Biggin Hill Festival of Flight

[bigginmole]

We have like many shows submitted our application to the CAA along with our extensive risk assessment as required by the latest version of CAP 403. I would not like to assume or debate the outcome of the application but would share with you what we are looking to achieve when it comes to those that stand outside of the perimeter fence:

A233 and adjacent land: we have applied for temporary traffic orders between the Crown Public House and the junction of Salt Box Hill

The A233 between Saltbox Hill and Churchill Way is an existing No Parking zone with double yellow lines.

Both of these areas will be enforced by the local authority traffic enforcement team with parking tickets or if required because of the location tow trucks.

The land adjacent to the Main Runway on the A233 has been assigned to the airport as agents of the land allowing trespass to be used by our security team to remove persons and also to enable us to fence it off.

A new denser screening material will be erected on the perimeter fence severely restricting the view along with warning signs.

The FDD has the authority to suspend or stop the flying display in the event of people congregating in this area.

Milking Lane Farm is now the property of the airport and the public footpath crossing it will be fenced off to prevent access to the airport perimeter.

We now have two choices, conform or stop. As the organisers we wish to conform but to do so we need your help.

[mafro987daboss]

Interesting! I presume the land "adjacent" is referring to the field between Leaves Green and the runway? Steps have increasingly been taken over the years to prevent people from congregating there but this is the first definitive decision to fence it off.

[Flyforfun]

The land adjacent to the Main Runway on the A233 ........ is the small part of grass to the left of the threshold for runway 03. it was fenced off last year i think .

[JoshWiggins]

Bronco added

Have not seen one yet so hope I can make it

[timuss]

Same here i've yet to see a Bronco looking forward to it.

[boff180]

AAC Apache - Flying

Source: AAC Apache Demo Team

[Daz]

So looking forward to this. It's my only airshow of the year. Although only having a small 70-300mm lens I fear my camera will spend much of it's time in its bag what with the new CAA rulings.

[cg_341]

Gazelle Squadron confirmed now, should be Gazelles XX436 and ZB627 and Cabri G-SDTL

http://www.gazellesquadron.co.uk/news/g ... val-flight

[LN Strike Eagle]

Gazelle Squadron confirmed now, should be Gazelles XX436 and ZB627 and Cabri G-SDTL

http://www.gazellesquadron.co.uk/news/g ... val-flight

Any idea when 'Gary' will be flying?

[PeterR]

Any idea when 'Gary' will be flying?

Hopefully soon, Gary is due for static display at RAF Cosford the following weekend as part of the Granby25 static display.

[cg_341]

The plan should see it flying ahead of Cosford, I believe it's already booked in with the CAA in order to get its permit to fly

[boff180]

Gents the following appeared on Facebook today.....

Our apologies if this does not apply to you but it is a message important to the future of airshows in the UK.

In the next week or so we will begin putting up screening on the fence to restrict the view of the airport from the A233. This is to raise awareness of the need to restrict the number of people gathering in this area during the flying display on the 11th June.

The message to everyone is:

As the airport authority we would ask that you do not use the A233 (Main Road, Biggin Hill) as a viewing point for the Festival of Flight or any other point where you see notices advising against using a given location as a viewing point.

Should we get people standing in these area's the Flying Display Director will suspend the flying display. Let us all enjoy airshows for many years to come by taking heed of the guidance issued by the CAA and being implemented by air show organisers.

[WG655]

I just hope this information is also being very widely disseminated to the locals - otherwise people none the wiser popping over for a look may inadvertently be responsible for an entire display suspension.

[Daz]

Hmmm.

But how many I wonder will ignore it, and park/stand there anyway?

[FarnboroJohn]

Gents the following appeared on Facebook today.....

Our apologies if this does not apply to you but it is a message important to the future of airshows in the UK.

In the next week or so we will begin putting up screening on the fence to restrict the view of the airport from the A233. This is to raise awareness of the need to restrict the number of people gathering in this area during the flying display on the 11th June.

The message to everyone is:

As the airport authority we would ask that you do not use the A233 (Main Road, Biggin Hill) as a viewing point for the Festival of Flight or any other point where you see notices advising against using a given location as a viewing point.

Should we get people standing in these area's the Flying Display Director will suspend the flying display. Let us all enjoy airshows for many years to come by taking heed of the guidance issued by the CAA and being implemented by air show organisers.

So, are they going to take it down again after the show?

John

[duxfordhawk]

As far as I know John all screening will come down after the display,as it's purely so the air display conforms to the new CAA rules,restrictions,regulations and draconian measures. Been past today and it's not yet up, so would guess it be up sometime the week before the show and down sometime the week after.

[Offbreed]

So if a traffic jam forms on that bit of road, I assume the display director will pause any display until the jam is cleared.

[Flyforfun]

Again more nonsense ,If you stand there they stop the show ,but if you live in the houses surrounding the airfield thats ok ? or if you are driving past in a bus etc thats ok
maybe they should evacuate the whole area !
And before the whining starts i have a ticket but its better outside .

[bigginmole]

HI Guys

To clarify a couple of points.

The screening on the A233 fence will come down after the show.
We do have some no fly areas already namely Biggin Hill village, for the show we will be adding a couple of other areas of habitation, but this should not impact on the show.
Yes we have been advertising locally the impact of a large congregation on the main road.
The flying display has been designed to allow flying within the airport boundary during the first part of the show in case we have stationary traffic.

We are just trying to get through this year and conform to the new regulations in the hope a review post season will give us greater flexibility for 2017, the 100th anniversary of Biggin Hill. Your support would be very much appreciated, working together we can secure the future of air shows in the UK.

[mafro987daboss]

Does Leaves Green count as a restricted area?

[frank]

Does Leaves Green count as a restricted area?

Bleeding Hell, just buy a ticket and go inside like everyone else. Havent you heard about Shoreham. I thought we on UKAR were supposed to be supporting Airshows in a very difficult year.

[bigginmole]

Does Leaves Green count as a restricted area?

Bleeding Hell, just buy a ticket and go inside like everyone else. Havent you heard about Shoreham. I thought we on UKAR were supposed to be supporting Airshows in a very difficult year.

Good comment, but unfortunately some think they have a devine right to view an airshow for free leaving others to pay for it to be staged. Leaving aside the new CAA regulations which has cost shows more this year, can we have some guesses on how much individual items cost for a 10 minute display?

[Talldan76]

Opening gambit of £1000-1500 for something like the Hangar 11 Mustang? (in other words "I have no idea!!)

Does anyone have an up-to-date participation list for the show?

[AARDVARK]

Iam going to support this show as its my "local"but if the flying is miles away then I simply won't be going to anymore UK shows,it's not having a pop at the organisers and I appreciate that after Shoreham the CAA felt they had to show concern,but it's going to kill the events basically ,it would be like watching F1 from outside the race track,I understand why people do want to view from outside ,as more often than not if you are a photographer you get better shots from the "unsafe" zone,of course that is now being heavily restricted,which in a way is a shame,I would usually in the past support a show buy either buying a ticket for 1 day and then going outside the following day or not using the ticket and going outside ,it's not free loading then as I have paid my way and it's my perogative if I decide to use the ticket or not,these new rules are confusing at best and ludicrous at worst !

[frank]

Iam going to support this show as its my "local"but if the flying is miles away then I simply won't be going to anymore UK shows,it's not having a pop at the organisers and I appreciate that after Shoreham the CAA felt they had to show concern,but it's going to kill the events basically ,it would be like watching F1 from outside the race track,I understand why people do want to view from outside ,as more often than not if you are a photographer you get better shots from the "unsafe" zone,of course that is now being heavily restricted,which in a way is a shame,I would usually in the past support a show buy either buying a ticket for 1 day and then going outside the following day or not using the ticket and going outside ,it's not free loading then as I have paid my way and it's my perogative if I decide to use the ticket or not,these new rules are confusing at best and ludicrous at worst !

Not having a go at your comments and I totally agree with your comments re if the flying is miles away - we all have a right to do what we want.
Now having said that, if the Enthusiasts don't support airshows through these difficult times in the hope that things will get better, then we leave it to the GP to keep them alive. If airshows fade away then the CAA have achieved what they want and we will all be the worse for that.
Its a terrible analogy but I often think of this as supporting your team or indeed your local through thick and thin.
As I say I am not having a go at your comments, just adding my views in this difficult times.