Around since 2014, the Scottish International Air Show has been bringing spectacular flight displays (and plenty of other entertainment) to the town of Ayr for four successful years. The 2018 event, running on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd September, has a full programme of displays and international aircraft to enjoy. For aviation enthusiasts it will probably feel like Christmas morning, but the airshow is also a great day out for families and newcomers, with plenty on offer to keep everyone occupied. To help you make the most of the event, we’ve rounded up the 10 best things to see while you are there.
Details:
The Scottish International Air Show is on at Low Green, Pavilion Road, Ayr, Ayrshire across two days.
On Saturday 1st September, flying displays will start at 11am and finish at 6.10pm (the Red Arrows will start their display at 5.40pm).
On Sunday 2nd September, flying displays will start at 11am and finish at 5pm (with the Red Arrows starting their display at 4.30pm)
The Airshow is free to attend but tickets for unobstructed view, parking and frontline photography seats are on sale at various prices and these must be bought in advance. If you do purchase tickets in advance you can receive the 48-page commemorative Airshow programme for free (which is normally worth £5). With up to 100,000 people expected to attend each day, the roads and trains will be very busy, and visitors are asked to use the official car park which is approximately 10 minutes’ walk from the site. Along with the aerial displays there will be exhibition and trade stands, simulators, a funfair and street food stalls from around the world. For a real treat, there will also be opportunities to meet the RAF Typhoon pilots in a special display area.
1. The Red Arrows
Closing the event both days, flying at 5.40pm on the Saturday and 4.30pm on the Sunday
The undoubtable star of the show, the infamous RAF Red Arrows display team are the closest thing to celebrities that the Airshow world has. The instantly recognisable red, white and blue smoke trails from their Hawk jets add a touch of class as they perform their series of gravity-defying manoeuvres. They have been displaying since 1965, but the pilots aren’t just recreational flyers and have all also flown operationally and served in the RAF. The Red Arrow displays change from year to year, but for the Scottish International Airshow they are likely to perform a tornado loop, the classic diamond nine, and even a special heart-shaped manoeuvre.
2. Wee Dram Cessna172 Sea Plane
Displaying both days
This reasonably small, light seaplane is recognisable for its propeller nose and the floaters that rest on the water, with the one displaying at the airshow based locally in the nearby town of Prestwick. The single-engine, high-wing plane has been around since 1956 and is still going today, with more than 43,000 having been built right across the world. Any fans of the Cessna are in for a treat at the Scottish International Air Show, as the plane is expected to do a sea landing right in front of spectators provided that the wave conditions are suitable.
3. Swiss Hornet Display Team
Displays both days
The twin-engine, supersonic Airforce F/A-18C is a lethal combat jet, designed to carry out air-to-air missions and attack ground targets (the F/A stands for fighter/attack). Originally designed for the mountainous regions of Switzerland, the Ayrshire coast presents slightly less challenging terrain- but the sheer strength of the Hornet is just as apparent to see. At the Scottish International Airshow you can watch as the jet powers through the skies, leaving a trail of smoke in its wake as it performs seemingly impossible manoeuvres for a machine of its size. Expect to see twists, turns, loops and the aircraft flying on its back (for an impressively long period).
4. Global Stars Aerobatic Team
Displays both days
One of the newest groups on the air display circuit, this British team are steadily building a reputation for themselves across the world, and are attending the Scottish International Airshow fresh from a tour of the Far East. Led by renowned aerobatic pilot Mark Jefferies -who is also flying a solo display on both days- the team fly just feet apart in what is a really exciting display. They have different aircraft that they use across their performances, but whichever they choose for the Ayr event you can be sure to see the sheer skills of their pilots.
5. Royal Navy Sea Fury
Displays both days
The propeller-driven Hawker Sea Fury was developed by the RAF during the Second World War, but it was the Royal Navy that ended up using it in service: with the aircraft featuring prominently during the Korean War and the Bay of Pigs invasion. It was initially scheduled to fly at the 2014 Scottish Airshow, but was badly damaged when its undercarriage failed to lower on landing after a display at another airshow. There were fears that the Sea Fury might have to be scrapped altogether, but after hard work to repair it the plane took to the air last summer, and is now being sent to display in Ayr.
6. RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team
Landing on the beach on the Sunday
Similar to their RAF Red Arrows colleagues, the Falcon parachuters leave trails of smoke behind them throughout their display, making it that bit more special for the crowds watching below. They are renowned for their skilled formation skydiving, a free fall display which includes advanced manoeuvres (particularly their unique, non-contact canopy stack). Even more impressive when you consider they are doing it all at speeds of up to 120 miles per hour!
7. Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
Known as ‘the museum without walls’, this poignantly powerful display features three aeroplanes that were crucial parts of the Battle of Britain – the Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane. The four-engine Lancaster specialised in heavy bombing, while the iconic fighter jets of the Hurricane and Spitfire were vital to the success of the UK campaign during the battle. The RAF state that the aim of the memorial flight is to maintain the historic bombers, to provide members of the public with the sight and sound of an era gone by and to create a ‘living and breathing tribute’ to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
8. Calidus Autogyro
Displays both days
Who said an airshow was all about aeroplanes? The Calidus Autogyro, which looks like a futuristic helicopter, uses an unpowered rotor in free autorotation to lift it off the ground. Although it is incredibly small and just about fits two passengers, it is surprisingly strong and can withstand the most diverse weather conditions- even in Scotland. One that technology enthusiasts will love.
9. Swiss Classic Formation of 1940s Transport Aeroplanes
Displays both days
The second swiss display in the programme, this formation involves four impressive 1940s aeroplanes from the Swiss Classic Formation. Coming from a private collection, the group includes one DC3 and three Beech 18s, which are arguably among the best kept vintage aeroplanes in Europe. The DC-3 was one of the most significant transport aircraft ever produced as it pioneered many air travel routes and made worldwide flights a commercial possibility- so we are all somewhat in debt to it. Easy to spot with their shiny, grey metal exterior, the Swiss formation are visiting Scotland for the first time ever for the Scottish International Airshow, so it isn’t one to be missed.
10. Big Band Concert
Saturday 1st September, Ayr Town Hall, 5-9 High Street, Ayr
Doors at 7pm, performance starts at 7.30pm
£29.50
While the focus of the airshow festivities is on the displays during the day, the event’s organisers have also set up a memorial concert on the Saturday night to help celebrate 100 years of the RAF- and five years of the Scottish International Airshow. More than twenty of Scotland’s best jazz musicians will perform at the event as part of the 78 Big Band, with wartime hits and big band favourites expected. The highlight of the concert will be the Swingcats, a female vocal group that perform swinging three-part harmonies to some of the best-loved jazz and 1940s hits.
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