Airshows 2016

You absolute cynics!

What about seatbelt legislation, car design legislation, motorbike helmet legislation, zebra crossing, traffic lights, PPE regulations, working at height regulations................

Peter wrote:

Well, In the last edition of "Cynic Weekly", which is free at only £2.50, I read............

Update from the CAA ( www.caa.co.uk/News/CAA-announces-air-sho...lowing-consultation/)-

CAA announces air show fees decision following consultation



Fees to be phased in over three years to reduce burden on organisers
CAA responds to consultation responses and reaffirms its commitment to air shows


The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has today announced the outcome of its consultation on charges for air displays. The regulator has reaffirmed its commitment to the air show industry and highlighted the importance of new safety enhancements being introduced. The CAA is not funded by the tax payer and therefore these charges must be met by the industry. However, the CAA has recognised the possible and immediate impact these increased charges could have on air show organisers and has therefore implemented a phased introduction of the new fees over the next three years.

An extensive review of airshow safety has been carried out by the CAA, following the tragic accident at the Shoreham Air Show in August 2015. As part of the review a series of additional safety measures have been introduced that air shows must now meet in order to go ahead, including carrying out enhanced risk assessments. Tougher checks and training requirements for pilots and display directors are also being introduced.

The CAA launched a consultation in February on the proposed increases to fees to fund its airshow work. This also recognised the historic under-recovery of costs for our regulatory oversight of air displays, although these increases do not seek to recover any historic under-recovery.

While needing to ensure that the new charges are in place, to enable us to introduce these important new safety measures this year, we recognise it may be difficult for some airshows to absorb these additional charges in 2016/17.

Therefore, to reduce the impact on the air display community, the CAA has decided to phase in the introduction of the new air display post event charges. The 2016/17 charges will now be set to recover £100,000 of the expected £200,000 of additional costs, with the remaining £100,000 being absorbed by the CAA.

Andrew Haines, CEO of the CAA, said, “We understand that people care passionately about air shows and we want all events to be a success. We are also very clear that we will not compromise on safety. Enhancing the safety of air shows is essential and this extra work must be funded.

“However, we have listened to the responses and recognise that some shows could face challenges in absorbing the full cost of these changes into this display season. In making our final decision on fees we have therefore decided to phase in the new charges, recovering only half of our costs for the current year.”

“We welcome the opportunity to address with air show organisers any questions or concerns they have around their planned activity for 2016, but safety must be the priority and we are committed to doing all that we can to make air shows even safer in the years to come.”

“In addition to the phased introduction of new fees, we will also review any further requests for assistance from smaller and charitable air show organisers who are concerned about not being able to afford the new charges.”



The CAA's air display review work continues and we expect to publish our final report in the coming weeks.

Small mercies!

...well, the new safety rules have been announced, if you can make it through this lot, here's the PDF from the CAA & the Safety & Airspace Regulation Group -

publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP%20403%2...202016%202v1%201.pdf

...& here's the BBC News's take on it all - (www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-36038793) -

Shoreham crash: Air show stunt and crowd regulations tightened


Ex-military jets will have to perform aerobatic stunts at higher altitude and further away from crowds following a Shoreham crash report.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced the measures in its final UK air show safety regulation review following the fatal disaster in 2015.
It will also strengthen the requirements of post-display reports to "reflect the importance of feedback".
A vintage Hawker Hunter jet crashed on to the A27 on 22 August, killing 11.

The aircraft had been performing aerobatics at the annual Shoreham Airshow when it plummeted to the ground.
This year's show has been cancelled.
The head of the CAA, Dame Deirdre Hutton, said the measures were being brought in so the public had "every confidence that UK air shows meet the highest safety standards".
'Enjoyed by millions'
She added: "We began this review immediately after the accident at Shoreham last summer with the sole purpose of doing all that we can to make UK civil air shows even safer.
"It has been an extensive review, looking closely at all aspects of air show safety to identify any areas where the system can be strengthened.
"Air shows are enjoyed by millions of people up and down the country and we want them to be successful."

The "enhanced measures" include:

Increasing the distance between the display line and crowd line at civil shows if they were "previously less than those in place for military displays"

Increasing the minimum altitude at which ex-military jets can carry out aerobatic manoeuvres

Strengthening post-display reporting requirements


Strengthening the "competency requirements for pilots performing aerobatic manoeuvres" in civil registered, ex-military jet aircraft


Display charges increase

The CAA said restrictions introduced following the crash in August would remain in place until the Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) had published its final report.
These measures saw Hawker Hunter jets grounded, ex-military jets restricted to fly-pasts over land and air shows subject to enhanced risk assessments.
The CAA also increased its air show charges from 1 April - by up to £2,695 for larger displays - to fund the measures.

Sywell air display in Northamptonshire will not go ahead because of the "likelihood of much higher CAA fees" and the people behind a display at Thockmorton in Worcestershire have threatened to cancel their event.

Organisers of the Manchester Airshow have blamed the timing of the review on the cancellation of its event this year.
Dame Deirdre said the CAA was working with the air-show community to make sure the "measures are implemented" for the upcoming display season and beyond".

The CAA is responsible for allowing air shows to go ahead and monitoring their safety.

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Thanks Steve.

One thing that has shocked me through everything that has come out during these investigations is how lax the airshow rules were previously.

Military air shows are very strict in how pilots qualify to display and how displays are planned and notified. I was amazed that a civvy display pilot didn't even have to inform the airshow event organisers of even the most rudimentary details of their display and without any real safety evaluation with pilots free to change their display during the display.

By the sounds of it Shoreham really was an accident waiting to happen and all the CAA have done is catch up with what the FAA does.

I know it's tough and restrictive, but let's be honest if it improves safety and reduces the potential of Shoreham happening again then it has to be a good thing.

ultimately it'll be a short term pain in the Butt but will improve things for the long term as show organisers get used to and adjust their funding profiles to suit. It's too late for this season perhaps, but should settle down over the next couple of years.

Here's a list of Airshows & some Fly-In events for 2016. Hope it's of some help if any of you are planning on taking in some shows this year

April - June -

April 2016:

30 - Bronco Fan Day UK - Kemble Airport, Glos.

May 2016:

01 - Abingdon Air & Country Show 2016 - Abingdon Airfield, Oxon.

07-08 - Royal Aero Club Air Race - Leicester Airport, Leic

08 - Shuttleworth Season Premiere Airshow - Old Warden, Beds.

14-15 - Fly-in - Stow Maries Aerodrome, Essex.

19 - RAF Marham Enthusiasts' Day - RAF Marham, Norfolk.

21 - At home with Shuttleworth - Old Warden, Beds.

22 - Chipmunk 70th Fly-In - Old Warden Beds

28 - SKYLIVE Airshow 2016 - Durham Tees Valley Airport, Darlington.

28 - Llandudno Air Show 2016 - Llandudno, N. Wales. CANCELLED

28 -29 - Royal Aero Club Air Races - Popham

28-29 - Duxford American Air Show - Duxford, Cambs.

28-30 - Lanc, Tank and Military Machines - East Kirkby, Lincs.

28-01 - Brixfest - Brixham, Torbay, Devon.

29 - Cold War Jets Open Day - Bruntingthorpe, Leics.

June 2016:

04 - Families Day - RAF Wittering *not open to the general public*

05 - Fly Navy - Old Warden, Beds.

10 - Evening Fly-in - Stow Maries Aerodrome, Essex.

10-12 - Pageant of Power - Cholmondeley, Cheshire.

10-12 - Torbay Airshow - Paignton, Torbay, Devon.

11 - Queen's Birthday Flypast - The Mall, London.

11 - Throckmorton Air Show - Throckmorton, Worc's.

11 - Biggin Hill Festival of Flight - Biggin Hill, Kent.

11-12 - Folkestone and Ashford Military Show - Folkestone, Kent.

17-19 - Guernsey Air Rally 2016 - Guernsey, Channell Islles

18-19 - Royal Aero Club Air Races - Llanbedr

18 - At home with Shuttleworth - Old Warden, Beds.

18-19 - Weston Air Festival - Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

18-19 - Air Britain Fly-in - North Weald, Essex.

18-19 - Cockpit-Fest & Aeroboot - Newark Air Museum, Notts.

18-19 - The Great North Fly In 2016 - Eshott Airfield, Northumberland

19 - Wings & Wheels 2016 - Wellesbourne, Warks.

19 - Welshpool Air Show - Welshpool Airport, Powys.

19 - RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - RAF Cosford, Shropshire,

23-26 - Goodwood Festival of Speed - Goodwood, W. Sussex.

25 - Armed Forces Day - Stow Maries Aerodrome, Essex.

25 - Armed Forces Day 2016 - Lowestoft, Suffolk.

25 - Armed Forces Day 2016 - Cleethorpes seafront, Lincs.

25-26 - Armed Forces Day & Air Displays - Plymouth Hoe, Devon.

July - October -

July 2016:

01-03 - AeroExpo and HeliExpo 2016 - Sywell, Northants.

02 - Essex Military Festival - Orsett Showground, Thurrock, Essex.

02 - Yeovilton International Air Day 2016 - RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset.

02 - Wing and Wheels - Fishburn Airfield, County Durhaam.

02-03 - Flywheel Festival - Bicester Airfield, Oxon.

02-03 - Wales National Airshow 2016 - Swansea Bay, South Wales. SA1.

02-03 - The Great Yorkshire AirFest - Leeds East Airport, Church Fenton, N.Yorks.

02-03 - Country Fair with Wings & Wheels - Heveningham Hall, Suffolk.

03 - Military Pageant - Old Warden, Beds.

08-10 - Royal International Air Tattoo 2016 - RAF Fairford, Glos

9-10 - Royal Aero Club Air Races Compton Abbas

09-10 - Wings and Wheels - North Coates Airfield, Lincs.

09-10 - Duxford Flying Legends Air Show 2016 - Duxford, Cambs.

11-17 - Farnborough International Air Show - Farnborough, Hants.

15 - Evening Fly-in - Stow Maries Aerodrome, Essex.

16 - At home with Shuttleworth - Old Warden, Beds.

19-23 - The War & Peace Revival - Folkestone, Kent.

22 - Families Day - RAF Coningsby *Not open to the general public*

22-24 - Sunderland International Air Show - Sunderland, Tyne & Wear.

23 - National Museum of Flight Show - East Fortune, Scotland.

28 - Culdrose Air Day 2016 - RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall.

30-31 - Fly-in - Stow Maries Aerodrome, Essex.

30-31 - Old Buckenham Airshow - Old Buckenham, Norfolk.

31 - Moth Fly-In - Old Warden


August 2016:

06 - East Kirkby Air Show - East Kirkby, Lincs.

06 - Festival of Flight - Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland.

6-7 - Royal Aero Club Air Races - Sherburn-in-Elmet

06-07 - Military & Flying Machines Show - Damyns Hall Aero, Essex.

06-07 - Wirral Air Show - Kings Promenade, New Brighton, Wirral.

07 - Shuttleworth Edwardian Pageant - Old Warden, Beds.

07-08 - Blackpool Airshow 2016 - Blackpool Seafront, Lancs.

11-14 - Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 2016 - Ashton Court, Bristol.

11-14 - 'Airbourne' International Air Show - Eastbourne, East Sussex.

13-14 - Red Bull Air Race - Ascot Racecourse, Berks.

13-14 - Combined OPS - Headcorn Aerodrome, Kent.

14 - Amy Johnson Memorial Air Show - Herne Bay, Kent.

18-21 - Bournemouth Air Festival 2016 - Bournemouth, Dorset.

19-21 - Northampton Balloon Festival 2016 - Billing Aquadrome, Northants.

19-22 - Whitby Regatta 2016 - Whitby, N.Yorks.

20 - Flying Proms - Old Warden, Beds.

21 - Sywell Airshow - Sywell, Northants. NN6 0BT. CANCELLED

24 - Families Day - RAF Cranwell * Not open to the general public*

25-26 - Clacton Air Show 2016 - Clacton-on-sea, Essex.

25-27 - Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta - Dartmouth, Devon.

27 - Henstridge Vintage Wings and Wheels Day - Henstridge, Somerset

27-28 - Dunsfold Wings & Wheels 2016 - Dunsfold Aerodrome, Surrey.

27-28 - Rhyl Air Show 2016 - Rhyl, North Wales.

27-29 - Military Odyssey - Kent Show Ground, Kent.

28 - Cold War Jets Open Day - Bruntingthorpe, Leics.

28 - WW1 Aviation Heritage Fly-in - Stow Maries Aerodrome, Essex.

28 - Little Gransden Air & Car Show - Little Gransden, Cambs.

29 - Props and Pistons - East Kirkby, Lincs

September 2016:

01 Families Day - RAF Scampton *Not open to the general public*

02-04 - The Victory Show 2016 - Foxlands Farm, Leic

02-04 - Scottish International Airshow - Prestwick Airport, South Ayrshire.

02-04 - LAA Rally - Sywell, Northants.

3-4 - Royal Aero Club Air Races Shobdon

03-04 - Air Waves - N.I. International Air Show - West Bay, Portrush, NI.

04 - Wings & Wheels - Old Warden, Beds.

04 - Seething Charity Air Day 2016 - Seething Airfield, Norfolk.

08 - Jersey International Air Display - Jersey, Channel Islands.

08 - Guernsey Air Display - Guernsey, Channel Islands.

09-11 - Goodwood Revival - Goodwood, W. Sussex.

10-11 - Southport Air Show 2016 - Southport, Merseyside.

10-11 - Duxford Air Show - Duxford, Cambs.

17-18 - Chipfest, Chipmunk Fly-In - Sywell, Northants

17-18 - 100th Anniversary Fly-in - Stow Maries Aerodrome, Essex.

24-25 - Royal Aero Club Air Races Alderney

24-25 - Classic Piston & Props - Sywell, Northants.


October 2016:

01 - Radial & Trainer Fly-In - Sywell, Northants.

02 - Season Finale: Race Day & Roaring Twenties - Old Warden, Beds.

29 Fireworks & Lancaster Night Run - East Kirkby, Lincs

Here's too a successful & safe 2016 season.
I'll add any new or missed dates to this list as & when

Cheers

Steve

Well, some aircraft did seem a bit distant at Abingdon last weekend at times whilst complying with the new safety regulations but it didn't spoil the show too much I suppose, Here's a statement from The Shuttleworth Collection about their Season Premier Show at Old Warden which is taking place this coming Sunday -

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"8 May - update on display lines for the upcoming show. Shuttleworth is complying fully with the CAA regulations so aircraft with speeds of less than 150 knots will be using the 150m line, aircraft above that will be using the 230m line.
Hope that helps for those of you choosing which lenses to bring . Good weather is planned!"

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The beauty of OW is just how much closer the aircraft fly so reading this is a bit of a relief as it could have been much worse. Apparently there will be some road closures around the airfield whilst the Red Arrows are displaying (first full display at OW for 30 years!!) & some minor changes to the fence-line at the college end of the crowd line. Tickets selling fast!!

Steve