Keep Eastbourne Airshow Safe for the Future

Admission prices have been set for Airbourne 2008 and entry to Eastbourne’s most prestigious event will cost as little as £2.50, in return for the best front row location to watch the biggest seafront airshow in the world.Organisers, Eastbourne Borough Council, are keen to secure the long term future of this premier event and conform to revised health and safety regulations. All income generated will go straight back to Tourism, to sustain, improve and enhance the excellent tourism services in Eastbourne. The town boasts a bumper events calendar, a vibrant seafront and a wealth of visitor attractions, but with the cost of staging such high profile events rising plus the vision to continue improving these each year, a small admission charge has been introduced to keep Airbourne safe for the future.

Eastbourne Borough Council Spokesperson for Tourism, Cllr Steve Wallis said “Airbourne is a world renowned event and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the globe. This is its 16th year and with the cost of securing top flying displays rising and becoming harder every year, a small admission charge is the best way to help us secure the long term future of this popular event. The fact that all income generated will be ring-fenced and pumped directly back into Eastbourne Tourism is a huge incentive, and will allow us to continue to deliver a fantastic events programme and keep drawing visitors back to our seaside resort.”

The Events Development Team work extremely hard securing exhibitors and trade stands and sponsors who pay to enjoy the commercial benefits that Airbourne gives them. Furthermore the souvenir programme not only gives valuable and exciting information about the event it generates a significant income towards the costs involved in hosting the international airshow.

Unable to obtain sponsorship for last year’s airshow, the council tax payer had to contribute towards staging the event. This year that cost has been shifted so that those who attend the airshow are charged a minimal amount.

Tickets for this year’s Airbourne are priced at £5 per person per day but with Buy 1 Get 1 Free offers available soon, visitors can get tickets for just £2.50.

The charged area will run from the Beachy Head side of Eastbourne Pier to the end of the Western Lawns with a fence marking the area.

With top flying displays already secured for 2008, including crowd favourite, the Red Arrows wowing the crowds over 3 days, plus the RAF Typhoon, Hawk, Tucano and Tutor celebrating 90 years of the RAF, visitors are in for a jam-packed 4 days in August.

Visitors are being encouraged to book their tickets in advance to guarantee their prime viewing space when Airbourne returns from 14-17 August 2008.

Tickets go on sale from 23 June. For more information on how to get tickets for this year’s airshow visit www.visiteastbourne.com or www.eastbourneairshow.co.uk , or telephone 0871 663 0031.

Extreme Heights at World’s Biggest Seafront Airshow

Base jumping off one of the biggest mobile cranes in the UK will be the star attraction at Airbourne this year as the world’s biggest seafront airshow welcomes a brand new daredevil act for 2008.UK Pro BASE will work alongside airshow organisers, Eastbourne Borough Council, for the first time this year to demonstrate the very technical, cutting edge modern sport. Base jumping involves highly trained individuals parachuting off fixed objects, and Airbourne visitors will be in for a real adrenaline rush this summer as a bold team of base jumpers sponsored by Go Fast Sports UK take off from one of the country’s tallest cranes standing at 101 metres on Eastbourne’s Western Lawns.

A spokesperson for Eastbourne Borough Council said: “We are extremely pleased and excited to be working alongside UK Pro BASE in 2008 to put on our most impressive airshow yet. Not only are we welcoming a brand new attraction in the form of base jumping, but the sportsmen will be jumping from an extremely tall crane! Alongside the dynamic aerobatics of the Red Arrows, and the impressive flying displays from the RAF Typhoon, Hawk, Tucano and Tutor, visitors are in for a spectacular four days watching adventurous pursuits in Eastbourne skies.”

Base jumping was only first demonstrated in the UK two years ago and is a relatively new sport. Athletes jump from their chosen object, open the parachute canopy to stop the fall and glide to a landing.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors to Airbourne will see this brand new extreme sport up close as base jumpers take off 101 metres in the air from a 200 tonne all terrain mobile crane.

Go Fast Sports UK will be sponsoring this new attraction and Director, Kris Yule, said: “BASE jumping is a great spectacle and normally only seen by those who are prepared to venture into the mountains of Europe (or get up really early in the morning in the UK and head down to your local tall building). The UK Pro BASE team are a professional outfit who will put on a great show. This is a core sport for the Go Fast brand so we are delighted to be involved in the 1st ever BASE jumping demonstration at Airbourne.”

Max Hurd and Dave Moores will be leading the team of base jumpers who completed the first ever UK base jump off a rollercoaster at Thorpe Park in April this year. Keen to promote the sport to a wider audience, the professional jumpers will be able to demonstrate their skill to a crowd of 500,000.

Airbourne returns to Eastbourne seafront from 14-17 August and with news of this latest addition to the 2008 line up, the international airshow promises a bumper filled four days of flying fun.

Watch in wonder at the Guinnot Wingwalkers, enjoy a tribute concert at Eastbourne Bandstand to the sounds of Grease and Summer Nights, and completely new for 2008, visitors will look to the skies as base jumpers leap off a crane standing over a hundred metres high.

UK Pro Base will be telling Chris Evans all about their latest partnership with Eastbourne Borough Council tomorrow evening on his Radio 2 show. For the latest Airbourne news visit www.visiteastbourne.com or telephone 0871 663 0031.

Red Arrows Zoom Back to Eastbourne Skies

Airbourne crowd favourite, the Red Arrows, are back and once again set to impress as they perform spectacular aerobatics and dynamic flying formations at Eastbourne airshow 2008.Organisers of the event, Eastbourne Borough Council, are excited to announce the line up for this year’s Airbourne, with the Red Arrows appearing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Hailed as the biggest seafront airshow in the world, the fast jets will be joined by the RAF Typhoon, Hawk, Tucano and Tutor, as the RAF celebrate their 90th anniversary when Airbourne returns from 14-17 August 2008.

Eastbourne Borough Council Spokesperson for Tourism, Cllr Steve Wallis said “The line up for this year’s Airbourne already looks huge and it’s great that Eastbourne airshow attracts such top flights and performers. Airbourne looks set for a bumper programme of flying displays in 2008, and with action packed ground displays, replica aircraft and other attractions in the pipeline, Airbourne promises to keep the whole family entertained this August.”

Other displays confirmed for 2008 include the welcome return of the Guinnot Wingwalkers. Spectators will watch in wonder as they perform their dare devil antics over all four days of the show.

Airbourne fans will already be on tenterhooks waiting for this year’s event as they look forward to the best of the RAF plus civilian and military performers. Returning in August, Airbourne enthusiasts can relive last year’s airshow with an interactive DVD available now from www.visiteastbourne.com and the Tourist Information Centre.

With even more acrobatic performers still to be added to the line up, Airbourne 2008 is set to be a spectacular show. Kids can climb aboard replica aircraft on the ground and talk to the RAF Careers Team, and Mums and Dads can chill out and enjoy a cool refreshment while watching top class flying displays, all from the stunning location of Eastbourne seafront.

For more information visit www.eastbourneairshow.co.uk or telephone 0871 663 0031.

Airbourne and the RAF Encourage the Pilots of the Future

Airbourne: Eastbourne International Airshow is set for a spectacular four days of flying action in 2008 as it once again joins forces with the organisers of RIAT, the world’s largest military airshow, the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises (RAFCTE) to organise and manage a bumper line up of aerobatic displays in the year that the RAF celebrates its 90th anniversary.Organisers of the event, Eastbourne Borough Council will team up with the RAFCTE for the seventh year in a row. Geoff Brindle, a former RAF pilot and Squadron Leader, will be the Flying Display Director and along with the RAFCTE team will take care of the flying display management. With the famous Red Arrows, RAF Falcons Parachute team and Oasis 747 Jumbo Jet filling the skies at previous years’ events, spectators are guaranteed to enjoy an impressive action-packed four days at this year’s airshow.

Eastbourne Borough Council Spokesperson for Tourism, Cllr Steve Wallis said “We are extremely pleased to be working with the RAFCTE again. Not only do they have a proven track record of putting on a very exciting and entertaining show with high profile contacts, but they also do fantastic work for charity. They work to help improve services within the RAF as well as working with outside organisations to stimulate and encourage interest in aviation and find the pilots of the future.”

In addition to offering services to manage Airbourne’s dynamic flying displays, the RAFCTE use airshows across the country, including their own event, the Royal International Air Tattoo, to promote air-mindedness in young people. They work with RAF Charitable Trusts to support a variety of projects, which commit to young people and developing enthusiasm for aviation.

Alongside the traditional plane aerobatics, Airbourne features exciting ground demonstrations with full size replica aircraft, cockpits and displays from the RAF careers team. Visitors can speak to crew members, experience flight simulators and watch arena demonstrations all from the open landscape of the Western Lawns.

Airbourne returns to Eastbourne seafront this year from 14-17 August and promises to bring extra special flying displays, informative ground events, children’s entertainment, helicopter pleasure flights and evening Bandstand concerts with a firework finale.

For more information telephone 0871 663 0031 or visit www.eastbourneairshow.co.uk or www.visiteastbourne.com

 

Natural Fliers Set to Steal the Show at Airbourne 2008

Airbourne, the biggest seafront airshow in the world, is getting ready for its most innovative flying display yet as a carrier pigeon formation is set to wing its way through the skies at this year’s aerobatic event.Organisers of the event, Eastbourne Borough Council, have been working alongside a local pigeon racer to train a 12-strong flock of carrier pigeons to fly in the famous diamond formation as demonstrated by previous Airbourne favourites. After a vigorous training routine, the Pigeon Aerobatic Spectacular is ready to make its debut at Airbourne 2008 under the careful instructions of Lolo Priaf, renowned international pigeon fancier, and will wow crowds with its never seen before formation flight technique.

Eastbourne Borough Council Spokesperson for Tourism, Cllr Steve Wallis said “This really is set to be the biggest, most exciting flight display we have ever seen at Airbourne. Every year we try to bring something bigger and better and I am confident that the carrier pigeon formation will be the most impressive display in the event’s 16-year history. Airbourne is a real family event and the brand new pigeon display is sure to get the little ones smiling and Mums and Dads crying with laughter. I can’t wait to see the birds in action!”

Lolo has been involved with the Pigeon Aerobatic Spectacular training routine from the very beginning and will lead the display at this year’s Airbourne. Using a system of whistles, snorts and tweets, she has developed a unique way of signalling to the birds as they move through the flying routine, from taking off, to circling, ducking, and diving, and then the final landing position.

The Pigeon Aerobatic Spectacular will headline Airbourne’s flight programme in 2008 and organisers are already indicating that this unique display will be the highlight of Eastbourne’s summer. Visitors from all over the world are set to descend on Eastbourne seafront to watch in wonder as the pigeons take to the sky in a choreographed diamond formation.

With Airbourne returning to Eastbourne seafront from 14-17 August, there are still a few months left for Lolo and the pigeons to get in some final practice before the big day itself.

Flying alongside a bumper programme of fast jets, helicopters, freefall parachutists, warbirds and historics, and with crowds of up to 500,000, the Pigeon Aerobatic Spectacular is getting ready to put on an extra special flying display for 2008.

For more information and the latest news on Airbourne visit www.eastbourneairshow.co.uk or telephone 0871 663 0031.

Sponsor the World’s Biggest Seafront Airshow

Airbourne, the biggest seafront airshow in the world, is offering major companies across the country an opportunity not to be missed.Sponsors are invited for this popular aerobatic event with the chance to reach over 500,000 visitors. Eastbourne Borough Council are organising Airbourne and this week are sending out sponsorship packs to more than 750 organisations up and down the UK, as well as locally, to lure them to Eastbourne’s premier airshow in 2008.

Potential sponsors will receive a letter, copy of the 2007 Airbourne programme plus a detailed pack outlining the sponsorship opportunities available, including access to 500,000+ visitors, branding in 20,000 souvenir programmes, features in 50,000 pre-event promotional materials plus multimedia opportunities through the web and Radio Airbourne.

Eastbourne Borough Council Spokesperson for Tourism, Cllr Steve Wallis said “Airbourne 2008 really is an opportunity not to be missed. Any company, however big or small, can get involved and promote their product to hundreds of thousands of people. Set on Eastbourne’s beautiful seafront location and attracting exciting flying displays year in year out, Airbourne is the main event on the south coast and I can’t wait to see the responses we receive.”

Potential Airbourne sponsors have been identified and are being offered the chance to sponsor the event in a variety of ways, from being named the event’s headline or title sponsor, to sponsoring individual flying displays.

Keen to secure sponsors as soon as possible, a special promotional DVD trailer is being made to follow up this initial sponsorship pack. This will use exclusive footage from Airbourne, including unseen cockpit footage, helmet-cam vantage points from the RAF Falcons Parachute Team, and unique aerial views of Eastbourne’s jam-packed coastline. Targeted companies will see for themselves the excellent opportunities presented by this event.

With trade space available for sponsors, as well as companies wishing to sell and exhibit from Eastbourne’s Western Lawns over the four day event, Airbourne presents an excellent opportunity for local businesses too, with the chance to increase brand awareness and promote the company locally.

Airbourne returns to Eastbourne this year from 14-17 August and promises four days of action-packed flying fun. Filling the skies with spectacular aerobatic displays, visitors can watch a vibrant mix of fast jets, helicopters, warbirds, historics and freefall parachutists.

If this isn’t enough the entertainment continues through to the evenings too, with a packed programme of events, including Big Band night and concerts at the Bandstand plus a spectacular and breathtaking firework finale on the Sunday night.

To find out more about sponsorship opportunities at this year’s Airbourne, email airbourne@eastbourne.gov.uk or telephone 01323 415442. For more information visit www.eastbourneairshow.co.uk

Spectacular Air Dynamics Return in 2008

The biggest seafront airshow in the world will return to Eastbourne seafront next year from 14-17 August with four days of action packed flying to entertain visitors.Airbourne has just celebrated its 15th year and regularly attracts a vibrant mix of fast jets, aerobatics, helicopters, freefall parachutists and old warbirds, with the world famous Red Arrows always a hot favourite.

Eastbourne Borough Council Spokesperson for Tourism, Cllr Steve Wallis said “I’m very excited to announce the dates for next year’s Airbourne. It’s the highlight of Eastbourne’s summer with such a variety of displays that get everybody involved. Kids love the activities and chance to speak to real-life pilots on the ground, while visitors return every year to find themselves bedazzled by even more daring air dynamics.”

Organisers Eastbourne Borough Council and the RAF are joining forces to put on an entertaining and exciting show for 2008, which sees the RAF celebrate its 90th anniversary so watch out for some special displays, in addition to the spectacular aerobatics which are a tradition at the show. Airbourne also features exciting ground demonstrations with full size aircraft, cockpits and displays from the RAF careers team. Visitors can speak to crew members, experience flight simulators and watch arena demonstrations all from the open landscape of the Western Lawns.

The show has a wide range of trade stands to suit all pockets from children’s attractions to a diverse catering village with Eastbourne beaches providing a magnificent setting to watch all the action.

The entertainment at Airbourne continues through to the evenings too. Visitors can enjoy a packed programme of events, including the Big Band night and concerts at the Bandstand and a spectacular and breathtaking firework finale on the Sunday night.

Join Friends of Airbourne free to receive newsletters and special offers as well as priority information on all of Eastbourne’s other events. For more information visit www.eastbourneairshow.com or telephone 0871 663 0031.

Record Breaking Aviator Unveils Airbourne Exclusive

Record breaking aviator Polly Vacher, flies into Eastbourne on Tuesday to launch an extra special prize for Red Arrows fans at Airbourne: Eastbourne International Airshow.

As well as flying on Saturday and Sunday at the show, the world famous team are offering Airbourne the exclusive opportunity for two guests to win a day with the team at RAF Scampton.

The competition which can be entered by SMS text message, will raise funds for Polly’s ‘Flying Scholarships for the Disabled’ charity, as well as funding some of the flying at the show.

Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Economy, Tourism & Environment, Councillor Steve Wallis said “We are delighted to team up with Polly and the Red Arrows to provide this once in a lifetime fantastic opportunity. To spend a day with the team at their base is very rare indeed – the lucky winner has a wonderful day lined up ahead.”

Polly, who flies into Eastbourne seafront with the Army Air Corp Historic Aircraft team on Tuesday, is launching the scheme as part of her whistle-stop Wings Around Britain tour. Raising funds and awareness for the charity, the scholarship aims to empower disabled people, building confidence and self esteem while undertaking the challenge of learning to fly.

Polly brings with her a wealth of experience which has seen her achieve many records including – the first woman to fly solo in a single engine aircraft over the North Pole and Antarctica. The flight is documented in her inspirational book ‘Wings Around the World’, which also helps fund the charity.

Airbourne returns from 16 – 19 August with RAF flying from the Eurofighter Typhoon, Chinook, Hawk, Tucano, Merlin, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the RAF Falcons parachute team.

Competition entries are open now, to enter simply text AIR1 followed by your date of birth (DDMMYY) to 84222 eg AIR1 260880.

Texts cost £1 plus one standard rate text message. For full terms and conditions visit www.eastbourneairshow.com

Eastbourne Airbourne Gets the Mirage Effect

Eastbourne’s International Airshow is all set to the get the full mirage effect as the French Air Force display their Mirage 2000 at the show for the first time ever.

Attending the world’s biggest free seafront airshow over all four days from 17 – 20 August, the fast jet will be flown by both solo pilots Captain Yannick ‘Thor’ Vallet and Captain Gregory ‘Greg’ Prats, who will be showing the aircrafts full potential using derry turns, zoom climbs and barrel rolls.

Eastbourne Borough Council Spokesperson for Tourism, Councillor David Elkin said “This is fantastic news, the Mirage is such an exciting aircraft and adds to an amazing line up which now includes seven international military aircraft. This aircraft attends airshows all over the world and doesn’t get to display in the UK that often, so I am delighted that the French Air Force have chosen to delight the Eastbourne crowds for their next UK visit.”

Both pilots have been displaying the Mirage since 2003 and have instructed on aircraft including the Mirage, Alphajet, Tucano and TB30 Epsilon. Between the two of them they have notched up 6000 hours of flying time and 86 missions.

Captain Prats said “The Mirage 2000 solo display team is very happy to fly at Eastbourne airshow. For a long time other display pilots have told us that Eastbourne is THE place to fly, because of the site, the atmosphere, and people. The Mirage 2000 is no longer a new generation plane, but she’s still a beautiful and impressive aircraft, due to her particularly pure delta wing shape and her amazing fly by wire controls giving a very good nose authority.”

The French Air Force Mirage joins the shows best ever international line up that includes two F16’s from the Belgian and Royal Netherlands Air Forces, a PC7, Fouga Magister, Sea King and a Search & Rescue AB-412 helicopter.

Displaying the best of the RAF, the Eurofighter Typhoon makes a welcome return after Eastbourne was one of the few airshows chosen last year to welcome the new display, widely acknowledged as the future of the RAF for the next 30 years.

Also joining the RAF line up, the Harrier, Hawk, Tutor, Tucano, Merlin, Hercules, Chinook and RAF Falcons parachute display team all make a welcome return along with crowd favourite the Red Arrows.

Bringing a brand new format to this years programme, Classic and Historic Thursday features the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Royal Navy Historic Flight, Army Air Corps Historic Aircraft Flight, Harvard, Mustang and celebrating 70 years in flight, the spectacular Spitfire.

Completing this years exciting flying programme, see the Extra 300 Ultimate High, Sukhoi 26, Utterly Butterly Wingwalkers and displaying for the first time, the Tigers, an Army parachute display team dropping in courtesy of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment.

Airbourne is sponsored by nine organisations this year including Eastbourne Arndale Centre, City Sightseeing, Eastbourne & District Chamber of Commerce, Eastbourne Herald, Eastbourne Hospitality Association, Red Eventful Cuisine, Specsavers, SITA and the South East England Development Agency.

For more information on flying, arena displays, RAF exhibition, Radio Airbourne, bandstand concerts and other Airbourne attractions visit www.eastbourneairshow.com or request a copy of the Airbourne Souvenir Programme on sale now at Eastbourne Tourist Information telephone 0906 711 2212 (calls cost 50p per minute at standard rate).

Commuters Invited to Biggest Seafront Airshow in the World

Airbourne: Eastbourne’s International Airshow will be making its London Underground debut from Monday, with a new poster campaign highlighting the shows new found status as the ‘World’s biggest seafront airshow’.

Running for two weeks from 17 July, the show is appearing to tube passengers for the first time, using 16 sheet cross-track poster sites and escalator panels at high profile stations such as Victoria, Waterloo and London Bridge.

Eastbourne Borough Council Spokesperson for Tourism, Councillor David Elkin said “Airbourne just gets bigger and better, so we thought it was time to make a splash in London. With four days of flying, we really are the biggest seafront airshow in the world, and what’s more – it’s all FREE!”

Adorning the poster campaign are images of the new Eurofighter Typhoon display, which commuters can see in action for themselves at Airbourne, which runs from 17 – 20 August with free entry. A packed flying schedule of over 80 flying displays over the four days also includes international military jets such as the Belgian Air Force F16, freefall parachutists, helicopters and the most famous display team in the world, the RAF Red Arrows.

New for this year, organisers Eastbourne Borough Council and the RAF are also introducing a new Classic and Historic Thursday, with displays from WWII and historic aircraft, including a spectacular Spitfire Duo display which will commemorate its 70 years of flight.

As well as action packed flying displays, visitors can also enjoy the RAF exhibition, arena events, helicopter pleasure flights, children’s entertainment areas, airshow hospitality and bandstand concerts. As a grand finale, a tribute to military personnel past and present takes place in a moving Sunset Ceremony at the bandstand, followed by a fantastic fireworks display from Eastbourne Pier.

This year the show has achieved more sponsorship than ever before with a list that includes City Sightseeing, Eastbourne Arndale Centre, Eastbourne & District Chamber of Commerce, Eastbourne Herald, Eastbourne Hospitality Association, Red Eventful Cuisine, SITA, Specsavers and the South East England Development Agency.

For more information visit www.eastbourneairshow.com