Duxford - End of Flying Legends airshows
Only time will tell if that works for them, or whether they have shot themselves in the foot.
Over the last many many years my friends, family and I have come from Germany to see and enjoy the Flying Legends Airshow.
This with the cost of travel, hotels, rent-a-cars (2), etc, etc. Normally staying in the UK for a week.
We won't do this to see a "regular" airshow.
Sorry about that! Their loss!
I'am sure we are not the only overseas visitors who think the same.
And I doubt that overseas owners of warbirds, esp the USA, will come for a "regular" airshow as they have done in the past. A great loss!
Maybe we will reverse course and do a 180° turn and fly to the states and meet our friends who came over for the FL.
Instead we will visit the airshows where warbirds are featured. There are lots to choose from, From Planes of Fame, Virginia Beach, Michigan Willow Run Airport, Geneseo Airshow & of course the huge Oshkosh gathering.
This with the cost of travel, hotels, rent-a-cars (2), etc, etc. Normally staying in the UK for a week.
We won't do this to see a "regular" airshow.
Sorry about that! Their loss!
I'am sure we are not the only overseas visitors who think the same.
And I doubt that overseas owners of warbirds, esp the USA, will come for a "regular" airshow as they have done in the past. A great loss!
Maybe we will reverse course and do a 180° turn and fly to the states and meet our friends who came over for the FL.
Instead we will visit the airshows where warbirds are featured. There are lots to choose from, From Planes of Fame, Virginia Beach, Michigan Willow Run Airport, Geneseo Airshow & of course the huge Oshkosh gathering.
Last edited by Good Vibs; 13th Sep 2020 at 12:01. Reason: Add sentance-
According to a post on the sad remains of the Flypast forum, the new venue has been confirmed as Sywell.
I guess it's probably the only financially viable option. I've no idea how long it would take to fly there in a Spitfire or other fighter from Duxford but TFC seem to think it will work. Good luck to them.
I guess it's probably the only financially viable option. I've no idea how long it would take to fly there in a Spitfire or other fighter from Duxford but TFC seem to think it will work. Good luck to them.
According to a post on the sad remains of the Flypast forum, the new venue has been confirmed as Sywell.
I guess it's probably the only financially viable option. I've no idea how long it would take to fly there in a Spitfire or other fighter from Duxford but TFC seem to think it will work. Good luck to them.
I guess it's probably the only financially viable option. I've no idea how long it would take to fly there in a Spitfire or other fighter from Duxford but TFC seem to think it will work. Good luck to them.
It probably was the only likely option as discussed already. Will be interesting to see how they overcome those issues already discussed in this thread, including the fact that its a much smaller venue, so likely will be a very different event.
I'm not sure it will happen though as the chances of many shows actually taking place next summer I think is still very much in doubt.
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 60
Posts: 12,599
Received 277 Likes
on
153 Posts
Good tech support available from Air Leasing on site. Years since I've been to Sywell (34 I think, where HAS the time gone...?), wonder how well it will cope with traffic...?
FFS STILL whinging on about public service salaries and perks.
Thanks too virulent campaigns by the like of the Sun and the Daily Fail many years ago (to jump on the bandwagon to appease the likes of you) public service pensions are not what they were. The pay was traditionally crap with the bonus of having a good (ish) pension to make up for it if you stuck it out for 35+ years. Pay is still crap butyou will find that there are not many who can retire early without HUGE pension penalties and the value of these has been eroded too along the lines of pay more get much less. If you want to do something constructive, nag the government to chase all the tax dodgers. That would most likely adequately compensate for public service pensions.
Thanks too virulent campaigns by the like of the Sun and the Daily Fail many years ago (to jump on the bandwagon to appease the likes of you) public service pensions are not what they were. The pay was traditionally crap with the bonus of having a good (ish) pension to make up for it if you stuck it out for 35+ years. Pay is still crap butyou will find that there are not many who can retire early without HUGE pension penalties and the value of these has been eroded too along the lines of pay more get much less. If you want to do something constructive, nag the government to chase all the tax dodgers. That would most likely adequately compensate for public service pensions.
Its only 40 miles direct between the two, so 10-15 mins depending on aircraft type.
It probably was the only likely option as discussed already. Will be interesting to see how they overcome those issues already discussed in this thread, including the fact that its a much smaller venue, so likely will be a very different event.
I'm not sure it will happen though as the chances of many shows actually taking place next summer I think is still very much in doubt.
It probably was the only likely option as discussed already. Will be interesting to see how they overcome those issues already discussed in this thread, including the fact that its a much smaller venue, so likely will be a very different event.
I'm not sure it will happen though as the chances of many shows actually taking place next summer I think is still very much in doubt.
I live not far from there and recently attended 'Props and Pistons'. There were lots of cars and very few aircraft. The road to the airfield from the east is through a small village and although this was a relatively small event, there was a lot of traffic. Parking was in a farmer's field - not a problem as such because the weather was dry. Quite how Sywell will cope with this both in terms of dealing with spectators and flying visitors, if it does come to pass, remains to be seen.
According to a post on the sad remains of the Flypast forum, the new venue has been confirmed as Sywell.
I guess it's probably the only financially viable option. I've no idea how long it would take to fly there in a Spitfire or other fighter from Duxford but TFC seem to think it will work. Good luck to them.
I guess it's probably the only financially viable option. I've no idea how long it would take to fly there in a Spitfire or other fighter from Duxford but TFC seem to think it will work. Good luck to them.
It's a pale shadow of its former self and pretty well all the major knowledgeable posters disappeared after a major revamp a year or so back.
I can't believe it was actually a conscious decision to destroy a thriving forum but they couldn't have been more successful if they had been trying.
I can't believe it was actually a conscious decision to destroy a thriving forum but they couldn't have been more successful if they had been trying.
Don't know here everyone went, especially some of the authors and historians that frequented the forum. So much knowledge down the pan thanks to the idiots at Key.
The TFC always organized a beautiful airshow. 
If they get together with the people at Sywell for more Flying Legends we will be back.
We will just skip Duxford. We will spend our time and money somewhere else, but not any IWM locations.
Looking at Sywell on google earth it does not look as large as Duxford.
But I'am sure the TFC will have something great organized.
Lets hope for the best.
And that the Covid-19 will not cause any large problems like it does now.
If they get together with the people at Sywell for more Flying Legends we will be back.
We will just skip Duxford. We will spend our time and money somewhere else, but not any IWM locations.
Looking at Sywell on google earth it does not look as large as Duxford.
But I'am sure the TFC will have something great organized.
Lets hope for the best.
And that the Covid-19 will not cause any large problems like it does now.
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 60
Posts: 12,599
Received 277 Likes
on
153 Posts
The Flypast debacle has happened over the last 13 months. I "resigned my membership" when it became obvious they weren't listening to objections to the dreadful changes they had made. Still lurk occasionally... Not that I was a particularly knowledgeable contributor to the fun there...
Off topic really but related to the Flypast changes, and the updates here a while back. In my experience, software updates, always and without fail, make things worse for the people who actually use whatever it is. I accept that sometimes revisions have to be made as security protocols and other requirements change over time but the developers always seem to find that an excuse to completely change the appearance and tell everybody it's better. This is usually accompanied by a statement about "clean, modern design" which means acres of white space and less than half of the text there used to be on any given page.
Sorry - rant over.
Sorry - rant over.
Off topic really but related to the Flypast changes, and the updates here a while back. In my experience, software updates, always and without fail, make things worse for the people who actually use whatever it is. I accept that sometimes revisions have to be made as security protocols and other requirements change over time but the developers always seem to find that an excuse to completely change the appearance and tell everybody it's better. This is usually accompanied by a statement about "clean, modern design" which means acres of white space and less than half of the text there used to be on any given page.
The crowd line will be able half the length of Duxfords one as well, so, there will be many issues to overcome (Covid permitting it even taking place of course) and we all know that many long running shows struggle to survive after a forced change of venue, the Great Warbirds Show being one of course, the demise of which became the catalyst for the creation of Flying Legends Airshow....!!
My fear is the loss of it being based on a historic WW2 airfield and all that Duxford represented in terms of not only its RAF past but its USAAF past will mean some of the US owners/operators that wanted to play warbirds on this side of the Atlantic will now not be quite so inclined to make the effort.