A Reply from AirbourneThank you for visiting the Eastbourne's free air show and the feedback you have given. We need to control the parking at Beachy Head as many areas of the grass are SSI areas (areas of Special Scientific Interest) and have regulations imposed by Natural England as to where vehicles can park. As such we have to levy a small charge to cover the staff / contractor costs needed to manage the number of vehicles that attend the free air show .
This fee also contributes to offset the staging costs of the free airshow which are now approaching a financial risk of £0.5M.This figure is netted off with any income we can achieve from car parking, programme sales, concessions, donations, trade stands, hospitality sales and sponsorship, then any subsequent outstanding net cost is paid for by the council tax payers of Eastbourne being a contribution to pump prime economic benefit and PR awareness for the resort which ultimately benefits the town and the surrounding region.
On our web site the information on Beachy Head viewing says it offers a different perspective to view and as you can see we did state that all displays would take place on the display line between the Western Lawns and the Pier.
http://www.eastbourneairshow.com/Visit.aspx To enable the show to take place we have to install a buoyed display line for the aircraft to display to and this is no different to other years, except that we installed a second line at 450m from the water mark in addition to the normal 230m. This was because the heavier aircraft and jets are now no longer allowed to display on the 230m line. We could have just installed one 450m buoy line and had all displays fly to this but took the view that a 2nd line at the original 230m would enable those aircraft that under the new regulations could display at that distance could fly closer to the crowd line thus ensuring the majority of displaying aircraft could display as close to the crowd within the current regulations.
What has changed this year is that the new CAA regulations which now apply post the Shoreham tragedy compel the displays to avoid areas of "secondary crowd". Beachy Head is currently deemed as "secondary crowd" in the flying display risk assessment which has to be approved by the CAA before any flying takes place. Therefore over flys of such areas are now not allowed at any show in the UK within the new regulations to ensure public safety. If you wish to read the whole document it is here:
http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplic ... il&id=7318 The increased costs this year imposed through the new CAA regulations relating to new equipment and fees payable to the CAA pre and post the show added circa an additional £10,000 to the staging cost with no perceptible difference in look for the majority of visitors other than the "secondary crowd" views.
Post this year's air show season there will no doubt be much discussion within the " airshow industry" and at the British Air Display Assn conference in November as to the interpretation of the new regulations and if any can be relaxed from the current one size fits all approach, whilst still maintaining the safety of the viewing public who in their millions visit UK air shows.
Thank you for taking the time to feed back to us on your visit.
my reply
Thank you for your quick response.
I fully appreciate the pressures you must be under now, post Shoreham, and I also appreciate your supplying of the very detailed descriptions of the display restrictions you now have to operate under.
In the past, one of the major draws of viewing and photographing from Beachy Head, was the close and low level proximity of the transiting incoming and outgoing aircraft.
Occasionally you may also get on overflight from one of the aircraft, as part of the display, or as an outgoing transit.
For the most part, aircraft displays are distant and over by the pier, so viewing "the displays" are not best served from Beachy Head, it's all about the transits and occasional overflight.
This weekend there seemed to be in evidence a major shift of aircraft avoiding the area completely.
I understand the importance of the new rules governing display distances and separations from crowds during a display, but for the most part the aircraft around Beachy Head are transiting, not displaying, and are lower than the crowds on the cliffs, and over the sea.
It didn't make any sense to me what was happening last weekend, although here's a couple of exceptions;
1) The BBMF transited in around the Lighthouse at the usual distance and height, everything else was above the clouds or miles away during their transits.
2)The Red Arrows singletons came up and over the cliffs a couple of times as per previous years, so no change there except their new routines, even though we are now classed as a "secondary crowd"
For me, it was a wasted trip, although I'm happy for my £5:00 parking fee to be used where you see fit.
I still can't honestly see why nearly all of the aircraft were avoiding the area, as it is a transit point over the sea, even with the post Shoreham restrictions.
I fully understand the overflight issues with secondary crowds in that area, but just transiting past lower than the crowd over the sea ?...............I'm sorry I don't.
Beachy Head was always a unique viewpoint, and it's greatest attraction for me and many others could be over, which is sad.
I do however, really appreciate all the effort you and your staff must produce to put on this show, and I hope you continue to do so.
As a gesture of goodwill, I have donated on your website.Airbourne's reply;Thanks for you further feedback and you kind donation.
I can understand that the attraction of Beachy Head as an iconic photography location has diminished to practically non- existent.
I will share these thread with our display directing team so they are aware and can feed back to post season wash ups in the hope that shows may be able to be assessed on local conditions rather than national regulations in the future.
I'd like to thank Airbourne for getting back to me really quickly and honestly, they're obviously shackled with these new restrictions, but hopefully common sense will prevail next year and after the Shoreham inquest is finished, and we'll get Beachy Head back.
Paul L