Throckmorton (Worcs) Airshow 11/6/2016: Cancelled

I’m afraid this strikes me as another show which wasn’t really viable and are now using the CAA rule changes and increased fees as a convenient excuse to bow out.

You are talking as if this show was brand new to the airshow calender and the organiser had never done it before. It has been held for a number of years. Also the charges were being taken from other areas, mainly the airline industry and not the tax payer as quoted by the CAA themselves

Tack on East Fortune and I’m fine with that. These places arguably have the best facilities and most likely the greatest likelihood of getting a decent display lineup. Throckmorton had nine aircraft lined up in the end. From what I can see on UKAR there are a bunch of small airshows down in England every year that look like glorified steam rallies or village fetes with boring, or small and identical display lineups.

Lets hope you don’t need any of the emergency services who only get their contributions from such functions such as air displays,fly ins etc that raise money to keep them going.

As I said before, I find it hard to believe that sports and music events on a similar scale to Throckmorton (etc) are organised so unprofessionally by people with such limited business and communication skills. No sympathy here.

It’s nice to see you are eloquent and have social skills in abundance..

I think anybody who gets off the ar%e and organizes anything should be applauded. So what if it is amateurish, they are doing something. There are many music festivals organised in a similar way, I know somebody who does it. Yes they are not massive events but neither are many airshows. I’m involved as a volunteer at a event this year and it can be daunting. We will not be having a flying display. Probably last year we would have had a few local acts but you can’t even have a local pilot doing some aerobatics without tonnes of paperwork and cash. I have never been to Thockmorton, and have no idea where it is ,but these sort of shows are the lifeblood for the smaller acts that work at small shows. As has been said you loose these sort of shows and you loose the acts that go with them, forever. Once people stop displaying, aircraft get sold and pilots go on to other things and it is pretty much impossible to start again in 5 years.

I go to the TT Races or go see a Rally there is an inherent risk that I might be struck by a vehicle. I should not really have to consider a similar level of risk just because I happen to be driving past an airshow….

Quick, close the roads leading to LHR!
Really, how many runways point to roads? How often has it been a problem? Yes, passing traffic was hit in the recent crash, but the statistical probability of that is similar to the poor people killed while sitting in their homes by the falling airliner wreckage after it was destroyed by a bomb. Using the same logic, let’s ban all airliners from flying over populated areas.

In terms of overall risk, you’re far more likely to get broadsided on the way to the shops than have an aeroplane fall on you passing an airport.
Perhaps before venturing out you could call the police and ask them to clear the streets and close all side roads.

Now that the Government/CAA (quite rightly in my opinion) wish to recover their costs in full, those shows which are unprofitable or barely break even will not cope without a root and branch change in organisation, planning and a change in attitude from staging an enjoyable day out for people, to actually sitting down and planning well in advance what it will cost and ensuring that they have entrance fees, exhibitor fees and money earning schemes in place to ensure they can fully cover the cost. A lot of shows are simply not managed on a suitably businesslike basis. .

Covering CAA costs is a real can of worms. In the past, they have often done little more than rubber stamp applications, which arguably costs very little. The allegations of gold-plating within their business model ( and they are looking to make a profit, not just provide a service) are not without foundation.

It is naive and patronising to talk of sitting down and planning properly. No event can GUARANTEE a profit, especially an outdoor event where weather can wipe out all chance of a profit, yet the charges and costs remain.

The most pragmatic would-be airshow organiser may well conclude that the game is not worth the candle. Profits are not large, but the risks are. Only the hassle and the set-up costs are a certainty. Luckily some people still have a passion for the aeroplanes and air displays, but it would be folly to suppose that such enthusiasm is ever-lasting.

I’m afraid this strikes me as another show which wasn’t really viable and are now using the CAA rule changes and increased fees as a convenient excuse to bow out.

Part of the issue which has prompted the changes from the CAA is because some shows are not being properly organised to a good enough standard, and many have effectively been subsidised by the taxpayer picking up the tab for the cost of administering the various inspections and checks required. Now that the Government/CAA (quite rightly in my opinion) wish to recover their costs in full, those shows which are unprofitable or barely break even will not cope without a root and branch change in organisation, planning and a change in attitude from staging an enjoyable day out for people, to actually sitting down and planning well in advance what it will cost and ensuring that they have entrance fees, exhibitor fees and money earning schemes in place to ensure they can fully cover the cost. A lot of shows are simply not managed on a suitably businesslike basis. .

Oddly enough, this years TT is wracking up nearly as many deaths, I haven’t heard a call for that to be banned yet.

Meddle, I really don’t know how you can be so beastly to someone like Samantha Jones who has demonstrated drive, commitment, and determination to take on the task of organising an airshow for the enjoyment of people and benefit to charity. Surely anyone who does that deserves our support regardless of whether or not it happens to be their day job.

Pity you will no aircraft to display at them though…

What?!?

Pity you will no aircraft to display at them though, no airshows, no bookings, no money therefore no aircraft to display!

So therefore the only shows should be on are Duxford,RIAT, Shuttleworth and RAF Cosford?

Tack on East Fortune and I’m fine with that. These places arguably have the best facilities and most likely the greatest likelihood of getting a decent display lineup. Throckmorton had nine aircraft lined up in the end. From what I can see on UKAR there are a bunch of small airshows down in England every year that look like glorified steam rallies or village fetes with boring, or small and identical display lineups.

But are those organised by a ‘professinal’ team or company? I did miss out Farnborough though

So therefore the only shows should be on are Duxford,RIAT, Shuttleworth and RAF Cosford?

Plus the big seaside shows ?

So therefore the only shows should be on are Duxford,RIAT, Shuttleworth and RAF Cosford?

As I said before, I find it hard to believe that sports and music events on a similar scale to Throckmorton (etc) are organised so unprofessionally by people with such limited business and communication skills. No sympathy here.

Organisers response

From Samantha Jones: For all you haters:
Before you slag me off on social media get your facts straight!
I am a full time paramedic and organise the Throckmorton Airshow in my SPARE TIME for charity but if you can do better crack on!!
The CAA changed the low flying regulations 48 hours ago meaning that ALL aircraft with immediate effect would need to fly at a minimum of 500ft…
OK we can take that on the chin… might get a few complaints but we can live with that…
Phone the Insurance company and let them know and they say yes no problem but we want a lot of money which needs to be paid by Friday.
So then where do you expect we get this money from?
In 2014 our show took a loss but because I am so dedicated and committed and a lot of pilots are my personal friends I took a personal loan out to pay for it. Would you have done that??
Not only to mention but our permission was only granted yesterday after being put in to the CAA in Jan!
Oh and the CAA announced a sudden price increase Feb by 100% without any prior warning plus a post show fee. How is that fair?
I am a civilian, yes you are right I don’t no much about aviation, but I have tried my best, achieving my PPL and learning as I go without taking a penny!
So before you start throwing accusations around come to me next time but In the meantime I shall announce you as the next Organiser for the Throckmorton Airshow shall I?
You haters are the reason why the aviation industry is destroyed not the ones trying to save it!

Is this really the time to play the blame game? We need to support the industry and not slag off those trying their best to put on shows. The team that run Throckmorton are all volunteers who also work full time jobs! This is a charity show without big sponsers to cover any gaps in cash flow. Last year was only an issue due to the’ Vulcan effect’. I was there and I drove straight in, also there were accidents on the route in that messed up all the planning. How can someone slag off a show who never even went? I think there is a lot more of this coming and it will not be long that people will be moaning due to the lack of airshows and display items.
Stop attacking and get behind the industry people!

Insurance and public liability, risk assessments, health and safety, is all in place to protect us! God bless this country!
But it also spells the end of airshows!!! I will be interested to know by the end of the season how many air shows went ahead this year compared to last year. For me I’m off to Europe to watch some proper displays hopefully without all this beautocratic red tape.

It’s not just small venues.This has been a regular venue for many years Red Arrows dropped from Whitby Regatta

We’ve just found out there’ll be no Red Arrows at this year’s Whitby Regatta.
The organisers behind the event, which is on from 20 to 22 August, say the RAF display team have had to be cancelled in the wake of last year’s Shoreham Air Show crash.
Red Arrows display
PA
The regatta’s organisers are blaming the cost of new safety training and planning, but say they hope to bring the Arrows back in the “not-too-distant future”