BIGGIN HILL: 60,000 people attend Biggin Hill Air Fair (From News Shopper)
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BIGGIN HILL: 60,000 people attend Biggin Hill Air Fair
2:59pm Monday 29th June 2009 in
CROWDS of more than 60,000 people gathered to admire the incredible stunts performed at the Biggin Hill International Air Fair over the weekend.
The fair was opened with a flying display by the world’s only female Spitfire pilot, Carolyn Grace.
Crowds were wowed with various air displays including the RAF aerobatic team the Red Arrows, which stunned visitors with its iconic red, white and blue smoke released from nine Hawks.
Spectators were able to see displays from other aircraft including a Chinook helicopter, Typhoon and Hawker Nimrod.
There was also displays from various aircraft including a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight with Hurricane and Spitfire fighters and a Lancaster bomber.
Gallery of pictures from Biggin Hill Air Fair
Colin Hitchins, chief executive of the fair, said: “The weekend was successful.
“It was unfortunate we lost the Avro Vulcan V-bomber to technical reasons but I hope the display with the Red Arrows and 747 made up for it as it is something that could not be seen anywhere else in the world.”
The 47th show saw the Red Arrows celebrate the 25th birthday of airline Virgin Atlantic by flying over the grounds with a Virgin Atlantic 747-400.
Mr Hitchins said there was a lot less chaos getting to the show this year as new routes were planned, but on Sunday when the show ended the gates had to be closed for a while so traffic could filter out.
He added: “It was a hot day with lots of cars, lots of people and the majority went away happy.”
And despite temperatures soaring close to 30C, British Red Cross says it only treated around 25 people suffering from the effects of the heat.
A spokesman said: "The number of patients we treated because of the heat was relatively small compared to the huge numbers of people who visited the air show."
The charity revealed it helped a total of 290 people over the weekend for a range of conditions, including heat exhaustion.
This year also marked the centenary of the first crossing of the English Channel by air, which took place on July 25 1909, by the French aviation pioneer Louis Bleriot.
The pilot flew his monoplane powered by a 3-cylinder Anzani engine from France, landing at Northfall Meadow, Dover.
Comments(6)
Make Life
says...
1:46pm Tue 30 Jun 09
ELT wrote:Big deal.
Quote: Mr Hitchins said there was a lot less chaos getting to the show this year as new routes were planned. He was somewhere else wasn't he? 3 hour que to get to the pay tolls THEN a shambles at the pay tolls, free for all parking or fit your car in where you can and we left early due to the same expected on the way out. I know im not the only one who was discusted by this and we wont be attending again. Shame!
Did you see the show - Yes
Did you get home ok - Yes
The roads around Biggin Hill will always be like that on Air Fair day. There is no other way to do it. What time did you start your journey and on any other day how long would it take you? The gates opened at 8am and the show started at 11am, maybe you should have left earlier.
Im sure that there are loads of people who enjoyed the day dispite a slight disruption to their journey.
SSA
says...
2:02pm Tue 30 Jun 09
Make Life
says...
2:10pm Tue 30 Jun 09
SSA wrote:Take your own food and water in a bag. Everyone knows that events like this over charge of food and drinks. This is because they know they have you by the short and curlies and there is nothing that you can do about it.
ELT, you are correct in asking if he was somewhere else. The day was a waste of money. The show was not interesting at all! The commentators can be classed under good sleep remedies! They did not even know what was going on. The most appalling was the price of a bottle of water 500ml, £2.00 – ridiculous! Getting out of the parking area was a nightmare – thank you SO MUCH for letting everyone know that the gates were shut. We would have appreciated it seeing the parking “puppets” that day knew what was going on… I use to be a fan of the Biggin Hill Airshow, but I will not attend it again.
ELT
says...
3:08pm Thu 2 Jul 09
Make Life wrote:Ok, im guessing here but you went on the same day as me...Sunday?
ELT wrote: Quote: Mr Hitchins said there was a lot less chaos getting to the show this year as new routes were planned. He was somewhere else wasn't he? 3 hour que to get to the pay tolls THEN a shambles at the pay tolls, free for all parking or fit your car in where you can and we left early due to the same expected on the way out. I know im not the only one who was discusted by this and we wont be attending again. Shame!Big deal. Did you see the show - Yes Did you get home ok - Yes The roads around Biggin Hill will always be like that on Air Fair day. There is no other way to do it. What time did you start your journey and on any other day how long would it take you? The gates opened at 8am and the show started at 11am, maybe you should have left earlier. Im sure that there are loads of people who enjoyed the day dispite a slight disruption to their journey.
Guessing you left earlier than me....9am?
Guessing you and your family paid £21 a head, expected delays so left in plently of time to atleast see the show start at 11am-ish?
Normal day takes us 30 mins.
And unbeknown to us police closed Shire Lane from Green Street Green end....
Pete Beat
says...
7:36pm Thu 2 Jul 09
took pinic and loads of water. left 07.30pm.
Enjoyed the air show. But its turning in to a chav fest, beer burgers people who drop litter and swear, watch out biggin your losing your style.
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The Red Arrows during the show
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ELT says...
12:11am Tue 30 Jun 09
He was somewhere else wasn't he?
3 hour que to get to the pay tolls THEN a shambles at the pay tolls, free for all parking or fit your car in where you can and we left early due to the same expected on the way out. I know im not the only one who was discusted by this and we wont be attending again. Shame!