Abingdon 2011 highlights

[Neil Porter]

My thanks to all who supported us this year. A brief highlights film below as a lead in to the DVD coming out.

YouTube - ‪Abingdon Air and Country Show 2011 Highlights‬‏

[SRENNAPS]

Many thanks for that. Some great video and it looks like everybody had a great day. :ok:

Wish I had come down:(

[Wander00]

Wasn't there a problem last year about using Abingdon's runway. Was that resolved for this year?

[Neil Porter]

Wasn't there a problem last year about using Abingdon's runway. Was that resolved for this year?

Yes there was .. down to 1 person in DE in 2010 saying no! This year under a different person we reached a compromise so just not the Jets & C130 allowed in on the deck but everything else was. It went from what we presented up to & including 09 (full shows) to virtually nothing bar 3 heli's in 2010 on the deck (aircraft operated from elsewhere at much expense at the last moment), to two thirds back (Props & Helo types) in 2011.
As very limited maintenance is carried out on the two runways at Abingdon these days, sometimes what you see on the surface looks worse than it is.. but nothing bitumen sealing wouldn't cure & its appearance hasn't changed that much in the 12 years we have run the show. We know heavies still occasionally use the runways ie: C130, and we proved a C17 can be taken weight wise & light thrusted jets would still be ok (tho the RNLAF F16 aircrew we had last year were more than happy to operate from Abingdon!) within the useable length (ie: main drag is now 5500ft useable as we put both ends out of use) but its down to DE runway specialists report and over cautiousness.. all about the risk factor which is a fair point on their part.
But we give the runways a thorough once over aswell as monitoring them each year for any significant change.

RAF / AAC Helo's and light fixed wingers (mainly RAF VGS) use the airfield regulary awell and have done for years.

We are happier this year that DE have worked closer with us and finding a solution so to not write off our show completely after years of hard graft gone into it & we have proved we can run a safe show as another 2010 scenario would of caused uproar!