For those of us who spend a good deal of our time attending airshows from April to September every year the Southport Airshow certainly had an end of term feel about it. That's not to say that everyone was running around and celebrating the thought of having six months off but more a time for reflection and contemplation along with the prospect of a well-deserved chance to recharge batteries and get to know the family again!
It's easy to forget the amount of time and hard work that goes in to putting together an airshow calendar the size of that we are blessed with in the UK. For nigh on six months, most weekends we are usually able to enjoy an airshow somewhere; and for that we should be grateful to the organisers, participants and volunteers who make it all possible.
For some individuals the Southport Airshow was pretty much the very end of their time displaying at airshows. With the possible exception of just two pilots we say goodbye to this year's RAF solo display crews (as catalogued in the exclusive features right here on Global Aviation Resource) and, other than the Chinook, all were in action at Southport flying some of their final displays for the paying public.
It's been a strong season for this group, despite the loss of the Tucano and Harrier before the season was even underway, and we look forward to more of the same in 2010. It's always hard to pick a 'best in show' from such a disparate group of aircraft but Sqn Ldr Scott Loughran's Typhoon display was especially noisy over the beach and judging by the applause he might have just edged it from an RAF perspective.
While it might appear controversial to criticise the Red Arrows as they seem to roll up week after week to do what only they can do and it remains quite clear that the public still adore them, there have certainly been a handful of displays this year when their usual precision and timing have been lacking.
It was fitting though that in 'Red 1', Wg Cdr Jas Hawker's final display as team leader that they were rock solid. On Sunday they gave an absolutely faultless performance despite disappearing in to cloud on their first pull-up and at various times during the display. Jas Hawker has been a great leader for the team but in Sqn Ldr Ben Murphy the Reds have recruited his successor from within, and 2010 will surely see the Reds as strong as ever with a line-up which will include their first female pilot.
It was annoyingly grey for much of the weekend although the weather remained dry and didn't prevent anyone performing for the 75,000 people who attended the show across two days. This meant the crowd were also treated to the final ever displays by Team Guinot as, after three years in Guinot colours, and for the first time in many years, the Aerosuperbatics team find themselves without a sponsor. GAR caught up with the team's Director of Flying, Martyn Carrington, for an update.
"We are now unsponsored but are actively looking at this time and there are positive leads with interested parties although nobody has signed the dotted line yet." says Martyn.
"Should we fail to achieve a mainline sponsor in time for 2010, we will still operate as a downsized team which would sadly mean that we would only be able to attend a limited number of events in the UK. Now would be the perfect time for any potential sponsors to approach the team as it would give us the optimum time to re-brand the aeroplanes."
It would be a huge shame if we were to lose the team from the airshow circuit as I for one can't think of many more consistent and popular performers so let's hope that the team's efforts to find a sponsor are successful.
Many are wondering whether Southport might also prove to be the Vulcan's swansong. She's had a far fuller display season in 2009 but with costs to enable a similar result in 2010 rumoured to be in the region of £2.5 million one has to question where the money will come from without a, thus far elusive, major sponsor. While we all appreciate the need to treat the old girl with kid gloves I for one can't understand why one of the rationed full power engine cycles that we hear so much about was performed with her back to the crowd and around a mile away, almost for positioning as opposed to a display manoeuvre. The aircraft's popularity is significant but the so-called 'Vulcan effect' wasn't apparent at Southport with numerous other performers evoking a far greater response from the crowd. Once again many will have left feeling a little underwhelmed.
It wasn't all farewells for Southport though as the show also marked a number of firsts. Perhaps most notable was a first public showing of the Sea Hawk in the hands of Lt Ian Sloan of the Royal Navy Historic Flight. With the aircraft having remained frustratingly unserviceable during much of this Fly Navy 100 commemorative year, Ian had yet to fly the Sea Hawk, despite joining the team at the beginning of the season. He was actually only awarded his display authorisation on the Thursday before the show so it was something of a baptism of fire which will be discussed in more depth in next week's exclusive GAR interview with the man himself. Sunday's display also saw Ian join John Beattie in the Seafire for another first, namely a number of formation passes which were added to the flying programme at late notice and were a welcome surprise for the crowds massed along the seafront.
Other highlights of a varied display programme were the Swift Aerobatic Display Team, Catalina and, on Sunday after going U/S on Saturday, an impressive demonstration by a Royal Navy Merlin HM1. The Royal Navy Black Cats are another team who should be pleased at the end of a busy and consistent season and see yet more farewells with team leader 'Black 1' Dave Lilly as well as 'Black 2' AJ Thompson moving on to pastures new. We wish them and their successors the very best of luck.
Well-deserving of a mention was the large model aircraft flying which took place on the beach before the show opened each day. It was something of a guilty pleasure to be down there photographing these displays but some of the models are seriously impressive and would easily pass for the real thing at a glance, to say nothing of the skill with which they were flown.
Organisers TSA have had a pretty busy season themselves and deserve a big pat on the back for the consistent quality their displays demonstrate. It is striking how complimentary many regular airshow participants are about TSA and GAR caught up with Dave Walton, display director for the Southport Airshow to ask him how it had all gone.
"I think it was a great end to the season for us and many of the participants. Whilst the weather wasn't perfect it was dry and caused few restrictions to the displaying aircraft. I think that the increased use of the beach runways was a great success and weather and tides permitting I would enhance that aspect of the event and try and get more flying display assets landing in front of the public.
"It was sadly the end of an era for Team Guinot and hopefully not the last time we will see the Vulcan over Southport."
All in all then, a successful end to the season for the North West's biggest airshow, the participants and the event organisers. With large crowds and strong support from the likes of Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Sefton Council have an event of which they can rightfully be proud. Traffic problems (how many times have I mentioned that this season?) were an issue for many at both the beginning and end of the day but it seems almost remiss to mention it when there are so few routes in to the centre of Southport. Hopefully it will be looked at in the run-up to the 2010 event however. I for one am already looking forward to it.
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