The Cotswold Airport's Great Vintage Flying Weekend (G-VFWE) on 8th and 9th May is the first of what is now the traditional three events at this historic location and, having arranged a visit to see Ultimate High, I grabbed the opportunity to call in on Glen to see how things are shaping up for the season ahead. The journey from Ultimate High was a short one for they are located on the ground floor of the air traffic control tower, and Glen's office, where we sit down for a chat, is just a single flight of stairs away. Easy!
Glen is a busy man, for as well as organising all three events he is the Operations Manager and naturally that means a not insignificant amount of work on a daily basis. It's a juggling act which many airshow organisers will relate to and, with a month or so to go before the G-VFWE (at the time of our visit) and the main airshow in June rapidly approaching, things are beginning to take shape.
"Things are definitely going to plan at this stage of proceedings," says Glen, "as much as they can be anyway!
"Ticket sales for the June show are 90% up compared with last year and while it's early days for the G-VFWE that is coming along well too."
G-VFWE is, unlike the main show in June, held on the North Side of the airport - the site used very successfully for the previous G-VFWE events at Kemble and also last year for The Battle of Britain Air Show - which again takes place this September and will be covered by GAR in due course.
This year, as last year, the G-VFWE will incorporate a short flying display which will undoubtedly serve only to increase the interest and the charm of an event which aims to bring so much living nostalgia to the airfield.
"What I wanted to do was put our stamp on the event and rather than buying in display acts, I've invited anyone who is flying in for the weekend to display their aircraft and as long as they hold a current DA (display authorisation) I will get them a slot during the afternoon. I've only got one slot left on each day so it's been pretty successful and I have been very pleased with their generosity."
This means that visitors will be able to see a DC-3 display on both days, courtesy of Wings Ventures which has recently moved to the airport from Booker, a Yak-50 and a Harvard or two among others.
For aircraft flying in to the G-VFWE Glen has provided 180 slots - that's 90 each day - on a 30 slot per hour basis between 10.00 and 13.00.
"Saturday is currently full," says Glen, "and there are only a handful of slots available for Sunday but we can also make slots available between 09.00 and 10.00 if necessary."
You don't have to own a vintage aircraft to fly in to the show but those of a vintage nature will all be parked together which means that visitors to the event will be able to wander through this 'vintage aircraft park' to take a closer look.
As well as the huge collection of visiting aircraft and the air display there will also be entertainment for kids, catering, bar facilities and traders - truly making the event more than just a fly-in, and one that will surely continue to thrive on our airshow calendar.
The main event of the year for Glen and the airport is that in June - The Cotswold Airshow 2010 which takes place on the 19th and 20th. Expanded last year for the first time to two days, Glen was delighted with the outcome.
"The danger of going to two days is that you end up splitting your single event day crowd in half, but we were delighted to see that our Sunday audience level remained and the Saturday figure was pretty much that which we would have expected at a Kemble Air Day a few years ago. Hopefully this year it will increase even further."
The layout for the show this year will remain consistent with Glen and his team making maximum use of the old cross runway. This offers the crowd an unrivalled opportunity to watch many of the display aircraft being refuelled, the crews preparing and then taxiing out. It really brings everyone close to the action and is one of the elements that make the venue so special.
Participation is already looking strong this year with notable support from the armed forces both in terms of flying and static display aircraft. The RAF has allocated Typhoon, Tucano, BBMF (Dakota, Hurricane and Spitfire) for the flying display on both days and then there is the prospect, hopefully, of seeing the Red Arrows (or just 'The Arrows' as they were often referred to when they were based at Kemble from 1966 to 1983) making their delayed UK debut; this following the accident that has forced Flt Lt Mike Ling to sit out his third year with the team and the resultant recall of former Red, Flt Lt Pablo O'Grady, back to the Synchro pair.
"You can't really have an airshow here without the Red Arrows as Kemble forms such an important part of their history. Obviously we're all keeping our fingers crossed that they complete their training and are authorised in time to make it here for the show."
The Royal Navy will also be present with their Black Cats helicopter display, still utilising two Lynx and under the new leadership of Lt Becky Frater, and also a welcome return to the air for the Swordfish from the Royal Navy Historic Flight; there will also be a Jetstream on static display. The RAF meanwhile has also allocated a Merlin, Hawk, C-17 and VC-10 for the static park. From a military perspective it's an impressive line-up and indicative of the show's pulling power and the way in which it allows visitors to get up close to the hardware and meet the people involved; a crucial factor for engagement and positive public relations.
The remainder of the show will be completed by an equally impressive line-up of civilian display acts including all of the jets from the Air Atlantique Classic Flight stable with the exception of the Canberra. Their Meteor, Vampire, two Venoms and Jet Provost T.5 will be joined by the Anson from their Coventry home, and the Rapide will be on hand for pleasure flights over the weekend.
Add to the mix the likes of Neil McCarthy's Jet Provost T.3, Team Viper (Sunday only), the Swift Aerobatic Display Team, Pembroke, Hunter T.7, Ultimate High and the Yakolevs and you end up with a superb pot pourri of displays; something for everyone.
"I'm really pleased with how it's shaping up," says Glen. "It's already looking like a good show and you never know what might be added between now and June. I always hear from people nearer the time who are available to display and think I'd like to add them to the programme, so we'll see what happens."
Indeed, one thing Glen does reveal that he is still awaiting news from USAFE, who provided a more than welcome appearance from a KC-135 at last year's show.
For anyone who hasn't visited a show at the Cotswold Airport before, I would urge them to seriously consider going along to one or more of the 2010 events. The venue has that one thing that no display programme can list - a great atmosphere. The shows are known for this and are friendly and put you close to the action; always providing one or two special moments in the flying display. This year's shows will be no different and we're looking forward to them already.
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2010-04-27 - Neil McCarthy
The only place to be at for classic British jets!
Another great read guys.
2010-04-27 - Duncan Monk
Another impressive in depth interview, a great read.
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