Cosford Airshow 2022

[purple_95]

It pains me to say it but this is not looking good is it, I know its a new team working on Cosford now but some of the Facebook posts seem like a 10 year old wrote them, and not replying to the Strike master team even if just to send a simple no thank you seems at best unprofessional. I hope to be proven wrong but I get the feeling this years Cosford is going to be a shadow of the ones leading up to the pandemic,

[Tommy]

You could kind of understand it if the display lineup was absolutely jam packed, but it’s not, so It’s quite odd.

As with everything, I’m sure the Cosford team have their side of the story too (who knows, with the change of staff, there might now be a different email address or something), but it’s all a bit odd.

I also thought they promised a lot of updates over the coming days? Unless I’m mistaken (and I may well be), we haven’t seen that many. I saw a tweet about the Noggie Vampire (itself a good pull, flying or static!), but we knew about that weeks ago.

I’m sure that come what may, a decent day will be had. I do feel for the organisers, they must be tearing their hair out. It goes to show just how long shows need to prepare each year, because clearly this year’s just didn’t have enough time from the late go-ahead.

But, y’know, however the day goes; lessons will be learned, I’m sure and they’ll come back stronger next year.

They still have a lineup that features the French Rafale, Belgian F-16/A109, plus some other decent items.

[Luke28]

The Strike Master pair does seem an odd one. I'd have put that down as an easy win for Cosford.

I do feel though that if they were struggling to fill the flying display that the Strike Master Pair would have been booked and the Norweigan Vampire would be flying instead of being in the Static Park.

Maybe they are waiting until Thursday to do a Jubilee Update. I don't know. Either way I can't fricking wait though.

[Flare Path]

I'm not quite sure I understand the demand for the Strikemaster pair, Blades etc. Whilst decent enough in their own right, these are acts that have performed many times at Cosford previously and this years flying programme is similar to some extent to what we've had in a previous year - adding display acts for the sake of it is not something I want to see happen. If this is all we are getting in the flying display, then so be it - it will still be a decent day. As Tommy said, the shorter lead time won't have helped.

For me, the Navy Wings Wasp will be a highlight, outside the Rafale and F16 - I don't think the FPs have added much, but they will be nice to see.

[Spotty_Jag]

Still only 16 items in the flying display, which I reckon will be roughly 3 hours worth of flying displays so still plenty of work to be done...

[Cole]

I'm not quite sure I understand the demand for the Strikemaster pair, Blades etc. Whilst decent enough in their own right, these are acts that have performed many times at Cosford previously and this years flying programme is similar to some extent to what we've had in a previous year - adding display acts for the sake of it is not something I want to see happen. If this is all we are getting in the flying display, then so be it - it will still be a decent day. As Tommy said, the shorter lead time won't have helped.

For me, the Navy Wings Wasp will be a highlight, outside the Rafale and F16 - I don't think the FPs have added much, but they will be nice to see.

id rather see it filled with acts that have displayed before than a 3 hour display though

[purple_95]

I'm not quite sure I understand the demand for the Strikemaster pair, Blades etc. Whilst decent enough in their own right, these are acts that have performed many times at Cosford previously and this years flying programme is similar to some extent to what we've had in a previous year - adding display acts for the sake of it is not something I want to see happen. If this is all we are getting in the flying display, then so be it - it will still be a decent day. As Tommy said, the shorter lead time won't have helped.

For me, the Navy Wings Wasp will be a highlight, outside the Rafale and F16 - I don't think the FPs have added much, but they will be nice to see.

The Strikemaster pair are one of the few ex mil jet displays that have managed to keep going since Shoreham and then the pandemic and now the massive cost increase such teams face with prices going sky high pun not intended, if Cosford do not require them either flying or static fair enough but a simple thank you for the offer but no thanks kind of reply would have been polite. To simply ignore them and the offer to take part in the airshow is both unprofessional and rude.

Yes it would be nice to see displays new to Cosford, Aussie F-35, Saab Draken from Sweden historic flight, Soloturk etc etc but one has to be realistic, regulations and money, the Russian invasion of Ukraine not to mention some countries still under rules due to covid or now monkeypox mean options are limited. I do not mean to be negative I really hope Cosford have some nice stuff to pull out the bag but when all said and done after a couple of years with no airshow at all, it will be nice to get back and enjoy what turns up on the day.

[Wrexham Mackem]

The Strikey pair haven’t appeared in a Cosford flying display, they wouldn’t be a repeat. They’re very good too, and also based a short distance away.

I think there’s bound to be more in store for the flying display, I do get the impression the issue here is comms.

We’ll soon find out!

[Tommy]

I just looked at the participation list again and it’s pretty bare, it must be said.

Also, some of it doesn’t make sense to me (although that could just be me). Why is the RAF F-35 and Chinook listed under “military partners” rather than RAF - because it could be a Navy F-35 and/or Joint Helicopter Command Chinook perhaps? And why is the Navy Wings Wasp there and not under “civilian”? All a bit weird.

I hope in the next two weeks they can pad this out. I’m sure it’ll all be fine, but there’s a looooot of lessons to be learned ahead of next year’s show!

[UKAirshowTour]

Don’t get me wrong the aircraft that are going are fantastic but if they are going to drag that lineup over 6 hours then good luck. Feel the lack of news about ground activities is poor too I quite enjoyed things like the vintage village

[Flare Path]

The Strikey pair haven’t appeared in a Cosford flying display, they wouldn’t be a repeat.

True. We had a variant of the display in 2017 - possibly something in 2019, but I can't remember. Essentially, a Strikemaster and JP if you're in to that sort of detail.

[jasonT1981]

Looking at Midlands show for this coming weekend, they have 21 displays and 5 hr 45 minute run-time going by their schedule for next Saturday.

Cosford has 14 with 2 flypasts. Going by that I would say we need apx 2 more hours to make the 6 hours promised.

They did say plenty more coming in the coming days and weeks, that was 2 weeks ago and we've had the P51 and Wasp added, with F35 and A400 flypasts. So hopefully they have at least 7 more displays lined up.

[G Morgan]

Not sure if this is poor etiquette to post this, but I was hoping to drive up to Cosford next weekend to check it out (not been before and only seen it on planes TV) and wondered if there are any park & view areas (as there are at RIAT) being as tickets for the event seem to be sold out

Got my tickets for RIAT, but after waiting so long for some afterburner action, I’m not sure I can wait another 2 months haha!!

[Ian G]

Still, they've sold out which means full coffers for the RAF charities which can only be a good thing, there is that! And I am glad we have at least one listener to the podcast as well! Does anyone know what the capacity is this year i.e. the same as pre-pandemic levels?

Are we being too critical given they've had just 5 or so months to put on a show?

There seem to be two sides to the run up to the show this year. For the enthusiasts, we're hungry for information and that's the world we live in. Communications are vital for an event like this and while we've had sporadic aircraft announcements, the odd-slip up here and there has perhaps amplified poor communications more than they actually are. Enthusiasts are the only ones who are going to know how long displays last, that's why we're asking for more information about display acts - essentially, why we're asking for value for money on an airshow ticket.

Your general public on the other hand - the majority of the crowd - are going for a day out and aren't necessarily going to know this/actually care. I've just been looking now at the air show facebook page and there are so many positive posts - and so many people who are asking for tickets because they missed out before the show sold out, so many people who are excited for the show - and these are recent posts within the last few days or so. So I would bet that the majority of visitors to the show would not give an absolute monkeys about poor communications this year and indeed not even notice.

As I've said, communications are key - for the smaller shows, when the information is provided we're happy to receive it! But for Cosford - regardless of whether it's aimed at the enthusiast or not - there's been a high-profile campaign which has followed in the footsteps of RIAT, something which has been tweaked and built up on over years of experience of a changing digital world. This year it's been very different, very disjointed and not in keeping with following a campaign. 'We won't bore you with the details' aside, there has been nothing to keep the audience engaged throughout. Even if there was no RIAT-style weekly update, or update for some time at all, at least post something about the show to keep that engagement going.

[deep breath]

I don't want to repeat what I've said in the podcast and what many have said on here. I'll just hope for more participation to be announced in the next two weeks to pad the display out - surely there has got to be more added, surely!

Anyway, the show will still be a huge success this year (weather permitting) - international acts and a sell out - what more is there to want?!

[Tommy]

I wonder how the sellout is affected by people having rolled-over tickets, though.

Perhaps it’s sold out in its own right - it was getting more and more common in recent years (and a decent argument for making it a two day show), but perhaps a decent chunk of the crowd (and perhaps a reduced capacity) means the show sell out is not as easily compared to other years.

Plus I’ll wager that the public are hungry to get out and get to airshows again, and Cosford is a big event for the local area.

[Wrexham Mackem]

I suspect rollovers will account for a big chunk of attendance this year - nevertheless as Tom says I think there is a huge appetite for the event, so that might well be a moot point.

And lets be honest, the headliners - all the acts you would have put on your poster in days gone by - are all there. The foreign military, the RAF, etc.

Its going to be an interesting couple of weeks.

[cg_341]

Don't forget that the public, always the most enthusiastic before an event are also going to be the biggest voice if it doesn't live up to the past events, or indeed the advertised billing for this year.

If there was due to be a six hour flying display, and there's a three hour flying display, the public will notice. Especially if in previous years they've planted themselves on the crowdline at a certain time just as the flying display starts...and then nothing happens for three hours.

Similarly if there's no STEM area, no hand-on exhibits or no open cockpits, the public will notice and they will be vocal about it.

Poor communications makes problems on the ground worse, and not getting ahead of them with explanations and clear, concise messaging about what the show is going to be is never, ever a good thing.

[warthog555]

typhoon and spitfire will be forming up!

[westhamfan84]

I am getting a scary feeling that we may see the LMA guys be given a 2 hour slot to fill time and act as advertising for their model show they have at cosford in July. If not that maybe an interval so will add up to six hours of total time start to finish. I hope I am wrong and there is a flurry of announcements over the next few days but getting more and more unlikely I feel.

[Cole]

I am getting a scary feeling that we may see the LMA guys be given a 2 hour slot to fill time and act as advertising for their model show they have at cosford in July. If not that maybe an interval so will add up to six hours of total time start to finish. I hope I am wrong and there is a flurry of announcements over the next few days but getting more and more unlikely I feel.

If this happens ill be wanting some money back !

[Ian G]

I am getting a scary feeling that we may see the LMA guys be given a 2 hour slot to fill time and act as advertising for their model show they have at cosford in July. If not that maybe an interval so will add up to six hours of total time start to finish. I hope I am wrong and there is a flurry of announcements over the next few days but getting more and more unlikely I feel.

Normally the models have tended to fly before the show starts, I would doubt they'd be given such precedence. And as for an airshow interval.....that's just not going to work. Ben's going to have to find something very interesting to read otherwise!

[warthog555]

i thought the models last flew at the june show in 2015?

[Ian G]

Quite possibly, the last show I did was 2018 and I don't recall them there

[lynothehammer]

Just posted on the Facebook page...

We can confirm that the RAF Cosford Air Show will be the first place to see the combo arrival by the RAF Typhoon Display Team and a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Official) Spitfire on 12 June.

[Mike]

So that’s another 45 seconds added to the flying duration. Only another 2 hours 59 minutes to go!