A FREE air festival which organisers say will rival the best aviation shows in the world is being planned to take place in Portsmouth next summer.
The world’s only aerobatic wingwalking team, the Breitling Wingwalkers, Second World War Spitfire planes and an old Royal Navy Sea Vixen fighter jet are just some of the star attractions being lined up for a seven-hour extravaganza of soaring displays over Southsea Common on Saturday, August 18, 2012.
Organisers of the first-ever Portsmouth Air Festival have pledged the event will be free to the public and expect more than 50,000 people to attend.
The festival will be funded by sponsorship deals and it is hoped it can raise more than £250,000 for charitable causes including the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity.
The festival’s chief executive, Chichester-based businessman Steve Lawrence, told The News: ‘This will be one of the biggest things to happen in Portsmouth for quite some time.
‘The whole idea behind the air festival is to do something for Portsmouth. The company is not-for-profit – all the money we make will be put back in the business for the next year’s show and we want to make a lot of money for charity. It’s commercially driven. We’ve not asked the council for any money because we aim to cover our own costs.
‘We decided as an event it should be free and of benefit to the community. It’s about putting Portsmouth on the map.’
The full programme is being drawn up in the coming months and the organisers are meeting officials from the Civil Aviation Authority on Tuesday to confirm air space clearance on the day.
Organisers say the festival will also see Southsea Common packed with things for people to do while the aircraft zoom overhead.
There will be static aircraft displays, craft activity tents, and a festival village with food and bars. It will all end with fireworks at 11pm.
Businesses have already begun pledging financial support for the festival, including the global aircraft giant Vector Aerospace which has its UK base in Gosport.
Ken Doig, business development manager for Vector, said: ‘This will be a fantastic event for Portsmouth.
‘As a company we work with the military on a daily basis so we are always looking at ways of supporting military charities. It will also raise awareness of the aerospace industry in Portsmouth.’
Portsmouth City Council is expected to give approval soon for the common to be used. The Lord Mayor, Cllr Cheryl Buggy, said: ‘I was very pleased to learn of the plans for the air festival for August 2012 and I am pleased to add my support to those plans.’
Recently, the Waddington International Airshow DVDs have been amongst the best airshow productions released each year and we feel the 2011 edition will be no different!
What really marks the Waddington productions out from the rest of the extensive behind the scenes coverage the producers put in the production, and it is not limited to airshow related activities. A really nice touch to the 2011 production is the links between the flying and static displays to the day-to-day activities at Waddington. For example features on the Boeing E-3D sentry Simulator and Maintenance personnel followed the opening station flypast and a feature on the Air Battlespace Training Centre followed the display feature on the Tornado GR4 role demo. An air-to-air refuelling training sortie with an E-3D Sentry also provided another feature with cameras in the cockpit during a link-up with a USAF KC-135.
As well as the flying displays, an number of the static display aircraft also feature, some with extra behind the scenes footage and interviews with crew.
The filming of the flying display matches the high quality of the rest of the production with a number of different angles both on and behind the crowd-line as well as on the live side of the flying. There are a number of interviews with the pilots and other display crews as well as some extra footage of the aircraft being prepared for their displays. Naturally the Red Arrows and the USAF Thunderbirds feature well with some superb footage from their own PR material as well as that filmed at the show.
With some superb smooth filming, excellent image quality and informative commentary from Andy Pawsey the Waddington 2011 DVD is a superb souvenir of the airshow.
Tickets for next summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo go on sale today with prices not only frozen but – for a limited period – lower than they were this year.
A limited number of special ‘Super Earlybird’ tickets for the July 7-8 event go on sale at 10am on Friday, November 11, priced £29 each. This represents a saving of £10 on the standard 2012 advance admission ticket price – and is £5 cheaper than this year. The £4 book fee has also been waived.
An Air Tattoo spokesman said: “Next July will see us stage an RAF tribute to Her Majesty the Queen on her Diamond Jubilee and we want as many people as possible to join in this special celebration.
“Not only can people make a huge saving by purchasing tickets now, but we will also continue to offer free parking and allow all accompanied under-16s free entry. At a time when many of us are counting the pennies, we were determined to ensure the Air Tattoo continues to offer families value for money.”
Organisers are urging people to note that next summer’s Air Tattoo, which is staged in support of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, takes place earlier than usual, on July 7-8, because of the London Olympics later that month.
The spokesman said: “Like the Olympics, we’ll be featuring the fastest, the most agile and those with the greatest endurance – albeit in the world of aerospace rather than sport.”
The limited number of Super Earlybird tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday, November 11 from airtattoo.com or by calling 0800 107 1940. They will be on sale until January 4, subject to availability.
It is with sadness that the MOD must confirm the death of Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (the Red Arrows). Flight Lieutenant Cunningham was killed when he was ejected from his Hawk T1 aircraft on the morning of Tuesday 8 November 2011. A full Service Inquiry will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Red 5 – Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham, 34, was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, and moved to the UK in 1986 at the age of nine. Although a profession in football was a possibility, Sean followed his dream to become fast jet pilot in the Royal Air Force. Sean attended Ernesford Grange School in Coventry during which time he qualified for his Private Pilot Licence at the age of 17. He went on to read Electrical & Electronic Engineering at Nottingham Trent University and completed his Elementary Flying Training as a member of East Midlands University Air Squadron.
Joining the Royal Air Force in 2000 Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham was selected for Fast Jet Training. On completion of his flying training, Sean was posted to the Tornado GR4 aircraft serving on 617 ‘The Dambusters’ Squadron at Royal Air Force Lossiemouth. During his three years on the Squadron, Sean completed several operational tours of Iraq as part of Operation TELIC, flying close air support missions for Coalition ground forces. After completing exercises in America, Canada, Romania and France, Sean joined XV (R) Squadron as a Qualified Pilot and Tactics Instructor. Sean continued his instructional role when posted to the Weapon System Officer (WSO) Training Unit at 100 Squadron, Royal Air Force Leeming before being selected to fly for the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (the Red Arrows) 2010.
Flight Lieutenant Cunningham’s family, Father Jim, Mother Monika & Sister Nicolette said: “Sean was first and foremost a much-loved son and brother who will be dearly missed by all of his family, and his many good friends. Since his childhood Sean had dreamed of flying fast jets in the Royal Air Force; through his hard work and dedication he achieved that dream, and the pinnacle of his career was to fly in the Red Arrows. Sean loved his flying and we hope that his life will be an inspiration to all those who share his dreams. His fun-loving nature has never failed to put a smile on the faces of those who knew and loved him; this is how he will be remembered. We ask that the media please allow us the time and space required to come to terms with what has happened”
The Rt Hon Phillip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Defence said: “It was with great sadness that I heard of the death of Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham. He was clearly a gifted pilot who served his country with honour and distinction throughout his career in the Royal Air Force. As a Red Arrow, Flt Lt Cunningham was regarded as among the most talented aviators in the world. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this terrible time.”
Air Officer Commanding Number 22(Training) Group, Air Vice-Marshal Mike Lloyd said: “The Red Arrows personify the teamwork, professionalism and excellence that is common-place throughout the Royal Air Force and Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham demonstrated each of these values on a daily basis. His contribution to the Service as an aviator in the Tornado GR4 Force, as a Red Arrows Pilot and as an officer has been outstanding. Sean will be missed by all and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”
Group Captain Simon Blake, the Commandant of the RAF’s Central Flying School, said: “Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham joined the team in October 2010 and flew for his first year as Red 3. This year, Sean had commenced training as Red 5 and was the senior member of the ‘front 5’ affectionately known as ‘Enid’, and thus had the unofficial mantle of ‘Uncle Enid’– a key position in mentoring and helping to train the new pilots to the team. His constant smile, energy, and joie de vivre was infectious and he will be sorely missed by his fellow pilots, the entire Red Arrows team and his many colleagues and friends in the wider Royal Air Force. Our heartfelt sorrow and sympathy go out to his family and all those whose lives he touched”.
It is with regret that the Ministry of Defence must announce that a member of the RAF Aerobatic Team was killed in a ground incident at RAF Scampton earlier today.
Group Captain Simon Blake, the Commandant of the RAF’s Central Flying School, has issued the following statement:
“It is with great regret that I can confirm there has been a ground incident involving one of the RAF Aerobatic Team’s Hawk aircraft at RAF Scampton that has resulted in the death of the pilot. The pilot was ejected from the aircraft whilst the aircraft was on the ground.
“The Military Aviation Authority is in the process of initiating a full and independent Service Inquiry to determine the cause of this tragic incident. That investigation will determine the facts. It would be most inappropriate to speculate on the cause of the incident.
“The pilot’s next of kin have been informed and they have asked for a period of grace before his name is released. Our thoughts and prayers are with the pilot’s family, friends and colleagues at this difficult time.
“At this stage, it is important that we allow the family some time to come to terms with this dreadful and terrible news.”
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