the tickets for the event sold already. This year, the event will not have any tickets available on the gate, and therefore visitors are being reminded to buy their advance tickets as soon as possible. Advance Tickets to the show are already on sale online and in various outlets across the West Midlands, priced £22.00. The Air Show is a great day out for all the family, with accompanied under-16s coming to the show for free.