RAF Scampton airshow.

[Al R]

Nice to have Waddington replaced with another so close, and in bomber county.

New air show to be staged at RAF Scampton in 2017

[SX983]

Is there then a possibility that the based Hunters could participate-given that they are on the military register and therefore not subject to civilian restrictions?

[Finningley Boy]

As it is looks likely to be held in September, does that suggest that it may be a return to the traditional Battle of Britain 'at home' day?

FB

[Guernsey Girl II]

I wonder where the Manpower will come from?

I bet the fleet of coaches will have to leave about 4am as the roads will be murder in Lincoln, even with the easten bypass.

[Pontius Navigator]

I notice the name of the photographer in that article, I wonder if he is related to the Wg Cdr of the same name and Coningsby Vulcan infamy?

[Avtur]

I feel for the Waddington personnel; no doubt they will continue to be stiffed to provide the "manpower" with the now added buggeration of travelling through Lincoln. Not only will they have to travel at the weekend when the airshow traffic is likely to bring Lincoln to gridlock, but daily during the week or so before and after the event. It was a pain when at Waddington.

[Pontius Navigator]

IIRC, Scampton was ruled out because of the poor road infrastructure. It is bad enough for the Lincolnshire show but Scampton appears much worse. How about establishing tent city for the volunteers running the show?

[Kitbag]

I feel for the Waddington personnel

Not just Waddington personnel, there'll be a CMLO tasking for every unit n the RAF to stump up people just as there has been to support the Waddington airshows.

[Valiantone]

Even if they start the single carrigeway Eastern bypass in the next few months as planned, I doubt it would be finished by September next year.

And seeing as they haven't even finished the short extension in the city which started in the summer from memory. I can't see it going fast, build wise

HHA have said before that they are no longer likely to use the Hunters for displays

V1

[salad-dodger]

Even if they start the single carrigeway Eastern bypass in the next few months as planned, I doubt it would be finished by September next year.

and definitely not if they use the same crew who are doing Waddington's runway

S-D

[Finningley Boy]

Well presumably somebody knows what they are doing!?!

FB

[Guernsey Girl II]

FB
Do you want to bet on that? The Waddington Air Show staff are long gone to pastures new; What we have here is a case of multi star Mindless Optimism

[Pontius Navigator]

Nil desperandum, RIAT are running it.

Anyone remember the great air shows put on by RAF PR gurus at Abingdon and East Fortune? And before anyonre says they weren't great, they were, I just didn't say great at

[Chinny Crewman]

Is/are the runway/taxiways at Scampton in good enough condition to take anything bigger than a Hawk or will it be a flying display only?
Not a problem for rotary but the paying public do like to see a decent static.

[Kitbag]

Holding it at Leeming might be a better idea

[Finningley Boy]

Do you want to bet on that? The Waddington Air Show staff are long gone to pastures new; What we have here is a case of multi star Mindless Optimism

I'd have thought that those charged with approving such a venture will have taken stock of all the obstacles before making any public announcements. I understand that a chap very much at the centre of the organization of the Waddington airshow is likely to be involved. But really... it seems we're no longer a nation which understates matters, the more modern British dispositon these days seems to be to overplay, overstate and make a fuss, just as a handful of posts here seem to, you'd honestly think Scampton had long since had a Supermarket built on the main runway and the aprons into council housing the way some people doubt the suitability of an airfield no that much smaller than Waddington to stage such an event. The're having a Families Day there this Summer, would that not give some reassurance over just how disastrous a venue for holding an airshow it would prove to be? Also, don't forget, RAF Stations, which didn't regularly hold airshows, staged quite impressive events out of the Blue without any apparent difficulty. Binbrook, Coningsby, Waddington, Wattisham and Honington all during the 1970s and 1980s either started holding air days annually or held the one off, perhaps to celebrate a station anniversary or something, but they all worked and were quite major public events.

Here endeth the sermon,

FB

[Courtney Mil]

When I read the comments:

That the Station Commander would, "welcome an airshow on the base."

and, "this will not be possible until 2017..."

I had to wonder how long the current Staish had to run - yes, I'm an old cynic. But it looks like Mike Harrop only took over from Richard Turner last autumn - that's just from the dates on a few newspaper articles, so could be wrong.

I just wondered if it may have been a lovely leaving gift to the next poor bugger that would have to organise it.

[Wensleydale]

The 1970's/80's shows didn't have all the health and safety nause in the organisation of the event - money grabbers didn't try to sue for slipping on a few drops of water on a portable toilet floor and claiming bad backs etc....

[Guernsey Girl II]

FB

To add to Wensleydale's point,

I can understand your surprise at the apparent negativity displayed in some of the posts in this thread.

I know you have a deep understanding of the history of RAF air shows and no doubt lots of contacts in the air show world. So I'm a little more positive to hear the poss involvement of one of the old Waddington team.

The thing that concerns me is the 3 year gap between Waddington 14 and possibly Scampton 17. Let me explain why; it would be an understatement to say things have changed massively in terms of manning in the last few years on Stations, let alone since you left at the start of the 90s.

First let's call Cosford a special case as its a training unit and therefore has an excess of manpower and the 'output' of the Station can be totally focuses on the show when required.

The only reason that Waddington (and Leuchars) worked was that each Sqn and Flt had little 'empires' to run. From year to year manpower changed in each section but that corporate knowledge was passed down as the vast majority of the section saw how it worked, (or didn't), last year.

Scampton just don't have the staff for that so to my mind the Scampton 17 team have 2 options:

Chuck Manpower from all over at it and contractor out even more of the tasks, (in fact make it a mini RIAT).

Or get the rest of RAF Lincolnshire to pitch in to a far deeper level than just CLMO a few scores of airmen.

PS note the voices of reason/cynicism on this thread all have recent Waddo air show experiences to treasure.

[G-CPTN]

No doubt the regional ATC cadets will take care of selling programmes . . .