Flying Legends 2022 cancelled

IWM supplied the airfield, the management running the airshow would be responsible for all of the applications and licences required to hold an airshow the same as in the old Fighter Meet days at North Weald, Epping Borough Council owned the airfield but the company running the show ( their name escapes me) did everything from the running of the show, fencing, AA  road signage, fuel bowsers, toilet facilities  etc anything to do with running a safe compliant shoe even the people managing the tickest on the gate to the ATC cadets parking and I bet a majority of the same applied at Duxford under IWM terms and conditions.

I know there are people looking in here that have the full story, I have part story.

I don’t think I put forward any ideas to solve the problem, did I?

1. IWM are happy to have other air shows, so why not Legends? Obviously it’s not worth it for them.

2. Yes, but no money back if the who thing cancel other than by covid restrictions. That’s right as they (I imagine) will lose other receipts too. That’s all in the T’s & C’s.

3. More accurate?

4. I don’t see TFC being responsible for the all work in planning the air show, do you? The IWM own the airfield. Why shouldn’t IWM shouldn’t get their costs back and hard work rewarded? Perhaps if the charity is going to get “sod all” they will not do it.

5. Maybe not.

6. Doesn’t bother me.

Next… why doesn’t TFC not relocate? What would be the advantage in doing so to the owners of the aircraft? TFC themselves look to be doing well financially as they are.  

Why do I need to send him an offer as you appear to have the good ideas.

1. I was told its the IWM not wanting the show any more. ( true? )

2, they covered the rained off no shows by making the event a prepaid ticket so they have your money in advance not like the old days where you paid on the gate.

3, I should of said IWM instead of Duxford to make it more plain.

4, yes its TFC,s show and I think you find IWM wanted a bigger cut so by doing so have possibly that made it untenable at Duxford for TFC, that then means the CHARITY get sod all.

5, maybe its all conjecture

6, Either way everyone loses 

Er, no. Passion alone isn’t enough.  It’s all about £££. Without it an airshow cannot be held. If an event makes a loss (perhaps rained-off), who will be left to pick up the tab?

Whether you like it or not,  the IWM is a charity. Those who hold governance have legal responsibilities. https://www.charitygovernancecode.org/en

As far as I am aware the Flying Legends airshow is staged by The Fighter Collection – a private limited company. Perhaps they cannot afford to stage the event?

TA. You should drop the owner a letter to his correspondence address in Monaco and offer your own money and assistance to stage the next event? 

the Elephant as in the sense that people running Duxford are in a job the are doing because its a job not a passion and no actual interest in aviaiton ?

Duxford is a perfectly good airfield. Perhaps there is a need address the elephant in the room?

Shame there is no FL again this year, but hopefully it will return for it’s 30th anniversary in 2023. As for a new location, I thought Cranfield might be an option last year before they chose Sywell. It’s in that neck of the woods, and is a large site.

And airspace wise, it is outside of the Luton CTA, so should not cause any issues from that point of view.

Whether it’s actually viable is another question, but we’ll have to wait and see!

Cheers

Paul

I feel working out of home base is not going to work, its not TFC going off to do an airshow and fly back.

As with every other suggestion, it’s not economically or logistically viable.

Sywell always seemed unlikely to me for the same reasons but it’s a lot closer than anywhere else.

What about Scampton, soon to be vacated by the Reds, decent roads and Lincoln  a few miles down the road with a railway network. The United Kingdom doesn’t suddenly drop into the ocean once you have reached the Midlands you know. Waddo could do it but not now with the Drones and whatnot why not Scampton ?

I’ve been told it’s gone for good . I still don’t understand why it can’t be at Duxford anymore . It’s as absurd as moving the F1 race from Silverstone.  

what he said, Duxford is the only place that could make economic sense but when you put non aviation types in a roll they have no care or time for this is what you get

Logistically, there is literally nowhere other than Duxford that is practical, unless there is somewhere extremely close by that I haven’t remembered.

Most of the aircraft are based there and some pilots will fly several different aeroplanes during the course of the weekend.

That apart, think of the fuel costs alone involved in taking multiple heavy piston engines any distance and back.

I have my suspicions that this was something like the abolition of Friends of Duxford where some idiot wanted a larger slice of the pie and ended up with 100% of nothing.

I fully agree, there is a great hunger for Flying Legends.

Would Middle Wallop be a practical possibility if the Army Air Corps could stand down for a weekend????

There is huge pent up demand for a dedicated warbird show, we have a very strong flying contingent in the UK and Europe.  The public seem to accept ( grudgingly )  £50 admission, to there is surely scope to run a successful  commercially viable event.

We have a lot of airfields with size to do this, the biggest obstacle is a corrosive post-covid mindset that everything is too difficult now,  and it is not even worth trying, which is total BS.

Off the top of my head, I would look at Little Rissington with hard and grass runways. and a rural perimeter, but there are loads of other options. 

This is an opportunity that should be actioned.   – ”If you build  it, they will come ”

Never to return I fear, to find a great location that worked like Duxford the collections home base with all the support on hand I fear it will end up like Great Warbirds, The Fighter Meet and Biggin Hill Air Fair, I do hope I am proved wrong but the costs of operating o an airfield that is active I cant see how it can be done.

Maybe one of the old bomber bases could do it? East Kirkby once the new runways in. Legends is fast becoming just that a Legend we will all remember fondly