Tag: May

Last few tickets available for Open Cockpits Evening

RAF Museum Cosford Open Cockpits Evening

Date: 13-14 May 2016

Time: 6.00pm to 9.00pm

Cost: £12.50 per person

Tickets to the popular Open Cockpits Evening event taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford next weekend are almost sold out. Less than 70 tickets are available for the event on Friday 13 May and all tickets for Saturday 14 May have now gone.

With new aircraft recently added to the line-up, the evening is packed with a mix of modern jets and nostalgic wartime aircraft, meaning there is something to please aviation enthusiasts young and old. The new line-up includes the Folland Gnat F1 – the forerunner of the Gnat T1 trainer which achieved fame with the ‘Red Arrows’ aerobatic team. It was also used by the Finnish Air Force and the Indian Air Force with whom it was successful in combat in the 1965 and 1971 wars against Pakistan, becoming known as the ‘Sabre slayer’ for it success in downing Pakistan Air Force Sabres. Also new to the line-up is the Hawker Hunter nose section – part of an aircraft that served on the front line of the Cold War in RAF Germany from 1955 to 1957 and the FMA 1A58 Pucara – flown by Argentina’s military government during the 1982 Falklands conflict.

With fifteen historic aircraft available for a close viewing both evenings, aviation fans who would like to climb on board are encouraged to purchase their tickets soon, before they sell out. Admission on the evening is by advance ticket only which are available to purchase via the museum’s website www.rafmuseum.org/cosford, where you can also view a full list of aircraft open on the night.

Visitors will have exclusive after-hours access to the museum which displays a collection of over 75 aircraft, military vehicles, engines and aviation artefacts within three wartime hangars and the National Cold War Exhibition. To ensure visitors get the most out of this unique experience, the museum’s team of volunteers will be on hand to talk through the aircraft controls and answer any questions they may have.

The museum will close at 5.00pm both days, however the Visitor Centre and Refuel Restaurant will remain open for visitors attending the evening event which commences at 6.00pm and finishes at 9.00pm. Tickets cost £12.50 per person which includes parking. Minimum height restrictions of 1.07 metres will apply.

Catch a ride to Wings & Wheels on the Compass Travel shuttle bus

Compass Travel (Sussex) Ltd are once again providing an invaluable public bus service from Guildford Train Station to Dunsfold Aerodrome for Wings & Wheels. Following the success of last year’s trial, visitors will have the option of public transport to and from the Show four times a day with all profits from the service donated to Help for Heroes by Compass. 

The bus will run on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th August and the timetable is as follows:

· Dep Guildford Train Station: 0830 0930 1030 1130

· Dep Dunsfold Aerodrome: 1600 1700 1800 1900

This year tickets can be purchased in advance online through the Wings & Wheels shop (www.wingsandwheels.net/shop). A single fare for an adult is £2.50 and £1.50 for a child aged 5 – 15 years. Each bus carries 44 seated passengers and 27 standing. Seats will be available on a first come first serve basis over the event weekend.

Jamie McAllister, Event Director, Wings & Wheels comments: “The bus service was extremely popular last year and we are delighted to be working in partnership with Compass Travel again. The bus service gives those who have previously been unable to attend an affordable option to join us.”

Managing Director of Compass Travel Chris Chatfield said, “We were really pleased with the success of the first shuttle bus service to Wings & Wheels which enabled us to donate £665 to Help for Heroes. We are looking forward to working with the team again this year and building on the service.”

Visitors to Wings & Wheels can also enjoy the full complement from the RAF as they display with the Red Arrows, King Air, Eurofighter and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Spitfire, Hurricane, Dakota) air displays. Also displaying are the Attack Helicopter Display Team and Royal Navy Black Cat Display Team. More aviation displays will be announced in May.

For motorsport 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. Over in the Wheels Zone you can expect an array of interactive and static displays as wells as two and four wheeled shows in the Stunt Zone and a new Monster Truck arena offering demonstrations and passenger rides.

The show also includes over 25 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 12th annual Wings & Wheels will be held over the August Bank holiday weekend; Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th August 2016, 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 are available. A family ticket consists of two adults and three child’s tickets. Single child tickets (for children aged 5 – 15) will be £7, whilst children under the age of 5 go free. Hospitality packages start from £155 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 2016 will be assisting the fundraising efforts of Brooklands Museum Trust and Help for Heroes.

Cosford – Online Tickets Sold Out

Cosford sold out

The organisers of RAF Cosford Air Show today announced that all tickets available through their online and phone line sales operations are sold out. Air Show Chairman Wing Commander Kevin Rayner said “We are delighted with the take up this year, particularly as this is the first year we have run an advance ticket only event”.

Tickets are still available from the show’s retail outlets throughout the region, details of which are on their web site http://www.cosfordairshow.co.uk. . The joint air show and rail travel tickets are also still available through manned rail ticket offices across the country, but both are selling fast.

Wing Commander Rayner added “We are on track for a complete sell out in the next few days. It is important that people understand they must not travel to the show without a ticket. This is the first time that there will be no tickets available on the gate”.

Organisers are hoping for even more improvements to last year’s successful traffic plan. Air Show Director Clive Elliott said “The new car park outside Gate 1 will offer a really speedy entry and exit, and the fact that our gate teams won’t be spending time selling tickets means traffic should flow better than even before”.

Museum Signs MOU With Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust

PDST

The Royal Air Force Museum is proud to announce its official association with the Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust.

Today a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was formally signed between the Royal Air Force Museum and the Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust (PDST) in the presence of the Museum’s CEO Maggie Appleton MBE and PDST Chairman, William McNamara, OBE.

The MOU will see the RAF Museum and Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust establish a partnership to foster the interests of both parties through collaborative programmes and events. It will also offer professional development for staff, apprentices and volunteers and develop opportunities for complementary fundraising.

RAF Museum CEO Maggie Appleton says: “The Trustees and team of the Royal Air Force Museum are delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust. As a National Museum we see it as our responsibility to share our expertise and experience with other organisations and equally look forward to learning from them. This arrangement will enable staff from both organisations to develop relationships as well as provide a substantial legacy for our respective local communities. We look forward to this important collaboration and to working with our new partner.”

Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust Chairman William McNamara added: “Pembroke Dock’s military heritage includes very important maritime aviation chapters which feature at our Heritage Centre. Our new partnership with RAFM is an important milestone for us. It is an exciting prospect for all involved in the Sunderland Trust – trustees, staff and our skilled and dedicated volunteer team – to be able to work in collaboration with the national aviation museum. Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust will be able to benefit in so many ways from this partnership and we look forward to a prosperous and beneficial future on many projects.”

www.rafmuseum.org

Engineer A Brilliant Day At Cosford

The organisers of the RAF Cosford Air Show have announced details of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths Hangar which, for the first time, has been generously supported by the RAF Charitable Trust. The STEM Hangar has been one of a number of popular ground displays with its interactive and engaging exhibits. 

With a number of exciting additions this year, including a stage, this year’s STEM Hangar is set to be a must-see attraction. Featured on the stage will be various local organisations including Mad Science West Midlands, who will be performing mind-blowing experiments, and the University of Wolverhampton, showcasing the higher education establishment’s efforts to promote the STEM fields.

Other high profile companies that will be attending for the first time include BAE Systems and Raytheon, both of which are bringing dedicated vehicles demonstrating the vast array of careers that are involved in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. The RAF Cosford Air Show STEM Hangar, supported by RAFCT,is pleased to be welcoming back old favourites such as the AMRC Mantra Truck and Enginuity, one of the Ironbridge Museums, which have always been popular exhibits. These exhibits, along with those from RAF Cosford, the home of RAF Engineering, mean that every aspect of technology and aeronautics is on display.

Carol Vorderman, an avid fan of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths Hangar at the RAF Cosford Air Show, said “The RAF Cosford Air Show STEM displays are second to none with some fantastic opportunities to get hands on experience of everything from jet cars to robotics!”

Amanda Butcher, Director of the RAF Charitable Trust, said “One of the objectives of the Trust is to promote air-mindedness in young people and where better to do that than in the STEM hangar at the RAF Cosford Air Show? We are delighted to be associated with this initiative and hope that visitors will be inspired by what they find.”

With over 80% of tickets for the air show now sold, organisers are urging those who wish to attend to purchase their tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. For the first time this year, tickets to the air show will not be available on the gate.

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 and to purchase tickets, visit www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

Last Chance for Air Tattoo Early Birds

BBMF by John Dibbs

Organisers of the Royal International Air Tattoo believe the last ever appearance at RAF Fairford of the world’s only airworthy Vulcan bomber plus a Battle of Britain massed flypast have led to unprecedented ticket sales for the July 17-19 event.Tickets for all the enclosures have sold out for Saturday, July 18 with only a few remaining in the Viewing Village Garden. Airshow admission tickets for the Saturday are expected to sell-out within a fortnight.
Air Tattoo spokesman Richard Arquati said a number of factors had contributed towards the current surge in ticket sales.

He said: “After last summer’s 140,000 sell-out, people don’t want to miss out this year. By securing Earlybird tickets by the May 31 deadline, they’ll not only be guaranteed a great day out, but they will be making a saving of £5 off the cost of a standard advance ticket.

He added: “We had great feedback from the public following last summer’s airshow and this, combined with some rare and exciting aerial displays and flypasts planned for July have whetted people’s appetites. The airshow weekend also marks the start of the summer holidays for many and with free entry to all under-16s, families see our event as a fabulous value-for-money day out.”

In addition to an eight-hour flying display, visitors will be able to view a wide range of aircraft in the Showground and enjoy a feast of fun-packed interactive activities for the whole family including the Techno Zone, Adrenalin Zone, Vintage Village and, new for 2015 – the Autodrome.

The Air Tattoo is staged annually in support of the RAF Charitable Trust. Tickets for the event are only available in advance. Specially-priced Earlybird tickets are available until May 31 from www.airtattoo.com or by calling 0800 107 1940. All accompanied under-16s go free. Free parking.

RAF Museum London site admitted to Tripadvisor Hall of Fame

The Royal Air Force Museum has been advised today that its London site has been admitted into Tripadvisor’s Hall of Fame. This accolade has been granted for excellence in Customer Service and recognises that the Museum’s London site is now a five time winner of a Certificate of Excellence from Tripadvisor – being granted one every year since 2011. 

To win a Certificate of Excellence a venue must score an approval rating of 80% or more from visitors who comment about it on Tripadvisor during the course of a given calendar year. Only 10% of all venues listed on the website receive this accolade. Therefore, to receive such a response for 5 years running is a major testament to the high quality experience that visitors receive at the Museum.

Commenting on this performance, Paul Hudson, Head of Marketing for the Museum stated:

‘ I would like to thank Tripadvisor for admitting the Royal Air Force Museum London into its Hall of Fame. This honour is indicative of the commitment that staff have made to excellent customer service at the Museum and reflects the commitment that the Museum has itself made to ensuring that its collections are as accessible as possible.

Over the last 12 months, we have won an Autism Access award from Autism U.K, created a Quiet Room and produced downloadable guides for those of our visitors with autism. We have also become members of the Blue Assist programme, to cater for those of our visitors who have learning disabilities.

For those who acquire additional assistance with their access, we provide complimentary wheel-chairs on request.

These are just a few of the improvements that we have made and we will continue to make more in the coming year to ensure that all of our visitors have as pleasant visit as possible. We do welcome feedback on how we are currently performing, so I would invite visitors to comment on Tripadvisor.’

Admission to the Royal Air Force Museum at London is free of charge. The Museum is open daily from 10:00 am. For further information about the events and exhibitions at the Museum’s London site please go to www.rafmuseum.org/whatson.

Important safety information about the Duxford VE Day Anniversary Air Show this weekend

Ahead of the VE Day Anniversary Air Show on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 May, IWM Duxford has released some important safety information:·

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 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 owners of this land.

www.iwm.org.uk

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.