Biggin Hill Airshow 2009

I attended on the Saturday, so this review is only of that day.

The entry fee, £21 per person, seemed rather high particularly on top of the £7 fee for a return ticket on the express bus. However, once in the price was quickly forgotten.

The attractions included a funfair, various refreshment stands like the appropriately names Spitfire ale, and more. There were a number of charity stalls running raffles or tombolas, or simply selling memorabilia. A range of prints, unusual or out of print aviation books and more could be found walking round the stands, and there genuinely was something for all ages.

The flight displays were excellent. A very bright day, watching some of the displays was difficult due to the reflections of the sun, but the standard of performance was amazing.

Some of the highlights follow:

• The formation wingwalkers on biplanes deserve a particular mention, not least for the finale to the act where they unfasten their safety harnesses and climb round the body of the aircraft in flight before they get into the passenger seat to land.
• The RAF trainer's flight was a spectacular display of aircraft control, where the aircraft travelled sideways and at other unusual directions
• The Sea Hawk, too fast for my camera, pulled a series of maneovres at high jet speed.
• The Chinook perfoming a "handbrtake turn" seasaw and other moves that, if pulled with troops onboard, would probably result in airsick passengers, but that were amazing to watch
• The helicopter display by the RAF which included a loop the loop - something I thought was impossible in a helicopter

The other displays were of a simialr standard. The Red Arrows performed their formation routine; with a view of the runway I got to see the formation engineers, as well as the planes. The Battle of Britain Memorial flight arrived in a three man formation of Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster. And as they put down, XH558 arrived. Logged into twitter on my phone, I confess to following their position updates as they left Brize.

This unbroken run of three was followed by the Eurofighter. It's not my favourite aircraft but to be fair it was in a really bad timeslot. It followed straight after an unbroken run of the Red Arrows, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the Vulcan, and the first buses home left part-way through its performance. Watching groups of mothers towing small children (most of whom were clutching blow-up Vulcans) towards the bus stop while ignoring the jet flying over did make me feel somewhat bad for the pilot.

Overall it was an excellent show, and one I might go to next year - especially if I can beg, borrow, or buy access to a balcony on a house nearby.