Originally Posted by
BroomstickPilot
In the mid eighties, when I started to attend, you saw the latest developments in aviation technology from numerous countries. The programme would be so packed that no sooner would one demonstrating aircraft depart the active runway, having completed its performance, than the landing lights of the next performer would be seen over the approach. There were no purely 'entertainment' turns then, other than the genuinely historic appearances by, say, the Battle of Britain Flight the Red Arrows and Concorde.
I designed the display programme from 1976 to 2004 incl and made sure it was always fast moving; something in the sky at all times for the spectators to see. I was invited to a RIAT once (when it was still at Greenham) and was appalled at the huge gaps between display items; I reckon I could have easily cut about an hour off their running time.
For 2006, SBAC formed a separate company (Farnborough International) to run the air show; this included employing their own display desgner rather than rely on me to do it as a 'secondary duty' to my ATC duties.
I tried to explain to this person how the Farnborough display was done but he refused all my inputs, claiming he was experienced in 'big'displays and knew what he was doing.
I didn't bother for 2008 and in any case I retired soon afterwards.
By the way, there were always extra bits for the public days ie fri/sat/sun.