Duxford - End of Flying Legends airshows
Join Date: Mar 2008
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Less hair,
Not sure that the ability to generate a profit is in question, what appears to be the issue is the IWM and TFC failing to reach an equitable solution regarding profit sharing
Not sure that the ability to generate a profit is in question, what appears to be the issue is the IWM and TFC failing to reach an equitable solution regarding profit sharing
I've always thought that Legends was good value, given the air display and museum access were all included in the one price.
Reading between the lines, it seems possible that the IWM wanted a bigger slice of the cake, possibly due to current circumstances and the shortfall in income, and what's left wouldn't have made sense to TFC.
Must post quicker!
Reading between the lines, it seems possible that the IWM wanted a bigger slice of the cake, possibly due to current circumstances and the shortfall in income, and what's left wouldn't have made sense to TFC.
Must post quicker!
It was interesting to hear Nick Grey's comment on the radio this morning, in which he quoted the running cost of a warbird at £10-12K per hour. So if IWM intend to run a show then as the aircraft will have to be brought in the operating costs might be 2 20 minute ferry flights plus the display at another 20 minutes, so a minimum of 1 hours flying per aircraft. 40 aircraft takes you up to approx £500K which will make a pretty big dent in the gate money before all the site costs. Do you think the IWM "bean counters" might have got it wrong?
I wouldn't mind betting on it which is pretty much what I said in post #34. Given the genius the bean-counters or marketing gurus showed with abolishing Friends of Duxford it wouldn't be a surprise.
It was interesting to hear Nick Grey's comment on the radio this morning, in which he quoted the running cost of a warbird at £10-12K per hour. So if IWM intend to run a show then as the aircraft will have to be brought in the operating costs might be 2 20 minute ferry flights plus the display at another 20 minutes, so a minimum of 1 hours flying per aircraft. 40 aircraft takes you up to approx £500K which will make a pretty big dent in the gate money before all the site costs. Do you think the IWM "bean counters" might have got it wrong?
Join Date: Jun 2007
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Ok left field option given Bojo wanting to even up the country. What about Teeside, very quiet, longish runway, locals used to low flying courtesy of RAF at Leeming and Helo from Dishforth and currently Leeming trainers. You never know 
Kind regards
Mr Mac
Kind regards
Mr Mac
I'm still to be convinced that any alternative airfields are a viable alternative for TFC and certainly nowhere more than 10 to 15 minutes from their home base at Duxford. Considering that currently their aircraft are all on site, they can have the same pilot flying several different aeroplanes and when it's all over they go back into their own hangar, I just don't believe it could ever work at a distance
I'm still to be convinced that any alternative airfields are a viable alternative for TFC and certainly nowhere more than 10 to 15 minutes from their home base at Duxford. Considering that currently their aircraft are all on site, they can have the same pilot flying several different aeroplanes and when it's all over they go back into their own hangar, I just don't believe it could ever work at a distance
Once they start crunching the numbers I'm sure they'll start to realise the same thing, that its just not viable.
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Obvious candidates to me would be Bruntingthorpe (I see the problem already given recent events) or Elvington. Another alternative would be St Mawgan although location isn’t necessarily in favour.
In practice, I suspect either the collection would be split up and sold (unlikely) or moved to a more Warbird favourable neighbourhood. Most likely somewhere a couple of hundred miles or so south of Dover. Sadly.
In practice, I suspect either the collection would be split up and sold (unlikely) or moved to a more Warbird favourable neighbourhood. Most likely somewhere a couple of hundred miles or so south of Dover. Sadly.
Bruntingthorpe, forget it. We already know there will be no aviation activity there since Walton's sold the site or lease. Elvington also, the runway's been sold, and St Mawgan's so far away it could never be an option, although I'm pretty sure neither of the other two would have been near enough to be financially viable anyway.
I don't think IWM will neccessary import warbirds for their shows, I think that's the problem with the direction they want to take he shows, if they survive beyond this year. It will be Pitts special aeros and the like, not big piston vintage warbirds. They want more generic shows not warbird enthusiast show that just happen to bring in people from all over Europe, the USA/Canada as well as even Aus/NZ....its a doesn't fit what we're about type scenario now, with the changes that have happened within IWM staff at DX and at Lambeth.
Its the only place with an existing airshow infrastructure suitable tbh.
Far from local to Duxford and TFC's base though, and Nick Grey was on local radio this morning being interviewed and was hinting that they would like to keep it local, but I really can't see anywhere local that could be an option?
I still think La Ferte-Alais in France will be where it ends up (and maybe TFC along with it)
Far from local to Duxford and TFC's base though, and Nick Grey was on local radio this morning being interviewed and was hinting that they would like to keep it local, but I really can't see anywhere local that could be an option?
I still think La Ferte-Alais in France will be where it ends up (and maybe TFC along with it)
La Ferte-Alais
Good suggestion.
Beautiful area.
But what about any possible Brexit problems with moving to Europe?
And of course the total cost of such a move.
And would all his excellent staff want to leave the UK?
Beautiful area.
But what about any possible Brexit problems with moving to Europe?
And of course the total cost of such a move.
And would all his excellent staff want to leave the UK?
Well if you are considering a move to France might I throw in Meyenheim, the former 132 French Air Force base, which used to hold wonderful airshows, and whose regular sorties produced sonic booms that would shake the windows in our houses on a regular basis.
IWM Duxford Curator has made the following somewhat astonishing recent Tweet, which probably explains as much as anything......
Yes Flying Legends is popular among a certain audience, but for a number of years it has been out performed by shows with less niche appeal. Duxford has always been a war museum first, aviation museum second, and IMO Legends' programme has become removed from its warbird origins