Mildenhall MAY be back in some form or other

Anglia News 6pm tonight. East and West editions of the programme.

Not another round of who produces the best battery narrated by our favourite football talker????

Thank god they have decided at last,at least my home won’t be invaded by certain board members and others,plus the grass will survive without tents pitched on it.

al,less than half a mile from runway 29 at Mildenhall.

It’s not just the security thing.

The guys at Mildenhall rotate on a three year posting by and large.

This means that by 2005 there is nobody left on base who has any experience at all of organising such a mammoth undertaking.

Previously, new guys would join the team and work under the chaps who’d been junior organisers for previous show. Experience was handed down directly.

Now, it would almost be a case of starting from scratch. You have to ask yourself if anybody could be bothered.

Moggy

Couldn’t agree more Moggy, I think in our heart of hearts we all know Air Fete is now dead. Pessimistic? Perhaps, but look at what’s been happening in the US where USAF shows resemble an airport check in, where you can’t take camera bags over a certain size, cool boxes are off limits in case of exploding sandwiches, and the car parking……….

Now bring all that to sleepy Mildenhall, and how many of us would seriously want to go thorough all that hassle anyway? I haven’t been to RIAT since 1998 because of the hassle it takes to get there and park, plus in my view (and many others) it’s simply too big to do in a day, and two days would need a very nice bank manager to pay for it! The powers that be would (understandably) require Mildenhall to park all traffic off-base, and the searches would probably be a repeat of the shambles of RIAT 2002, not a nice thought.

It’s now time to let Air Fete rest and remember the many good years we had at the show.

Quote from the USAF was something like “Did we organise an event to appeal to the international aviation enthusiast, or something to repay our local neighbours? We chose to go with thanking the neighbours”.

Tis the end of Air Fete. 🙁

Anglia News 6pm tonight. East and West editions of the programme.

I had an email last night copied here:

Hi All,

I understand that there is a “media” briefing at RAF Mildenhall tomorrow
Friday 21st January to layout the plans for an Air Fete at Mildenhall in
mid-June. It should be on the evening local TV and radio news bulletins.

However, don’t hold your breath – I am reliably informed that they will
anounce a small event which will be for invited local guests only and that
the likely participants will mainly consist of aircraft from Mildenhall and
Lakenheath with a small number of AAC/RAF aircraft thrown in.

I have heard the number of ‘invitees’ quoted as anything between 5,000 and
20,000 and that the vehicle parking will be ‘off-base’. The date which seems
to be most quoted from usually reliable sources is 4th June.

Hopefully all will be clear by tomorrow evening.

I’m starving.

But aren’t you of no fixed abode? They probably won’t invite tramps in…

Ah well. S’pose I can stand outside with a scrawny dog on a bit of string.

Reckon they’ll consider Norwich as “local” enough? 🙁

Looks like I’ll have a lot of new friends when my invite (as a local) arrives 🙂

Moggy

Look out burgers, here I come.

As I understand there’ll be no more Air Fetes, just goodwill, invite-only “local residents open days” which will feature a limited flying display and ground-based entertainment. Wet burgers, I dare say, will still feature, but only for the selected few… 🙁

Just seen on BBC Look East that Mildenhall won’t have an airshow in 2005, but is hoping to do a fete.

Sounds to be going as Moggy predicted.

Taken from the BBC website today:-

Security fears threaten air show

The future looks bleak for another Air Fete show at RAF Mildenhall

The future of one of the largest air shows in Europe looks uncertain after being cancelled for a fourth year.

The Mildenhall Air Fete in Suffolk, which attracts more than 500,000 people to the area, has not taken place since 2001 amid security concerns.

A Community Appreciation Day will be held in June, however, to show the base’s thanks for the support provided by local communities.

USAF spokesperson Sgt Cindy Dorfner said the event would be ticket only.

Security concerns

“We’re just having this to show thanks to our local community neighbours who welcome us every day and put up with our noise,” she said.

Air Fete, the largest military air show in Europe, has not been held since September 11, 2001 due to runaway resurfacing and the “war on terrorism”.

“Logistically it takes a lot to plan…the basic framework was already there in 2001 – to start it again from scratch would be difficult,” Ms Dorfner added.

“Security’s a lot tighter in the days after 9/11. There are lot of concerns now with holding an air show.”

“Who knows if we will ever have an Air Fete again – we may have both,” she added.

“All I know is we won’t have one this year – we haven’t even considered it for next year yet.”

😀 Maybe starting from scratch with new blood and ideas would’nt be a bad idea,some of the display was getting a bit stale and predictable,and alot of the times the planes from varying airforces just werent reliable.
MMMMM,I can smell those burgers now SIZZLE 😀

It’s not just the security thing.

The guys at Mildenhall rotate on a three year posting by and large.

This means that by 2005 there is nobody left on base who has any experience at all of organising such a mammoth undertaking.

Previously, new guys would join the team and work under the chaps who’d been junior organisers for previous show. Experience was handed down directly.

Now, it would almost be a case of starting from scratch. You have to ask yourself if anybody could be bothered.

Moggy

I should think the event would be more of a craft sort of thing… More for the locals and the immediate community.
I agree with Moggy and Trumper – think how the security would be for an airshow… I think they would be very cautious about another event. Mildenhall is different to Fairford as it is an operational station as opposed to an occaisional one.
OAW

I wouldn’t hold your breath 🙁

Moggy

I agree but at least it has become an idea again from official sources,mind you screening everybody and all vehicles in a security check would be a nightmare. 😮

So this will be in addition to the Air Fete, as plans go there will hopefully be one in 2005 as long as things don’t kick off again.

I wouldn’t hold your breath 🙁

Moggy

So this will be in addition to the Air Fete, as plans go there will hopefully be one in 2005 as long as things don’t kick off again.