RAF Abingdon Air Day & its raining.

[Spit the Dog]

Its the start of the display season and here we go again with the chuffin' piggin' British weather, a repeat of Faiford '08. Its absolutely chucking down and the poor organisers are faced with a wash-out once again. Rant over!

[chinook240]

If you think the weather's a problem, Defence Estates have placed restrictions on this longstanding and popular charity event:

30 April 2010

Abingdon Air & Country Show – Official Statement

Due to circumstances beyond the organisers’ control, no fixed-wing aircraft will be operating from Abingdon Airfield for the Abingdon Air & Country Show on Sunday 2nd May 2010.

This is due to an issue surrounding the sign-off by Defence Estates, which owns the airfield, of the licence which is required to operate fixed-wing aircraft from Abingdon for the event.

The show’s flying display will still be going ahead as planned.

The fixed-wing aircraft that were due to operate from the airfield will no longer be able to do so, however these aircraft will now be operating from nearby RAF Brize Norton and flying in to Abingdon, without landing, to perform their displays.

The only aircraft on the ground during the show will be the helicopters forming the static display.

It is hoped some of the aircraft that were scheduled for the static display – including the RAF C-17 Globemaster – will be able to perform fly pasts during the afternoon flying display, while organisers are also working to secure additional items for the airshow to help ease this disappointing situation.

The Abingdon Air & Country Show would like to apologise to the public for any disappointment this will cause. They are keen to reinforce that the flying display is still going ahead as planned and that the show’s other attractions on the ground will be unaffected.

[BEagle]

I wish the organisers well - they work very hard to try to make this show a success and it is a great shame that there has this 'issue' surrounding the sign-off by Defence Estates of the required licence to operate fixed-wing aircraft from Abingdon for this event.

The sodding British Bank Holiday weather won't exactly help - but perhaps it'll improve later in the afternoon?

[chinook240]

As others have pointed out FW already operate from Dalton Barracks/Abingdon.

612 Volunteer Gliding Squadron Abingdon (http://www.612vgs.co.uk/)

A real shame as this was always the first display of the year and very popular with the crews who chose to cut their teeth at the beginning of the season.

[SOSL]

It could be worse.

I was there when the F4 boys flew into the ground in the middle of the airfield (1989 or 90 IRC) on the day before the air day.

A tragedy which meant the air day had to be cancelled at extremely short notice.

It was impressive how the whole station pulled together to warn the local police forces, all the stall holders, static display and people from all over the UK and the rest of the world etc etc etc . Put up a huge numbers of hastily produced cancelled signs and made about a zillion phone calls (all routed by telephonists, BEags). It was a very well co-ordinated operation and required an 18 hour shift for most people there at the time.

[Old-Duffer]

Friday 23 Sep 88 a 228 OCU Phantom FGR2 XV428 operating from RAF Lyneham and practicing its display in the late afternoon.

[kemblejet01]

Went, saw, displayed.

Tricky wind and not a big crowd - hope those that were there enjoyed it.

KMB01

[Wander00]

SOSL - I well remember that sad event. I had persuaded Abingdon's OC Admin Wg and OC PMS, against their better judgement, to take out cancellation insurance (I was in Command Accounts on the Non-Publics desk). I was the chap who had to telephone the insurers and register the claim - worked out at about £30k as I recall, for a pretty small premium.

RIP the crew

[SOSL]

W00 - She was a wonderful Lady; tears streaming down her face all day but she held the operation together.

[dead_pan]

Just back - good display considering the conditions. Kids enjoyed it as well, despite being half-frozen.

Kemblejet - nice crisp display :ok: Hopefully the wind will be a bit more benign for you at the re-branded Cotswold Air Show.

[wwoody01]

Hi

Took along the parents today for a good day out. Wx not brill but a good afternoon's display. Always nice to visit my first posting as a humble AATC in 1987. I too remember the sad events of the Phantom practice display, being local assistant that day - It all seemed a bit surreal as it happened. One I will always remember, if for the wrong reasons. Nevertheless, a good day out today and thanks to Neil Porter and the rest of the team. Hope the weather holds next year.

Steve.

[stackedup]

So is that the end of static displays at Abingdon ? Is the runway condemned forever ?:confused:

[ssc1]

I to remember the phantom crash as i had just seen it off and then watched the f16 do its display with the f4 trying to outdo it with fatal results ,the aircraft jusy seemed to be upside down un the air at the top of a roll ,then came down in slow motion trying to pull up ,you could tell the pilot had the stick fully back as the stab was fully nose down ,he nearly did it as well but forward momentum pushed it flat into the ground ,then it lifted a few feet on the bounce and exploded with a loud crump,and i was only about 100 feet away at the time and then got involved with clearing the crash site with the rest of the lads .

[neilmac]

Sorry to hear weather was lousy having previously watched it on ground with parents and flown in on occassions always a great start to the season. Neil P and his team deserve so much credit every year.

NM

[andrewn]

Definitely a good show under difficult circumstances, what with the weather and the late runway announcement. Plenty for the kids/family to do and some good flying as well - agree about the small crowd; hopefully just a reaction to the crap forecast and nothing more.

As an aside I too remember the F-4 crash, being one of those that rung the base the night before to check participants, prices, etc (as you used to in those pre-internet days) only to find out that show was canx. Very sad event - RIP the crew.

[Neil Porter]

Just picked up on this thread from our show back in May!!!

We have started planning for Sunday 8th May 2011 - a week later than normal with (we feel) possibly better results as its not a bank hols weekend & so we can save abit of money by not holding crews (no offence) etc over from a Friday (or thursday) to the following Tuesday morning & associated ground equipment we need.

Secondly, again being a non Bank hols weekend we potentially may attract more people as the majority would be back from hols, and lastly we are in line to gain assets in both the Flying Display / Static / Ground attractions line.

It a gamble for us but we think its a good gamble moving away from our traditional early Bank hols weekend.

After this years episode of the combination of weather / Defence Estates we are pretty confident to bring back a full show once again with RAF, Army & possibly Naval support together with International support once again within our limited funds, tho we have been out and about to a number of RAF & non aviation events fundraising.

More details on our website / FB page.