Which airshow - advice

[Loose_Cannon]

Due to diary clashes etc I've managed to miss all my favoured locations to see the Vulcan fly this year. I'm left with a choice of a few locations which I've never been to before, anyone got an opinion which is best? I try to avoid the free beachfront types just due to the amount of s around but needs must! Choice between;

Eastbourne Aug 15
Bournemouth Aug 23
Shoreham Aug 23
Cosby Sept 6

Dunsfold Wings & Wheels is a possibility but I'd rather do a proper airshow for a change rather than drag the family round cars which they are sick of!

[anonymous-user]

Eastbourne, up on Beachy Head, (especially if they do what they did a few years ago)!

Not many chances you get to see The Vulcan from above, with the sea as a backdrop!


It did a couple of circuits around by the lighthouse (at below cliff top height) before running in to display with a nice wing down top side pass

[Loose_Cannon]

I've seen the Youtube video of that, very impressive! So does everyone view from the cliffs?

PS Who would have thought "p i k e y" deserved a censored smiley?

[ecsrobin]

I've worked on the display circuit for a few years with one of the display teams. In my opinion nothing can come close to Bournemouth airshow, you have the beach for sitting on, my niece and nephew normally dig a very big hole to make dads envious, for the older children there are lots of exhibits along the sea front and into the gardens, and for the adults a good music lineup in the evening.

As for the flying a full flying programme that lasts until the evening and not forgetting the opportunity to go out for free to an RN/RFA ship.

Eastbourne is good but is a pain to get in and out of the beach isn't as nice and when the tides in there's no space, Bournemouth still has space. However I find they do get a few of the interesting display teams like the Belgium F16 display team in previous years.

Shoreham is aimed towards the older aircraft but a lot transits between Bournemouth and Shoreham on the same day, landing back at Bournemouth usually.

I should also add your comment about avoiding the sea front shows due to the *****. Having worked the shows I would say these are the best people I have met. The children are genuinely interested as are the parents quite often when I had them a free poster or something the children are very polite and the parents often clip them round the ear saying "say thank you" when they already have :lol:

The rich kids and air cadets on the other hand!!

Edited by ecsrobin on Saturday 18th July 23:15

[Loose_Cannon]

Bournemouth it is then. Re the s that was more aimed at Sunderland which we have had bother with in the past due to the bull necked unwashed wandering around with their Staffys straining the leash, not a pleasant place.

PS thanks for the comprehensive 5 star response

Edited by Loose_Cannon on Sunday 19th July 11:48

[ecsrobin]

Loose_Cannon said:

Bournemouth it is then. Re the s that was more aimed at Sunderland which we have had bother with in the past due to the bull necked unwashed wandering around with their Staffys straining the leash, not a pleasant place.

PS thanks for the comprehensive 5 star response

Edited by Loose_Cannon on Sunday 19th July 11:48

Not a problem. What you were referring to was what us southerners call a Northerner. Once you pass a line between Cambridge and Oxford they appear in abundance.

[SydneyBridge]

Sat on bournemouth beach watching her fly round the bay is something very special, it's going to be very busy this year. I can't wait.

[Puggit]

Strangely enough we've decided on B'mouth too. Can anyone inform on ease of parking or getting to the beach from the station?

[DrDeAtH]

Dunsfold wings and wheels. Saturday show has the red arrows and Vulcan displays.

[ecsrobin]

DrDeAtH said:

Dunsfold wings and wheels. Saturday show has the red arrows and Vulcan displays.

Dunsfold is also a pain to get in and out of with all the traffic. Airfields that hold air shows are not designed for a high amount of traffic, beach resorts are.

[AngryPartsBloke]

Puggit said:

Strangely enough we've decided on B'mouth too. Can anyone inform on ease of parking or getting to the beach from the station?

There will be a park & ride again.

From the train station it's a straight shot to the Eastcliff and down onto the beach. No more than 10 minutes.

I've just moved into a new palce 5 minutes from the Town centre so no parking worries for me this year!

[aeropilot]

ecsrobin said:

DrDeAtH said:

Dunsfold wings and wheels. Saturday show has the red arrows and Vulcan displays.

Dunsfold is also a pain to get in and out of with all the traffic. Airfields that hold air shows are not designed for a high amount of traffic, beach resorts are.

Yup, I'd avoid Dunsfold like the plague, horrible location for any event involving more than 500 people attending!!!!

[anonymous-user]

Never been to the beach at Eastbourne, always gone to Beachy Head.

You are a bit away from the main display action, but you do get good photos of aircraft as they approach and depart from the west (although not aircraft do)

I don't think there is anywhere else that you would get a top view of the Vulcan, like you can from Beachy Head.

[uk_vette]

Southport has also had good airshows in the past.

Not sure when it is on.

[ecsrobin]

uk_vette said:

Southport has also had good airshows in the past.

Not sure when it is on.

September but it's not on the OPs list.

[Chrisgr31]

Planning to do Eastbourne ourselves. Although living at Crowborough so only 30 minutes away we are actually taking the caravan down to Pevensey for the weekend and will come in from there. Accidentally discovered a cunning traffic avoiding trick the other year when we went to Eastbourne shopping without realising it was Airbourne. Drove straight in to the shopping centre car park, parked easily, short stroll to the seafront!

[wobert]

Although not on the list, Rhyl Airshow is usually pretty good, with plenty of space around on the sea front.

They usually have sea displays too, RNLI, AS rescue etc as well as the aircraft going past.

The Vulcan is due there this year.

[TeeRev]

Chrisgr31 said:

Planning to do Eastbourne ourselves. Although living at Crowborough so only 30 minutes away we are actually taking the caravan down to Pevensey for the weekend and will come in from there. Accidentally discovered a cunning traffic avoiding trick the other year when we went to Eastbourne shopping without realising it was Airbourne. Drove straight in to the shopping centre car park, parked easily, short stroll to the seafront!

We live in Seaford and do something similar but we use the car park in Junction Road which is just behind the Arndale Centre, there's always room, it's a lot cheaper and only about 2 minutes extra to walk.

[ecsrobin]

TeeRev said:

Chrisgr31 said:

Planning to do Eastbourne ourselves. Although living at Crowborough so only 30 minutes away we are actually taking the caravan down to Pevensey for the weekend and will come in from there. Accidentally discovered a cunning traffic avoiding trick the other year when we went to Eastbourne shopping without realising it was Airbourne. Drove straight in to the shopping centre car park, parked easily, short stroll to the seafront!

We live in Seaford and do something similar but we use the car park in Junction Road which is just behind the Arndale Centre, there's always room, it's a lot cheaper and only about 2 minutes extra to walk.

I used to enjoy working Eastbourne airshow, the organising staff were a credit to the town, everyone from the VIP tents through to the catering staff, security staff, bin men are all polite and great to chat to. There is also some entertaining regulars worth keeping an eye out for, one who likes to collect signatures.

We used to stay on the seafront, last year the powers that be thought they were doing us a favour by booking us a hotel on the A27/A272? The traffic was horrendous.

[Mutley]

I did Eastbourne last year, and going again, this time to Beachy, watch from a different angle (as was suggested last year) I have friends who live near Bournemouth and swear its the best show in the country. If I can squeeze it it, i may do the double