RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Forum for information about the annual show at RAF Cosford
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Flare Path
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by Flare Path »

A large number of negative reviews appearing on the official Facebook page - they're not happy.

Massive changes required next year.

B_Tank88
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by B_Tank88 »

My first time at Cosford :smile:

As a venue I liked it, kept us busy from 8.30-11am in the morning with all the static stuff and then after the display, the great museum killed another couple of hours for the exiting traffic to die.

The display overall was so and so though, but worst the commentary. Didn't add any excitement to any of the displays for me, the Typhoon one suffered the most as the only modern fast jet display. The commentary (albeit slightly cheezy) last year at RIAT with the lady was miles better, this guy didn't say a word during it today and it was the mother eciting display. But in general no real complaints about the team, I have nothing to blame on them personally I think they did all they could. I can't compare it with my fabulous time at RIAT last year because that cost a lot more.

The rubbish weather though, why are we so cursed in this country with the most miserable weather. I was so looking forward to the B52, so disappointed.

vulcan558
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by vulcan558 »

CJS wrote:vulca558 that does sound terribly frustrating, especially expecting to have been so much closer and with young children.

Is it trolling to suggest that '1000s of airshows' might be stretching it a bit? At a rate of 20 per year you'd have to keep that up for 50 years just to make it to 1000. Just trying to lighten the mood a little, but I've not had the day you have so perhaps I shouldn't... :smile: :hide:

Yes it was, noticed a lot of older couples and other families in the same boat, guess the walk for
the older folk was to much, nothing wrong with off base parking in some degree, shuttle bus would have helped maybe,
the layout as changed for the worst. Should have left it how it was.

Rebecca_1984
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by Rebecca_1984 »

Yet another show the rain has spoilt, had it been a red hot summers day or even a nice warm day how many would be on here, Facebook, twitter etc saying what a nice day it was and how nice it was to see the Sea Vixen, B52, Gnats etc etc and how good it was to see the old Mig, the Typhoon, a full Red Arrows display in nice weather, yes the commentator was not the best and some displays were tame but I do feel for those who worked hard to organise the show only to see it go downhill due to the weather and the Danish event getting lots of fast jet displays. I attended the airshow it was not the best and not the worst of days the reasons being beyond the control of the airshow team.

Luke28
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by Luke28 »

B_Tank88 wrote:
The display overall was so and so though, but worst the commentary. Didn't add any excitement to any of the displays for me, the Typhoon one suffered the most as the only modern fast jet display. The commentary (albeit slightly cheezy) last year at RIAT with the lady was miles better, this guy didn't say a word during it today and it was the mother eciting display.


Not talking during the Typhoon display was the one thing the commentator got right, the commentary at RIAT last year during the Typhoon display was attrocious, it was genuinly awkward too listen too and took away from an excellent display.

Flare Path
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by Flare Path »

Rebecca_1984 wrote:Yet another show the rain has spoilt, had it been a red hot summers day or even a nice warm day how many would be on here, Facebook, twitter etc saying what a nice day it was and how nice it was to see the Sea Vixen, B-52, Gnats etc etc and how good it was to see the old Mig, the Typhoon, a full Red Arrows display in nice weather, yes the commentator was not the best and some displays were tame but I do feel for those who worked hard to organise the show only to see it go downhill due to the weather and the Danish event getting lots of fast jet displays. I attended the airshow it was not the best and not the worst of days the reasons being beyond the control of the airshow team.


Blind defence of a wafer thin line-up will see Cosford slip to obscurity. This was a poor show, before the rain came - summed up by single passes by the Atlus and C130; RAF aircraft rarely seen at Cosford, motoring through at high altitude.

I think after today, had the sun been shining, you would not have left that much happier. Displays were (at times) distant, commentary very poor and a high number of filler aircraft - for all the times I attended, I never remember Waddington ever being like this.

Such a shame people are willing to defend such mediocre that Cosford has become - even bizarre requests like 'The Blades' as a must see item for 2017. Utter madness.

Rebecca_1984
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by Rebecca_1984 »

Flare path, I'm not sure what more the people at Cosford could have done, event in Denmark seemed to get most of the fast jet displays and CAA said no to Viggen and J29, Meteors were booked but owner self grounded them to save cash, you and I can agree the RAF should have given more to the only RAF airshow but it seems Cosford asked and got told no, begs the question given today and other shows this year do the CAA and MAA want rid of airshows as one could be forgiven for thinking so.

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Dan O'Hagan
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by Dan O'Hagan »

What Cosford has become?

Cosford has ALWAYS been relatively thin, even going back to the 80s. It was always a family-based low key show, with one or two exceptional years recently. This year's show was thinner than usual, but to suggest Cosford's been anything other than middling down the years is frankly re-writing history.

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A380Heavy
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by A380Heavy »

My take on the show is as follows:

Getting in the to show along the A54 was really quite easy, I only queued from about 1.5 miles from the airfield and arrived at about 8.20am. Security on base had increased on last year with mirrors and sniffer dogs being used as well as car details being taken, despite this, entry on to the airfield happened fairly quickly and we were marshalled efficiently to a parking space.

The static contingent, had it not been for Cosford based aircraft and a RNAF Hercules, would have been very thin on the ground. That said, the Bristol 188, Avro 707 and Fairey Delta were great to see out in the open and in the sun (in the morning).

The flying display lacked fast (noisy) jets with the Typhoon being the only noisy fast jet in the entire display. Whilst I am grateful to the RAF for making available an A400M and a C130-J for a fly past perhaps these flypasts could be a little more dynamic - maybe a missed approach for the A400M and a keh sanh approach by the C130-J. Also welcome would have been more aerobatic warbirds. Sadly cancellations like the Sea Vixen, Gnats, P-51D all took their toll but there is nothing that the Cosford Team could have done about these last minute things. As for the B-52, I saw it briefly through the clouds so at least it found Cosford - something they didn't manage to do at Farnborough a few years ago! It wouldn't have hurt them to drop to between 500ft and 1000ft to give us one visual pass.

With regard to the commentry I have to agree it was lack lustre but it was also marred by the fact that no-one seemed to be helping spotting which direction aircraft were coming from. There was one point (I think it was when the Old Buckers had already started their display) when the commentator said I am not sure if they're coming in from the left or the right! There were also problems with knowledge too - today's parachute display aircraft was announced as a Cessna Caravan when it was quite clearly a Shorts Skyvan, also I'm not sure Bucker Jungman and Jungmeister were identified the right way round at one point.

As for the training theme I think it is something worth celebrating and certainly the Chipmunk and JP displays were notable, but in general training aircraft are less interesting to watch flying than the more dynamic, faster, noisier or bigger aircraft.

Getting out - I am of the understanding that an accident took place so this didn't help matters but it took a very long time to get off the airfield (as it did last year). The free for all until the last few hundred yards just doesn't work. At RIAT I am usually off base within 5-10 minutes not the 45mins+ it took me today (and last year).

All in all, it was a good show just not a great one. The weather, cancellations and commentary all took their toll but when you consider the Cosford team cannot be held responsible for 2 out of 3 of these things I'll be back next year.

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speedbird2639
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by speedbird2639 »

Such a shame people are willing to defend such mediocre that Cosford has become - even bizarre requests like 'The Blades' as a must see item for 2017. Utter madness.


I think that is just the difference between the enthusiast and the group 'Joe Public' which probably makes up 95% of the attendance. Joe P wants things like the BBMF, The Reds, the 'Phoon and 'fun' items like the Blades; the enthusiast gets all worked up because the Romanians are sending a Cold War jet in a livery not seen before in the UK. A 'rarity' act like this would have Joe P striding off in search of the ice cream van/ chip van/ toilet.

Different strokes etc but if an airshow wants to be commercially successful then you have to assume they will continue to book the populist acts and squeeze the enthusiast acts in if time/ budget allows.

Flare Path
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by Flare Path »

speedbird2639 wrote:
Such a shame people are willing to defend such mediocre that Cosford has become - even bizarre requests like 'The Blades' as a must see item for 2017. Utter madness.


I think that is just the difference between the enthusiast and the group 'Joe Public' which probably makes up 95% of the attendance. Joe P wants things like the BBMF, The Reds, the 'Phoon and 'fun' items like the Blades; the enthusiast gets all worked up because the Romanians are sending a Cold War jet in a livery not seen before in the UK. A 'rarity' act like this would have Joe P striding off in search of the ice cream van/ chip van/ toilet.

Different strokes etc but if an airshow wants to be commercially successful then you have to assume they will continue to book the populist acts and squeeze the enthusiast acts in if time/ budget allows.


I suggest you go to the official Facebook page. Plenty of 'Joe Public', who may only attend Cosford, echoing the enthusiast point.

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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by UKTopgun »

Never been to Cosford, too far away for me. Surprised by a couple of things...
1. It was all done and dusted by 4.45 (did cloud base close in? Or was this planned finish time?)
2. I read here that the commentary position at Cosford is set well back making it hard to see the display items easily... Strikes me that is a somewhat silly place to put it then :grin:

Buzz
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by Buzz »

This was the first Cosford show in 13 years that I'd made a decision not to attend based on participation alone. Looks like I made a good call. The sea vixen was the biggest draw for me. Last year had a lot of cancellations from the juiciest participants also. I've found the commentary and filler music poor at Cosford in previous years and as if the commentary box was in the next county as to awareness of what's going on. It just doesn't seem to attract the participants or luck!

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A380Heavy
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by A380Heavy »

UKTopgun wrote:Never been to Cosford, too far away for me. Surprised by a couple of things...
1. It was all done and dusted by 4.45 (did cloud base close in? Or was this planned finish time?)
2. I read here that the commentary position at Cosford is set well back making it hard to see the display items easily... Strikes me that is a somewhat silly place to put it then :grin:


I think the finish time was roughly where it was supposed to be but with the cancellations it was probably a few minutes early.

The commentary position is set very far back, as is the control tower at Cosford (the two are located in close proximity to each other). It certainly doesn't help the commentator with it's location and is something that needs a rethink in my opinion, going forward.

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capercaillie
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by capercaillie »

speedbird2639 wrote:
Such a shame people are willing to defend such mediocre that Cosford has become - even bizarre requests like 'The Blades' as a must see item for 2017. Utter madness.


I think that is just the difference between the enthusiast and the group 'Joe Public' which probably makes up 95% of the attendance. Joe P wants things like the BBMF, The Reds, the 'Phoon and 'fun' items like the Blades; the enthusiast gets all worked up because the Romanians are sending a Cold War jet in a livery not seen before in the UK. A 'rarity' act like this would have Joe P striding off in search of the ice cream van/ chip van/ toilet.

Different strokes etc but if an airshow wants to be commercially successful then you have to assume they will continue to book the populist acts and squeeze the enthusiast acts in if time/ budget allows.


What utter drivel.

You seriously think a MiG21 painted in any colour from drab olive to Mr Blobby rides again would have the GP not watching amongst the mediocrity on offer at Cosford, you are seriously disillusioned. :dizzy: Did they wander off when the Typhoon was on?

Check out whether RIAT is commercially successful with its almost 100% enthusiast's line up. :whistle:
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Pat Murphy
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by Pat Murphy »

vulcan558 wrote:
Dan O'Hagan wrote:
Wrexham Mackem wrote:yeah, the morning commentary team announced "60 tickets remaining" at one point - around 10:00 I think.

EDIT: and the show ground was heaving. Crowdline maybe not so much so, I'm guessing due to lack of appetite to set up camp given the wx forecast.


Tickets were available on the day then?

Definitely not any being sold at the gate, even broadcast on the radio turn around if you have not got tickets.
My view was how poor parking is for us that come via the A5 green route.
stuck in a field back of the museum and did not see anything.
used to go every year but have missed the last few years due to work, thought I would take my 2 young grandkids filled the car with food chairs brollies etc and instead of going to top of nechalls lane over train bridge
onto base to sit by car etc, instead im stuck in a field 2 mile away, with 2 small boys no pushchairs and no chance Of carrying a cool box 3 chairs brollies and walk 2 miles with 2 young boys running around excitedly no chance of a camera bag.

the flying was Typhoon, red arrows, worst flying display ive seen at Cosford, worst set up and will never go back if the green route is off base.
done thousands of airshows over the years and today was the worst.



Ahhh, so it sounds like they decided not to sort out the issue of where they park the early arrivals from the A5 (green Route) I went for a couple of hours yesterday, mostly for a chance to see the Bristol outside (ticked) and any arrivals...few and far between but that was my choice. I said last year I wouldn't bother again after the parking debacle and sad to say, it looks like my decision was the right one. We can all whinge and moan about content or the lack of but I won't criticise the team for trying their best to secure a great day out whilst meeting their brief to raise a significant amount of money for charity. Bit surprised to hear the home team didn't taxi any of the Jags though. I thought that was very popular item last year, given the reaction around me when they started up :question:
As far the RAF support for the show....well it reads like my school report did most years....Could do better. :sad:
It says something when the B52 at least tries to display......As the only RAF airshow of the year, the fact that they can't afford/be arsed to put up some form of flypast, of the types in the inventory, speaks volumes about the commitment to airshows in general. Before anyone sets too with the "that's not what they are there for" comments, they are our Royal Air Force, that we as taxpayers, subsidise and I for one wouldn't mind if they spent a few quid out of their budget, showing us what they are capable of and what they do. In my opinion, one of the best items at a number of airshows, was The RAF demo item. It was both informative and entertaining and I would hazard a guess at a great recruitment aid as well....Sadly those days are behind us.......Anyway, Roll on RIAT......

UKAirshowTour
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by UKAirshowTour »

I enjoyed the day. My fourth time to cosford and yes i was gutted the vixen, mustang and gnats didnt make it but i enjoyed the great war team, mig 15 and lauren richardson provided a very welcome high energy display. I'll be back next year im sure :)

LukeBrown
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by LukeBrown »

Well Firstly whether we had negative reviews or not we must congratulate the team for the effort they have put in and their time. Thank you to Peter and Staff :smile: :clap:

Yes acts got cancelled and like most of you I was gutted about the Sea Vixen, Gnats and B52 but as some have said we cant book the weather.
Being a RAF show (Yes commitments and cut backs aside) I would have thought they would have at least tried to offer more such as a Tornado flypast as im sure they are not all away on Ops at the moment but sadly the air force is not as big as it was. As my Granddad said back in the 60's when he was in the RAF, When he was at Leaming they had a show and all that needed to happen was the Group Captain to ring another and ask for a Javelin or Meteor and vise versa and they would get not one but 3 or 4! Thus the RAF Is not like this no longer.
Still enjoyed my day with the various ground exhibits and flying. A400, Hercules and various other acts including the MIG 15 which I hadn't seen before.

Luke

[rgmw]largie
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by [rgmw]largie »

I enjoyed the day. It wasn't classic but its a weekend away for me and the missus.
Got on base for 10 and able to sit centre line right by the Cosford Club . Thought for a flat display the reds were excellent. Mig 15 was a treat. Gutted over the Sea Vixen cancel as one of high spots of Yeovilton last year. B52, less said about the better. Atlas @ 11:35? Wtf. Really looking forward to that and just saw a small speck leaving. Thought the solo chipmunk was surprisingly good. C130 fly past was literally that. Typhoon good but I thought last year flowed better.
Exiting car park ? Until they find some way to stop people creating new queues and muscling in at the exits there'll always be people stuck for an age. We started the car at 5:15 and were on the m54 just over an hour later.
Overall though, as I say, I enjoyed the day and looking forward to Yeovilton and Swansea in July.

Dave
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craig.mason
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by craig.mason »

I enjoyed it got onsite about 11.30 because we got stuck in traffic for about an hour on the a38 near derby fatal rtc. When i got onsite had a look around static aircraft and stalls then made my way down to runway ended up near apache i enjoyed atlas flypast mig display apache display and chinook what happend with sea vixen and b52 they never showed up ???
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jason82wells
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by jason82wells »

craig.mason wrote: what happend with sea vixen and B-52 they never showed up ???


Have a look over the last few pages, sea vixen cancelled & the buff *did* turn up, it was scheduled to do *twice* as many passes as the RAF heavies.

I did actually see it through the clouds for a second or two, but the minimum altitude (set by the USAF) of 1000ft was above the cloud base so after its first pass it said it had no visual with the ground so went back to Fairford. Their effort when it was already low on fuel cannot be faulted - it was purely down to visibility/weather.

Adamwilliams132
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by Adamwilliams132 »

The BUFF has been explained, but there's no excuses for the C-130 and A-400M only doing one straight fly past. Big backlash in there Facebook page with people not happy about what they got for £20-£25 compared to a free seaside show. I love going to Cosford but if it's gonna be lacklustre like this again they might as well call it a day the RAF can't be bothered to support it so why would Foriegn Air Arms bother to send anything.

Anyone know what happens to the fees paid to acts if they don't turn up ?

106500
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by 106500 »

At least the Daily Fail can be relied upon to give us all a laugh!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -show.html

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The Baron
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by The Baron »

106500 wrote:At least the Daily Fail can be relied upon to give us all a laugh!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -show.html


Since when have the Red Arrows used 10 aircraft?
Usual poor reporting...
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G for George
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Re: RAF Cosford Air Show 2016 - [Official Topic]

Post by G for George »

I'm afraid to say that I can't see myself attending the air show again. Not because of cancellations or bad weather, and I applaud the booking team for their efforts in an increasingly difficult climate in trying to secure items. Once again, any non-motorway traffic coming from the direction of the A5 were forced into a contraflow lane and herded down the lanes (by blatantly lying, third party traffic 'coordinators') into the off-base carpark. Cosford is unique (I believe?) in that it allows people to view from their vehicles for whatever reason. This is a major selling point for people like myself, an enthusiast who also happens to have non-enthusiast family members who, traditionally have watched the display from the comfort of our car. I've been told if I attend next year I'll be on my own.

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