Cosford Airshow 2024 - 9th June 2024

[B_Tank88]

Enjoyed the day, bit cold but flying and participants were great.

I especially enjoyed the various flight simulator setups in one of the hangars. It's a great, relevant, addition to an air show and can help bring people into the hobby.

What I didn't like, is that the airshow gave no reason to stick around after the F35 display. We were more than happy to mull around for a while, and let the traffic calm down. But, hangers were closing, Museum was not open (I'm sure in the past it has been open after 5pm on an airshow day), and most interactive exhibits were packing up. We couldn't find anything to do, as the exhibits we had done in the morning before the flying.

[uk02048]

With my earlier slightly negative feedback, cold back from the show, I would add I thought the reds, gnat and gazelles were good. Although I'm convinced the gnat kept his smoke generator on longer than he should on exiting the show!

[Mgmarky]

I enjoyed the day, never attended an airshow in winter before!!.
No problem getting into the airfield usual wait to get out but was in no rush.
Enjoyed the displays and the team did a good job to get 5 hours or so of flying in.
I must be getting old (56) as one of my highlights was seeing the next generation taking great interest in the museum and hangars.
We have to accept that for us that for us the golden age of aviation is behind us and we've lost so many shows since the turn of the century and Cosford not without it's faults needs to survive.
A vast improvement on last year my rating is 7/10.

[jasonT1981]

Anyone know why the tutor had to abort their display?

Not entirely sure if this was the issue but there seemingly was a crowd incident yesterday where 2 people crossed the crowd line fences and sat airside. Then argued with security, tried to pull down orange wire fence and started stomping on it.

That would cause a stop to any flying. It was quickly sorted though

[jasonT1981]

I enjoyed the day, never attended an airshow in winter before!!.

This was my 2nd having done Duxford last Saturday. No rain but colder and windier lol

[Cole]

The traffic situation was a right balls-up getting out.

The rest of my family left shortly after the F35 display, i went wandering around the show ground and when i returned to my car i spotted them less than 50 feet away having been gone over an hour!

There were people screaming and shouting. The police had no clue on what was going on. "Its no worse than usual" is all i really got. i know traffic is always sketchy but i havent expericenced it this bad.
For a show that has such great transport links they really make a mess of it sometimes.

Can the crowdline become anymore crowded?? People basicly sitting atop one another! Please just move the traders back another 30-50 or so meters. it felt extremely overcrowded.. thankfully the weather wasnt blazing or i think there would be serious issues. Cosford needs more crowdline space not £££ enclousures.

[JJC]

Overall, a really pleasant day with a good, varied lineup that entertained. Credit to the Gnat and Swordfish for stepping in, and providing really enjoyable late additions to the flying.

The crew must spend some hours transiting in that Stringbag!

The Atlas pair was awesome to see - lumbering into view low over the embankment, and great to see Vespina too.

Agree re: Couteau Delta, some huge gaps - I did wonder if that was caused by the small size at Cosford / the display box being adapted to exclude different areas?

Having said that, at least they displayed along the display line when they were conducting a pass - unlike the typhoon, which seemed to be over Birmingham.

Not sure I get the Chinook ‘role demo’ either. After dropping a few troops off, who don’t do much, it meanders around slowly a few times then departs…?

None of the ‘operational’ elements of the display - no quick stop landing, Gornij corkscrew etc. - not even any fast roping, riding around on the Landrover firing blanks at an ‘opposing force’ etc.

[georgemac]

There is a photo on face book of the offending people , they should have been escorted out of the show .

[MiG_Eater]

Re: the above posts about crowdline space and traffic on the way out - I have never seen traffic so bad at the end. I am wondering if more people stayed to the end than usual (F-35 effect?) or perhaps there were actually more people on the showground.

Either way, the obvious solution is to reduce the total capacity, increase the ticket price and make it a two day show! Everyone wins!

[hunterxf382]

There is a photo on face book of the offending people , they should have been escorted out of the show .

Can you share a link by any chance? Not found anything when trying to find it.

[Tommy]

Re: the above posts about crowdline space and traffic on the way out - I have never seen traffic so bad at the end. I am wondering if more people stayed to the end than usual (F-35 effect?) or perhaps there were actually more people on the showground.

Again, wary of rose tinted specs, but that’s three years(?) on the bounce they’ve scheduled to end the show with the F-35 (iirc the Lancaster turned up very late last year, but I think that’s because it missed its slot earlier). The commentary, rightly, say “you won’t want to miss it!”

Traffic getting out feels very much as though it’s gotten worse indeed post pandemic, and crowds don’t seem to calm down after the Reds. On that basis, purely anecdotally, I think the two are linked. I could be wrong.

[captainfurious]

I wasn't going to mention the traffic but it was awful leaving. Traditionally we wander the museum after th show, which sounds as though it was closed this year, but decided to leave straight away. We moved 10 foot from our space into the queue and saw nothing move, including ourselves, for an hour!

I do fully understand it being busy but you expect some movement. When we got to the pinch point there was so little queue management.

Once onto the main road there were two lanes heading towards the main roundabout but it was not at all clear they were 2 lanes for departing traffic. Therefore everyone were using one lane not two. This I think didn't help the build up leaving the showground.

It did seem more of a shambles than usual.

[LittleRedTrain]

This year's Cosford was my first proper airshow since Cosford 2022 (circumstances having prevented my usual RIAT trips for the last two years and last year's Cosford line-up not being enough to tempt me to fork out for accommodation).

Was flying solo this year, having discovered last time that you can't use the mobility scooter hire that my wife needs to get around if you arrive by train. (You're expected to walk all the way to the pedestrian entrance then double-back to the disabled car park, and vice versa at the end of the day, she was not happy!).

I'd say the line-up was 'solid'. Not one that will necessarily go down in history but perfectly acceptable.
If the Rafale hadn't been announced in the first place, I think people would probably have been satisfied with what did fly in the end, especially as nothing went tech on the day.

I agree with some of the other comments about Couteau Delta having a few gaps in the display, but it was still a great catch by the Cosford team.
The team should definitely get credit for bringing in decent replacements for some of the cancelled acts, it was nice to see the Gnat again, don't think I'd seen one in the air since the tragic crash a few years back.
Always nice to see the Swordfish too, and the 'heavy' flypasts were a great addition.

Nice to see the Reds back as a 9 ship, but I'm not sure they are as 'inch-perfect' precise as they have been in previous years. Maybe just a result of the weather making things harder.

F-35 display definitely an improvement on past years, it certainly brought the noise and served as a good finale.

Weather wasn't ideal, with a slightly chill wind and cloud, but it could've been a lot worse with the rain mostly holding off. In some respects, it's still preferable to a heat wave as long as you have extra layers to put on!

Was in the Cosford Club, so can't really comment about the general crowding at the fence line. I was surprised that, despite being sold out, there was actually quite a lot of empty space and a few tables with only one or two people at them. It definitely was worth the extra for the slightly more relaxed ambience, better view and not having to carry my own chair. However I couldn't see much of the ground activity from the Chinook Role Display because one of the Gazelles was parked right in front of it!
The food and toilets were shared with the 'Canon Enclosure'. There was one Burger/sausage stand, a drinks van also selling pasties/doughnuts etc, and a bar. It only took me about 5mins to get a drink before the flying started, but didn't see what the queues were like at lunch time.
Even in Cosford Club, there was quite an exodus after the Reds display and rain shower.

Getting in and out was relatively smooth. Stayed over in Birmingham (after doing a steam railtour the day before) and got the first train in, arriving just after 9am. No queue at the entrance and was wandering the static by about 9:20. It is interesting that the security experience is completely different to RIAT. Despite there supposedly being 55,000 people on-site, only a few people were selected for random bag searches, and some visitors are allowed to bring their entire car and contents right into the heart of the event!

Left Cosford Club just after the F-35 finished and after a brisk walk to the station, was on the platform by 6 and on the 6:12 train. Even with a rail replacement bus involved, I was back home in Banbury by 8:30, which is not bad.
I was not totally convinced by the way that the crowd control staff were loading passengers onto the trains though, the one I was on left with all seats full but loads of free standing room that could've been used to get far more of the queue onboard.
Transport for Wales also weren't putting in special stops on their Birmingham trains as they have done in previous years, only those to Shrewsbury. (This did result in one of their trains coming through the narrow crowded platform at high speed, and the staff screaming at everyone to stay back). Maybe something for the Cosford team to sort out next year.

All in all, I'm happy that it was worth my while going. The Rafale would've been the icing on the cake (and one of the reasons I originally decided to go), but I don't feel too jibbed that it cancelled.
Let's see what they pull out of the hat next year!

[DerekF]

I thought that on the whole it was decent show.
Getting in was easy and I was parked off base in the field off Neachley Lane. I was parked up by 8:45 and got straight in.

As far as the static is concerned, I feel that the Jaguar thing has been done to death now. While the line-up was a good idea, they were poorly placed for photography. How about a row of Jaguars in the markings of each squadron that operated them?
The rest of the static was too scattered as far as I was concerned. It was good to see Typhoon DA4 but it should be at Newark.
I was in the Cosford Club and it seemed pretty well organized with good food and decent space. I understand that it upsets some that valuable crowd line space is used up but frankly after many years trying a find a good spot in the crowd line, I always try to use the enclosures.

The weather has been mentioned and can't be helped but at times it was difficult to believe it was June.

There were some fine items in the flying display, the CAP 10 was beautifully flown and the "surprise" items, the Gnat, A400s and the Voyager were worth the effort. The Typhoon display does not seem as good as last year's routine and Couteau Delta were impressive as always. The Red Arrows had some nice new manoeuvres and will look good against a blue sky - if we ever get one. An excellent effort by the Swordfish crew was much appreciated as was very welcome appearance by Sally B.

After the F-35 I walked straight back to the car and it seemed like it took ages to get off the car park. In reality I was queued for only 45 minutes but it seemed longer. Once a few issues had been sorted with one queue moving faster than the other it was straightforward to get out.

The only downside of the day was that as I parked at the very end of the row, a scratch has appeared along the side of my car. A push chair or trolly I suspect. I wouldn't mind but I've only just had ChipsAway round to repair some damage caused by another careless driver. Hopefully it should polish out.

[106500]

I wasn't going to mention the traffic but it was awful leaving. Traditionally we wander the museum after th show, which sounds as though it was closed this year, but decided to leave straight away. We moved 10 foot from our space into the queue and saw nothing move, including ourselves, for an hour!

I do fully understand it being busy but you expect some movement. When we got to the pinch point there was so little queue management.

Once onto the main road there were two lanes heading towards the main roundabout but it was not at all clear they were 2 lanes for departing traffic. Therefore everyone were using one lane not two. This I think didn't help the build up leaving the showground.

It did seem more of a shambles than usual.

Every year we attend Cosford and every year we have absolutely no problems getting to park the car (on the large field next to the new Air Ambulance station) and at the end of the show are in the car and off the car park in 10/15 minutes. This is because we always arrive on the road from Shifnal. If you are able to come via Bridgnorth or Telford, then do so if at all possible and you will encounter zero problems.

As an aside, a great show with the French pair outstanding together with the F35B role demo stealing the show. Well done Cosford!

[Peregrine]

I thought the new Chinook display was excellent. The photo opportunities offered by the Chinook and underslung load were excellent, something you'd normally have to get lucky on SPTA for. Not to mention the fact that they used one of the fat ones too which was even better.

I was also really pleased by the two A400s performing a flypast, it might not seem like much but I thought it was really cool to see them both in trail coming over and then flying off into the distance. I'm not sure I've ever got two flying A400s in the same frame before either?

The F-35 was great, in my opinion that is all that is needed to show the jet off whilst not feeling like the bare minimum. I'm more than happy as a photographer just to have a few close passes rather than a fully Aerobatic display where half of it takes place mines away!

The above, and a few recent changes I've noticed, have got me thinking perhaps we're seeing the RAF starting to put some more effort into it's public appearances? Things feel like they're moving in the right direction.

[Quixoticish]

Some of the displays were obviously better than others and it's obviously very subjective but overall a great display with a varied selection of stuff. It's interesting seeing it through the eyes of my partner who comes with a very different set of criteria compared to what an enthusiast would.

My main complaint is generally with crowdline ettiquette. If the tents, windbreaks and other fortifications were banned there might be a little bit more space. The person to our left had a set of ludicrous lenses/penis extensions, and was pushing forward so far that it was bending the mesh barrier. Every display, inching forward a bit more. My brother in Christ just relax dude, no-one is looking at your pictures other than you. The irony was he really wasn't enjoying most of the of the displays and he spent more time with his head down in his camera looking grumpy than he did enjoying anything. Then suddenly.... Boom! Leaping forwad, bending the barrier and snap snap snap ruining everyone's view. And the folks on our right were a proper crew of gammons who spent the entire afternoon after the Red Arrows display complaining about how it's POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD/THE WOKE MAFIA RUINING EVERYTHING/LEFTIST SCUMBAGS DICTATING SOCIETY because the formation name is now Hanna rather than 'Gypo' (thank gods, it was always utterly cringe that they were still using 'Gypo' and has been for decades). I have never witnessed a crowd of grown adult men defend their pitch so violently from kids who wanted to push forward a bit to see certain displays.

I don't get a chance to attend many shows throughout the year as I'm busy most weekends with work commitments and the last show I did was Flying Legends when it was up at Church Fenton and everyone was utterly lovely. Not so much here!

So yes... Show was great. The people? Not so much.

[JMC]

(thank gods, it was always utterly cringe that they were still using 'Gypo' and has been for decades)

The irony of you complaining about others moaning about political correctness/wokeness but here you are complaining about this.

Gypo supposedly comes from the nickname from Red 6 back in the 60's. It had been used for years and years, I don't remember anyone making any noise about it being derogatory? I guess Hanna is better name due to the history of him being team leader.

There's also irony in that you noticed a man taking pictures (being grumpy and kept looking at his camera) and not enjoying the present moment, but it seems you've done the exact same? Instead of enjoying the displays you've spent a vast majority of your time labelling others.

[Woodford_was_wicked]

I wasn't going to mention the traffic but it was awful leaving. Traditionally we wander the museum after th show, which sounds as though it was closed this year, but decided to leave straight away. We moved 10 foot from our space into the queue and saw nothing move, including ourselves, for an hour!

I do fully understand it being busy but you expect some movement. When we got to the pinch point there was so little queue management.

Once onto the main road there were two lanes heading towards the main roundabout but it was not at all clear they were 2 lanes for departing traffic. Therefore everyone were using one lane not two. This I think didn't help the build up leaving the showground.

It did seem more of a shambles than usual.

Every year we attend Cosford and every year we have absolutely no problems getting to park the car (on the large field next to the new Air Ambulance station) and at the end of the show are in the car and off the car park in 10/15 minutes. This is because we always arrive on the road from Shifnal. If you are able to come via Bridgnorth or Telford, then do so if at all possible and you will encounter zero problems.

As an aside, a great show with the French pair outstanding together with the F35B role demo stealing the show. Well done Cosford!

I've been in that field for the last couple of shows and it does seem better getting out but very much depends where you get parked. As in the main car parks most of the traffic directors don't actually seem to do anything. The only ones actually directing anything are stood at the exit and let the two streams of cars go in turn. Only problem with that is that one lane only covers about 20% of the car park whereas the other is fed by the entire far side and all tributaries, but they still give each main lane about 50:50 time at the end and there is nobody to ensure fair movement in the side lanes. This means it's a lottery - if you're on the good bit then no problem getting out, but far end on the "bad" side and you'll be sat going nowhere quickly for an hour.

It seems like a problem that could be solved with a bit of training but I'm guessing a lot of the car park attendants are volunteer cadets who do it to help/get free entry. If the show had to train everyone properly and/or bring in external crowd control then maybe ticket prices would go up so maybe a queue is just the price needing paying for attending a show. Wouldn't mind if they scheduled it so the "crowd pleasers" were earlier then there might be more of a drip to leave rather than a rush at the end after the "jump jet lightning"!

[Quixoticish]

(thank gods, it was always utterly cringe that they were still using 'Gypo' and has been for decades)

The irony of you complaining about others moaning about political correctness/wokeness but here you are complaining about this.

Gypo supposedly comes from the nickname from Red 6 back in the 60's. It had been used for years and years, I don't remember anyone making any noise about it being derogatory? I guess Hanna is better name due to the history of him being team leader.

There's also irony in that you noticed a man taking pictures (being grumpy and kept looking at his camera) and not enjoying the present moment, but it seems you've done the exact same? Instead of enjoying the displays you've spent a vast majority of your time labelling others.

Okay boomer.

[JMC]

Resulting in the very same behaviour you critic. Hope you enjoyed the show.

[jasonT1981]

Finally home. exhausted but an enjoyable weekend.

I do have to say, crowd behaviour at Cosford was the worst I had seen there. I was in the Cosford club and there were so many mannerless crettins.

I was front row in my seat right up at the mesh wire fence. A lot of the time people would just walk up, try to push the fencing forward a bit and stand directly in front of you.

There were also idiots who stood the entire time along the front, blocking those sitting at the front including someone with a 5ft tripod and 2 or 3 cameras attatched blocking views of aircraft coming down the flightline and people just pushing their way to the front without so much as an "excuse me".

Never seen behaviour like that in the Cosford club. It is usually a very well mannered location. But at least it didn't end in a shouting match like the first RIAT back after Covid lol

[Cole]

Finally home. exhausted but an enjoyable weekend.

I do have to say, crowd behaviour at Cosford was the worst I had seen there. I was in the Cosford club and there were so many mannerless crettins.

I was front row in my seat right up at the mesh wire fence. A lot of the time people would just walk up, try to push the fencing forward a bit and stand directly in front of you.

There were also idiots who stood the entire time along the front, blocking those sitting at the front including someone with a 5ft tripod and 2 or 3 cameras attatched blocking views of aircraft coming down the flightline and people just pushing their way to the front without so much as an "excuse me".

Never seen behaviour like that in the Cosford club. It is usually a very well mannered location. But at least it didn't end in a shouting match like the first RIAT back after Covid lol

Purely out of interest.. is there much space in the Cosford club or is it packed with folk?

[106500]

Finally home. exhausted but an enjoyable weekend.

I do have to say, crowd behaviour at Cosford was the worst I had seen there. I was in the Cosford club and there were so many mannerless crettins.

I was front row in my seat right up at the mesh wire fence. A lot of the time people would just walk up, try to push the fencing forward a bit and stand directly in front of you.

There were also idiots who stood the entire time along the front, blocking those sitting at the front including someone with a 5ft tripod and 2 or 3 cameras attatched blocking views of aircraft coming down the flightline and people just pushing their way to the front without so much as an "excuse me".

Never seen behaviour like that in the Cosford club. It is usually a very well mannered location. But at least it didn't end in a shouting match like the first RIAT back after Covid lol

Unfortunately where we sat (over to the right hand side near to the front of the crowd line) a considerable number of Cadets of various ages insisted on congregating in front of folk and pushing to the front thereby blocking the view. It got to a point where their leaders had to speak to them to sit down, which they did but not for long. A bit annoying for some….

[Professor_M]

Was Cosford the first airshow flying appearance for an RAF Chinook HC5?

I don't think anyone has picked up on that yet here, but I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that they use an HC5 at RIAT and Farnborough too - the better looking of the RAF Chinook variants.