Southport Air Show

[Up up and away]

Morning all.

I've booked tickets for Southport next weekend. From looking at the official website it looks like there is to be the 'RAF Role Demonstration' in addition to the usual flying displays.

Not sure which day to attend so does anybody know whether this will take place over both days as I wouldn't want to miss anything if it was on just the Saturday or Sunday.

Thanks in advance.

[Up up and away]

Bump.

Any ideas folks?

[Smoketoomuch]

UUAA; can't help with your Q, soz, but do you [anyone?] know what the traffic is usually like at this show? Is it the usual 2hrs queue to get in, and the same out?
I'll be in the area at the w/end but won't have time to spend sitting in a jam. From distant memory and checking the map it looks like all the surrounding roads are fairly minor.

[WALSue]

The role demo involves
x2 Tornado F3
x2 Tornado GR4
x2 Hawk T1
x1 E3-D Sentry
x1 Chinook HC2
x1 Apache AH1
I imagine its the finale where they demonstrate a 'bombing raid' along the beach but not sure on that.

Yup, there were queues last year. Don't know how long you'll be stuck in traffic (I took the train when I went)
Might be worth doing a park and ride?

[nwest]

RAF Red Arrows (17.00 Saturday, 12 noon Sunday)
RAF BBMF (Spitfire x2, Dakota)
RAF Typhoon
RAF Hawk
RAF Tucano
RAF King Air
RAF Tutor
RAF Chinook HC2
RN Black Cats
AAC Lynx AH7
AAC Apache AH1
Operation Summer Lightning - the RAF/AAC Role Demonstration, featuring E3D, 2x Tornado GR4, 2x Tornado F3, 2x Hawk, Chinook, Apache
The Barclays Blades
Team Guinot Wingwalkers (with 2x Stearman)
Swift Aerobatic Team (with Pawnee tug, Swift S1 flown by Guy Westgate, Silence Twister)
Great War Display Team (with 7 aircraft - 3x SE5A, 2x Junkers CL1, Fokker DR1, Nieuport 17)

Flying times are 1.30pm-5.20pm on Saturday (closing with the Reds), and
1.30pm-4.55pm on Sunday (although on Sunday the Reds will be flying at 12 noon, with a gap to the main display programme).

Outside that however there's plenty going on - aeromodels and kite flying taking place in the morning on both days.

Static display will include historic aircraft which were used for pleasure flying from Southport sands when the beach was a licensed airfield - Fox Moth and Vagabond have been announced by the organisers.

There will also be a civilian-owned Robinson R22 helicopter.

West Lancashire Microlight School at Ince Blundell is bringing a large collection of ultralights and microlight aircraft onto the beach.

Other attractions include hovercraft rides, kite flying, an extensive display of model aircraft from Southport Model Aero Club, and the usual ground stalls, exhibitions you get at seaside airshows.

[Acklington]

High probability that the vulcan will be putting an appearance in on Saturday

[Up up and away]

Would be good if it did appear, not seen one since they used to display at Woodford in my younger days.

[Up up and away]

WALSueThe role demo involves
x2 Tornado F3
x2 Tornado GR4
x2 Hawk T1
x1 E3-D Sentry
x1 Chinook HC2
x1 Apache AH1
I imagine its the finale where they demonstrate a 'bombing raid' along the beach but not sure on that.

Yup, there were queues last year. Don't know how long you'll be stuck in traffic (I took the train when I went)
Might be worth doing a park and ride?


WALSue, are you local? Do you know which is the best Park & Ride to use? Don't fancy getting stuck myself.

[mally35]

There is a new Park and Ride situated at Kew. This is off the big roundabout on the Ormskirk Road about just over a mile out of town.
Coming in from Ormskirk you would need to turn right (Tesco on left)
and take the 3rd left exit which will take you behind Aldi and Halfords etc.
It is in Foul Lane and is signposted although not very well.
£1 all day parking. Service every ten mins. Short walk from Lord street to the Promenade.
Find a bar, sit down, enjoy.

[Up up and away]

Cheers for the info Mally :ok:

Seeing as I have already paid for the tickets :ugh: and intend to get onto the beach to get a closer look, I guess there will be 'official' entrances at the event...

[WALSue]

Up Up & Away - yes you do need to enter through the 'official' entrance.
You can't miss them!

I've read that its unlikely that the Vulcan will turn up but the Visit Southport website gives contradicting info!
Airshow - Frequently Asked Questions - Visit Southport (http://www.visitsouthport.com/airshow/frequently-asked-questions)

Airshow - Vulcan - Visit Southport (http://www.visitsouthport.com/airshow/vulcan)

[Up up and away]

The weather forecast isn't too good at the moment for Saturday in particular. At what stage (weather-wise) do displays get 'rained off'? (I know that the Reds have a 'flat' display for contingency.)

I understand the safety issues for the public and crew but as the display is over the sea what are the minimum 'worse' conditions that a display would be stopped?

Are there different minima dependant upon aircraft type (e.g historic aircraft compared to newer?)

(Not being all doom and gloom, I just hope to see a full display) :suspect:

Thanks.

[shobakker]

Just found out yesterday that I've won tickets to this - going to be taking my 2 small kids (6 & 4) - is there plenty for them to see apart from the flying displays? Weatherwise, looks like Sunday is going to the better of 2 bad days...

Just as a matter of interest, I'll be coming in from the M57 end (from S. Liverpool) - what's the traffic going to be like coming in to Southport? My normal route would be past Woodvale, would the coast road be better?

Thanks!

[Up up and away]

Shobakker,

With regards to entertainment, a previous poster has supplied some general information about what is going on.

I think Pleasureland is still open but I'm sure there will be more than enough going on to entertain them on the beach.

(Last time I went, I was still getting mithered to take them on the fun fair :ugh:)

[mally35]

shobbaker.
The coast road will be very busy and you will only get part way to Southport before being turned off. I really don't know what to suggest but you could try the A59 to Ormskirk when you leave the M57 i.e
towards Preston. It isn't far and then you could go to Southport and use the Park and Ride as above. Good luck. I'm off to Canada so I'll give it a miss this year.

[shobakker]

Cheers for that Mally - sounds like it might be worth getting the train then - saves on petrol & the nightmare of parking etc...plus it keeps the monkeys entertained! Not having caught the train to Southport I'm presuming it's a pretty short walk to the sea-front from the station?

[mally35]

shobakker: 5 minutes to the prom. Out of station,Woolies opposite, turn right, 40 yards, left into London Street,100yard to Lord Street. Then straight over into Nevill Street, 200 yards to Prom. Eyes front : PLANES, PLANES and lots of noise.
Enjoy.

[BYALPHAINDIA]

Not been for a few years, Hope everyone has a good day, And the weather is not too bad.

[WALSue]

Hope this weather improves for everyone going.
Its awful around this neck of the woods at the moment

[spekesoftly]

TVOC now saying that due to the weather the Vulcan had to cancel its Saturday display at Southport, but re-scheduled for Sunday.

[Plastic Scouser]

About 1/4 mile from JLA at the moment - the weather's not too bad to be honest. Am going tomorrow - hope the weather holds up - brucie bonus of seeing the Vulcan (weather permitting!) tomorrow as well. Should be great!

Edited to add: the village has just been buzzed by one of the Tornado's and a Hawk... putting on a display for the folks at the airport no doubt...!:D

[ian176]

Anyone know what freqs will be in use for the airshow?

TIA

[ikasawak]

At about 15:50 today I was driving past Northwich (Cheshire) and the Vulcan flew over ( from South to North) What a splendid sight! I am guessing it was en route to Southport. Even my kids were amazed. Well done to the hardworking band of folks that got it flying.

It made a great change from all the commercial jets I see in my daily life.
:ok:

[WALSue]

Vulcan flew over my house this afternoon.
Would have liked to have seen the old bird but was flying myself this afternoon
Hope to catch it somewhere soon!

[shobakker]

Top marks to the organisers & the Vulcan folks. Great display in the afternoon - the RAF role display was awsome, the Typhoon was ear-shattering and what better way to close the show than beautiful sight of the Vulcan coming out of the sun and making low passes over the beach. What was even better was that the sun shone as well!

[Up up and away]

Made it on Saturday and was gutted that the Vulcan didn't display then, sod's law that it brightened up later in the day.

Even more annoying was ikasawak's post about the Vulcan flying over Northwich on Sunday - I live in Northwich but was in Manchester at the time :ugh:

Agree with shobakker regarding the Typhoon display and the Role Demo, also worthy of a mention was the Chinook display - all left me in awe of the guys (and gals?) flying them for a living.

The Red Arrows were as good as they've always been and also the other displaying aircraft which tend to be put in the shade somewhat by the faster, noisier jets.

Couldn't hear the PA clearly enough on Saturday but I presume the BBMF was cancelled due to the weather?

Finally, for anybody who was there on Saturday, I noticed a plane doing circuits over 'to my right' (useless at distances but it was less than halfway between Southport and Blackpool). It seemed to be circling for about 20 minutes (over land), was about the size of a commercial airliner but the 'depth' of the wings was greater than what I have seen on a civilian aircraft. Thought it may have been a Nimrod - anybody else see it or know what it was?

[JimmyTAP]

Finally, for anybody who was there on Saturday, I noticed a plane doing circuits over 'to my right' (useless at distances but it was less than halfway between Southport and Blackpool). It seemed to be circling for about 20 minutes (over land), was about the size of a commercial airliner but the 'depth' of the wings was greater than what I have seen on a civilian aircraft. Thought it may have been a Nimrod - anybody else see it or know what it was?

I believe it was ZJ516 Nimrod MRA4 doing circuits at Warton. It was airborne doing some flypasts at Kinloss Families day. Would have been nice to see it at Southport though.

[BYALPHAINDIA]

Glad that the weather was fine enough to enjoy the show.

BTW which Sqn/s were the Tornado's F3/GR4 from?

TIA.;)