Biggin Termoil and content
Hi
I have attended Biggin for around the same length of time and I must agree that it was pretty awful mess outside the gates at around 12 noon on Sunday.
I spoke to a jolly police officer who added that the air display organisers did NOT spend enough money on outside traffic marshalling this year. They did however invest money in a nice pointless ‘gateway’ as you drove into the airfield, but by that time, most motorists were simply thankful that they had arrived and were able to peel themselves out of their cars rather than be impressed by an entrance. Some never made the entrance!
I think Biggin has reduced the number of actual channels into the airfield (especially the walkin area at the main road) and the lanes were blocked because the police allowed cars to drive opposite way/outbound. I would understand it if people lived along those lanes, but some roads like Salt Box had very few houses down them. Even the bus routes should be altered because some lanes were blocked through sheer stupidity of buses trying to pass each other and therefore blocking in everyone for hours!
The organisers should arrange with police to have one-way traffic along the country lanes before the show starts (and like they do at the back of the airfield – Cudham, Downe when the show is over!!).
Silverstone has a oneway system at peak times and the locals don’t care. They accept it and go on holiday that weekend rather than complain.
London bound and Westerham bound traffic were filtering into one lane after the entrance roundabout – absolutely stupid!!!!!
As for the show – well lots of jets, BUT NOT ENOUGH VINTAGE TYPES and quite a few missing aircraft – Seafire, Swordfish, B17, Vulcan, Vimy -pretty much all the stars were not there!! Why do the organisers not have a contingency plan to meet with servicable issues that old aircraft have!
Swordfish, Vimy and Vulcan were almost certain NOT to attend for well over 1month prior to the show and yet many vintage aicraft were simply sitting around not booked but ready to FLY – what a waste!!!!! Let me see – that pointless gateway was the cost of one vintage aircraft to attend Biggin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel pretty cheated especially when I cannot see what the show stars were replaced with!!!? I mean what replaced the vulcan slot? Second appearance per day of the Chinnock???? Its pretty poor.
On a good note the DC-6 was REALLY fantastic, as was B-25, Lancaster, Mrage 2000 and Spity/Mustang duo, but Biggin has lacked really good warbird content since Harry Robins attended with Mosquito etc…
More needs to be done – beacuse everyone I talk to at Biggin – press, the public etc.. all want more vintage aircraft.
PLUS MIX IN the themes like they did years ago. The last hour was just jets, jets and more jets – its BORING AS HELL to group a/c together like this and then the Jet routines create less of an impact!!!!
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