Welcome to the Dawlish Air Show Website
Air Show 2012 News
After much deliberation and debate the committee made the difficult and bold decision to move from our traditional August date and we are very excited by the opportunities and possibilities that holding the Air Show in June will provide.
There were many contributing factors which have led us to decide on the June date. The main reason being, avoiding July and August due to the Olympics Games taking place in London and Weymouth, which could cause us problems with provision of the Emergency Services coupled with airspace restrictions across most of Southern England making the planning the air show difficult. On top of that, the last few summers have been very wet, with severe downpours becoming more and more of a concern to event organisers. Also it has become ever more apparent that there isn't enough space on the lawn area of the town for both the Carnival and Air Show to run concurrently.
However, looking forward, we expect the move to half term and Diamond Jubilee week to be highly beneficial to Dawlish and the local community. It will provide the local businesses in and around Dawlish with a second "high profile" week in the year, so doubling the opportunity to enjoy the financial benefits of having more visitors in and around the local area.
Dawlish Air Show Press Office
Thousands flocked to the Devon seaside town to enjoy the annual airshow which forms part of the Dawlish Carnival week and is one of the region's most popular events.
Despite the rather grey and, in the morning at least, rainy conditions, the large crowd was able to enjoy a host of aerial displays which included fantastic support from the Royal Air Force with Tutor, Tucano, Hawk, King Air and Tornado all generating generous applause from the appreciative masses. Further military support came from an RAF Sea King Search and Rescue helicopter which was joined by an RAF stablemate in the shape of a Griffin and also an Army Air Corps Lynx from Middle Wallop.
Civilian airshow performers weren't to be outdone either and The Blades' aerobatics drew gasps from the crowd while the SWIP Team was cheered as its two aircraft departed having drawn a perfect heart in the Dawlish sky with their on-board smoke system. Completing the list was RAF Sqn Ldr Dan Arlett in Heritage Aviation's privately owned Jet Provost training aircraft.
Having already lost the Avro Vulcan due to a fuel leak in the days leading up the event, sadly a small number of performers were not able to display as planned on the day itself, notably the Royal Air Force Red Arrows which has traditionally closed the display at Dawlish and remains, undoubtedly, a real crowd favourite.
The weather elsewhere in the UK, in conjunction with technical difficulties, precluded not just the Reds themselves reaching Dawlish but also the Team Manager, Red 10, who must be on the ground for safety reasons to allow the Team to perform. Despite The Reds eventually getting airborne, it was outside of the timescale within which the specially restricted airspace that they need to operate in had been booked and displaying beyond that was out of the question.
The Reds' RAF colleagues from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight were defeated by the horrendous weather affecting other parts of the UK, as were the ever popular Breitling Wingwalkers, and the Sea King, which was due to perform its own role demonstration with the Exmouth Lifeboat, was called in to action at Dawlish but to deal with an actual live emergency.
It has subsequently transpired that the two girls who fell from the sea wall near to Boat Cove did not suffer any serious injuries but the Sea King was called in to action to airlift the pair to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital as a precaution and this, naturally, precluded the SAR team from performing for the Dawlish crowd. It did, however, serve to highlight the vital work carried out by the UK's SAR helicopters and everyone I am sure will join us in thanking the crew and wishing the two injured girls our very best wishes.
Organiser Kevin Wills said of the day:
"We are all of course extremely disappointed that some of our planned acts were not able to appear this year but overall I think everyone enjoyed another excellent Dawlish Air Show. When events take place that are beyond your control you have to deal with them quickly and efficiently and I am proud of the whole team as they managed to do that very well.
"We put on approximately two hours of flying to a large and enthusiastic crowd and it is down to their generosity, alongside support from local sponsors, that the show was able to go ahead with such a great line up of acts.
"The weather and technical issues did conspire against us this time round but we look forward to delivering another great event next year and hopefully with some real summer weather.
"In the meantime I would like thank everyone who turned up to see the airshow and all my fellow committee members, volunteers, sponsors and all those who helped out on the day - we couldn't have done it without you."
Dawlish Air Show Press Office
I really was hoping I wasn't going to have to write this, but I've just heard through the official channels that, sadly, Vulcan XH558 has developed a fuel leak that is going to preclude it from displaying at Dawlish Air Show 2011 as well as keeping other commitments for at least the next two weeks. Believe me when I tell you that no-one is more disappointed than I, but that, unfortunately, is the nature of the beast…
Furthermore, the Team Viper Hunter we had been expecting has been replaced by Heritage Aviation's Jet Provost T.5, XW324. We're grateful to the aircraft's owner, Jeff Bell, for making it available to us at late notice.
This will be the last website update before the show, so I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support so far. I hope you won't let this setback stop you from having a fantastic time on Thursday, we have after all still got a cracking line-up, and please remember that the only way we can keep doing this is if you throw some money in to the buckets that will be paraded around the crowdline during the display.
I hope you all enjoy it!
Kind regards,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
Just a very brief update today, but I've got some very exciting news for you! XH558, the world's only remaining airworthy Vulcan, will be joining us for Dawlish Air Show 2011!
The aircraft was present at the 2009 event and based on the number of requests we've received to book her again, I'm sure this will be music to the ears of many of you!
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Vulcan to the Sky Trust and to Eddie Forrester, Managing Director of Aerobytes, for assisting us with meeting the fee for this booking. It's not stretching it to say that, without their support, quite simply we would have been unable to afford to have the aircraft perform at the show, so we're all truly grateful.
As things stand, the flying display element of the show will run from something like 1230 through to 1630, although there will be rotary movements at the two static sites during the morning too.
Thanks again for your continued support.
Kind regards,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
Despite the close proximity of the event, things are still changing on an almost daily basis, and we're still talking to aircraft operators about strengthening the line-up further.
Unfortunately the recently added Puma for static has been withdrawn; nothing we or anybody else can do about that, sadly, but rest assured we are doing our damnedest to find a replacement.
On the plus side, I am really pleased to be able to tell you that we've secured the Royal Air Force Tornado GR.4 Role Demo once again! Crewed by XV(R) Squadron from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, the routine features a pair of Tornados simulating ground attack runs with plenty of speed and loads of noise! At the present time the type is deployed concurrently in support of operations in Afghanistan (Op HERRICK) and in Libya (Op ELLAMY), so we're especially pleased that they've agreed to support our show.
Would you like to get involved and support the show? We're still in desperate need of additional volunteers to help out on the day with the collecting of donations, marshaling, selling programmes and just generally helping out. If you can help, or know anyone who would be willing to, please drop me a line at info@dawlishairshow.co.uk as soon as possible.
It's not too late for you to help make a difference by joining the Friends of Dawlish Air Show Scheme, by purchasing items from the online shop or by making an outright donation.
Thanks again for your continued support.
Kind regards,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
We'll be just three weeks away from Dawlish Air Show 2011 tomorrow and preparations continue apace.
Unfortunately we were informed this morning that it's not going to be possible for one of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust EC135 helicopters to be present on the day, but the good news is that we have secured a Royal Air Force Puma helicopter from RAF Benson for the static display instead.
Believe me when I tell you that we're doing all we can to add additional items to the participation list, but it would make our lives an awful lot easier if we'd got more funds in the pot to do so. While admission to the show is free for all, if you've not already done so and you've enjoyed our event in the past, please consider joining the Friends of Dawlish Air Show scheme or making an outright donation. We'd still love to get some more local businesses onboard too with sponsorship packages, so if you know anyone who might be interested, please ask them to drop me a line at info@dawlishairshow.co.uk
Continuing the appeal theme, we're very much on the lookout for volunteers on the show day itself, particularly for people to go around with buckets collecting donations and also to act as marshals. Again, if you think you can help out or know someone that might, please send me an email ASAP to info@dawlishairshow.co.uk
The other important piece of news I have to tell you is that there will be NO park and ride scheme in operation this year. We will, however, still be using the same car park which has room for lots of vehicles on the Warren Road, from where you will be able to access the coastal path, where the views of the display line are particularly good, or be access footpaths down to the seawall to enjoy a nice walk into town. There is also a bus stop located nearby should anyone wish to use the Stagecoach bus service.
I think that's all for now. It's really important that we put in this one final push to ensure that this year's show is as strong as possible. We, the Dawlish Air Show committee, are giving our full commitment to making this year's show bigger and better than all those that have gone before and with your continued support we are confident it will be.
Thanks to you all.
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
Today we're just eight weeks away from Dawlish Air Show 2011! It hardly seems possible that it's come around so quickly, but come around it has!
I'm delighted to report that since my last update we've acquired two sponsors in Barratt Homes and Visit South Devon. I'd like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks to them for coming on-board and backing the show.
Their support, along with a spurt in sign-ups to the Friends of Dawlish Air Show Scheme, means that I can now confirm a few other participants.
Returning to the skies over the town will be The Breitling Wingwalkers who proved to be hugely popular at last year's show. The team's two brightly painted orange Boeing Stearman biplanes, complete with striking white smoke, will each have a glamorous young lady performing a series of poses on top of the wing as the aircraft are flown around the sky!
Making their Dawlish debut will be The Blades from Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire. Flying four highly aerobatic Extra 300 aircraft, the team's regular pilots are all former RAF Red Arrows and they've brought all of that flair and panache across to their current display mounts. Uniquely, The Blades can also legitimately claim to be the world's only globally-accredited aerobatic airline, and we're sure you'll all love their display in August.
While not performing a dynamic display for you, we also hope that one of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust's EC135 helicopters will be on static display during the morning, raising awareness and funds for this most worthy of charities. Additionally, we hope it'll be able to perform a flyby on departure - attendance of course will be subject to operational requirements.
We hope you'll agree that the display line-up is really starting to take shape now, but that's not to say that there's not room for anything else! Your contributions, be they outright donations, joining the Friends of Dawlish Air Show Scheme or making purchases from the online shop, will all go towards adding additional participation to the flying programme.
Thanks for your continued support.
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
The Friday just gone saw us hold our Black Tie Ball at the Langstone Cliff Hotel in Dawlish. Some of you might be wondering why we didn't promote it more heavily. The simple reason was because ALL of the tickets had sold out way in advance! The night was a huge success and we even managed to keep a special surprise up our sleeves - Pete Wells and Guy Westgate from The SWIP Team put on a fantastic twilight display for everybody present. It was something very different and a great way to announce the 2011 Air Show to the local residents. Even better, the event raised more than £6000 for this year's show, which is absolutely phenomenal! To those of you that supported it, thank you so much! I'd love to think that the Black Tie Ball can become a permanent fixture on the Dawlish calendar, because it really was a cracking night.
I'd really like to thank the Air Show Committee, Jackie, Emma, Jim, Ali, Matt and Jenny for all their hard work organising the event and to all the management and staff at the Langstone Cliff Hotel for making everything run so smoothly!
So, now we've got some more money in, I'm in a position to confirm a few more participants for the main air show in August.
Continuing their support of our events, I'm pleased to say that The SWIP Team will be making a daytime return to the town. Pete and Guy fly a pair of Silence Twister aircraft, a type which bears an uncanny resemblance to the Spitfire in plan view. Some of you may have seen them out and about in 2010 as The Twister Duo, but they're now sponsored by Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (hence SWIP) and the aircraft sport rather funky new liveries in recognition of that tie-up.
Back again for 2011 is Dawlish stalwart, Flt Lt Leon Creese, returning for his fourth year as Royal Air Force King Air Display Pilot. Hailing from 45(R) Sqn at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire, Leon and his co-pilot will put the King Air multi-engine training aircraft through its paces for you all.
I'm absolutely delighted to be able to confirm that there'll be a Hunter flying at the show again in 2011, after an absence last year. Exeter-based Team Viper will be providing the aircraft in this, the Hunter's 60th year, and we can't wait to see which one of the Team's six very differently painted aircraft turns up on the day.
These confirmations do once again mean that the pot is essentially empty again, so don't forget that there are a number of ways in which you can support the show. The easiest of these is to become a Friend of Dawlish Air Show (FoDAS), for which you will get a limited edition enamel badge, advance notice of air show events and the chance to win VIP tickets for four people to attend a lunchtime reception before the air show and uninterrupted views of the show from the reserved viewing area at the seafront. Membership costs £10. If you're already a member, please spread the word amongst your family and friends.
You can also buy Dawlish Air Show merchandise from our online shop or make an outright donation.
The only way we can add to the line-up is by raising more funds, so please support the show in any way you can, even if it's only by helping to pass on this message.
Thanks to you all.
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
Joining us from RAF Valley on the island of Anglesey will be Flt Lt Jules Fleming from 208(R) Sqn, 4 FTS, in the Hawk T.1. The paint scheme for the 2011 season's not been revealed yet, but you can be sure it'll be bright and colourful and will look great in the skies above Dawlish.
Flt Lt Dan Hayes is set to become the Tucano T.1 display pilot this year, representing 1 FTS based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire, in doing so and following hot on the heels on Flt Lt Tom Bould who did such an excellent job of displaying the aircraft in its Battle of Britain colour scheme last year. I'm sure Dan will put his own stamp on what is always an eye catching demonstration and hopefully with a specially painted Tucano of his own. Fingers crossed!
I'm delighted to be able to welcome back our good friends from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby, and this year they're hoping to bring us the Lancaster, a Spitfire and a Hurricane. The sight of the Lancaster low over the sea will have been one of the highlights of last year's show for many and no doubt they will provide further highlights this time round.
Completing the RAF participation update is Flt Lt Shaun Kimberley in the Tutor T.1. Shaun is a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) on 1 EFTS at RAF Cranwell, Lincs. In being named Tutor display pilot for 2011 Shaun has realised a long held dream and we're looking forward to seeing him at Dawlish.
It's been a while since we've had an Army Air Corps presence at the show, but that could be put right this year with news that 671 Sqn from Middle Wallop, Hampshire, hopes to send a Lynx helicopter for our static display.
It's fantastic to see the list looking so healthy already, but don't forget that in order to book some of the more expensive items that many of you have been requesting we still need your support. You can still do this by becoming a Friend of Dawlish Air Show or by buying some of the items available from our online shop. All profits go directly towards supporting the 2011 event.
Thanks for your continued support.
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
I'm sure you'll all be delighted to hear that the first of these comes from Dawlish favourites, the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, The Red Arrows. As with 2010, the team will be led by Sqn Ldr Ben Murphy and I have no doubt that the team will once again wow the crowds with its stunning precision formation flying and spectacular opposition passes.
Poor weather at RNAS Culdrose precluded the attendance of the 771 Sqn Sea King HU.5 SAR from the Royal Navy in 2010, but the Squadron hopes to be able to make amends this year. All being well the aircraft will be on static display during the morning (location as yet undetermined) and will then take part in the afternoon's flying display.
Joining the Royal Navy example of the Sea King will be one of the Royal Air Force's HAR.3 variants from 22 Sqn at RMB Chivenor. Like its Royal Navy counterpart, the aircraft should be on static display as well as participating in the flying.
Naturally, you'll know more as and when we do, but I hope you'll agree that it's a very solid start.
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
One thing I am able to provide an update on is the May Ball, set to be held at the Langstone Cliff Hotel on Friday 20th May. As well as dinner and a live band in the shape of The Simmertones, we're also delighted to announce that the South West's top comedian, Tank Sherman, will also be appearing.
Tickets for this 'Black Tie & Ballgown event' cost £30 per head and are available from Swiftprint (01626 888188) or Jackie at The Lansdowne (01626 863201).
It promises to be a great night and I look forward to seeing you all there!
That's all for now.
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
The DVD retails at £12.99 but as a special Christmas offer, and to thank you for your support, we're offering it to you for just £9.99.
It can be purchased from the Dawlish Christmas Market (which takes place all day tomorrow, December 12th, in The Strand), locally, or from the website, but please be aware that the last date for orders to be received for deliveries in time for Christmas is December 16th.
The front cover can be seen below:
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
For those of you who haven't yet been on to the website (www.dawlishairshow.co.uk), the date for Dawlish Air Show 2011 has been set as Thursday, August 18th.
As I said in my last website news update, the funds we raised on the day at this year's show have given us a tremendous platform from which to launch our attack for 2011, but it's vitally important that we don't rest on our laurels. Sadly, as things stand, we've still not secured a headline sponsor for next year's event and time to do so is rapidly ticking away. We will implement our Plan B in January if no-one has come forward before then. If you know of anyone who might be interested in finding out what we've got to offer, please use the contact us email form on the website to let us know.
Of course, sponsorship is not our only means of raising funds and this year, more than any other that's gone before it, we're really pushing on with our efforts. We held a fund raising night at Ashcombe Village Hall on the evening of the 19th Nov. The night was a resounding success and just over £1000 was raised for next year's show. Entertainment was provided by local band Dave Can't Dance and those in attendance enjoyed a hot pasty supper. Many thanks to the band and all the staff at Ashcombe Village Hall.
Looking ahead, we'll have a stall at this year's Dawlish Christmas Market, held all day in The Strand on Sunday, December 12th, selling official Dawlish Air Show merchandise, Friends packs and some fabulous framed prints from previous shows.
Looking further ahead to May, a Black-tie Ball has been arranged to take place on Friday, May 20th, at the prestigious Langstone Cliff Hotel. The evening will feature a dinner and dance with live music provided by 'The Simmertones', Devon's famous ska and reggae band, and we hope to be able to bring you more details, including how to get hold of tickets, in the New Year.
Additional events are planned for 2011, so keep your eye on this website and in the local press.
Don't forget our online shop either, complete with new images from the 2010 show as well as memorabilia, and new for 2011, we're now able to accept Friends of Dawlish Air Show applications online, with checkout facilities provided by PayPal and still priced at £10 per person.
We wait to discover what the Royal Air Force will be able to make available to us in 2011, as do all the other air show organisers, but we've already started to register our interest with a number of overseas air arms regarding their potential participation at our show. Time will tell how successful we've been, but we're hopeful of attracting a number of items to Dawlish for the first time.
All that leaves for me to do is to thank you all for your fantastic support in 2010 and to wish each and every one of you a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2011.
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
With the wash-up from Dawlish Air Show 2010 now complete it's about time I provided you all with an update on how it all panned out.
As those of you who attended will be aware, the weather, while not as bad as forecast, did start grey and remain that way for most of the duration of the show. Undoubtedly that and a broken down train in Dawlish Station, meant that visitor numbers were down on previous years.
Of the aircraft participation items booked, all made it except for the Royal Navy Sea King which was weathered in at RNAS Culdrose and the BBMF Hurricane, which was unserviceable. The Piston Provost was replaced by a Bucker Jungmeister, against due to serviceability issues. That meant that we had put on an extremely slick, almost three hour flying display featuring arguably more variety than we've ever had before. To my mind that's some achievement given our perilous financial situation earlier in the year. That we did so while only confirming acts as and when our finances allowed is a tremendous testament to you, the people, who helped to make Dawlish Air Show 2010 the undoubted success that it was through your generous financial support.
Indeed, your generosity was not limited to the run-up to the show either. Many of you will remember that the collection during the 2009 event raised a paltry £1600 from a far bigger crowd than 2010 saw, so to have collected in excess of £10,000 this year is absolutely superb, and, when combined with the revenues generated from programme sales and the Wednesday night auction, means we're sitting in a far healthier position already for 2011 than any of us could have hoped.
While the same policy of only booking what you know you can afford will be mimicked going forward, it does mean that I've got something to 'go to war with' and I am fully intent on making some approaches to some other foreign military air arms to see what they might be able to offer us to make Dawlish Air Show 2011 our biggest and best show to date.
It's important that we don't rest on our laurels and we remain committed to our funding drive. Already the new Friends of Dawlish Air Show packs are available (complete with brand new 2010-2011 pin badge!) and I'm delighted to report that this year we're able to take online applications through the website (Click HERE to apply online) which you can then pay for through our Paypal account. There's also the option to make a one off purchase or, if you prefer, you can set up a recurring subscription, taking all of the hassle out of having to resubmit next year.
There have also been some other developments with the website. While we've always had the option for people to buy a range of prints online, we now also have an online shop where you can buy souvenir Dawlish Air Show caps, or for the collectors amongst you, you can still pick up one of the spare copies of the 2010 Dawlish Air Show programme or the 2009-2010 Friends of Dawlish Air Show pin badge. Numbers of the latter two items are limited though, so please buy early to avoid disappointment. A new selection of images from the 2010 show has also been added for you to buy. Naturally, all profits accruing from all of these items will go directly towards funding for the 2011 event (Click HERE to visit the Dawlish Air Show Shop)
Our quest for a headline sponsor for 2010 may not have borne fruit but we are still on the lookout for one for 2011. If your company might be interested in coming on board, please drop me an email to info@dawlishairshow.co.uk to discuss what we're able to offer you. We do have a backup plan in place this time around and have therefore set a deadline of December 31st 2010 for a headline sponsor to be found before we adopt Plan B.
Of course, it's not just financial contributions that make the event a success. Without our wonderful band of volunteers absolutely none of it would or even could happen. Your efforts are hugely appreciated!
I think that's everything, so that just leaves me to once again reiterate my sincere thanks for your amazing support of the 2010 show. Please rest assured that we'll be working even harder to build on the momentum we've created for next year! Thank you all!
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
OCT
19
2011
Dawlish Air Show Date for 2012
Dawlish Air Show Committee is delighted to announce that the 2012 Dawlish Air Show will take place on Friday 8th June. By moving the show to this date, the air show will provide a fitting end to Dawlish Town's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations.......After much deliberation and debate the committee made the difficult and bold decision to move from our traditional August date and we are very excited by the opportunities and possibilities that holding the Air Show in June will provide.
There were many contributing factors which have led us to decide on the June date. The main reason being, avoiding July and August due to the Olympics Games taking place in London and Weymouth, which could cause us problems with provision of the Emergency Services coupled with airspace restrictions across most of Southern England making the planning the air show difficult. On top of that, the last few summers have been very wet, with severe downpours becoming more and more of a concern to event organisers. Also it has become ever more apparent that there isn't enough space on the lawn area of the town for both the Carnival and Air Show to run concurrently.
However, looking forward, we expect the move to half term and Diamond Jubilee week to be highly beneficial to Dawlish and the local community. It will provide the local businesses in and around Dawlish with a second "high profile" week in the year, so doubling the opportunity to enjoy the financial benefits of having more visitors in and around the local area.
Dawlish Air Show Press Office
AUG
19
2011
Dawlish Air Show 2011 Wrap-up
Yesterday's Dawlish Air Show was a huge success despite a combination of weather, aircraft unserviceability and an unfortunate incident on the ground all doing their best to spoil the day.Thousands flocked to the Devon seaside town to enjoy the annual airshow which forms part of the Dawlish Carnival week and is one of the region's most popular events.
Despite the rather grey and, in the morning at least, rainy conditions, the large crowd was able to enjoy a host of aerial displays which included fantastic support from the Royal Air Force with Tutor, Tucano, Hawk, King Air and Tornado all generating generous applause from the appreciative masses. Further military support came from an RAF Sea King Search and Rescue helicopter which was joined by an RAF stablemate in the shape of a Griffin and also an Army Air Corps Lynx from Middle Wallop.
Civilian airshow performers weren't to be outdone either and The Blades' aerobatics drew gasps from the crowd while the SWIP Team was cheered as its two aircraft departed having drawn a perfect heart in the Dawlish sky with their on-board smoke system. Completing the list was RAF Sqn Ldr Dan Arlett in Heritage Aviation's privately owned Jet Provost training aircraft.
Having already lost the Avro Vulcan due to a fuel leak in the days leading up the event, sadly a small number of performers were not able to display as planned on the day itself, notably the Royal Air Force Red Arrows which has traditionally closed the display at Dawlish and remains, undoubtedly, a real crowd favourite.
The weather elsewhere in the UK, in conjunction with technical difficulties, precluded not just the Reds themselves reaching Dawlish but also the Team Manager, Red 10, who must be on the ground for safety reasons to allow the Team to perform. Despite The Reds eventually getting airborne, it was outside of the timescale within which the specially restricted airspace that they need to operate in had been booked and displaying beyond that was out of the question.
The Reds' RAF colleagues from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight were defeated by the horrendous weather affecting other parts of the UK, as were the ever popular Breitling Wingwalkers, and the Sea King, which was due to perform its own role demonstration with the Exmouth Lifeboat, was called in to action at Dawlish but to deal with an actual live emergency.
It has subsequently transpired that the two girls who fell from the sea wall near to Boat Cove did not suffer any serious injuries but the Sea King was called in to action to airlift the pair to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital as a precaution and this, naturally, precluded the SAR team from performing for the Dawlish crowd. It did, however, serve to highlight the vital work carried out by the UK's SAR helicopters and everyone I am sure will join us in thanking the crew and wishing the two injured girls our very best wishes.
Organiser Kevin Wills said of the day:
"We are all of course extremely disappointed that some of our planned acts were not able to appear this year but overall I think everyone enjoyed another excellent Dawlish Air Show. When events take place that are beyond your control you have to deal with them quickly and efficiently and I am proud of the whole team as they managed to do that very well.
"We put on approximately two hours of flying to a large and enthusiastic crowd and it is down to their generosity, alongside support from local sponsors, that the show was able to go ahead with such a great line up of acts.
"The weather and technical issues did conspire against us this time round but we look forward to delivering another great event next year and hopefully with some real summer weather.
"In the meantime I would like thank everyone who turned up to see the airshow and all my fellow committee members, volunteers, sponsors and all those who helped out on the day - we couldn't have done it without you."
Dawlish Air Show Press Office
AUG
16
2011
Final pre-show update
Evening all,I really was hoping I wasn't going to have to write this, but I've just heard through the official channels that, sadly, Vulcan XH558 has developed a fuel leak that is going to preclude it from displaying at Dawlish Air Show 2011 as well as keeping other commitments for at least the next two weeks. Believe me when I tell you that no-one is more disappointed than I, but that, unfortunately, is the nature of the beast…
Furthermore, the Team Viper Hunter we had been expecting has been replaced by Heritage Aviation's Jet Provost T.5, XW324. We're grateful to the aircraft's owner, Jeff Bell, for making it available to us at late notice.
This will be the last website update before the show, so I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support so far. I hope you won't let this setback stop you from having a fantastic time on Thursday, we have after all still got a cracking line-up, and please remember that the only way we can keep doing this is if you throw some money in to the buckets that will be paraded around the crowdline during the display.
I hope you all enjoy it!
Kind regards,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
AUG
10
2011
Vulcan to the Sky - Over Dawlish!
Afternoon all,Just a very brief update today, but I've got some very exciting news for you! XH558, the world's only remaining airworthy Vulcan, will be joining us for Dawlish Air Show 2011!
The aircraft was present at the 2009 event and based on the number of requests we've received to book her again, I'm sure this will be music to the ears of many of you!
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Vulcan to the Sky Trust and to Eddie Forrester, Managing Director of Aerobytes, for assisting us with meeting the fee for this booking. It's not stretching it to say that, without their support, quite simply we would have been unable to afford to have the aircraft perform at the show, so we're all truly grateful.
As things stand, the flying display element of the show will run from something like 1230 through to 1630, although there will be rotary movements at the two static sites during the morning too.
Thanks again for your continued support.
Kind regards,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
AUG
05
2011
Less than two weeks to go!
Morning all,Despite the close proximity of the event, things are still changing on an almost daily basis, and we're still talking to aircraft operators about strengthening the line-up further.
Unfortunately the recently added Puma for static has been withdrawn; nothing we or anybody else can do about that, sadly, but rest assured we are doing our damnedest to find a replacement.
On the plus side, I am really pleased to be able to tell you that we've secured the Royal Air Force Tornado GR.4 Role Demo once again! Crewed by XV(R) Squadron from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, the routine features a pair of Tornados simulating ground attack runs with plenty of speed and loads of noise! At the present time the type is deployed concurrently in support of operations in Afghanistan (Op HERRICK) and in Libya (Op ELLAMY), so we're especially pleased that they've agreed to support our show.
Would you like to get involved and support the show? We're still in desperate need of additional volunteers to help out on the day with the collecting of donations, marshaling, selling programmes and just generally helping out. If you can help, or know anyone who would be willing to, please drop me a line at info@dawlishairshow.co.uk as soon as possible.
It's not too late for you to help make a difference by joining the Friends of Dawlish Air Show Scheme, by purchasing items from the online shop or by making an outright donation.
Thanks again for your continued support.
Kind regards,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
JUL
27
2011
July Update
Afternoon all,We'll be just three weeks away from Dawlish Air Show 2011 tomorrow and preparations continue apace.
Unfortunately we were informed this morning that it's not going to be possible for one of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust EC135 helicopters to be present on the day, but the good news is that we have secured a Royal Air Force Puma helicopter from RAF Benson for the static display instead.
Believe me when I tell you that we're doing all we can to add additional items to the participation list, but it would make our lives an awful lot easier if we'd got more funds in the pot to do so. While admission to the show is free for all, if you've not already done so and you've enjoyed our event in the past, please consider joining the Friends of Dawlish Air Show scheme or making an outright donation. We'd still love to get some more local businesses onboard too with sponsorship packages, so if you know anyone who might be interested, please ask them to drop me a line at info@dawlishairshow.co.uk
Continuing the appeal theme, we're very much on the lookout for volunteers on the show day itself, particularly for people to go around with buckets collecting donations and also to act as marshals. Again, if you think you can help out or know someone that might, please send me an email ASAP to info@dawlishairshow.co.uk
The other important piece of news I have to tell you is that there will be NO park and ride scheme in operation this year. We will, however, still be using the same car park which has room for lots of vehicles on the Warren Road, from where you will be able to access the coastal path, where the views of the display line are particularly good, or be access footpaths down to the seawall to enjoy a nice walk into town. There is also a bus stop located nearby should anyone wish to use the Stagecoach bus service.
I think that's all for now. It's really important that we put in this one final push to ensure that this year's show is as strong as possible. We, the Dawlish Air Show committee, are giving our full commitment to making this year's show bigger and better than all those that have gone before and with your continued support we are confident it will be.
Thanks to you all.
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
JUN
23
2011
June Update
Morning all,Today we're just eight weeks away from Dawlish Air Show 2011! It hardly seems possible that it's come around so quickly, but come around it has!
I'm delighted to report that since my last update we've acquired two sponsors in Barratt Homes and Visit South Devon. I'd like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks to them for coming on-board and backing the show.
Their support, along with a spurt in sign-ups to the Friends of Dawlish Air Show Scheme, means that I can now confirm a few other participants.
Returning to the skies over the town will be The Breitling Wingwalkers who proved to be hugely popular at last year's show. The team's two brightly painted orange Boeing Stearman biplanes, complete with striking white smoke, will each have a glamorous young lady performing a series of poses on top of the wing as the aircraft are flown around the sky!
Making their Dawlish debut will be The Blades from Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire. Flying four highly aerobatic Extra 300 aircraft, the team's regular pilots are all former RAF Red Arrows and they've brought all of that flair and panache across to their current display mounts. Uniquely, The Blades can also legitimately claim to be the world's only globally-accredited aerobatic airline, and we're sure you'll all love their display in August.
While not performing a dynamic display for you, we also hope that one of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust's EC135 helicopters will be on static display during the morning, raising awareness and funds for this most worthy of charities. Additionally, we hope it'll be able to perform a flyby on departure - attendance of course will be subject to operational requirements.
We hope you'll agree that the display line-up is really starting to take shape now, but that's not to say that there's not room for anything else! Your contributions, be they outright donations, joining the Friends of Dawlish Air Show Scheme or making purchases from the online shop, will all go towards adding additional participation to the flying programme.
Thanks for your continued support.
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
MAY
25
2011
May Update
Morning all,The Friday just gone saw us hold our Black Tie Ball at the Langstone Cliff Hotel in Dawlish. Some of you might be wondering why we didn't promote it more heavily. The simple reason was because ALL of the tickets had sold out way in advance! The night was a huge success and we even managed to keep a special surprise up our sleeves - Pete Wells and Guy Westgate from The SWIP Team put on a fantastic twilight display for everybody present. It was something very different and a great way to announce the 2011 Air Show to the local residents. Even better, the event raised more than £6000 for this year's show, which is absolutely phenomenal! To those of you that supported it, thank you so much! I'd love to think that the Black Tie Ball can become a permanent fixture on the Dawlish calendar, because it really was a cracking night.
I'd really like to thank the Air Show Committee, Jackie, Emma, Jim, Ali, Matt and Jenny for all their hard work organising the event and to all the management and staff at the Langstone Cliff Hotel for making everything run so smoothly!
So, now we've got some more money in, I'm in a position to confirm a few more participants for the main air show in August.
Continuing their support of our events, I'm pleased to say that The SWIP Team will be making a daytime return to the town. Pete and Guy fly a pair of Silence Twister aircraft, a type which bears an uncanny resemblance to the Spitfire in plan view. Some of you may have seen them out and about in 2010 as The Twister Duo, but they're now sponsored by Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (hence SWIP) and the aircraft sport rather funky new liveries in recognition of that tie-up.
Back again for 2011 is Dawlish stalwart, Flt Lt Leon Creese, returning for his fourth year as Royal Air Force King Air Display Pilot. Hailing from 45(R) Sqn at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire, Leon and his co-pilot will put the King Air multi-engine training aircraft through its paces for you all.
I'm absolutely delighted to be able to confirm that there'll be a Hunter flying at the show again in 2011, after an absence last year. Exeter-based Team Viper will be providing the aircraft in this, the Hunter's 60th year, and we can't wait to see which one of the Team's six very differently painted aircraft turns up on the day.
These confirmations do once again mean that the pot is essentially empty again, so don't forget that there are a number of ways in which you can support the show. The easiest of these is to become a Friend of Dawlish Air Show (FoDAS), for which you will get a limited edition enamel badge, advance notice of air show events and the chance to win VIP tickets for four people to attend a lunchtime reception before the air show and uninterrupted views of the show from the reserved viewing area at the seafront. Membership costs £10. If you're already a member, please spread the word amongst your family and friends.
You can also buy Dawlish Air Show merchandise from our online shop or make an outright donation.
The only way we can add to the line-up is by raising more funds, so please support the show in any way you can, even if it's only by helping to pass on this message.
Thanks to you all.
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
MAR
02
2011
Participation Update Number 2!
Participation news continues to trickle in to Air Show HQ, and RAF support for this year's show is looking very strong once again. Joining us from RAF Valley on the island of Anglesey will be Flt Lt Jules Fleming from 208(R) Sqn, 4 FTS, in the Hawk T.1. The paint scheme for the 2011 season's not been revealed yet, but you can be sure it'll be bright and colourful and will look great in the skies above Dawlish.
Flt Lt Dan Hayes is set to become the Tucano T.1 display pilot this year, representing 1 FTS based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire, in doing so and following hot on the heels on Flt Lt Tom Bould who did such an excellent job of displaying the aircraft in its Battle of Britain colour scheme last year. I'm sure Dan will put his own stamp on what is always an eye catching demonstration and hopefully with a specially painted Tucano of his own. Fingers crossed!
I'm delighted to be able to welcome back our good friends from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby, and this year they're hoping to bring us the Lancaster, a Spitfire and a Hurricane. The sight of the Lancaster low over the sea will have been one of the highlights of last year's show for many and no doubt they will provide further highlights this time round.
Completing the RAF participation update is Flt Lt Shaun Kimberley in the Tutor T.1. Shaun is a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) on 1 EFTS at RAF Cranwell, Lincs. In being named Tutor display pilot for 2011 Shaun has realised a long held dream and we're looking forward to seeing him at Dawlish.
It's been a while since we've had an Army Air Corps presence at the show, but that could be put right this year with news that 671 Sqn from Middle Wallop, Hampshire, hopes to send a Lynx helicopter for our static display.
It's fantastic to see the list looking so healthy already, but don't forget that in order to book some of the more expensive items that many of you have been requesting we still need your support. You can still do this by becoming a Friend of Dawlish Air Show or by buying some of the items available from our online shop. All profits go directly towards supporting the 2011 event.
Thanks for your continued support.
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
FEB
21
2011
Dawlish Air Show 2011's First Participation Update
Finally, after the usual months of waiting, I'm pleased to report that our first participation confirmations ahead of the 2011 Dawlish Air Show have started to come in.I'm sure you'll all be delighted to hear that the first of these comes from Dawlish favourites, the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, The Red Arrows. As with 2010, the team will be led by Sqn Ldr Ben Murphy and I have no doubt that the team will once again wow the crowds with its stunning precision formation flying and spectacular opposition passes.
Poor weather at RNAS Culdrose precluded the attendance of the 771 Sqn Sea King HU.5 SAR from the Royal Navy in 2010, but the Squadron hopes to be able to make amends this year. All being well the aircraft will be on static display during the morning (location as yet undetermined) and will then take part in the afternoon's flying display.
Joining the Royal Navy example of the Sea King will be one of the Royal Air Force's HAR.3 variants from 22 Sqn at RMB Chivenor. Like its Royal Navy counterpart, the aircraft should be on static display as well as participating in the flying.
Naturally, you'll know more as and when we do, but I hope you'll agree that it's a very solid start.
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
FEB
13
2011
Dawlish Air Show Presents a May Ball
As hard as it is to believe, Dawlish Air Show 2011 is only a smidge over six months away now! While efforts continue behind the scenes, there's not much to report in so far as participation is concerned yet. We've got all of our bids in for military (including overseas) participation, and it's just a case of sitting and waiting to see what we've been allocated. Hopefully confirmations will start to drip through fairly soon. One thing I am able to provide an update on is the May Ball, set to be held at the Langstone Cliff Hotel on Friday 20th May. As well as dinner and a live band in the shape of The Simmertones, we're also delighted to announce that the South West's top comedian, Tank Sherman, will also be appearing.
Tickets for this 'Black Tie & Ballgown event' cost £30 per head and are available from Swiftprint (01626 888188) or Jackie at The Lansdowne (01626 863201).
It promises to be a great night and I look forward to seeing you all there!
That's all for now.
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
DEC
11
2010
---- STOP PRESS ---- Best of Dawlish Air Show DVD Arrives
When the news came through last week that our friends at PlanesTV were snowed out of their offices at the former-RAF Binbrook, the prospects of our Best of Dawlish Air Show DVD arriving in time for tomorrow's Christmas Market looked a bit grim. But thanks to their dedication I'm delighted to report that the DVDs have now arrived and are now available.The DVD retails at £12.99 but as a special Christmas offer, and to thank you for your support, we're offering it to you for just £9.99.
It can be purchased from the Dawlish Christmas Market (which takes place all day tomorrow, December 12th, in The Strand), locally, or from the website, but please be aware that the last date for orders to be received for deliveries in time for Christmas is December 16th.
The front cover can be seen below:
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
DEC
05
2010
Pre-Christmas Update
As we're now into the last month of 2010, I thought it was about time that I brought you up to speed with how things are developing ahead of 2011 and to inform you all of our upcoming fundraising efforts. For those of you who haven't yet been on to the website (www.dawlishairshow.co.uk), the date for Dawlish Air Show 2011 has been set as Thursday, August 18th.
As I said in my last website news update, the funds we raised on the day at this year's show have given us a tremendous platform from which to launch our attack for 2011, but it's vitally important that we don't rest on our laurels. Sadly, as things stand, we've still not secured a headline sponsor for next year's event and time to do so is rapidly ticking away. We will implement our Plan B in January if no-one has come forward before then. If you know of anyone who might be interested in finding out what we've got to offer, please use the contact us email form on the website to let us know.
Of course, sponsorship is not our only means of raising funds and this year, more than any other that's gone before it, we're really pushing on with our efforts. We held a fund raising night at Ashcombe Village Hall on the evening of the 19th Nov. The night was a resounding success and just over £1000 was raised for next year's show. Entertainment was provided by local band Dave Can't Dance and those in attendance enjoyed a hot pasty supper. Many thanks to the band and all the staff at Ashcombe Village Hall.
Looking ahead, we'll have a stall at this year's Dawlish Christmas Market, held all day in The Strand on Sunday, December 12th, selling official Dawlish Air Show merchandise, Friends packs and some fabulous framed prints from previous shows.
Looking further ahead to May, a Black-tie Ball has been arranged to take place on Friday, May 20th, at the prestigious Langstone Cliff Hotel. The evening will feature a dinner and dance with live music provided by 'The Simmertones', Devon's famous ska and reggae band, and we hope to be able to bring you more details, including how to get hold of tickets, in the New Year.
Additional events are planned for 2011, so keep your eye on this website and in the local press.
Don't forget our online shop either, complete with new images from the 2010 show as well as memorabilia, and new for 2011, we're now able to accept Friends of Dawlish Air Show applications online, with checkout facilities provided by PayPal and still priced at £10 per person.
We wait to discover what the Royal Air Force will be able to make available to us in 2011, as do all the other air show organisers, but we've already started to register our interest with a number of overseas air arms regarding their potential participation at our show. Time will tell how successful we've been, but we're hopeful of attracting a number of items to Dawlish for the first time.
All that leaves for me to do is to thank you all for your fantastic support in 2010 and to wish each and every one of you a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2011.
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
SEP
07
2010
Air Show 2010 Round-up
Good evening,With the wash-up from Dawlish Air Show 2010 now complete it's about time I provided you all with an update on how it all panned out.
As those of you who attended will be aware, the weather, while not as bad as forecast, did start grey and remain that way for most of the duration of the show. Undoubtedly that and a broken down train in Dawlish Station, meant that visitor numbers were down on previous years.
Of the aircraft participation items booked, all made it except for the Royal Navy Sea King which was weathered in at RNAS Culdrose and the BBMF Hurricane, which was unserviceable. The Piston Provost was replaced by a Bucker Jungmeister, against due to serviceability issues. That meant that we had put on an extremely slick, almost three hour flying display featuring arguably more variety than we've ever had before. To my mind that's some achievement given our perilous financial situation earlier in the year. That we did so while only confirming acts as and when our finances allowed is a tremendous testament to you, the people, who helped to make Dawlish Air Show 2010 the undoubted success that it was through your generous financial support.
Indeed, your generosity was not limited to the run-up to the show either. Many of you will remember that the collection during the 2009 event raised a paltry £1600 from a far bigger crowd than 2010 saw, so to have collected in excess of £10,000 this year is absolutely superb, and, when combined with the revenues generated from programme sales and the Wednesday night auction, means we're sitting in a far healthier position already for 2011 than any of us could have hoped.
While the same policy of only booking what you know you can afford will be mimicked going forward, it does mean that I've got something to 'go to war with' and I am fully intent on making some approaches to some other foreign military air arms to see what they might be able to offer us to make Dawlish Air Show 2011 our biggest and best show to date.
It's important that we don't rest on our laurels and we remain committed to our funding drive. Already the new Friends of Dawlish Air Show packs are available (complete with brand new 2010-2011 pin badge!) and I'm delighted to report that this year we're able to take online applications through the website (Click HERE to apply online) which you can then pay for through our Paypal account. There's also the option to make a one off purchase or, if you prefer, you can set up a recurring subscription, taking all of the hassle out of having to resubmit next year.
There have also been some other developments with the website. While we've always had the option for people to buy a range of prints online, we now also have an online shop where you can buy souvenir Dawlish Air Show caps, or for the collectors amongst you, you can still pick up one of the spare copies of the 2010 Dawlish Air Show programme or the 2009-2010 Friends of Dawlish Air Show pin badge. Numbers of the latter two items are limited though, so please buy early to avoid disappointment. A new selection of images from the 2010 show has also been added for you to buy. Naturally, all profits accruing from all of these items will go directly towards funding for the 2011 event (Click HERE to visit the Dawlish Air Show Shop)
Our quest for a headline sponsor for 2010 may not have borne fruit but we are still on the lookout for one for 2011. If your company might be interested in coming on board, please drop me an email to info@dawlishairshow.co.uk to discuss what we're able to offer you. We do have a backup plan in place this time around and have therefore set a deadline of December 31st 2010 for a headline sponsor to be found before we adopt Plan B.
Of course, it's not just financial contributions that make the event a success. Without our wonderful band of volunteers absolutely none of it would or even could happen. Your efforts are hugely appreciated!
I think that's everything, so that just leaves me to once again reiterate my sincere thanks for your amazing support of the 2010 show. Please rest assured that we'll be working even harder to build on the momentum we've created for next year! Thank you all!
Best wishes,
Kevin Wills,
Event Organiser,
Dawlish Air Show
Dawlish Air Show is proud to be associated with:
Dawlish Airshow Ltd. is a company registered in England with company no. 07210463
Registered address: 17 Stockton Hill, Dawlish, Devon, EX7 9LP