It is somewhat indicitive of the state of the Classic Jet scene in the UK at the moment. Whilst healthy in some areas (the Gnat guys at North Weald, and the MidAir Squadron have both been very active this year, for example), many other types and operators are simply fading into oblivion, almost unnoticed. Types which were once fairly common (Vampires, Venoms, Aero L-29s and L-39s, single-seat Hunters) are now very few and far between in the UK. Even those that do fly, such as the Classic Air Force Meteors, Venom and Vampire, and the North Weald Vampire, seem to attract very few bookings. The Classic Jet shows at venues such as Kemble seem to be a thing of the past. With the Sea Vixen facing an uncertain future, the Sea Hawk grounded for most of the past 2 decades, aircraft such as the CAF’s second Venom, Canberra, Meteor NF11 slipping out of Permit validity, single-seat Vampires now extinct in the UK, the failure/closure of the likes of the Team Viper/Red Star Rebel operation, Delta Jets, Hunter Flying Club at Exeter, now the Drilling Systems operation at Bournemouth, the loss of the Golden Apple T-33, we are losing more than we are gaining.
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