UKAR have pretty much had a downer on Flying Legends since it was announced that it would clash with RIAT so take most of what you read on there with a pinch of salt.

Saturday was difficult because of the showers, many of them heavy, but a reduced flying display was flown which included the traditional Spitfire curtain raiser which was excellent.

Sunday faired better with everything flying except the Wildcat, Gladiator and The Horsemen (The Horsemen actually flew after the event, presumably for the cameras and those that had helped put the show together). This was because of the high winds at the times they were due to fly. 

There were multiple display axis including a fantastic curve which should appease those who spat their dummies out over it being south facing.

The show site was divided because the airport FBO is next to the tower. More obvious signage would have helped those not familiar with the site, although it wasn’t really a big issue. 

The split carpark was unusual, but worked better on Sunday when there were no showers (people not wanting to nip back to their cars for shelter). On Saturday the airport opened up the hangars for shelter which seemed to have been appreciated.

I think that the ground events and merchandise stalls were likely kept relatively minimal in deference to the anticipated crowd size, but there were plenty of food outlets (even vegan/veggie) and the airport café was open (with ‘normal’ prices on their fayre!).

Leeds East Airport doesn’t look a bit like an industrial estate by the way, it’s maintained to a very high standard, so much better than it was during the last 20 years in military custodianship (access to the north carpark was via an old crashgate which was set aside for HGVs to protect the period main gates).

I came away both days feeling like I’d just witnessed something very special. The balbo was excellent, the flying displays superbly flown, the commentary was first class (the addition of Richard Grace was inspired).

That’s it really – oh, the bus/rail combo seemed to work just fine too although there are fewer stopping trains on Sundays. I think I overheard that there was also a shuttlebus to South Milford Station too but don’t take my word for that (Micklefield would have been better I think).

It’s the £10m dollar question isn’t it? The roads used to handle in excess of 30,000 for the single day shows that ended mid ’90’s but, even since then, road traffic has increased. Can’t remember the exact figures but I believe the anticipated crowd is around 16-18k per day for Legends which is really just footy match size so I don’t see why they shouldn’t cope. It will depend on the traffic management I guess. I’m no expert on these matters but bringing everyone in via Ulleskelf and into one entrance seemed to mess things up in 2015, I can’t see why cars couldn’t be directed in from the Church Fenton end too, entering through the main gate, that way you perhaps half the traffic trying to get in through the one entrance. The additional route in could act as a pressure release valve. What happened last time was largely the result of the Vulcan + decent weather + a total redesign of the whole show at the 11th hour on account of recommendations made by the CAA post Shoreham which happened just 4 week prior – and a last minute rumour that limited tx were available on the gate. Something also messed-up at the end, I left quite late and people were trying to leave the site with no one stopping/directing traffic at the exits – eventually one of the airport employees rocked-up and directed the traffic himself which really did speed things up. I believe TFC are handling all aspects of the show this time, including the traffic, so fingers crossed – I see no real reason why a robust plan shouldn’t work for the anticipated crowd this size.

Almost there – tracked them from Wick, quite a winding journey – was the flight over the Derbyshire Peaks significant in any way (thinking WW2 crash sites)?

I don’t think the route to Southport has been published yet, I would have thought that would be your best chance to see them in the North West.

So what was the visit by the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster, which carries the markings of a 419 Squadron, RCAF, aircraft to the former 6 Group Bomber Command base at Teesside, formally Middleton St. George all about then?
To say that the CWHM have forgotten about 6 Group is an insult to them.

No, I wouldn’t say forgotten, I’m sure that’s not the case, but it is a shame that more hadn’t been organised. The Middleton St George appearance was spot on but restricted numbers meant that it sold out very quickly (3 days if I remember correctly) and the protracted stay was, of course, unplanned.

YAM had an all day memorial event on Sunday which was fortuitous (despite the flypast happening before the museum opened), had the flypast gone ahead as planned on Saturday I don’t know if the appearance at YAM would have been on the schedule at all. Linton’s flypast was only advertised locally (in the village itself I believe). Again, top marks to the BBMF for releasing details of the routes to the wider public.

Mike J is correct, nothing at all was organised for the general public locally as there are no public airshows in Yorkshire. The tour seemed to be first mooted and executed in such a short space of time that it would have been nigh-on impossible to organise anything around the tour from scratch anyway unless, like East Kirkby or Duxford, you had the kernel of an event already in place. A flying tour of the 6 Group airfields might have been nice, and as guests of the RAF, with the 4 currently operational military bases each being former 6 Group bases too, maybe the RAF (and AAC – ducks for cover!) could have stumped-up the necessary for the morning’s worth of Avgas. (The only problem then being potential traffic chaos, people management and lack of portaloos.)

Actually, you’re right – forget it…!

We had tears, smiles and cheers at Elvington and that was only for one pass.

For me it is just sad that there has only been a cursory acknowledgment of 6 Group Bomber Command and has nothing to do with an unwillingness to travel. Imagine if the boot was on the other foot – could you ever imagine a B-24 flying to the UK and not spending time in Norfolk and Suffolk, a Dam Busters commemoration taking place anywhere other than in Lincolnshire or a major Battle of Britain event centred around Scotland and the north east with, maybe, a token flypast over Biggin Hill to keep the natives quiet. All that said, there’s nothing up here for the BBMF and CWHM to support, even YAM who had such a strong connection with Canada seem to have been unable, for whatever reason (I did email them but had no reply), to organise anything. It really isn’t fair to dish out blame to anyone, certainly not to the BBMF or CWHM as has happened elsewhere on the internet, but it is obviously disappointing to many all the same. Hopefully both Lancasters will make it into Yorkshire (and beyond) tomorrow, the people I stood with in the pouring rain today (many elderly folks) were understandably disappointed when the aircraft didn’t show but no one was spitting feathers, and everyone vowed to be back again tomorrow whatever the weather, so full marks to the BBMF and CWHM for reorganising their Sunday for us.