15th - 18th August 2024
The Chinook is always popular at Airbourne. There will be no full displays of the Chinook in 2024 but there will be some role demos. It will not be known whether there will be a role demo at Airbourne until the Spring
Airbourne always provides a varied flying programme on all four afternoons; Thursday being the quietest but building to a very busy weekend.
There had been concern that the show would not continue unless additional funding was provided. In October 2023 the Council confirmed that the the show, now in its 30th year, would go ahead.
This, the 30th anniversary of Airbourne, is also the 60th anniversary of the Red Arrows who will be back as a nine-ship and sporting their diamond anniversary livery. They will only display on one day - Thursday, which will be their last UK display before jetting off for their Canadian tour.
The RAF are also supporting the show with Typhoon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday as well as the Grob Tutor and on all four days, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will display the Hurricane, Lancaster and Spitfire. On the Saturday and Sunday two more fighters will join them, creating a special five-ship formation.
Additions to the 2024 flying schedule will be added to the table when known.
Airbourne usually ends with a firework finale, based near the Wish Tower.
There is likely to be reserved seating at prime locations: in a grandstand on the Western Lawns and on the Bandstand Balconies, closer to the pier. Check the show's web site for the latest information.
Airbourne Radio online at http://www.radioairbourne.co.uk/, on a smartspeaker and on 87.7 FM, usually provide a commentary, music and interviews throughout the event.
The bucket collections at Airbourne support Local Charities. These charities help with the collections and share 30% of total donations received during the event. The balance of the donations help to keep Airbourne going.
Airbourne is Eastbourne's International air show, held on Eastbourne's seafront from Thursday until Sunday, usually two weeks before the August Bank Holiday weekend. This is a free seaside airshow (an unsuccessful charging experiment in 2008 was not repeated).
Eastbourne has a very long seafront. The aircraft can been seen from the Sovereign Harbour at the eastern extreme through to Beachy Head on the west. The flying line is more or less between the pier and the foot of Beachy Head, centred on an area called the 'Western Lawns'. This is also where the military village and trade stalls are. Look out for the Martello Tower (called the 'Wish Tower') which is on the edge of the Lawns.
Beachy Head is a popular viewing point, especially around the Battle of Britain Memorial opposite the Countryside Centre and pub, from where you can look down upon the aircraft that arrive or depart this way with the sea, possibly the lighthouse, as a backdrop. Be aware that not all aircraft arrive this way so some are only visible at some distance but against the backdrop of Eastbourne, Pevensey Bay and towns further east.
| Aircraft | |
|---|---|
 | Red Arrows (Thursday, 15th only) |
 | Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 (RAF) (Fri 16th - Sun 18th) |
 | Grob Tutor (RAF) |
 | BBMF Lancaster 'PA474 Leader' (all 4 days) flying with a Spitfire and Hurricane on Thursday and Friday and with an additional 2 fighters on Saturday and Sunday - total 5 aircraft formation. |
 | Hawker Hurricane (BBMF) (all 4 days) |
 | Supermarine Spitfire (BBMF) (all 4 days) |
| More displays will be listed here when known | |
Appearances are always subject to technical, weather and other constraints. | |
17th - 20th August 2023
Rich Goodwin
There had been concern that the 2022 show would be the last. The Council said they had to raise £400,000 to keep it going. In October 2022 it was confirmed that the target had been reached and that the 2023 show would go ahead.
The 2023 flying schedule is in the table. There were some very late changes. The wingwalkers were due to display on all four days but it was announced on the Wednesday before the show that they had been cancelled because of international commitments. The Boultbee Academy Spitfire replaced the Wingwalkers on Thursday and the single Strikemaster display was upgraded to a Strikemaster pairs display on Saturday and Sunday.
Another very unusual late addition was a USAF KC-135 'Stratotanker'. It was added to the schedule on Thursday and had been due to open the show on Friday but regrettably had to cancel just as suddenly because of the weather. Although it didn't work out, credit to the show for arranging what would have been a rare treat for a free seaside show.
Weather also affected some displays on Thursday (see the table) and low cloud delayed the start of flying until 16.10 on Friday but displays by the Chinook, Typhoon (reserve grey jet, not Blackjack) and the Tigers Parachute Display Team did go ahead. The Red Arrows were also able to fly the first part of their display before having to abort after about 7 minutes because of poor visibility. Although their display ended early, they were still evident in the area for a while as they burnt off fuel: necessary to reduce their landing weight.
The show benefitted from clear blue skies over the weekend - a rarity at 2023 airshows, many of which have been beset with weather issues. Saturday and Sunday were the best days when most displays went ahead. The Norwegian Air Force Vampire was the exception on Saturday because of a technical issue although it was back on Sunday. The Vampire is displayed in Italian markings in 2023 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Italian Air Force.
There was another bonus on both weekend days when the Typhoon and Lancaster arrived together following the BBMF display and before Brighty performed his display in the Typhoon: again the grey reserve flew on Saturday but BlackJack was back from sick leave and was flown by Brighty in both the joint display with the Lancaster and the subsequent solo display on Sunday.
Overall crowd reaction was positive, with particular acclaim for the Red Arrows and for Rich Goodwin, flying his home-built, jet-augmented Pitts Special.
Some, especially those who tend to visit airshows more frequently, and come mainly or solely for the flying, considered that the displays were quite 'gappy', even on the fair weather days, with long intervals between batches of displays. However, this arrangement suits many visitors, especially those who visit airshows less frequently, and who welcome the opportunity to visit the ground attractions without missing any of the flying.
Airbourne ended with a firework finale, based near the Wish Tower, starting at 9 p.m. on Sunday 20th August.
Again in 2023, Airbourne offered reserved seating at prime locations: in a grandstand on the Western Lawns and on the Bandstand Balconies, closer to the pier.
Airbourne Radio online at http://www.radioairbourne.co.uk/, on a smartspeaker and on 87.7 FM, provided commentary, music and interviews throughout the event.
Anyone who couldn't get to the seaside was able to watch a live stream provided by AeroViewTV. The stream remained available on YouTube.
The quality of the camera work and editing was very questionable but the stream did give an idea what was happening.
Some other videos by enthusiasts on You Tube are better quality but tend to focus on single displays and are generally not live.
The bucket collections at Airbourne supported the Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance, The Salvation Army and Eastbourne Dementia Action Alliance. These charities help with the collections and share 30% of total donations received during the event.
| Aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Although the show has already happened, anyone planning to come to a future show might like to check the aircraft listed here because, although the exact list will change from year to year, it may offer an idea of the kind of show to expect at this venue. | |
| Red Arrows (due all 4 days but cancelled on Thursday for technical reasons. Partial display on Friday) |
| Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 (RAF) (Fri, Sat, Sun) |
| BBMF Lancaster 'PA474 Leader' (due all 4 days but cancelled Friday due to weather) |
 | BBMF Supermarine Spitfire (all 4 days but cancelled Friday due to weather) |
| BBMF Hawker Hurricane (all 4 days but cancelled Friday due to weather) |
 | Chinook (RAF) (Fri 18th only. Display abbreviated because of a technical problem affecting one of the engines) |
| Grob Tutor (RAF) (due all 4 days but cancelled Friday due to weather) |
| Team Raven (due all 4 days but cancelled Friday due to weather) | |
 | Aerosuperbatics Wingwalkers CANCELLED because of an engagement abroad |
| Strikemasters (NOW A PAIR) (Sat & Sun) | |
 | Tigers Parachute Display Team (due all 4 days but did not display on Thursday because of wind) |
 | Vickers Supermarine Spitfire PRXIX PS853 G-RRGN: Rolls Royce Heritage Flight (due all 4 days but cancelled Friday due to weather) |
 | North American P-51D Mustang: Rolls Royce Heritage Flight (due all 4 days but cancelled Friday due to weather) |
 | Richard Goodwin, Jet Pitts S2S (Sat & Sun) |
 | de Havilland DH.100 Vampire (Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron) (due Sat & Sun but cancelled on Saturday because of a servicing issue) |
 | Slingsby T67M Mk2 Firefly G-BNSR (due all 4 days but cancelled Friday because of visibility) |
 | Hawker Fury FB.II G-CBEL 'SR661' (Painted as Sea Fury Prototype) (Fighter Aviation Engineering) (due all 4 days but cancelled Friday because of visibility) |
 | Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX G-BRSF 'RR232' 'City of Exeter': Boultbee Flight Academy (LATE ADDITION. THURSDAY ONLY) |
 | Boeing C-135FR Stratotanker (LATE ADDITION. FRIDAY ONLY. CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER) |
Appearances are always subject to technical, weather and other constraints. | |
The Red Arrows 'Jubilee Present' on Thursday
Following an enforced break caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Airbourne was back in 2022 to welcome the biggest crowds since the Avro Vulcan displayed in 2015. Even the unfortunately-timed rail strike couldn't stop the fans descending on Eastbourne's picturesque seafront.
The 2022 flying display list got off to the best possible start when the show announced in the spring that the Red Arrows would display on all four days. The Arrows were reduced from the normal nine aircraft to seven for the 2022 season and flew a slightly shorter display but the crowds were as pleased as ever to see the national team fly both their formation and dynamic routines over the channel. These included the most popular 'Tornado' and the new-for-2022 'Jubilee Present', forming a red, white and blue trail across the horizon.
The Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight were also scheduled every day, although the Lancaster had to miss the display on Sunday because of a bird strike before its arrival and the Hurricane missed the last three days because it had to return to base for maintenance. The RAF Typhoon Team did honour their schedule, displaying on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, albeit with a change of aircraft to the standard livery ZJ942 on Friday and Sunday because the Union Flag liveried 'Blackjack' needed attention.
The Chinook also joined the RAF's impressive contribution to the show, although a technical problem with the aircraft prevented a display on Thursday and Friday. This was fixed for the rest of the weekend. Airbourne was one of only ten venues to get the Chinook helicopter display team in 2022 and one of just a few where the Chinook was escorted onto the display line by The Blades, who then performed a break, leading into their display, whilst the Chinook held off over the horizon until it was time for theirs. The formation arrival was to recognise the RAF Benevolent Fund, which supports both teams.
The most surprising and eagerly awaited display amongst airshow buffs would have been the Hawker Tempest. Unfortunately, the Tempest was not ready in time for the show. Hawker Tempest Mk II MW763 (G-TEMT) has been undergoing renovation by Anglia Aircraft Restorations and had yet to display anywhere, but Anglia Aircraft Restorations and Eastbourne were hopeful that it would be ready by mid-August. Evidently it was not to be.
A message in Airbourne's publicity suggested that the Thunderbolt would fly instead, and that it would arrive in formation with the Hawker Fury. Again, this did not happen.
Hawker Fury
RAF Puma
RAF Typhoon and BBMF Spitfire 'Synchro'
Another major disappointment was the cancellation, announced on the Sunday before the show, of the Belgian F-16. Some issues were dealt with but efforts to resolve a remaining problem were unsuccessful, so the cancellation of the display was confirmed.
The Belgian F-16 has been popular at earlier Airbourne airshows, so the organisers are probably aware of the requirements of the aircraft and its team but clearly, although the booking appeared to have been made long enough in advance for the logistics to be sorted out, something went wrong this time.
In addition to the cancellations and unexplained 'no-show', a few technical issues reduced the number and size of some of the other displays. Unusually, one of the Being Stearman aircraft of the Aerosuperbatics Wingwalker Team also missed the first two days, resulting in a solo on Thursday and Friday, but both were in the air for the weekend. Even Richard Goodwin's blue G-JPIT suffered a malfunction on Saturday, causing his display to be curtailed, but thankfully he was able to return to stun the crowds with his mind-blowing aerobatics on Sunday in the Union flag decorated G-EWIZ. The Rolls Royce Heritage Trust's Spitfire didn't escape either, falling foul of the dreaded gremlins on Friday and Saturday but it did display on the third of its scheduled three days on Sunday.
It was the weather, rather than a technical problem, that prevented a display by the 'Tigers' Army Parachute Display Team on Friday but they did complete their spectacular drops onto the beach on the other three show days, joined by some members of the Royal Logistics Corps Silver Stars. The Tigers' descents included traditional solo drops with some massive flags, tandem drops and 'TRI-Bi-Side' demonstrations (three members of the team linked side-by-side until a last-moment break to land individually).
This does seem like a long list of omissions from the schedule but most were caused by technical issues that can happen at any airshow and that can neither be predicted nor prevented, especially when many of the aircraft are older than most of the spectators. However, problems affecting the two displays most eagerly awaited by enthusiasts: the very early, somewhat optimistic and widely promoted debut of the Tempest, and the 'logistical' problems that prevented the display of the F-16, may be more difficult to explain.
Thankfully, the schedule had a lot more to offer and delivered on the promise of a spectacular return for Airbourne.
As well as the disappointments there were some special treats and Airbourne debuts. At the top of the 'treats' list must come a special single flypast by an RAF Puma HC.2, on its way to a deployment away from its base at RAF Benson. Amongst the debuts none was more welcome than the Hawker Fury FB.11 from Ultimate Warbirds, albeit without the once-anticipated Hawker Tempest or replacement partner, the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt. Andy Durston pushed the Fury through a vigorous routine, the impact increased even more because of its greater size and louder engine noise than most of the near-contemporaries more frequently seen at Eastbourne and other seaside airshows.
Less unusual, but no less welcome, were the North American P-51D Mustang, owned by the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, but flown as part of the Rolls Royce Heritage Flight, and the same Flight's Mk PR XIX Spitfire: regrettably not as a pair but in separate routines.
Another Spitfire display had a special local interest. The 'NHS Spitfire', Aircraft Restoration Company's Mk XI PL983, was privately sponsored and was flown by the owning company's founder and director, John Romain MBE, in memory of Clive Lambert-Beeson, an Airbourne volunteer and friend of the show, who had died in 2021. The 'NHS Spitfire' toured the country during the pandemic, overflying hospitals as a tribute and with gratitude to NHS staff.
Rod Dean in Slingsby T67M Firefly
A Spitfire display with a difference was provided by the BBMF when their Spitfire Mk IIa P7350 performed a flypast with the RAF Typhoon before the Typhoon's solo display. This 'synchro' formation has only been flown at a few airshows in 2022 and, as a bonus, Airbourne saw two varieties: with the reserve grey Typhoon when the prime display Typhoon was grounded on Friday and with 'Blackjack' on Saturday.
The age gap between the warbirds and the Typhoon was bridged by two classic jets. The BAC Strikemaster MK.82a based in North Wales, flown by Ian Brett, and the Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron's Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI. This used to fly in Russian colours but as that would be inappropriate in contemporary circumstances, it wore USAF scheme, representing a MiG-15 of the People's Republic of North Korea captured by the Americans when its pilot Kom Suk No defected.
Away from the warbirds and cold war jet, a much calmer mood accompanied the impeccable display by Rod Dean, a widely-experienced pilot celebrating 50 years at the controls of a huge variety of display aircraft. He has been a Hawker Hunter display pilot and has flown a range of warbirds, classic jets and other aircraft at airshows over that time. His mount on all four days at Airbourne was a more sedate Slingsby T67M Firefly.
Pipistrel Velis Electro Chinook
There are always plenty of things to look at on the 'Western Lawns', in the centre of the flying line. The attractions are generally dominated by military exhibitions and recruiting stands but one private aircraft stood out from the norm.
The world’s first certified electric aircraft, the Pipistrel Velis Electro, was on view in the STEM (Science, Technology, Electronics and Maths) zone, where Essex-based Fly About Aviation, who distribute the aircraft, and NEBOAir were keen to share its credentials and local training opportunities, including learning to fly and to qualify for a Private Pilots Licence in it.
Amongst the military exhibits, the enduring favourite is always the chance to see inside a Chinook helicopter, which generated eager queues throughout the day.
Yes, there were a few hiccoughs at Airbourne 2022 but the show can usually be depended upon to provide a full a varied flying display over the weekend that keeps close to its billing. The Airbourne machine will be well-oiled for 2023 and will, no doubt, provide its usual mix of spectacle, excitement and nostalgia. Who knows, there may even be a Hawker Tempest and Belgian F-16.
The full 2022 flying list is in the table.
Click for more and bigger photos of Airbourne 2022
If you think this review is not balanced, or that a point has been missed, or even if you agree with it, do get in touch to let us know.
Carbon footprints, energy efficiency and sustainability are in focus at airshows nationwide. The organisers at Airbourne are keen to continue to work to meet the eco-friendly aspirations of local residents and airshow fans. Efforts at Airbourne 2022 included the use of reclaimed cooking oils for generators deployed at the event and electric vehicles for crew transport.
One of the innovations for Airbourne 2022 was the introduction of a grandstand at the western end of Western Lawns - the grassed area that houses the military and commercial stands. The attraction was that a reserved seat would be available for the whole of the day, so spectators could come and go and always have a seat to come back to. The theory was attractive and the seats sold out in advance. However there were some practical issues for enthusiasts.
Grandstands at airshows are normally as close as they can reasonably be to the crowd line. This pair of grandstands were set back a fair way so vision, especially to the east - towards the pier - was very limited. In practice, spectators were not able to see the whole of the flight line. The vision issue was aggravated by vertical pillars that held up the roof, which further interrupted sight of the displays, especially for anyone wanting to take video or 'pan' along the path of the aircraft with a camera.
Grandstands can be a money-spinner: all-important for any show, especially free-to-attend shows that are strapped for cash. But it will be interesting to see how many of the 2022 grandstand seat buyers return in 2023 if the facility is available again, or whether there can be a tweak to make the facility less problematic.
The charities supported in 2022 were the Eastbourne & District Samaritans, Children with Cancer Fund and Eastbourne's RNLI Station.
Airbourne Radio was live throughout the weekend, online at http://www.radioairbourne.co.uk/ and on 87.7 FM, providing commentary, music and interviews.
Red Arrows 'Tornado'
| Aircraft scheduled to fly in 2022 | |
|---|---|
| Red Arrows (all 4 days). | |
| BBMF Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane (all 4 days). (There was no Hurricane on Friday, Saturday or Sunday because it returned to base for maintenance and no Lancaster on Sunday because of a bird strike). | |
| Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF) (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) ('Black Jack' flew on Saturday. The reserve, grey, Typhoon flew on Friday and Sunday) | |
| Chinook (RAF). (Listed as all 4 days but a technical problem caused cancellation on Thursday & Friday) | |
| The Blades (Fri, Sat, Sun) | |
 | Aerosuperbatics Wingwalkers (all four days). (Listed as a pair but a technical problem with one Stearman resulted in a solo display on Thursday & Friday) |
| Mig-15 (Saturday and Sunday). | |
| Strikemaster Mk82A (all 4 days) | |
| Tigers Parachute Display Team (due all 4 days but weather prevented a display on Friday). | |
 | Richard Goodwin, Jet Pitts S2S (Sat, Sun). (There was a problem with G-JPIT on Saturday, which curtailed the display. On Sunday Rich flew G-EWIZ) |
| Vickers Supermarine Spitfire X1X PS853 G-RRGN: Rolls Royce Heritage Trust (due Fri, Sat, Sun but a technical problem prevented display on Friday & Saturday) | |
| P-51D Mustang: Rolls Royce Heritage Trust (Sat, Sun) | |
| Slingsby T67 Firefly (all 4 days) | |
| Supermarine Spitfire Mk X1 G-PRXI 'PL983' (ARCo) (Saturday only) | |
| Puma HC2 (Flypast, Sunday only) | |
| Hawker Fury FB.II G-CBEL (Painted as Sea Fury Prototype) (Fri, Sat, Sun) | |
| Cancelled | |
| F-16AM (Belgian Air Force) (was all 4 days). Some issues were resolved but not all. | |
| Hawker Tempest II (Anglia Aircraft Restorations). Not airshow ready yet. | |
 | Republic P47D Thunderbolt 'Nellie B'. Was to have replaced the Tempest. But didn't. |
Appearances are always subject to technical, weather and other constraints. | |
15th - 18th August 2019
The Breitling Jet Team at Airbourne on Thursday
Airbourne was off to a great start on Thursday with an excellent flying programme under blue skies.
Thursday is usually the quiet day and, true to form, the programme was certainly not as full as it became for the rest of the week. Nevertheless, the Breitling Jet Team led a star cast for the first of the four days of flying at the Sussex resort.
The show usually includes three or four daily performances by the Red Arrows but in 2019 the team are on a tour of the USA and Canada for nine weeks in August and September so are not available for Eastbourne's Airbourne. The Breitling Jet Team's six L-39 Albatros jet trainers made excellent alternatives. Coming in as a finale to the programme on most days, they gave an impeccable performance, ending with a release of fireworks.
The weather at Coningsby prevented the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight leaving their base to fly to the show on Thursday or Friday. Technical problems meant that the Tucano and the Sea Fury didn't come either on Thursday; poor weather between its Duxford base and the show kept the Sea Fury away on Friday and technical problems again kept it away on Saturday. Nevertheless, in spite of the unfriendly weather, all other displays on the programme went ahead on Thursday and Friday and everything except the Tigers and the Sea Fury flew as expected on Saturday.
Despite the rather windy conditions, the Tigers Parachute Display Team did display on Thursday in gusts that must have been close to their permitted limits. Not only did four of the team make successful jumps and landings in the sea but two team members even made a tandem descent, releasing their tie only feet above the sea. On Friday three members made solo jumps in what appeared to be even trickier conditions. Two made safe, controlled landings into the sea but it is already known that the third made a heavy landing slightly to the west of the landing zone. He is reported to have walked away afterwards and only to have suffered grazes and scratches.
The Blades and The Wingwalkers, too, braved the winds on Thursday and Friday to make excellent performances in what must have been very bumpy rides.
On Saturday the Tigers were unable to jump and the Sea Fury was again cancelled for technical reasons but all other displays went ahead in much more favourable conditions than on the previous two days. Sunday was probably the best day of all, with a full flying programme, including the Sea Fury, which had been kept away on the previous three days, and all under virtually clear, blue skies.
Everyone loves the Chinook display but not everyone gets to see it, as the number of venues is limited each year. In 2019 Eastbourne's Airbourne is one of only thirteen locations where the Chinook display was enjoyed this season and the team were there to thrill the crowds not just once but twice over the two weekend days.
The RAF have arranged excellent participation, as always. Joining the Chinook is the very popular, and very noisy, Eurofighter Typhoon and two trainers, the Tutor and the Tucano, both back on the display circuit this year after a short break.
As well as these current RAF aircraft, the show featured local favourites the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, who this year displayed their Spitfire, Hurricane, Dakota and Lancaster.
Tigers at Airbourne on a gusty Thursday
There were fireworks from the beach near the Western Lawns Sunday from 9.30, following a display by the Fireflies at 8.20 p.m.
| Aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Chinook (RAF) (Sat & Sun) | |
| Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF) (Fri, Sat, Sun) | |
 | Breitling Jet Team (all 4 days) |
| Dakota (BBMF) (Sat & Sun) (Weather cancellation on Thurs & Fri.) | |
| BBMF Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane (Sat & Sun) (Weather cancellation on Thurs & Fri.) | |
| Grob Tutor (RAF)(Sat & Sun) | |
 | RAF Tucano. (Due all 4 days but cancelled Thursday) |
| P51 Mustang 'Miss Helen' (Thurs & Fri) | |
| Mig-15 (Sat & Sun) Flew with T-33 and solo | |
 | T-33 Silver Star (Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron) (Sat & Sun) Flew with MiG-15 and solo |
| Richard Goodwin (Sat & Sun) | |
 | Hawker Sea Fury T.20 (Norwegian Spitfire Foundation) displayed Sunday (due all 4 days but cancelled because of a technical issue on Thursday & Saturday and weather en route on Friday) |
| Strikemaster solo (Thurs & Fri). Strikemaster pair, G-SOAF and G-RSAF (Sat & Sun) | |
| Republic P47 Thunderbolt 'Nellie' (Ultimate Warbirds) * |
| North American P-51D Mustang 'Contrary Mary' (formerly 'Miss Velma') G-TFSI (Ultimate Warbirds / Anglia Aircraft Restorations) * | |
 | Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc G-IBSY 'EE602' (Anglia Restorations) * |
| Hispano HA-1112-M4L Buchón, (Ultimate Warbirds / Air Leasing) * | |
| Gazelle Squadron Helicopter pair (Sat & Sun) | |
| The Blades (all 4 days) | |
| Tigers Parachute Display Team (Thurs, Fri and Sun. Sat cancelled) | |
| * The four Ultimate Warbirds aircraft flew together and as pairs. | |
A criticism of some seaside shows is that they can be a little 'sameish'. Not so at Eastbourne, where Airbourne is renowned for innovation. This year no fewer than six teams displayed at Eastbourne for the first time. These were the Breitling Jet Team, the Norwegian Spitfire Foundation's Sea Fury, the T-33 'Silver Star', a pair of Gazelles from the Gazelle Squadron, four classic warbirds from Ultimate Warbirds, and the Strikemaster pair.
The Breitling Jet Team are the largest professional civilian jet team in the world, flying seven Czech-built L-39C Albatros aircraft, a type usually flown as twin-seater military training jets although they can also be used for passenger flights. The Breitling Jet Team will display at six UK shows in 2019, only three of which are free seaside shows.
Although Mark Petrie has flown his Strikemaster as a solo at Airbourne before, and he has also flown as a pair with a Jet Provost, 2019 was the first time he displayed as a pair with a second Strikemaster, which comes from the same base at Harwarden. Helicopters are popular at Eastbourne. The Chinook and the Belgian A109 are two that impressed last year. This year the Gazelle Squadron brought a pair of their Gazelles for synchronised rotary action along the seafront. Warbirds were there is strength, too. Not only the BBMF and Mustang 'Miss Helen', but also the foursome from Ultimate Warbirds, new as a quartet not only to Airbourne but to the whole UK airshow circuit this year.
Many enthusiasts are saddened that vintage jets seem to have become rarer on the airshow circuit. Eastbourne had jets-a-plenty with the T-33 'Silver Star' from the Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron joining a popular return by the MiG-15.
Add to these the incomparable Richard Goodwin, with his totally bonkers display, testing himself and his Super Pitts 'Muscle Biplane' to the limit, and it is clear why Airbourne is a seaside airshow not to be missed.
Rain didn't stop play at Eastbourne
Red Arrows arrival over Eastbourne pier
Eastbourne's Airbourne is one of the longest-running and most popular seaside airshows, now well into its third decade. Its location on the south coast, under the downs and just east of the cliffs at Beachy Head, makes it vulnerable to sea mists and local weather variations, so it can become a victim of the elements, but the team never fails to produce the best show they can in the conditions.
The flying on Thursday, the first day of this four-day airshow, is frequently victim to one weather feature or another but the rest of the weekend generally enjoys weather that is more typical of this 'suntrap of the south'. 2018 was to be the exception, with both Thursday and Sunday suffering from visibility problems, either at the resort itself or between the show and the local base of the display aircraft, causing more cancellations and curtailed displays than Airbourne normally suffers.
| Aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Red Arrows (Friday 3 p.m.; Saturday 4 p.m. (changed to 4.30 p.m.); Sunday due at 12.30 p.m. but cancelled) | |
| Typhoon (due all 4 days but cancelled Sunday) | |
| Chinook (Thurs (shortened display) & Fri) | |
| BBMF Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane (due all 4 days but cancelled on Thursday & Sunday) | |
| Grob Tutor (RAF) (Sat. Also due Sun but cancelled) | |
| A109 (Belgian Air Force) (all 4 days) | |
| Aerosuperbatics Wingwalkers (due all 4 days but cancelled Thursday) | |
| Supermarine Spitfire (Boultbee Academy) (due all 4 days but cancelled Thursday & Sunday) | |
| P-51D Mustang 'Miss Helen'(Boultbee Academy) (Fri. Also due Thurs but cancelled) | |
| P-51D Mustang 'The Shark' (Norwegian Spitfire Foundation) (Sat. Also due Sun but cancelled) | |
| Strikemaster G-SOAF (solo) (due all 4 days but cancelled Thursday) | |
| Richard Goodwin (Pitts Special) (Sat & Sun) | |
| Bristol Blenheim (Sat. Also due Sun but cancelled) | |
| MiG-15 (Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron) (Sat. Also due Sun but had a technical problem.) | |
| Vampires (Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron) (Sat & Sun) (FB.52 had a technical problem on Saturday and was cancelled. No display Sunday.) | |
| Fireflies Daytime display (Sat. Also due Sunday but cancelled) | |
| Autogyro (due all 4 days but cancelled Thursday and Sunday) | |
| Blades (due all 4 days but cancelled Thurs and Sun) | |
| Tigers Parachute Display Team (due all 4 days but cancelled Thurs and Sun.) | |
| Sunday Dusk Display from about 8.20 p.m. | |
| Fireflies with LEDS and Fireworks: cancelled | |
| Otto the helicopter: started but abandoned | |
Although this is a huge pity for the massive number of spectators; for the local authority and especially the organisers, who put a huge amount of time and effort into producing a top-class show, it can also provide opportunities for some unusual photos for enthusiasts seeking an alternative to the blue-sky pictures.
Strikemaster over the pier
RAF Chinook in RAF 100 livery, full display on Friday
Red Arrows on Saturday
Belgian A109 emerging from the mist on Sunday.
Wingwalkers braved the conditions on Sunday
Richard Goodwin
Unfortunately, due to the poor weather, Thursday's flying was limited to the Chinook, the Belgian A109 and the Typhoon. Brighter conditions and blue skies returned on Friday and, although Saturday was cloudy, there were full afternoons of flying on Friday and Saturday; the exception being the Vampire FB.52 which cancelled because of a technical problem.
On Sunday flying was due to start with the Red Arrows at 12.30 but the weather prevented them and most of the other teams from displaying. In the event, only the Belgian A109, the Strikemaster, Richard Goodwin and the Wingwalkers made it to the display line.
In the evening Otto tried but had to give up and the Fireflies also cancelled although the ground-based fireworks went ahead at 10 p.m.
As always at Airbourne, there were trade, charity and activity stands on a green area at the centre of the display line known as the Western Lawns.
The services are always well represented here, publicising and, hopefully, recruiting at this showpiece for the armed forces. Amongst the exhibitors from the Royal Air Force and Army this year were Bomb Disposal, Royal Engineers, Household Cavalry and the Army Air Corps.
There was free music on the famous Eastbourne Bandstand on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and the following movies were shown on a big screen after the flying each day.
Despite the weather there was plenty of flying, especially on Friday and Saturday. The Red Arrows headlined the airshow with displays due on three of the four days. Although Sunday's proposed appearance was one of the cancellations, the team did provide always-popular displays on Friday and Saturday, celebrating the centenary of the RAF on Friday, as they have done at several venues throughout 2018, by scribing '100' in smoke across the sky following their display and before their return to base.
There were inevitably other weather cancellations (see the box below) but on the positive side Flt Lt Jim Peterson was able to wake up Eastbourne and surrounding areas when he brought on the noise in the Eurofighter Typhoon every day except Sunday and Flt Lt Stu Kynaston and team brought the familiar wokka-wokka sound of the dual rotor Chinook helicopter to the shoreline on both of his scheduled two opening days of the show.
The aircraft of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight have a special place in the memories of local residents, many of whom, even to this day, still recall seeing Lancasters and their fighter escorts leaving the UK over Beachy Head, some never to return. Residents and visitors had the chance to see the Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane from the Flight on Friday and Saturday, to wave at the aircraft and their pilots, as they often do, and silently to thank both the airmen who went before and those who now keep the treasured aircraft flying today.
More warbirds flew in the same airspace as their wartime predecessors when the Norwegian Spitfire Foundation’s Mustang 'The Shark', Boultbee Academy's Mk IX Spitfire 'RR232', Mustang “Miss Helen” and the Aircraft Restoration Company's Bristol Blenheim made popular returns to Eastbourne, the latter flown by John Romain, the company's chief pilot and himself no stranger to Airbourne airshows.
Even when the weather was at its trickiest it provided an opportunity for some teams to show how resilient airshows can be. On Thursday the Chinook emerged from the haze to delight the crowds with one of the airshow circuit's favourite displays - although the weather did force it to be shortened - and on Sunday the Belgian A109 helicopter, making its Airbourne debut, did much the same thing, appearing through the weather and even managing an air-sea rescue demonstration with the local lifeboat. Perhaps most credit-worthy of all, when the heavy metal couldn't make it through, the Breitling Wingwalkers arrived on their Boeing Stearman braving the conditions to provide their family-oriented wing-borne gyrations.
Many spectators came to remember times when some of the very same aircraft flew in anger or in defence of the country. Some came to admire the skills of today's pilots of these aircraft and their more modern equivalents. Some simply came for one of the best, free, days out. Whatever their reasons, hundreds of thousands of visitors came to the airshow and their motives will have been satisfied. The organisers have already announced the dates of the Airbourne 2019 so, whether you came in 2018 or not, you can already put 15th - 18th August in your diary to make sure you don't miss Airbourne 2019.
Silver Anniversary with several gold nuggets
Belgian F-16
Eastbourne's International Airshow, known as Airbourne, has been a regular feature in the calendar of the town and of the airshow world since 1992. The show has an enviable reputation for attracting first class, occasionally unique, displays and for providing one of the best backdrops on the circuit, with Beachy Head to the west and arguably the most attractive pier in the country on the eastern edge of the display line. Every show here is special but this year was its 25th and some anniversary treats were lined up.
The Red Arrows are perennial Airbourne favourites but their top spot was shared in 2017 with two very different displays: the Belgian Air Force F-16 and Rich Goodwin in his highly modified Pitts S-2S Special: the 'Muscle Biplane'.
The F-16 was originally to have displayed at Airbourne just once. This was one of only six UK airshows for the Belgian F-16 'Flying Falcon' in 2017, so already the F-16 display would have been something special: but days before the show the organisers announced that it would fly on all of Airbourne's four days. In fact, it came for a look at the display line and a mini practice on Wednesday, too, so some lucky visitors will have seen it five times. Despite changeable weather conditions over the long weekend, pilot Tom 'Gizmo' De Moortel, who is in his third of a three-year tour as demonstration pilot for the Belgian Air Force F-16, was able to complete all four scheduled displays, earning the town's customary accolade for this Eastbourne favourite. The spectacle was enhanced considerably by the frequent use of flares, which is only allowed when the display is over the sea, with an especially large flare release towards the displays' finale.
Eastbourne debut for the Strikemaster
Stunning performance by Rich Goodwin at Airbourne
Hispano Buchón, star of the film 'Dunkirk'
Belgian F-16
Red Arrows at Airbourne 2017
Peter Davies flying the Autogyro over Eastbourne pier
Sea crossing. Wingwalkers over the Channel
This was Rich Goodwin's Airbourne debut and he left a lasting impression. His first outing was on Saturday, immediately after the clearance of rain which had brought a premature end to the display of the MiG-15. With clouds still lingering, Richard's entrance was his hallmark knife-edge pass from the Beachy Head end of the display line, from which he fired into his typically energetic display, taking up a surprising amount of the sky especially bearing in mind the still-limited visibility. On Sunday his reprise was even more spectacular. In clearer skies he entered the display with a corkscrew from height, managing no fewer than 15 spirals before breaking out for eleven minutes of mind-blowing punishment for his plane, throwing the Pitts around the sky like a leaf in a hurricane.
Contrasting with Rich Goodwin's vigorous display, the energy of the Twisters is directed to precision and grace. The team of Peter Wells and Chris Burkett flew a typically flowing display in their Silence SA1100 Twisters, managing to hold their close formations despite very bumpy conditions. Team Raven, too, offered a variation on the light aircraft aerobatics theme, appearing to dominate more of the sky than expected from the size of their six Vans RV4 and RV8 aircraft.
The Lancaster would normally be a huge favourite of the local crowd at Airbourne, many of whom still remember the wartime sorties that began with aircraft overflying Beachy Head towards France - a journey from which some would never return. Unfortunately, an issue with the BBMF's Merlin engines had been discovered a few days before the show and all displays by the Lancaster and other BBMF Merlin-engined aircraft had been paused. Happily, it was possible to replace the intended displays by the BBMF trio of Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfire with a solo display of the Mk XlX Spitfire on the three last days of the show, when the BBMF 'Boss', Sqn Ldr Millikin, put the Griffon-engined aircraft through its paces.
Richard Goodwin's opener on Sunday
Another last minute addition to the flying, and substitute for the absent Lancaster, was B-17G 'Sally B', who made an impression at Airbourne 2016 and was back to do it again this year. Originally Sally B had been slated to appear on both of the weekend days. Although the Sunday display never happened it was good to see an alternative heavy bomber emerge from the distance over Bexhill and circling once more over the sea at Eastbourne.
The Red Arrows displayed on the last three of the four days. Flying at Red 2 was local pilot Flt Lt Toby Keeley. This is his first of a probable three years with the Red Arrows and was his first 'home' display with them, although in 2015 he displayed here as one of the Hawk T2 Role Demo team. As well as the BBMF and the Red Arrows, the RAF also treated Eastbourne to the ever-popular RAF Typhoon on three days and a Chinook display on Sunday. This is one of only eleven public shows where the Chinook was seen in 2017, so it was something of a coup for Airbourne.
Film fans will know that blockbuster "Dunkirk" was released not long before Airbourne. Some films that document war-time events use animation to represent WW2 aircraft. Not Dunkirk. In Dunkirk there are real planes flying real sequences and one of them, the Hispano Buchón, representing a German Messerschmitt, displayed at Airbourne. This is not first film role of the Buchón, which was also flown in the 1968 production of "Battle of Britain" and the 2008 film "Valkyrie" starring Tom Cruise.
Airbourne is good at introducing new displays. As well as Rich Goodwin, this year was also the first for Mark Petrie's Strikemaster and Peter Davies' Autogyro. The autogyro is a diminutive aircraft that can be hard to see at some displays. However, because of its low power, the rules allow Peter to bring it much closer to the display line than other aircraft and he took full advantage, flying over the pier and close to the crowd for a good distance beyond the pier in both directions and fascinating the crowds with the manoeuvrability of the Rotorcraft gyrocopter.
Another F-16 bonus at Airbourne was that there were actually three different aircraft involved in the displays. The "Blizzard" design F-16, which is the principal demonstration aircraft, flew on Thursday, but the team had to go back to Belgium before Friday's Airbourne because of a "technical / logistical problem".
On Friday, two replacement aircraft arrived as a pair and made one pass along the display line before the wingman continued along the coast towards Beachy Head and Gizmo broke off to display in FA-124. On Saturday FA-134 became the display aircraft.
The type of Spitfire that displayed at Airbourne, a PR (Photo Reconnaissance) Mk XlX, holds the world height record for a piston-engined aircraft. The BBMF Spitfire that displayed is painted to represent one flown by Flight Lieutenant Ted Powles, who took his Spitfire PR XIX to 51,550ft in February 1952, a record that has held for over 65 years.
The Strikemaster was another stand-out display, both for the elegance of the plane and the exquisite flying of Mark Petrie. Another jet, the MiG-15 from the Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron reprised its popular 2016 display on Saturday and Sunday, although the weather forced a curtailment on Saturday when impossible visibility forced the display to be abandoned after a couple of passes.
Until then, the weather had been reasonably kind to Airbourne, with none of the sea mist that has sometimes caused display cancellations in previous years and winds less strong than in 2016. The mostly dry and fair conditions enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people on the promenade and the beaches, broke just that once when the heavy showers that had been seen on the horizon and over the hills earlier in the day decided to pay the coastline a visit. When daytime flying had finished on Sunday the rain returned, but provided an interlude just in time for the spectacular evening flying displays with lighting and fireworks on the aircraft of AeroSPARX and the Fireflies.
The Western Lawns, in the centre of the flying display line, were crowded as always, not only with traders but also with military stands from all the armed forces whose personnel could answer any questions from budding candidates. And visitors didn't just have the chance to chat: they could climb a wall, check inside a replica Chinook or see what they look like in an RAF uniform. Airbourne has always provided an excellent opportunity for the forces to engage with the public and for the public to become enthused by what the forces have to offer: local lad and former Park College student Toby Keeley, now Flight Lieutenant Toby Keeley, who was to become the Hawk T2 Role Demo pilot in 2015 and the new Red 2 in 2017 is proof of that.
The usual firework finale was held at 10 p.m. on Sunday, on the sea side of the Western lawns. The same lawns had earlier been the venue for military, charity and civilian stands, a hotspot for the military of all kinds to enlighten an audience eager to learn about life in the services.
Nearby, hit films, Moana, Paddington, Planes 2: Fire & Rescue and The Jungle Book were shown on a huge screen, free of any charge, after the last flying display, and around the coastline there was entertainment ranging from inflatables on the beach to the Glenn Miller Orchestra at the Winter Gardens.
| Aircraft | ||
|---|---|---|
| Red Arrows | Friday 1500 Saturday noon Sunday noon | |
| Typhoon | Fri, Sat, Sun | |
| Chinook | Sun only | |
| BBMF Spitfire Mk XlX with Griffon engine, unaffected by Merlin engine investigation | Fri, Sat, Sun | |
| Belgian F-16 | All four days | |
| Blades | All four days | |
| Richard Goodwin | Sat & Sun | |
| Strikemaster | All four days | |
| Team Raven | All four days. Provisional times: Thursday 1541 Friday 1330 Saturday 1246 Sunday 1334 | |
| MiG-15 | Sat & Sun | |
| P-51D Mustang | All four days | |
| Spitfire Mk 1X RR232 (Boultbee Academy) | Sat & Sun | |
| Wingwalkers | All four days | |
| Hurricane 'Hurribomber' (Hangar 11) | Sat & Sun | |
| Fireflies Daytime display | Sat & Sun | |
| Fireflies Dusk display | Sunday only | |
| Twisters Dusk Display | Sunday only | |
| Hispano Buchón | Sat & Sun | |
| Catalina | Sat & Sun | |
| B-17G 'Sally B' | Sat | |
| Tigers Parachute Display Team | All four days | |
| Autogyro | Thurs & Fri | |
| Scout " Beaver (Army Historic Aircraft Flight) | Thurs, Fri, Sun (Beaver did not fly on Thursday or Friday. Neither flew Sunday.) | |
| Cancelled or Withdrawn | ||
| Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster and Hurricane (Merlin engine issue being investigated) | ||
| Swordfish. Unserviceable for the whole of 2017 season. (Originally scheduled by Fly Navy, but never confirmed by Airbourne). | ||
| North American B-25. Unserviceable | ||
| Sioux (Army Historic Aircraft Flight - replaced in the schedule by Beaver, but in practice it didn't display either) | ||
Unfortunately the flying line has remained rather distant for most aircraft. This is no fault of the organisers, who are bound by the safety rules, but it is noticeable that most of the displays are further from the crowd than at some aerodrome shows.
It would be good to see a little of the combination flying that Airbourne has managed in the past. At some seaside shows, Rich Goodwin and the Strikemaster have made a joint pass, for example. Sally B and a Mustang were both on the programme, flying separately. A pass with Sally B accompanied by at least one Mustang, recreating the roles played in wartime, which has also been featured elsewhere, would also be good, and although there was a Spitfire and Buchón on the agenda, they flew separately, whereas in the past, and at other shows, there have been tailchases or mock battles. A little dynamism of those kinds or just passes by combinations of aircraft would further enhance what is already a superb, and free, airshow.
The dates for the next three Airbournes have been released: it is definitely worth putting 16th - 19th August 2018, 15th - 18th August 2019 and 13th - 16th August 2020 in the diary.
Bristol Blenheim displayed in 2015 and 2016
Airbourne always offers a varied flying programme but sometimes the weather affects displays on one or more of the days. Thankfully this year, apart from a strong wind on some days, the weather was kind throughout, enabling a virtually full programme of flying. That extended through to Sunday evening when, as the sun descended, activity on the live music stage gave way to night flying with lighting and fireworks on the aircraft of the Fireflies in their Eastbourne début.
Some shows, especially seaside ones, tend to fall into the 'same again' category. You watch a show and get a feeling of déjà vu if you went to the same show last year. Eastbourne doesn't fall into that trap. There is always something different. Take a look at the 'Earlier Shows' tab on this page for some examples, which have included quite a lot of prestige displays such as the B1 bomber and the Matadors flying the Disney Planes.
This year's Eastbourne débuts included the Great War Display Team, who brought eight of their WWI aircraft to the coast on the Saturday and Sunday, flying mock battles and formations in their variety of allied and enemy WW1 replicas, sometimes in tricky wind conditions. Also new to Airbourne was Tony De Bruyn flying his Rockwell OV-10B 'Bronco', which invariably fascinates the audience with the aircraft's very different 1960's design and Tony's energetic flying, showing every angle and demonstrating the versatility of the aircraft.
The collection at Airbourne 2016 raised £31,170. The charities Children With Cancer, Missing People and You Raise Me Up received cheques for £3,117 each. The balance of £21,819 help to support Airbourne 2017.
Displaying for the first time as a pair, not only in Eastbourne but anywhere, were the Jet Provost duo; Ollie Suckling in the last genuine Jet Provost T.3 flying anywhere and Dan Arlett in Jeff Bell's T.5. They have been practicing the routine for a year and it showed, with close-formation entry and tail chasing as well as synchro manoeuvres on all four Airbourne days.
A jet that was both a pleasure and a slight disappointment was the Sea Vixen. A pleasure, as it always is, to see such a magnificent aircraft in glorious condition. The approach appeared unusually slow and the reason was soon to be revealed. The pilot, Cdr. Simon Hargreaves, suspected that he had a problem with one of his flaps and made a wide circuit, returning to the display line so that the display director could check. It was confirmed that there was, indeed, damage to the starboard flap. The disappointment was that the display could not, therefore, continue and 'Foxy Lady' made an exit over Beachy Head, returning successfully and safely to her base at Yeovilton, where the flap damage was further inspected and the damage confirmed.
Pleasure without the disappointment came in the form of the Aircraft Restoration Company's Spitfire and Hangar 11's Mustang, now in its 'Red Tails' paint scheme, both welcome returnees to Eastbourne. Other prop regulars were the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight with the Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfire, although not all at once on all of the days.
The North American Rockwell OV-10 was designed in the 1960s as a light attack and observation aircraft and was widely used for forward air control during the Vietnamese war.
This particular aircraft is the OV-10B variant, a type produced for use in Germany as a target tug
Eastbourne debutante was the B-25 Mitchell 'Sarinah' from the Royal Netherlands Air Force Historical Flight, one of four bombers at the show, the others being the Lancaster, the Blenheim reprising last year's debut on both weekend days and B-17 Flying Fortress 'Sally B', which returned to Eastbourne on Saturday, after an absence of 15 years.
As well as the BBMF, more of the ever-popular RAF teams displayed, including the Red Arrows on the Friday and Saturday and the crowd's new favourite, the lively, noisy, Typhoon in which this season's display pilot Flt Lt Mark Long ripped up the sky and set off the car alarms on Airbourne's last three days. The Chinook helicopter was to have displayed but all displays by the RAF Chinook Team had been cancelled a few weeks earlier, reportedly because of airframe fatigue. The RAF's King Air Display Team, which had been booked very early in the season, had cancelled all displays this year.
| Aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Flying & (tap / hover over icon for more detail) | |
| Red Arrows (RAF) (Fri & Sat) | |
| Eurofighter Typhoon (Fri, Sat & Sun) | |
| BBMF Lancaster, Spitfire, Hurricane (scheduled all 4 days, but the Spitfire and Hurricane were weathered-in so could not get to Eastbourne on Thursday) | |
| Boeing B-17G 'Sally B' (Sat only) | |
| The Blades (all four days - as a trio on Thursday and Friday) | |
| Team Raven (Sat & Sun) | |
| Bristol Blenheim (Sat & Sun) | |
| Great War Display Team. (Sat & Sun) | |
| Rockwell OV-10 'Bronco' (Sat & Sun) | |
| Wingwalkers (all four days) | |
| Jet Provost pairs display (all four days) | |
| Tigers Parachute Display Team (all four days) | |
| B-25 Mitchell 'Sarinah' (all four days) | |
| Vampires (Sat & Sun) | |
| MiG 15 (Sat & Sun) | |
| Spitfire Mk XV1 (all 4 days) | |
| Mustang 'Red Tail' (all four days) | |
| Fireflies, with lights and fireworks at dusk (Sunday only) | |
| Sea Vixen (Sunday only. Was unable to display because of a faulty flap but made two flypasts) | |
 |
RAF Puma (flypast Thursday) |
| Once listed but cancelled before the show | |
| Chinook (RAF) cancelled all displays from mid-season due to airframe fatigue | |
| King Air Display Team (RAF) cancelled all 2016 displays | |
An unscheduled surprise was a flypast by a Puma HC.2 from RAF Benson. Although introduced as a flypast, pilot Flt. Lt. Owen Varley made several turns as well as passes, including a farewell wave from the crew, before departing the way he arrived over Beachy Head. The Puma was to make another flypast at Dunsfold about a fortnight later so the flypast was not unique to Airbourne. It was, nevertheless, a welcome and rare addition to the programme: a welcome contrast to the cancellations more common to airshows.
The Blades did more-or-less their usual thing. The reason it wasn't exactly their normal thing is that there were only three Blades on the first two days of Airbourne, one being (then) Flt Lt Kirsty Moore, the first (and so far only) Red Arrows pilot. Now Kirsty Murphy, she is the wife of the former Red 1 who is currently another of the Blades. However, Ben was tied up with the Red Bull Air Race and although the Blades have a team of six from which to chose four, another two were also unavailable, one on duty at work as a commercial pilot and another with his new baby, so a trio it was. Everything returned to normal for the weekend when all four Extra EA-300s were in the air.
There is no doubting the pedigree of the Blades or their flying skills and they have their followers. However, they do seem to come every year with a very similar display, not only here, but at many other shows. It was therefore good to see some light aircraft aerobatics from other teams. Both the Team Raven in six Vans RV-4 and RV-8s and the Fireflies, in a pair of Vans RV-4s, with their very close formation routine filled that role skillfully and refreshingly. The Fireflies repeated their display on Sunday, with LED lights and pyrotechnics, in dusk flying, an increasingly popular addition to airshows and one that is surely here to stay.
Eastbourne is good at attracting teams from abroad. This year impressive contributions came from Norway in the form of the MiG-15 and the Vampire pair, both from the Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron. The Vampires, an FB.52 and T.55, have been to Eastbourne for a few years, but the display this year did seem a little more distant than in previous years.
This may be because, as with most airshows in 2016, there were some changes to the flying line that meant the displays were just a little bit further out to sea. Instead of flying over the pier, the aircraft skirted the end of the pier and stayed that far out all the way down the coast. This is an unfortunate, but unsurprising, legacy of the incident at Shoreham in 2015, when the Hawker Hunter crashed into the A27, killing bystanders and road-users. The display rules had changed by the date of the show, although the final report of the Air Accident Investigation Board had not been issued, so distances and other regulations may well be changed by the CAA again before Airbourne 2017. We can only hope, but perhaps not expect, that they may go back to the display lines of old.
There are always one or two parachute display teams at Airbourne and this year The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment's Parachute display team, better known as The Tigers, made jumps on all four days, pulling off something a little different each time and landing, as usual, on the beach rather than in the arena.
On the ground, non-air highlights included the Red Arrows 'Meet and Greet' on the Western Lawns; music on the Live Stage every day including Brit Award nominees and top 10 charting Stooshe on Saturday and Chloe Paige on Sunday; evening concerts in the bandstand along the promenade as well as a firework finale by the Wish Tower on Sunday following the night flying and Live Stage concert, proving this is not only an air display show, but a family show with entertainment for all.
2016 was Airbourne's 24th year. After such a stonking set of displays this year it will be interesting to see what the organisers can do to top that when they celebrate the show's 25th anniversary in 2017.
Flying line from a Lynx
Airbourne, Eastbourne's International Air Show, is one of the best-enduring free seaside airshows and still claims to be the biggest free airshow in the UK. Its flying displays have a heavy military emphasis, usually including most, if not all, RAF training and current aircraft on the display circuit for that year; The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), typically including a Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster, and the Red Arrows. Also expect a parachute display each day - sometimes two, a good selection of aerobatic teams and contributions from abroad.
Lancasters in 2014
Brendan O'Brien with Fireworks in 2014
Red Arrows break in 2007
Spitfire alongside an F-16 in 2009
Matadors as Disney Planes in 2013
B1 Bomber in 2005
WWII warbirds are generally well represented. As well as the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight you can generally expect one or two more British and USA warbirds.
Other than 2014, when the Lancaster pair were the star attraction and 2012 and 2015, when the Vulcan stole the show, The Red Arrows are typically the highlight and may fly on three or even all of the four days of the airshow. Each of their full, rolling and flat displays are possible, depending on weather conditions, because there are none of the height restrictions imposed by the aviation authorities at some shows. Sometimes there is also a personal appearance on one of the days, when the pilots sign autographs and hand out promotional literature.
Most of the displays are single aircraft or aircraft teams performing on their own with a few minutes between displays. Occasionally a Messerschmitt and Spitfire or Hurricane will fly together or imitate a dogfight. There are also sometimes flypasts involving both a old and a new craft, such as the Mustang with an F16 in 2010 or a Spitfire with an F16 in 2009. Apart from these welcome but brief groupings there are relatively few joint displays and nothing like the mass flypasts much enjoyed at some shows.
The show has a good reputation for innovation. In 2005 it was the first UK family show to include the American long-range bomber, the B1, and at the same show the Eurofighter Typhoon made one of its first family show appearances. In 2007, Eastbourne scooped the only family show appearance for the Royal Jordanian Falcons; in 2013 it had the launch of the Disney movie Planes with the Matadors flying in Planes liveries and in 2015 it had the first display at a free show of the Bristol Blenheim.
As well as these firsts and the regulars, the show has also given visitors a chance to see close up some of the larger commercial planes in various liveries, especially from the Boeing fleet.
Landing on emergency parachute in 2005
There have been display incidents. In 2005 one of the Falcons parachute display team had to land on an emergency parachute when his main parachute failed to open. In 2007 the Falcons jumped in quite gusty conditions which lead to some interesting landings and one unfortunately serious injury. Since then the parachute display has been provided by other services and landings have been in the sea or on the beach rather than in the arena.
Commentary used to be provided from a point on top of the Wish Tower, but now comes from a kiosk on the promenade. Anchor commentators are joined by specialists from some of the teams - always including Red 10 from the Red Arrows.
This is a free show. There was a disastrous experiment in 2008, when visitors were charged £5 to enter the central area. The effect was not to raise income, as intended, but to deter visitors who chose to watch from less ideal, but free, positions nearby. The experiment cost huge amounts of money because of the operational expenses associated with securing and controlling the paid-for area and policing the event.
A tremendous free family show and one that deserves the continuing support of local businesses, authorities and residents.
The planned flying timetable used to be printed in the programme, subject to the inevitable variations, but recently the programme has tended to indicate a rough running order. Programme holders can claim a daily flying list from programme sellers and selected information points. Otherwise, regular updates are provided by Radio Airbourne on 87.7 over the show period.
A new feature introduced in 2009 were displays at dusk, ending around 7pm. If the weather is kind, the setting sun provides ideal lighting conditions. More recently this has moved to a later time and has, from 2014, included aerial lighting and fireworks.
It would be good to see a little more variety in the Airbourne line-up. Airbourne wouldn't be the same without the BBMF - local people reminisce and applaud - and the RAF line-up is a welcome constant. Most family shows will expect the wingwalkers. But upon that platform, it would be good to see Eastbourne continue to expand even further on their already good reputation for innovation, perhaps with some novel combinations.
Use Sat Nav BN21 3YT until you get close but follow the local direction signs as soon as you see them. Park and ride is usually available.
There are links to other route planners in the Travel Advice section.
Eastbourne is the nearest station to the show. There are frequent mainline rail services from London, Brighton, Ashford and Hastings.
It is best to book as far as possible in advance. This is not only because nearby hotels and guest houses tend get booked up well before the date of an airshow but also because prices can be better when you book early online.
The location is already built in to the link but please check, and change as necessary, the dates, number of rooms and number of guests.
Booking.comThere is a Premier Inn hotel just a few hundred metres from the flying line and another two within six miles.
There is a Travelodge hotel on the outskirts of the town, about 2 miles from the seafront.
The Met Office 7-day forecast includes actual and "feels like" temperatures, the likelihood of rain, wind speed, wind direction, wind gusts and visibility: the latter can have an impact on the viability of displays.
The BBC's 14-day forecast has overall conditions including and hourly estimate of temperature, wind direction, wind speed and UV range.
Click the blue-text link to go to the forecast. The location is already built into the links.
Not required. This is a free seaside airshow
Sat Nav BN21 3YT
For links to other travel and route planning web sites, click the 'Getting There' tab