Midlands Air Festival 18th-20th May 2018, Ragley Hall, Warks
For any UK event that does not have its own forum
Fri 11 May 2018, 9:28 am
As posted above Blenheim and MkI Spitfire added to display list. All aircraft displaying both days which makes a nice change. Over 100 hot air balloons attending as well.
Jakub.Zurek wrote:I'd consider making a long trip to this show, if I knew what the set up is like, how close the flying will be etc.
Display line is East/West with viewing south according to FB, I assume behind the lake which won't necessarily help photos but will give a nice green/blue backdrop purely for viewing. The organisers seem to be very responsive to questions on the FB page.
I agree that the ticket price is probably a little on the high side (given that it is more than the ticket for Old Warden last week) but if it helps to try to establish a new venue close to me I'm happy to support it.
Fri 11 May 2018, 9:33 am
Frogfoot wrote:jamyt123 wrote:The 'full lineup' has now been announced, which I make out to be:
Friday Night Only:
Solo Twister (Pyro)
Otto the helicopter
aeroSPARX glider display team
Saturday & Sunday:
Bristol Blenheim
Mk1 Spitfire
P47 Thunderbolt
Hawker Fury
Gyrocopter
Pitts special (Lauren Richardson)
Turbulent Display Team
Fournier RF4
P-51 mustang
Westland Wasp helicopter
Stampe Formation Flying Team
Strikemaster
Auster
Great War Display Team
Harvard
Otto the helicopter
Beech 18
Catalina WW2 seaplane
de Havilland Vampire
Correct me if I’m wrong, but Aerosparx will not be appearing at the show. However, I believe Airborne Pyrotechnics will be.
.
Well todays announcement included 'Sydney Charles display team', which a quick google comes up with the Aerosparx website stating 'Aerosparx are known as the Sydney Charles Display Team' (
http://aerosparx.com/index.php/partners ... -insurance ), although it appears that Airborne Pyrotechnics are also sponsored by Sydney Charles Insurance Services?
Fri 11 May 2018, 9:37 am
jamyt123 wrote:Frogfoot wrote:jamyt123 wrote:The 'full lineup' has now been announced, which I make out to be:
Friday Night Only:
Solo Twister (Pyro)
Otto the helicopter
aeroSPARX glider display team
Saturday & Sunday:
Bristol Blenheim
Mk1 Spitfire
P47 Thunderbolt
Hawker Fury
Gyrocopter
Pitts special (Lauren Richardson)
Turbulent Display Team
Fournier RF4
P-51 mustang
Westland Wasp helicopter
Stampe Formation Flying Team
Strikemaster
Auster
Great War Display Team
Harvard
Otto the helicopter
Beech 18
Catalina WW2 seaplane
de Havilland Vampire
Correct me if I’m wrong, but Aerosparx will not be appearing at the show. However, I believe Airborne Pyrotechnics will be.
.
Well todays announcement included 'Sydney Charles display team', which a quick google comes up with the Aerosparx website stating 'Aerosparx are known as the Sydney Charles Display Team' (
http://aerosparx.com/index.php/partners ... -insurance ), although it appears that Airborne Pyrotechnics are also sponsored by Sydney Charles Insurance Services?
Tim Dews, leader of Airborne Pyrotechnics, previously flew with aeroSPARX. As far as I’m aware, aeroSPARX’s aircraft still haven’t returned from China.
Last edited by
Frogfoot on Fri 11 May 2018, 10:19 am, edited 2 times in total.
Fri 11 May 2018, 9:39 am
It's not Aerosparx.
Long story short - there are TWO UK based pyro teams flying pairs of Grob 109bs - Aerosparx (sponsored by Sydney Charles / Blacks ) and Airborne Pyrotechnics (Just Sydney Charles - hence SC Display Team).
Just to add total confusion, Airborne Pyrotechnics also have a Twister which is the one appearing at Ragley. (so not the Twister Aerobatics Team)
Fri 11 May 2018, 9:44 am
Will there be a pyrotechnic display on the Saturday evening?
Fri 11 May 2018, 9:47 am
According to their Facebook page, the pyro displays are only on the Friday.
They also seem to have reluctantly said (after several people asked for site layouts etc) that the crowd will be looking south. No sure why its been quite such an issue for them.
Fri 11 May 2018, 9:52 am
I appreciate their quick responses via Facebook, but I feel that the organisers need to clarify a few details. The flying programme wasn’t exactly made clear at first. For example, they forget to mention the Vampire - arguably one of the star items of the show!
Fri 11 May 2018, 10:34 am
clearstone wrote:It's not Aerosparx.
Long story short - there are TWO UK based pyro teams flying pairs of Grob 109bs - Aerosparx (sponsored by Sydney Charles / Blacks ) and Airborne Pyrotechnics (Just Sydney Charles - hence SC Display Team).
Just to add total confusion, Airborne Pyrotechnics also have a Twister which is the one appearing at Ragley. (so not the Twister Aerobatics Team)
That's cleared that up then. Aerosparx need to update their website.
Fri 11 May 2018, 11:46 am
Any idea what time the flying will start? 0600 for the balloon lift, but I won't be arriving that early.
Fri 11 May 2018, 12:20 pm
It's a pity there isn't a site map. I'm considering the friday evening but would rather do Shuttleworth evening show on the Saturday. I've been to Ragley Hall before for events and people have been quite tightly packed in so it's difficult to gauge where things are going to be, especially considering some aircraft will be landing too.
Fri 11 May 2018, 12:43 pm
Flare Path wrote:Any idea what time the flying will start? 0600 for the balloon lift, but I won't be arriving that early.
In the absence of any firm information - this from Coventry Aeroplane Club FB page -
"Flying next weekend (19/20 May)?
There will be a RA(T) that says ".....between 1000 and 1630 hours on 19 and 20 May 2018, no aircraft is to fly below 5,300 ft amsl within the area of a circle of 2.5 nm radius centred at 521142N 0015402W (Ragley Hall, Alcester)."
Fri 11 May 2018, 2:07 pm
IP1960 wrote:Flare Path wrote:Any idea what time the flying will start? 0600 for the balloon lift, but I won't be arriving that early.
In the absence of any firm information - this from Coventry Aeroplane Club FB page -
"Flying next weekend (19/20 May)?
There will be a RA(T) that says ".....between 1000 and 1630 hours on 19 and 20 May 2018, no aircraft is to fly below 5,300 ft amsl within the area of a circle of 2.5 nm radius centred at 521142N 0015402W (Ragley Hall, Alcester)."
The flying display will commence at 13:00.
Sat 12 May 2018, 7:38 pm
jamyt123 wrote:The 'full lineup' has now been announced, which I make out to be:
Friday Night Only:
Solo Twister (Pyro)
Otto the helicopter
Airborne Pyrotechnics
Saturday & Sunday:
Bristol Blenheim
Mk1 Spitfire
P47 Thunderbolt
Hawker Fury
Gyrocopter
Pitts special (Lauren Richardson)
Turbulent Display Team
Fournier RF4
P-51 mustang
Westland Wasp helicopter
Stampe Formation Flying Team
Strikemaster
Auster
Great War Display Team
Harvard
Otto the helicopter
Beech 18
Catalina WW2 seaplane
de Havilland Vampire
What happened to the Buchon and Hurricane?
Mon 14 May 2018, 8:29 am
More information published on Facebook:
Mon 14 May 2018, 10:40 am
Cheers for the updates guys. My plan was to go on the Saturday , but as the show may run past 5 i may have to go Sunday as dont wanna miss the FA Cup final / build up.
At what point do you think they will announce any exact flying schedule ? (or will they at all ?)
Mon 14 May 2018, 10:48 am
Mr Benn wrote:Cheers for the updates guys. My plan was to go on the Saturday , but as the show may run past 5 i may have to go Sunday as dont wanna miss the FA Cup final / build up.
At what point do you think they will announce any exact flying schedule ? (or will they at all ?)
You can watch the football (or Royal Wedding, should you be into that...) on big screens at the event -
We have timed the days displays so that as the Royal Wedding finishes, the air display starts and when air display finishes, the FA cup starts and when the cup final finishes the Balloons come out. Perfect!!
Can't be many air shows which have a Paramotor taking part?
Mon 14 May 2018, 11:28 am
Mr Benn wrote:Cheers for the updates guys. My plan was to go on the Saturday , but as the show may run past 5 i may have to go Sunday as dont wanna miss the FA Cup final / build up.
At what point do you think they will announce any exact flying schedule ? (or will they at all ?)
Probably either this week on Facebook, or make you buy a schedule.
Mon 14 May 2018, 5:05 pm
With the sunshine forecast, it looks like its set to be a show of silhouettes, which is a shame given the line-up they've secured. Luckily a good few of the aircraft are operating from Coventry (Cat, Strikemaster, P-51 etc)...
Mon 14 May 2018, 10:38 pm
Mr Benn wrote:Cheers for the updates guys. My plan was to go on the Saturday , but as the show may run past 5 i may have to go Sunday as dont wanna miss the FA Cup final / build up.
They have said that flying will start after the Wedding, and end before the Cup Final, with the evening balloon lift taking place after the Final finishes. Wedding and Final on a large screen.
CameronSys wrote:With the sunshine forecast, it looks like its set to be a show of silhouettes, which is a shame given the line-up they've secured. Luckily a good few of the aircraft are operating from Coventry (Cat, Strikemaster, P-51 etc)...
Yes given the layout of Ragley it may well not be the best photographic show for aircraft but will be nice to see the lineup they've secured in the skies, and with nice evenings the balloons could look quite spectacular. I did wonder if any aircraft would operate from CVT along with the Vampire
Wed 16 May 2018, 5:44 pm
CameronSys wrote:With the sunshine forecast, it looks like its set to be a show of silhouettes, which is a shame given the line-up they've secured. Luckily a good few of the aircraft are operating from Coventry (Cat, Strikemaster, P-51 etc)...
I was hopeful about some using Wellesbourne but I guess the lack of hangarage played a part.
Thu 17 May 2018, 9:14 am
Are the Blenheim and spitfire part of the bbmf display team ? As it doesn't mention the display on their website.
Amazing the things a novice like me learns on here. I wouldn't even think about sight lines and if it faces north etc. I would've thought at Ragley , you can walk around the site so that your facing another direction so the planes aren't in the sun ?
I'm paying to go on the weekend, but just wonder how well you will be able to see the balloons etc on the Friday night from near by ?
Thu 17 May 2018, 9:26 am
Mr Benn wrote:Are the Blenheim and spitfire part of the bbmf display team ? As it doesn't mention the display on their website.
The Blenheim is owned and operated by the Aircraft Restoration Company at Duxford, while the Spitfire Mk 1 is 'N3200' I believe, which was gifted to the IWM a few years ago
Mr Benn wrote:Amazing the things a novice like me learns on here. I wouldn't even think about sight lines and if it faces north etc. I would've thought at Ragley , you can walk around the site so that your facing another direction so the planes aren't in the sun ?
You will presumably be okay to walk around the site, but only within the designated crowd areas on the days of the show, in order that the display area conforms to CAA regs - also consider that there will be at least one grass strip runway in operation. Given the layout of the grounds, this means you will have little choice but to look South during the displays
Mr Benn wrote:I'm paying to go on the weekend, but just wonder how well you will be able to see the balloons etc on the Friday night from near by ?
That all depends where you live, if you're in Slough you might struggle, but if you're local to Alcester you might get lucky
Thu 17 May 2018, 9:29 am
Maybe of use to those travelling to Ragley: Road Closures due to airshow -
https://roadworks.org/?tm=105318447
Thu 17 May 2018, 12:53 pm
Just trying to work out what the red lines mean - is that just they anticipate a lot of traffic ? Cant be road closed as that's the only way into Ragley Hall isn't it ?
pringles - thanks for the info . And I'm near Redditch so about 10 miles away ? Just considering going to a nearby pub if can see baloons etc on the Friday night.
Thu 17 May 2018, 1:00 pm
As I understand it, its a road closure but there's access from the A422 end for those going to Ragley.
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