Did anyone notice the 2x armed Hants Police closely guarding the Osprey Tiltrotor? Someone seemed very paranoid about protecting that particular aircraft.
I had a trade ticket last week, and it wasnt taken off of me, nor was another printed and given to me which I thought was strange..!!!.. In 2004, I was given a laser printed trade ticket to pin to your jacket/go around your neck kind of thing.
The security on that day in 2004 was humourous, such a crowd of "suits" had backlogged into a huge queue tailing right throught the "bus station" - waiting to get in. This is one of key entrances, and at 0900hrs it was packed of exhibitors and trade vistors. There were lots of pushing shoving and jostling so guess what happened, they just opened the security barriers and let everyone surge right in...!!..
Travel this year seemed to be well organised. At least there was no rail strike on, that would have been bad. Car park shuttles, local shuttle buses and inter-exhibition buses all seemed well turned out and organised. Pleanty of service buses connecting the show with other towns, Heathrow and Central London.
I feel the 2006 air display was poor. The A340 and A380 were the best for me, as for the rest I found it lacking in 'oomph. Previous years of civilian flybys (SAA B744 & CX B744) were great. That said it was uncomfortably HOT out there this year.