Biggin Hill Airshow - or not -28th June 2009
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t there early 07:00! You guys all got there far too late! Same regards for any airshow! Thats rule one! get there early!
How many police, stewards etc... did I see. No more than 30.
How many people attend a top 4 Premiership football game? >50,000 people
How many police and stewards attend these events? 100's if not thousands!!
Granted, Biggin Hill is not Old Trafford or Wembley, and this needs to be understood and appreciated by all, there are no real violence threats, no masses of drunk lads, but there is a logistical similarity, if not a worse logistical situation due to there being no purpose built public transport facility and really; arriving 4+ hours before the show begins is not ideal. Especially, when the static display (as already mentioned) was little more than a couple of hawks, a merlin, tucano, and a few tanks. If aircraft such as the Lanc went tech, why not have back up plans to push the aircraft into a position where a managed barrier can be maintained, but paying punters can get up close?
I repeat my opinion that the air display aircraft, atmosphere and weather made for an overall enjoyable and value for money day, but the one major negative (parking and queue time) was a clear result of the organisation running the operations on the day, doing so very, very badly.
Last edited by One9iner; 29th Jun 2009 at 20:16.
I went both days and Sunday was a lot busier than Saturday.
We usually stay in Biggin (missus is from there) so the drive can be easy, Saturday at 1145 was empty, Sunday was horrendous even outside the house. We waited till around 1230 and the roads had quietened a bit.
Whether the security chaps who were directing traffic on the public roads outside have the legal right to is a question that needs asking, perhaps paying the local plod like the football clubs do would be a better idea, it was almost farcical to watch.
There seemed to be more of an emphasis on stopping people getting in who hadn't paid than helping those who had have an enjoyable experience (just an observation, I know its a business).
There does need to be more control over the morons who pitch their windbreaks and tents / towels on the display line but think its ok to block the walkways so no one can move , perhaps there should be a line in the sand kind of thing behind which you should not pitch, there were people just stuck near the army tents who couldn't get past because of some idiots who had set up camp there, (hint for next year if there is no space left go somewhere else or stand up).
The display was good Reds + 747 and the Vulcan were the highlights, but I thought the RAF King air was brilliant and met the pilot in the bar on Saturday nice chap.
Needs more organising I agree, but a good show all round.
We left at 1545 and were back in Cornwall by 2015. No sitting in queues but we did leave when we knew there would be little if any traffic.
We usually stay in Biggin (missus is from there) so the drive can be easy, Saturday at 1145 was empty, Sunday was horrendous even outside the house. We waited till around 1230 and the roads had quietened a bit.
Whether the security chaps who were directing traffic on the public roads outside have the legal right to is a question that needs asking, perhaps paying the local plod like the football clubs do would be a better idea, it was almost farcical to watch.
There seemed to be more of an emphasis on stopping people getting in who hadn't paid than helping those who had have an enjoyable experience (just an observation, I know its a business).
There does need to be more control over the morons who pitch their windbreaks and tents / towels on the display line but think its ok to block the walkways so no one can move , perhaps there should be a line in the sand kind of thing behind which you should not pitch, there were people just stuck near the army tents who couldn't get past because of some idiots who had set up camp there, (hint for next year if there is no space left go somewhere else or stand up).
The display was good Reds + 747 and the Vulcan were the highlights, but I thought the RAF King air was brilliant and met the pilot in the bar on Saturday nice chap.
Needs more organising I agree, but a good show all round.
We left at 1545 and were back in Cornwall by 2015. No sitting in queues but we did leave when we knew there would be little if any traffic.
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Just incase anyone else feels a brief, yet frank account of what was experienced by the majority needs to be communicated to the shambilisers of the event; here's the only address I can find:
Address
Air Displays International Ltd
Biggin Hill Airport
Kent
TN16 3BN
Registered in England and Wales Number 764085.
Phone Number
(01959) 57 22 77
Address
Air Displays International Ltd
Biggin Hill Airport
Kent
TN16 3BN
Registered in England and Wales Number 764085.
Phone Number
(01959) 57 22 77
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but I thought the RAF King air was brilliant and met the pilot in the bar on Saturday nice chap
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Was that the guy that landed after a ridiculously steep approach angle? Forgive me for imagining that the aircraft was very redolent of a Mosquito, with it's high tail and the way he flew it. Yeh, that was good.
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Few years ago I saw a pic of a Kenyan Super King Air doing a low pass at the Wilson Airport Airshow in Nairobi with both props feathered, very redolent of Bob Hoover - wonder if the RAF could work that into their routine...! 
3rd ear, that's a "Que San" approach developed, I believe, by USAF Herc drivers in Vietnam to avoid small arms fire at hot landing strips. At Biggin probably developed to avoid small boys with catapults.
3rd ear, that's a "Que San" approach developed, I believe, by USAF Herc drivers in Vietnam to avoid small arms fire at hot landing strips. At Biggin probably developed to avoid small boys with catapults.
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Well said expedite08! If you can be bothered to get out of bed
and arrive at a sensible time (we left at 0700, arrived 0820
and drove straight in to the A holders parking zone!) you might
find the experience more enjoyable and not feel the need to moan.
As for the displays, yes I was very disappointed about the Vulcan,
Lanc and Sea Vixen going u/s on the Sunday but that's aviation.
Carolyn Grave gave a superb display, the Reds and 747 was a once
in a lifetime formation and for those who could be bothered to stay
until the end, the Spitfire display was stunning with low, graceful
flypasts and a stunning dive down behind the trees into the Biggin
valley.
Still a good display despite the various problems.
At least those who are tardy in their arrival make it easier for us
sensible folk! There was plenty to see before the flying started
so why make life difficult!
and arrive at a sensible time (we left at 0700, arrived 0820
and drove straight in to the A holders parking zone!) you might
find the experience more enjoyable and not feel the need to moan.
As for the displays, yes I was very disappointed about the Vulcan,
Lanc and Sea Vixen going u/s on the Sunday but that's aviation.
Carolyn Grave gave a superb display, the Reds and 747 was a once
in a lifetime formation and for those who could be bothered to stay
until the end, the Spitfire display was stunning with low, graceful
flypasts and a stunning dive down behind the trees into the Biggin
valley.
Still a good display despite the various problems.
At least those who are tardy in their arrival make it easier for us
sensible folk! There was plenty to see before the flying started
so why make life difficult!
Thread Starter
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Yup, let's all be 'sensible' and arrive for 07:00, all 80 000 of us....Geez
That is not the answer.
After the Grandstand the area between the taxi way and the runway was full of tightly parked cars with the 'early arrivals' firmly established in their gazebos, fenced off areas, large camper vans etc, etc. No vehicles should be parked anywhere near the dislay line thus allowing more people to see the display than the lucky few who paid the same amount in entrance fee see fit to play on (but they were sensible enough to get up early!).
They eventually had to shut the gates as it was realised that the last cars they had allowed in were now stopped and parked where they were, in a queue as there was no more parking available. I walked past this and then saw other cars coming the other way, looking for somewhere to park. They too were parked where they stopped.
I felt for those who had queued for hours to get in only to be told that the gates were now closed. I am glad that you had a good day, I didn't.
Yes unserviceable aircraft happen, that is part of aviation, but bad organsiation and control is avoidable.
I thought well at least being 'late' in I would be able to hang around til the traffic queues died down. Nope, some of the folk who were in first seemed to want to get out first and the poorly managed traffic control had cars everywhere making it quite dangerous to walk in some areas. Anyway, I shan't post on this again. I have tried to make my point, but that experience has put me off airshows full stop.
That is not the answer.
After the Grandstand the area between the taxi way and the runway was full of tightly parked cars with the 'early arrivals' firmly established in their gazebos, fenced off areas, large camper vans etc, etc. No vehicles should be parked anywhere near the dislay line thus allowing more people to see the display than the lucky few who paid the same amount in entrance fee see fit to play on (but they were sensible enough to get up early!).
They eventually had to shut the gates as it was realised that the last cars they had allowed in were now stopped and parked where they were, in a queue as there was no more parking available. I walked past this and then saw other cars coming the other way, looking for somewhere to park. They too were parked where they stopped.
I felt for those who had queued for hours to get in only to be told that the gates were now closed. I am glad that you had a good day, I didn't.
Yes unserviceable aircraft happen, that is part of aviation, but bad organsiation and control is avoidable.
I thought well at least being 'late' in I would be able to hang around til the traffic queues died down. Nope, some of the folk who were in first seemed to want to get out first and the poorly managed traffic control had cars everywhere making it quite dangerous to walk in some areas. Anyway, I shan't post on this again. I have tried to make my point, but that experience has put me off airshows full stop.
Last edited by Tempsford; 1st Jul 2009 at 20:30.
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I dont know what the organisers can really do about it, The roads around the village of biggin hill weren't designed to deal with 80000 peeps turning up all at once, and that accident with the copper in the village didnt help things. As for 3 hour waits - have you ever tried driving into Silverstone or Glastonbury on their event days, 3 hours is par for the course.
Then again I was on the Western side of the field so I dont know what the marshalls were like with respect to parking.
Then again I was on the Western side of the field so I dont know what the marshalls were like with respect to parking.
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that experience has put me off airshows full stop
And it's a lovely little show as well.
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Late to the discussion, but I am glad we went on Saturday (Although we did miss the Virgin + Reds)
40 mins frpm home to the area, 30 mins slow traffic to the gate, sitting ready for the show - right next to the Chinook - as the show started. Photos are better at the end of the display line in my view.
About an hour from the car park to the M25
Par for the course I would say, no real problem. They do however need to make the PA reach the whle length of the crowd area as LBC stop for news, weather traffic etc.
Sounds like they got swamped on sunday and that was compounded by an accident.
We would go again.
Now, as i got offered some spare tickets for the Air Tatoo I need to find some accomodation - off to start a thread.
40 mins frpm home to the area, 30 mins slow traffic to the gate, sitting ready for the show - right next to the Chinook - as the show started. Photos are better at the end of the display line in my view.
About an hour from the car park to the M25
Par for the course I would say, no real problem. They do however need to make the PA reach the whle length of the crowd area as LBC stop for news, weather traffic etc.
Sounds like they got swamped on sunday and that was compounded by an accident.
We would go again.
Now, as i got offered some spare tickets for the Air Tatoo I need to find some accomodation - off to start a thread.
