2:59pm Monday 29th June 2009
By Vicki Foster
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.
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