Major news - the future of BHIAF

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EMarsh
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Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by EMarsh »

Just read some alarming and genuinely (potentially) gutting news regarding the future of the Biggin Hill International Air Fair, specifically Air Displays International's involvement in the organisation of the event.

If I could direct you to the comments from event organiser Colin Hitchins, the situation should become clearer.

Your words have brought home to me what we achieved at Biggin Hill this year was special. We always hope that we can offer something special at the most famous of all of the Battle of Britain airfields, this year working alongside Andy Pawsey, Smithy and Dan Griffiths that ambition came to fruition. The team at Air Displays International care about the show in a way that I have never felt anywhere else, Bill Robinson who puts the flying display together, Simon Ames, Display Director, Barry Sargeant, Ground Operations Manager and many more made something very special happen on the 26th & 27th June.

On a more sombre note, Biggin Hill Airport Ltd have announced that they are terminating our contract to stage the Air fair. We are aware that they wish to continue the show but the format for future years is at this time uncertain.

A big thank you to everyone who has supported the show over the past 48 years from all of us at Air Displays International.

Regards

Colin Hitchins
Event organisor


We're not in a position to confirm anything regarding the future of Biggin shows at this stage. I'm sure more news will become available in the coming months.

To all at the ADI team - thanks for 48 years of wonderful airshows.

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MrAngry2
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by MrAngry2 »

Cheers for posting this E, was going to but didnt want to step on toes as it were.

Will be a devastating thing to occur should it pan out the way it looks like it will at the moment.
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Lomcevak26
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by Lomcevak26 »

Too shocked to write anything else so far...

Apart from thanks, Elliott, for highlighting this.

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DamienB
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by DamienB »

Seems to be a bonkers decision on the face of it. All that experience and skill thrown away?

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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by duxfordhawk »

I can not honestly believe what I am reading, Air Displays International have run an amazing event at Biggin for 48 years now, An event that is still extremely popular and attracts huge crowd.
ADI have years of expertise and very good connections with pilots/operators and airforces,They have helped keep Biggin Hill on the map and still offer one of the highlights of the year airshow wise and have made the Biggin Hill airshow one of the mainstays of the UK airshow calender.
The events are always very well organised and offer a broad range of "acts" to please everybody from the family to the fan, I would argue that ADI are uniquely placed in organising airshows due to their years of expertise.

I can not see why any airport would want to throw such an asset away its not logical, If its not broke don't fix it and its certainly not broke.

I would like thank ADI for the years of airshows they have run, I have been going almost every year since 1982 and have many amazing memories due to you guys. I hope and pray ADI will go on to organise another airshow elsewhere if they can no longer carry on at Biggin, The venue is only part of the magic the rest comes from the fine organisation and dedication.
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Flyforfun
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by Flyforfun »

Thats a real shame , and was an excellent show this year maybe thats why it was good ,because it was may be the last :sad:

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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by timuss »

Oh no :sad:

Can't see the logic in this decision :question:

Sad news if the airshow doesn't continue or gets changed.
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DeanW
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by DeanW »

Gutting. This year's show was one of the best for a fair while.
Hope they can continue the show to the high standards that ADI have set in recent years.

stonojnr
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by stonojnr »

how much disruption is their to the airport side of things during the airshow, is it just a minor inconvenience to their operations or does it basically put a stop on everything for 2-3days.

its just, my first thought was its got to be about money, but then my second thought, though its still slightly money related, was having not realised what a commercial "high technology hub servicing international clientele..." of an airport its become over the years, is it something that Biggin Hill Airport Ltd actually finds they dont like doing anymore, regardless of the success ADI have made of the event with the public, 99.9% of those people who attend are never going to be the target market Biggin Hill airport ltd is aiming at making money from, so why keep doing it , if you follow my drift :(

abit like London Citys airport funday, it was great for the public who attended, but possibly bad business for the airport itself.


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aceyone
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by aceyone »

It basically shuts up shop for the duration,until the evening when their is usually a lot of private planes coming and going,although I believe on the Sunday this year they did disrupt the display to allow a biz-jet to arrive ( probably Bernie )
Don't know about those jets ,they spoil a very nice place

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zeus17
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by zeus17 »

A very real shame if we lose biggin :sad:

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habu21
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by habu21 »

Shame on Biggin Hill airport, Let ADI run it as they always do.... :loser:

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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by BossMann »

I am shocked and completely Gutted.

I have been an avid Biggin Hill fan since I first visited Biggin in 1995 and we have had some superb shows over the last ten years organised by Air Displays International and even more from the shows 48 year history.

I just wanted to say a big thank you to all the team at ADI for the hard work they have put into the Biggin Hill AiR Fair and they have made it what it is today. As far as I am concerned there cannot be an air fair at Biggin without ADI.

If there has to be an Air Fair without ADI then the only people that I would want to take over would be RAFCTE - organisers of the RIAT, but still they will never have such an emotional attachment and desire to improve the show as ADI did.

Big question is - What now for ADI? after losing Sunderland and Eastbourne to RIAT and now TSA, what will happen to ADI?

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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by tankbuster81 »

I'm not going to jump the gun yet.This years show was the best in years!!! And i believe Biggin is the longest show in the Uk?
The question is what is behind the story? And im guessing theShow will continue in some guise or another,hopefully with ADI involved.
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tankbuster81
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by tankbuster81 »

I feel a petition coming on!!! :mad:
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tom6326
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by tom6326 »

zeus17 wrote:A very real shame if we lose biggin :sad:



We wont, ADI just wont run it... - See first post

However it is a shame as each year they seem to do a good job! - Wonder why Biggin have done this?

Tom

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DamienB
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by DamienB »

Interesting comment from one of Biggin's ATCers over on the Flyer forum...

http://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=64602

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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by clearstone »

From Flightline UK - http://www.airshows.org.uk/news/ -

The annual Biggin Hill International Air Fair is to revert to management by the airport company, as it was in earlier days when founder Sqdn Ldr Jock Maitland was Airport Manager and CAA licence-holder.

Following the retirement of Jock Maitland five years ago from active involvement in the organisation of the Air Fair through his company Air Displays International and the understandable non-executive status of his son Jim in the company, the family links as organisers have diminished as BHAP Chairman Andrew Walters explains.

“Now that the Maitland family involvement has subsided as principals, the new circumstances are that the airport management and staff are required by law to assume a high degree of control over the air show event. As effective owners and CAA licence-holders, this is now our obligation” he said.

Mr Walters paid tribute to Sqdn Ldr Maitland and his family for the phenomenal success of the Air Fair series that he founded in 1963.

“Millions of people have enjoyed your shows over nearly five decades, which is a personal legacy to you. Hundreds of people – possibly thousands – have been inspired to take up jobs or careers in aviation after experiencing the dynamic appeal of the show. They have much to thank you for, as I do” Mr Walters said.

Mr Walters confirms that ‘the show will go on’ and that a suitable date for 2011 will be agreed soon.

“We shall consult widely with airport stakeholders and tenants before any lasting decisions are made on future arrangements and this consultation will proceed without delay” Mr Walters confirmed.

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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by Vodka »

Now that the Maitland family involvement has subsided as principals, the new circumstances are that the airport management and staff are required by law to assume a high degree of control over the air show event. As effective owners and CAA licence-holders, this is now our obligation” he said.
. .

any solicitors on here care to approach this one ? :whistle:

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Petedcollins
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by Petedcollins »

to be honest this could be the best thing to happen to the show for years

EMarsh
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by EMarsh »

Petedcollins wrote:to be honest this could be the best thing to happen to the show for years


?

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MrAngry2
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by MrAngry2 »

Petedcollins wrote:to be honest this could be the best thing to happen to the show for years


Hows that then?
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tom6326
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by tom6326 »

MrAngry2 wrote:
Petedcollins wrote:to be honest this could be the best thing to happen to the show for years


Hows that then?


I can kind of see where he is coming from... - Dont forget that the post says that Biggin is still interested in running an airshow - So a new company/people could be a new drive for it? New ideas etc etc etc...? Alternatively it could be an epic fail!

Does ADI do any other airshows?

Tom

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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by EMarsh »

tom6326 wrote:
MrAngry2 wrote:
Petedcollins wrote:to be honest this could be the best thing to happen to the show for years


Hows that then?


I can kind of see where he is coming from... - Dont forget that the post says that Biggin is still interested in running an airshow - So a new company/people could be a new drive for it? New ideas etc etc etc...? Alternatively it could be an epic fail!

Does ADI do any other airshows?

Tom


Appreciate what you're saying, but these comments don't suggest a team lacking drive:

"The team at Air Displays International care about the show in a way that I have never felt anywhere else, Bill Robinson who puts the flying display together, Simon Ames, Display Director, Barry Sargeant, Ground Operations Manager and many more made something very special happen on the 26th & 27th June."

There's also nothing to suggest the airport would continue with the show in the current format - logically speaking, why introduce a new, inexperienced team when you already have guys with almost 50 years of experience at your disposal?

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Petedcollins
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Re: Major news - the future of BHIAF

Post by Petedcollins »

EMarsh wrote:
tom6326 wrote:
MrAngry2 wrote:
Petedcollins wrote:to be honest this could be the best thing to happen to the show for years


Hows that then?


I can kind of see where he is coming from... - Dont forget that the post says that Biggin is still interested in running an airshow - So a new company/people could be a new drive for it? New ideas etc etc etc...? Alternatively it could be an epic fail!

Does ADI do any other airshows?

Tom


Appreciate what you're saying, but these comments don't suggest a team lacking drive:

"The team at Air Displays International care about the show in a way that I have never felt anywhere else, Bill Robinson who puts the flying display together, Simon Ames, Display Director, Barry Sargeant, Ground Operations Manager and many more made something very special happen on the 26th & 27th June."

There's also nothing to suggest the airport would continue with the show in the current format - logically speaking, why introduce a new, inexperienced team when you already have guys with almost 50 years of experience at your disposal?



Can confirm 100% there will be a show at Biggin next year, and as for comments all they are at the end of the day is words, if people looked at the setup this year alone you could see there were serve gaps with the way it was run, dont even get me started on the management situation, i know a couple of people behind the scenes at Biggin and both had nothing repeat NOTHING good to say about how it was organised this year

As i said, they need new blood in there to really inject some passion there

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