Posted by Flightline UK on 27/02/2010 under Seaside Shows | 
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We’ve heard from a couple of display pilots that the Northern Ireland International Airshow at Portrush, Coleraine is now back on! More news as we get it!
Posted by Flightline UK on 26/02/2010 under Royal Air Force, Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
Eastbourne Borough Council have launched Airbourne 2010 unveiling the first details of this year’s flying displays. The full line up can be seen in our detailed preview on the main site.
The official Airbourne Launch Party took place last week at Towner, Eastbourne’s award-winning art gallery, to exclusively reveal this year’s flying programme for the international airshow, which returns to the south coast from 12-15 August.
Headlining the flying schedule confirmed for this year is a special 70-year anniversary display from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the return of crowd favourite the Red Arrows, and the impressive Eurofighter Typhoon. With other aircraft including the Hawk, Tutor, Tucano, Search and Rescue, and King Air also displaying, the flying line-up is already looking action-packed and organisers Eastbourne Borough Council are offering companies the chance to benefit from this prestigious event with sponsorship opportunities available.
Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism, Cllr Susan Morris said “A Date With Airbourne, our official launch party, was a brand new idea for this year’s event and a great opportunity for us to thank those companies who worked with us last year and network with potential new sponsors.
“Last year’s Airbourne was such a huge success with a record number of sponsors and the numbers of trade stands up by 27%. We are looking to build on that this year, and with fantastic assets already confirmed for this summer, we should be in for another spectacular year.
“We have a wide range of sponsorship packages available offering companies a great opportunity to come on board and benefit not only from the huge footfall that Airbourne receives, but also to raise their company profile by being associated with such a highly regarded event.”
Following the success of last year’s airshow which was reported to have been the most visibly busy in the event’s 17-year history, airshow organisers are again looking to work with the local business community to raise funds to stage the event.
Many local businesses from across the south east attended the Launch Party at Towner on Thursday evening last week to find out about the sponsorship packages available this year and receive an early bird discount on programme adverts.
Securing a record 25 sponsors in 2009 including TravelInsured.co.uk, Eastbourne Borough Council are again starting sponsorship packages from as little as £250 right up to a headline sponsor at £75k, with the option for companies to tailor make packages to suit their budget and needs.
For more information on sponsorship opportunities, trade space and corporate hospitality available at Airbourne visit www.eastbourneairshow.com
Posted by Flightline UK on 19/02/2010 under Civilian Organised Airshows and Trade Events, Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
From the TSA Consulting Ltd website:-
Swansea City and County Council has decided not to stage a repeat of last year’s Wales National Airshow in 2010 but, instead, to make it a biennial event. So we look forward to a spectacular return of the event to Swansea Bay in the summer of 2011.
Posted by Flightline UK on 14/02/2010 under Civilian Organised Airshows and Trade Events, Flightline UK Articles, Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
A few more airshow previews have been posted in our Features section:-
Posted by Flightline UK on 10/02/2010 under Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
Southend Festival of the Air
TSA Consulting is delighted to have been asked to organise the flying display element of the Southend Festival of the Air 2010. This will see the 25th staging of an airshow on the May Bank Holiday weekend along the Thames Estuary at Southend – the longest running seafront airshow – and all have seen the critical involvement of Ray Thilthorpe in the role of Flying Display Director and latterly as a member of the Flying Control Committee and ‘specialist aviation commentator’ to the team from BBC Radio Essex
Posted by Flightline UK on 31/01/2010 under Aerobatics and Competitions, Civilian Organised Airshows and Trade Events, Editorials, Flightline UK Articles, Military Airshows, Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
Al Ain 2010 Poster
Here in the UK, we still have February, March and April to get through until our airshow season gets underway. However, in other parts of the world, the 2010 season is already getting going. One of the first big shows of the year is the Al Ain Aerobatics Show in the United Arab Emirates. Al Ain in January is a superb venue for an airshow with warm blue skies and the dramatic desert backdrop.
For 2009 and 2010 Al Ain has hosted the AERO GP, an “air-racing” style event organised by Flying Aces who also has an internet broadcasting arm, airsports.tv. For the last two days of the Al Ain Aerobatics Show, airsports.tv has broadcast live footage from the flying displays and AERO GP on it’s website. The Al Ain Aerobatics Show is very much a global airshow bringing the very best acts together from around the world. This year acts came from Croatia, France, Italy, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, the UK, the USA as well as the UAE. While the show does bring in a healthy number of tourists, the live internet coverage gives the show a true global audience.
The footage coming out of Al Ain has been spectucular, though was regular interrupted by adverts for show sponsors and even clips from the 2009 event (infact, I even saw myself in the footage! – Ed) as the footage was also being shown on big screens at the event. However, Airsports.tv’s footage gave a really good feel to this unique event. But why doesn’t such footage appear from UK shows? After all, internet streaming has started to become a popular feature of american airshows and major sporting events.
The cost of setting up the broadcast are perhaps prohibitive; as well as all the camera crews, live production suites and associated facilities are also required. Video footage is professionally captured at many airshows by the likes of Planes TV, but is rarely broadcast live as it’s taken back to their offices to be edited. However, live internet streaming could have some major benefits for some of the UK shows.
The Al Ain show is an important part of Abu Dhabi’s tourist strategy which cites major events such an airshows and Formula 1 motor-racing as vital attractions. In the UK, we also have airshows which are held in support of tourism, namely the big seaside events such as Sunderland, Eastbourne and Bournemouth. Could internet streaming help them? Well yes! Event’s like Bournemouth see themselves growing into international attractions bringing in visitors from Europe for their shows and internet broadcasting would be an ideal platform to promote the event and the town/resort. However, if internet broadcasting is to take off at UK shows, it’s possibly only ever going to happen with some large sponsorship which is unlikely in the current economic climate.
In the meantime, enjoy some of the higlights from Airsports.tv’s coverage of Al Ain 2010:-
Posted by Flightline UK on 03/04/2009 under Army Air Corps, Civilian Organised Airshows and Trade Events, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
SWANSEA’S skies will be sizzling with activity this summer thanks to the return of the Wales National Airshow to the city.
Swansea Council is teaming up with the Royal Air Force, the Army and the Navy to organise two days of jaw-dropping entertainment on Saturday July 11 and Sunday July 12.
The event will be held along the promenade and across Swansea Bay with ground displays, trade stands and funfairs starting at the Civic Centre and running along the coast towards Mumbles.
And it will tie in with celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of an announcement on July 3 back in 1969 that Swansea was to receive city status.
The Prince of Wales made the announcement from the steps of the Guildhall just two days after his investiture at Caernarvon Castle.
Some of the other plans to mark the occasion include the opportunity for the 1st the Queen’s Dragoon Guards (The Welsh Cavalry) to march with bayonets fixed and colours flying through the city centre to a formal freedom ceremony at The Guildhall on July 11.
And this event will be a double celebration for the Afghanistan veterans because it also marks the 50th anniversary of their formation.
The Wales National Airshow was last held in Swansea two years ago when over 50,000 people from across the UK attended and this year’s event is expected to be bigger and better than ever before.
The Royal Air Force has already confirmed the Red Arrows, The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Hawks and Tutors will all be making appearances and the Royal Navy says the Black Cats Helicopter Display Team will also be taking part.
Further participants will be announced over coming weeks with displays set for the ground as well as the air.
Cllr Chris Holley, Swansea Council Leader, said: “The event two years ago is probably still very much alive in people’s memories and I’m delighted that we have been able to secure the Wales National Airshow as a highlight in this year’s Swansea Bay Summer Festival programme.
“This is a real coup for Swansea as the only Welsh city to be hosting such a prestigious national airshow and it will give local residents and visitors the chance to see some spectacular state-of-the-art technology both in the air and on the ground.
“I’m sure the atmosphere will be terrific and the local economy is sure to benefit from the inevitable influx of visitors over the two days.”
Arfon Davies, of Ammanford, attended the event in 2007.
He said: “It’s great to see major events like this coming to the area.
“I really enjoyed the event two years back and will definitely be coming to the airshow in July. The Typhoon Eurofighter was absolutely amazing.”
Opening times will be approximately 10am to 6pm with flight times to be confirmed closer to the event.
Have a look at www.swanseabayfestival.com for more information.
An appeal is also being made to people celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary from July to December this year and to people celebrating their 40th birthday on July 3 this year to attend a series of garden parties being hosted by the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House.
And any people marking these milestones in 2009 are being asked to contact Swansea Council’s corporate marketing department by emailing corporate.marketing@swansea.gov.uk or by writing to the team at the Civic Centre.
Other plans to celebrate the occasion include the distribution of commemorative coins commissioned from The Royal Mint to babies born on July 3 this year.
Posted by Flightline UK on 02/04/2009 under Display Team News and Dates, Military Airshows, Royal Navy, Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
There are a number of UK airshows included in the display calendar for the Dutch F-16 which is wearing a striking new scheme for 2009.
Posted by Flightline UK on 27/03/2009 under Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
Eastbourne are challenging Bournemouth to a head to head airshow challenge with Eastbourne adamant that Airbourne will remain the World’s biggest FREE seafront airshow as the Red Arrows return for all FOUR days.
Eastbourne Airshow has taken place every August for the past 17 years and become established as a major international airshow, attracting thousands of visitors to the resort every summer. With Bournemouth announcing their line-up last week, Eastbourne are already beating them hands down as the sunniest resort in the UK has secured crowd favourite, the Red Arrows, for all FOUR days.
An Eastbourne Borough Council spokesperson said “Airbourne has a long running history in Eastbourne building up a reputation as a spectacular international airshow and a major show to be reckoned with. Bournemouth are only just entering their second year, while we have an unrivalled background regularly attracting top flying displays year in year out. It’s going to take a lot for Bournemouth to steal our crown.”
The organisers of Eastbourne Airshow, Eastbourne Borough Council, are preparing for a busy year in 2009 with preparations for Airbourne well underway.
The Red Arrows have already confirmed they will zoom over the town on all four days with their red, white and blue smoke trails forming stunning formations in the sky. Plus the Reds will also make a special ground appearance on Saturday, greeting visitors around the arena.
With the Council appealing to people around the World to help spread the Airbourne word by downloading the airshow logo from the official website and attaching it to any online communication, organisers are using the power of e-marketing to raise awareness of this year’s event.
Airbourne returns to the Sussex coast from 13-16 August and while the Bournemouth event takes place just a week later, visitors that opt for the Eastbourne airshow can enjoy two free events in the town in just one week.
Airshow enthusiasts, residents, and Eastbourne visitors can enjoy the spectacular flying displays from 13-16 August and the following weekend cheer on the gravity racers in the World Downhill Skateboarding Championships at Beachy Head.
Posted by Flightline UK on 26/03/2009 under Display Team News and Dates, Military Airshows, Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
Waddington and Lowestoft will see displays by the French Air Force Alpha Jet solo display. The full calendar is below:-
09 May : Bordeaux Socats
17 May : Châteauroux
23/24 May: Plovdiv (Bulgarie)
30 May: Millau
06/07 June : Cazaux (MNA)
11 June : Cognac (20ans CD)
14 June : Tours (MNA)
19/20 June : Volkel (Hollande)
27/28 June : Reims (MNA)
04/05 July : Waddington (UK)
14 July : Valencienne
19 July : Vigo (Espagne)
23/24 July : Lowestoft (UK)
26 July : Vannes
01 August : Palavas les flots
02 August : Mainfonds
15 August: Saint Tropez
16 August : Toulon
23 August: Berk sur mer
29/30 August : Radom (Pologne)
05 September : Montichiari (Italie)
06 September : Saint Quentin
13 September : Belgrade (Serbie)
19 September : Clermont
20 September : Sanicole (Belgique)
26 September : Moulins
27 September : Lille Merville
04 October : Barcelone (Espagne)
10/11 October : Gergovie
Posted by Flightline UK on 28/02/2009 under Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
Posted by Flightline UK on 27/02/2009 under Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
Cllr Steve Wallis, Eastbourne Borough Council’s spokesperson for tourism, said sorry to his fellow borough councillors and said he was regretful the £5 charge for Airbourne had not worked.
David Tutt had been asked to take responsibility for the decision, which led to a black hole in the council budget of £380,000. But Cllr Tutt was not there to hear the debate on the Conservative motion, having declared a prejudicial interest and left the council chamber. In his absence, Cllr Wallis said sorry but asked people to remember the economic climate surrounding the festival, saying a falling audience for airshows in general and high fuel prices had kept people away.
Cllr Troy Tester, deputy leader of the council, said Cllr Tutt had already apologised on behalf of the council.
But Cllr Colin Belsey, who proposed the motion, said an individual apology was needed, like those made by the chairmen of multinational banks for losing money.
The hundreds of thousands lost had been covered by the council but if not lost, he said, could have been spent on other benefits for the town.
Martin Reeves, a self-employed cab driver, spoke at the meeting. In previous years he had ferried a constant stream of visitors to the free airshow but last year, working over three days, he did just four trips.
Hindsight was a wonderful thing, claimed Liberal Democrat councillor John Harris. He and several other councillors partially blamed the lack of visitors on the decision of Eastbourne MP Nigel Waterson to stand on the seafront telling people not to go.
Cllr Tutt did not apologise again and Cllr Belsey, speaking after the meeting, said, “I was very disappointed that the leader of the council decided to withdraw for this motion. “I suppose sorry really does seem to be the hardest word.”
Posted by Flightline UK on 10/01/2009 under Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
From the Bexhill Observer
TOURISM chiefs have revealed Airbourne will take place this summer — and it will be free.
The four-day airshow will be on August 13 to 16. There had been uncertainty as to whether the air spectacular would take place after last year’s disaster when Eastbourne Borough Council tried to charge spectators to watch displays from a seafront enclosure.
Only a small number of people did pay and the exercise left a £360,000 hole in the council’s budget as well as red faces among tourism chiefs and councillors who made the misguided decision to charge.
Yesterday (Thursday) Eastbourne Borough Council leader David Tutt confirmed Airbourne would take place and appealed to the public to support it.
Admission to the event will be free and a business plan drawn up will look to the event being self financing. It will be underwritten by the council’s contigency budget. But the Liberal Democrat warned if people did not support the various fundraising initiatives like a retiring collection, a question mark would certainly hang over its future.
“We will be meeting the cost from the contingency fund but we can only do that once,” said Councillor Tutt, “and if Airbourne 2009 doesn’t work and isn’t self financing, the following year’s event will be in doubt.”
This week’s announcement marks the end of the uncertainty surrounding the airshow. Earlier this week the council’s Conservatives said they were being kept in the dark over Airbourne. Sandie Howlett, the Tory spokesperson for tourism, said it was high time residents and hoteliers were told whether Airbourne would be taking place.
She said she had already had two conversations — the latest one on Monday afternoon — with tourism boss Norman Kinnish, who told her no firm decision had been made.
Councillor Howlett said, “The controlling LibDems have had ample time to make a decision and have given the impression of dithering over what to do. Council officers need to know — not least so the necessary planes can be definitely booked and with Bournemouth staging a free airshow in August as well, we run the risk of not getting a good display due to indecisiveness. Tourism is a vital part of Eastbourne’s economy and the LibDems have run the risk of spoiling our reputation as a premier resort by not being decisive when they need to be. The recently printed Eastbourne Guide, upon which hoteliers and guest house owners alike advertise, shows Airbourne ‘to be confirmed’. Only recently have other events been confirmed and one has to question, why? In an economic slowdown it is ridiculous that Airbourne and other events are shown as not confirmed which could cause holidaymakers to choose a different resort altogether. As an ex-hotelier I am acutely aware of the value of the guide to attract holidaymakers to Eastbourne. Airbourne itself has been a wonderful part of the events programme and last year’s disastrous decision by the LibDems to charge an entry fee may well yet have sounded the death knell for this fantastic showpiece airshow.”
Posted by Flightline UK on 09/01/2009 under Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
The dates of the World’s biggest FREE seafront airshow have been confirmed as Airbourne is set to return to Eastbourne seafront for four days from 13-16 August 2009.
Taking place for its 17th year in 2009, the seafront airshow regularly attracts a fast and furious mix of fast jets, aerobatics, helicopters, freefall parachutists, and old warbirds plus crowd-pleasing arena attractions.
From visitors meeting and speaking to pilots from across the world to watching adrenaline-fuelled arena displays ranging from the Royal Marines Unarmed Combat to a Jet Pack Man fuelled only by his engine-powered rucksack, Airbourne is renowned for putting on the biggest action-packed show on the south coast.
The Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council, Councillor David Tutt said “I am extremely pleased to announce the dates for this year’s Airbourne. It’s a highlight of Eastbourne’s summer and a favourite with visitors from across the world. Kids love watching the dynamic aerobatics in the skies while visitors return year on year to admire a glorious display from the beautiful setting of Eastbourne seafront.”
Every year, Eastbourne Borough Council work alongside the RAF to put on a dazzling show, which features top flying displays, flight simulators, full size replica aircraft and ground exhibits from the RAF careers team.
The seafront airshow based on the open landscape of the Western Lawns also features 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.
With evening entertainment also scheduled to take place, Airbourne makes the perfect day out for those long summer days; from Bandstand concerts to a breathtaking firework finale on the Sunday night.
The Council are currently working with the local Business Community on Airbourne so that it becomes a self-funding event.
For more information and the latest news airshow enthusiasts can sign up online to become a Friend of Airbourne and receive regular updates to their inbox. Visit www.eastbourneairshow.co.uk or telephone 0871 663 0031.
Posted by Flightline UK on 29/10/2008 under Seaside Shows | Be the First to Comment
From Echo News:-
Southend Airshow is tired and needs a major rethink, local businesses have told Southend Council.
A report to senior councillors by tourism chiefs Anita Thornberry and Scott Dolling suggests such a revamp would lead to next year’s show being scaled down.
The move would tie in with the current thinking at the Civic Centre, which favours a series of smaller events throughout the year, along the lines of this August’s water festival.
The report suggests the new-look airshow should be rechristened the Festival of the Air The report was published the day after it was revealed Maxim’s Casino had dropped its sponsorship for the airshow.
This year’s show was hit hard by poor weather and led the council to ask local businesses about its future. Many said the event had become stale. Other comments included: l The event was too crowded to be enjoyable for visitors l Bad weather meant potential visitors no longer looked forward to the event so much l Low attendances meant local businesses made less money from the airshow l Residents had concerns about rubbish left behind by spectators l There were worries about over the environmental impact of an event which revolved around aircraft.
John Lamb, council deputy leader, said the end of the casino’s sponsorship presented an opportunity to reinvent the town’s events programme as a “Feast of Festivals”.
He added: “We aim to work in partnership with the private sector, the community and others to establish an events working party to help us jointly develop a dynamic events strategy.”
The official report also refers to the fact in the past the council has channelled “a hugely disproportionate resource” into the airshow.
“For two days of the actual event, there are nine months of preparation involved, which include many departments of the council,” it adds.
“Rather than focus on one event of this nature, the council should consider spreading the benefits across the year and across different cultural opportunities.”
Fewer civilian planes should be included in the flying schedule next year, the report suggests, as many visitors find them uninteresting.
Military fast jets, parachute display teams and the Red Arrows would still be a fixture, however.
The Royal Navy could also be invited to get move involved, with warships being docked at the end of the pier when suitable berths are available.
