RAF Spirit of Adventure in Scotland
 

Noticed the advertising for this appearing in the Sunday papers yesterday, emblazened with 'Bank Holiday Weekend'.

Except the last weekend in August isn't a Scottish Holiday.......:ugh:

Ooops!

Yet another miraculous display from the SoA team.

http://www.waddingtonairshow.co.uk/bookings.asp

One of the problem areas in SoA was thought to be the price. Another was that this was the first of this type of show and the public awareness would be low.

Both valid points. Both points copuld have been addressed with a lower price to make the show attractive.

The Waddington show at £13 each, same as SoA concession prices, with £6 for children, less that half the SoA ATC concession prices, points up the whole difference between an assurred Service show and a commercial risk based and profit orientated organisation. Organisation in a loose term.

Just looking at the SoA for Scotland, the information out there is conflicting. Apart from the act that SpiritofAdventure.co.uk is a Holiday Cruise Company the RAF show is shown at http://www.airshows.org.uk/newsfiles/sofa.html

This promises to be as good as the Abingdon show with Harrier, Typhoon and Jaguar simulators and statics by Typhoon, Harrier, Red Arrows, C130, Tornado and Jaguar.

And only £25 per adult, £12.50 for a child or £60 for a family on the Saturday or Sunday and £5 for car parking.

However the booking site has prices if £28.60, £14 and £66 as this includes the booking fee. http://www.wayahead.com/bookingsdire...s%20direct.htm Presumably it will be cheaper on the day?

The cold link to http://www.spiritofadventure.info/ has no more information than the post-show report from Abingdon.

Whoa, hang on just one darned minute!!! Statics? At Balado??? :eek: I thought the runway was gone/a heap of rubble? Is it still useable?:confused:

Well its on the web site and Abingdon was weeks ago so itmust mean Scotland.:)

PS, at first I thought it might have been the plastic Typhoon then I saw the Herc and I didn't think Airfix did one that size.

Bits of the peri track are in very poor shape, and the only remaining runway is covered in chicken/pig sheds;

Aerial shot

Static At Balado - Pigs Might Fly
 

If they can get all those into Balado, I'd be very impressed, if not a little stunned.:eek: Balado (with the greatest respect to the current owner) is as derelict and decrepit as they come - make good practice for rough strip landings for the Herc boys though.;) The surfaces are either overgrown/dilapidated or have aforementioned chicken sheds on them (the pong will be like the mushroom farm behind the tower/101 Sqn at Brize). I drive past the place almost daily and the chances of hosting a major air display with associated static - well lets just say they have a challenge ahead of them.

As for mounting points for the flying display? Assuming they do wish to launch/recover to Edi they better start talking soon to the BAA and to ATC. As I mentioned in the other thread on this topic, we (ATC) have not heard a dicky bird from them. Assuming they will not mount from Edi, it would still be prudent to contact Edi ATC well ahead of the planned dates, given the proximity of Balado the the UKs 5th, yes 5th, busiest civil airport.

Flexibility, the key to air power. Good communication, prevents cock-ups.

WJMcP

P.S Why in gods name did they choose Balado in the first place?:confused:

Perhaps the organisers think it's Kinloss. :E

One can only assume that the ads in the papers were placed before the Abingdon fiasco.

If, as we've been led to believe, the PR companies are taking the risk in the shows making a loss, it ain't gonna happen. Abingdon is reported as costing £500,000 to stage - simple maths say that to break even about 20,000 tickets need to be sold. We know that about 1,200 turned up at Abingdon, and many of those were freebies, so the best estimate of income is £25k. I can't believe any company faced with a £475k bill for Abingdon would risk a repeat at Kinross, unless penalty clauses in contracts outweigh that (which is highly unlikely).

Also many of the traders and food vendors from Abingdon will have incurred losses - I can't see them venturing north. Any trader worth his salt will know about Abingdon and if he has any sense would steer well clear.

The fact that the 'official website' is devoid of information should be a clue that all is not well - unless the Kinross event is radically altered in its business plan it's doomed to the same fate as Abingdon, IMHO.

The specialist aviation-related traders might have booked for Kinross, but the food traders will be different - why trek to Jockistan for a two-day event when you can stay in the S of England and get three days of business?

Anyway, not many English food vans could a) understand the language or b) deep-fry a Mars bar :E

So, given the state of the non-existant surfaces at Balado, we can all safely assume that Jervis et al are a bunch of @rse; brewery/p!ss-up, anyone? Give me strength ..... :ugh::mad:

In fact, I would go as far as suggest that if anyone has any thoughts at getting caught up in this fiasco, think again. Chuck a handfull of gravel down the intake, slash the tyres, (allright, maybe a bit strong - but find a way of not going, eh?). I mean, what does it say for the organisation that intends flying aircraft from AN AIRFIELD WITH NO OPERATING SURFACE!!! Utterly, utterly.

Have a look at http://www.balado.co.uk/spirit_of_adventure.htm - there's no mention of aircraft operating from the site, just over-flying it, as far as I can tell.

I didn't realise that "Dance, fashion ...." were part of today's RAF, but you learn something new every day :}

A_A, thanks for that, must pop across to the booking website (link) and buy my tickets for ............................. Abingdon? :(

Anyway, not many English food vans could a) understand the language or b) deep-fry a Mars bar :E

They'll have problems as well if they refuse to take "Scottish" money

Just found the Witney Gazette report on the Abingdon event:

"On Saturday, PR executive Lucy Wigginton from communications company Republic Media, said that 8,000 people had gone through the gate that day and she anticipated a further 8,000 people the following day."

Sounds like an official, on the spot, and up to date estimate. So up to date that it was before Sunday's cancellation.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...gan/Jervis.jpg
(photo courtesy of www.ukar.co.uk)
:eek:

Oh, bl00dy hell, the prats have got all bases covered, havn't they? Ok, how about sh!t creek/paddle










(just try it Wiz an' I'll 'av yer wotsits for, er, something).:\

Sorry, but you asked for this.....:p
http://www.silvercanoe.com/tripinfo.html
They have their own resort!!
http://www.tourismjervisbay.com.au/t...ors_centre.asp
(and you are not having my cheese flavoured corn snacks for anything!)

OK, OK, I surrender!
This world is beset with pill0cks of the highest order! I will now retire to licenced premises, therein to lick my ..... wounds. And to imbibe The Spirit of Scotland :ok: