Posted by Flightline UK on December 29, 2008 under Military Airshows | 
The Dates for the Swiss Air Force F/A-18C Demo Team have also appeared at Flugzeugforum. They include one UK date at RIAT 2009, RAF Fairford.
June
- 5th-8th – Cazeaux (France)
- 20th – Bern-Belp (Switzerland)
July
- 3rd-6th – Koksidje (Belgium)
- 15th-20th – Royal International Air Tattoo, RAF Fairford (UK)
August
- 31st July-3rd – Kecskemet (Hungary)
October
- 7th-8th – AXALP (Switzerland)
Posted by Flightline UK on under Any other business |
The first dates for the Swiss Air Force display team, Patrouille Suisse, have been released on Flugzeugforum.
January
- 17th – Lauberhornrennen, Wengen (Switzerland)
March
- 26th-3rd April – Emmen (Switzerland)
May
- 8th-11th – Hafengeburtstag, Hamburg (Germany)
June
- 12th-15th – Tours (France)
- 26th-29th – Zeltweg (Austria)
July
- 4th – Mollis (Switzerland)
August
- 15th – Thun (Switzerland)
- 21st-24th – Rygge (Norway)
- 29th - Dittingen (Switzerland)
October
- 3rd – Foire du Valais, Martigny (Switzerland)
- 7th-8th – AXALP (Switzerland)
Posted by Flightline UK on December 20, 2008 under Display Team News and Dates, Royal Air Force |
The new Red 10 is Squadron Leader Graeme Bagnell
From the Red Arrows website:-
Squadron Leader Graeme Bagnall (36), known as Baggers, is a qualified Hawk pilot who flies the spare aircraft to displays for use in case one of the display aircraft becomes unserviceable. He never flies in public displays but he takes part in flypasts flown on transit sorties. Most of the air-to-air photography and video of the Team is shot from Red 10’s aircraft and so he must be skilled at positioning his aircraft for the perfect shot. Red 10 has two important jobs on the ground at every display: he is the Team’s flight safety officer, maintaining 2-way radio contact with the Team Leader throughout the display, and he is the Team Commentator.
Baggers was born in Norwich, and was educated at St Bees School, Cumbria, where he was a member of the Combined Cadet Force and undertook a Royal Air Force Sixth Form Scholarship.
After completing his A-Levels, Baggers was awarded a Royal Air Force University Cadetship and went to Southampton University where he gained a degree in Computer Science. He was also a member of Southampton University Air Squadron and he subsequently joined the Royal Air Force in 1994.
After flying training Baggers began his operational flying on the Tornado GR1/4 ground attack aircraft. He completed a tour on II(AC) Squadron at RAF Marham before being posted to RAF Valley as an instructor on the Hawk at the Tactical Weapons Unit. On leaving Valley, he returned to Marham and completed a short tour on 31 Squadron before joining II(AC) Squadron again – this time as a flight commander. Baggers has completed several operational tours in the Middle East and has undertaken many military exercises worldwide. This is his first year with the Team.
Baggers is married to Tracy and they have a son, Matthew (2). His hobbies include picture framing, playing the piano to a mediocre standard, skiing both on snow and water, playing squash and supporting the London Wasps rugby team.
Posted by Flightline UK on under Military Airshows |
Organisers of the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford have unveiled two new initiatives they believe will minimise the risk of a repeat of last summer’s cancellation.
Earlier this year, thousands of visitors were left disappointed when the event had to be called off after prolonged bouts of heavy rain flooded fields bordering the Base that were set aside for car parking.
In a show of support for the Air Tattoo, the US Air Force has granted permission for limited car parking on concrete on the Base next summer. Prior to 9/11, airshow visitors had been allowed to park on the Base but since then, heightened security measures meant that was not possible.
Commander 420th Air Base Group, USAF, Col Joe Dill said: “Security is my number one concern here. We looked at the situation and what we were up against with respect to weather and parking. Everyone got their pencils out, we put our heads together and I believe we have come up with a plan where we can make it happen as required.”
In order to meet the necessary security requirements, Air Tattoo organisers have agreed that visitors parking on Base will be chosen randomly on the day from the many thousands of people attending.
In addition to introducing limited on-Base parking, organisers have also announced plans to make the fields more robust, including laying extra trackway.
Director Tim Prince said he was confident that these measures, along with other proposed initiatives, will make the difference.
“This is not the first time the US Air Force has come to our rescue when we have needed help to solve a problem and we remain totally indebted to them. This new parking option plus the extra trackway and spine roads we plan to lay in the car parks will significantly reduce the risk of us having to cancel the event, as a result of inclement weather, in the future.”
Earlier this month, the organisers announced that in order to control the numbers attending the event, only advance tickets would be sold. None would be available at the gates on the day as in previous years.
Mr Prince said: “By not selling tickets on the gate we run the risk of losing some of our revenue. But first and foremost we have a duty of care to all those who purchase tickets to the Air Tattoo. Knowing in advance how many visitors are attending will help enormously with our pre-show planning and will enable us to react more effectively to unforeseen events, such as the atrocious weather we suffered last summer.”
Posted by Flightline UK on December 18, 2008 under Military Airshows |
Cut-price tickets for next summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford have gone on sale.
Special day-specific Earlybird tickets priced at £30.95 will be available until March 31, 2009 after which the price will rise to £34.95. Non day-specific tickets, valid for either Saturday, July 18 or Sunday July 19, can be purchased now for £39.95.
Air Tattoo spokesman Richard Arquati said that despite last summer’s airshow cancellation and the current economic downturn, organisers are keen to ensure ticket prices remain competitive and that all accompanied under-16s continue to enjoy free entry.
He said: “During the past five months we have been looking at a range of initiatives that we are confident will make the Air Tattoo more robust in the face of the sort of extreme weather conditions we experienced in July. Among the actions we are taking are providing limited parking on areas of concrete on Base, creating tracked spine roads in the fields and greatly improving the car park entrances.”
In order to control the number of visitors who attend the airshow each year, the organisers have also decided to make the event an advance-ticket-only event. No tickets will be sold at the gates on the day. Mr Arquati said: “Selling advance tickets only will mean that, for the first time, we will know how many people to expect over the weekend. This is crucial to our planning and will enable us to respond to events – such as any prospect of adverse weather conditions – by capping numbers.
“For the first time ever, Air Tattoo tickets could sell out. This real possibility and the opportunity to buy cut-price tickets, means that purchasing early is more important than ever. Additionally, people who buy before March 31 will also have their booking fee waived, representing an additional saving of £3 per order. If you want to be sure of seeing the Air Tattoo next summer and save money, my advice is to buy now.”
The Royal International Air Tattoo 2009 will take place at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on July 18 & 19. The event is held in support of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust
Posted by Flightline UK on December 17, 2008 under Military Airshows |
BBC Points West TV Report
Posted by Flightline UK on December 15, 2008 under Civilian Organised Airshows and Trade Events |
Despite the economic downturn and increased costs of staging the show, organisers were delighted by this year’s profit level. The proceeds from the show will be divided between Brooklands Museum Trust, CHASE hospice care for children, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance, Cranleigh Village Hospital Trust, The Surrey Community Foundation and Age Concern Waverley.
The 2008 show proved a great day out for all the family with 20,000 visitors enjoying some of the finest flying displays and car demonstrations in the UK.
Jamie McAllister, Event Promoter comments:
“We worked really hard this year to ensure that all elements of the show ran smoothly. Our investment in new parking and traffic management measures paid off and we are delighted by the general public’s positive response. As Wings & Wheels continues to grow and our crowds increase, I’m confident we can achieve even more for local charities in 2009.”
Posted by Flightline UK on December 11, 2008 under Military Airshows |
A Cotswolds innovator, who was a founder member of the world’s largest military airshow, will become tonight the first non-American to be inducted into the International Council of Air Shows’ Hall of Fame.
American airshow organisers will bestow the posthumous honour on Paul Bowen at their annual convention in Las Vegas this evening (December 11).
The citation states that the award is made “in recognition of Paul’s achievements as an airshow industry leader and innovator, and his contributions as a mentor and role model for air show event organisers all over the world”.
Paul, who died from cancer in 2004, aged 57, founded the Air Tattoo with his friend Tim Prince in 1971 and it has since grown to become the world’s largest military airshow. It regularly attracts more than 300 aircraft and crowds in excess of 150,000 to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, where it is staged in support of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust.
The award, a bronze plaque featuring an etching of Paul, will be presented to his widow Janet Bowen, who will travel from Marston Meysey in Wiltshire to receive it. A second plaque will be placed in the Frontiers of Flight Aviation Museum in Dallas, Texas.
Janet said: “If Paul was alive he’d be over the Moon. It’s a testament to Paul’s achievements that, four years after his death, there remains an appreciation of the contribution he made to helping shape the airshow industry around the world.”
Air Tattoo Director Tim Prince said Paul was a trailblazer and would have really enjoyed becoming the first non-American to feature in the Hall of Fame. He said: “Paul was a remarkable man who exuded enthusiasm for aviation. His vision and passion served as an inspiration for airshow organisers around the world. Paul helped the Air Tattoo grow into the unique and exciting event it is today and as a result, air forces from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Canada, the USA, South Africa and Romania, among many others, turned to him for advice when staging their own national airshows. More than this, they appreciated the valuable opportunity the Air Tattoo presented, and continues to present, to rub shoulders with their influential NATO colleagues.”
The Air Tattoo takes place at RAF Fairford on July 18 and 19, 2009. For details, visit www.airtattoo.com
Posted by Flightline UK on December 3, 2008 under Military Airshows, Royal Air Force |
The company behind the world’s largest military airshow has announced it has raised £1 million for its parent charity in just three years.
The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises was set up in 2005 as the fund-raising arm of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust. As well as organising the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, the company, based in Fairford, also stages the prestigious national tour by the Royal Air Force Bands, publishes the RAF Yearbook, and operates a successful direct mail order catalogue. At a ceremony at the company’s HQ, Enterprises’ Chairman Fred Crawley presented a cheque for £295,000 to the parent Trust’s new chairman, Air Chief Marshal Sir John Cheshire, taking the total raised between 2005 and 2007 to £1 million.
During these three years, the Trust has used much of the money to support a variety of RAF-related projects, including purchasing six flight simulators, at a cost of £60,000, for the Air Cadet Organisation; refurbishing welfare facilities at RAF stations including RAF Brize Norton and RAF Odiham, and providing grants to support projects by the wider RAF family of charities including Combat Stress and RAFA.
Chairman of Enterprises Fred Crawley said: “When the company was set up, I don’t think anyone imagined that we’d raise £1 million in three years so we’ve done rather better than expected! However, whilst we are all delighted at reaching this superb milestone, the cancellation of July’s Air Tattoo is likely to have an impact on the amount we can hand over to the charity next year. Despite this, we are confident we’ll recover from the disappointment of this summer and continue to build on our success.
“Both the Trust and Enterprises remain committed to supporting the RAF by encouraging the young to become aviation-minded and by improving the conditions of those involved in military operations.”
The Charitable Trust welcomes grant applications from charities and organisations that are part of the RAF family. For details, visit http://www.rafct.com
