Aircraft
A wide range of aircraft have performed flying displays at the show. These have included many modern and classic fast jets (for example Sepecat Jaguar, BAE Hawk, Hawker Hunter, Folland Gnat) military helicopters from the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, historic warbirds like the Spitfire and Mustang and displays from light aerobatic aircraft. In 2009 there was a visit by an RAF C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft, and in 2011 the Avro Vulcan XH558 performed the closing display.
The Hawker Hunter is a transonic British jet-powered fighter aircraft that was developed by Hawker Aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was designed to take advantage of the newly developed Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet engine and the swept wing, and was the first jet-powered aircraft produced by Hawker to be procured by the RAF. On 7 September 1953, the modified first prototype broke the world air speed record for aircraft, achieving a speed of 727.63 mph.
The Folland Gnat is a British compact swept-wing subsonic fighter aircraft that was developed and produced by Folland Aircraft. Envisioned as an affordable light fighter in contrast to the rising cost and size of typical combat aircraft, it was procured as a trainer aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as well as by export customers, who used the Gnat in both combat and training capacities.
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's aerial warfare force. Formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world. Following victory over the Central Powers in 1918 the RAF emerged as, at the time, the largest air force in the world. Since its formation, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history. In particular, it played a large part in the Second World War where it fought its most famous campaign, the Battle of Britain.
The show has also managed to attract international participation. In 2005 the Polish Navy brought a PZL M-28 for static display, while in both 2006 and 2008 the US Army exhibited a UH-60 Black Hawk and in 2010 the Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 display team performed. Traditionally, the show also includes participation from the resident No 612 Volunteer Gliding Squadron, which uses the airfield during the weekend for its flying activities.
The Polish Navy is a military branch of the Polish Armed Forces responsible for naval operations. The Polish Navy consists of 48 ships and about 12,000 commissioned and enlisted personnel. The traditional ship prefix in the Polish Navy is ORP.
The Royal Netherlands Air Force, is the military aviation branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. It was created in 1953; its ancestor, the Luchtvaartafdeling of the Dutch Army was founded in 1913. The aerobatic display team of the Royal Netherlands Air Force is the Solo Display Team.
Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (VGSs) are Royal Air Force Flying Training (FT) units, operating military Viking TX.1 conventional gliders to train cadets from the Air Training Corps and the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force.
The Fly-in also attracts a wide variety of aircraft from the UK's General aviation community.
General aviation (GA) is all civil aviation operations other than scheduled air services and non-scheduled air transport operations for remuneration or hire. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to rotorcraft and corporate business jets. The majority of the world's air traffic falls into this category, and most of the world's airports serve general aviation exclusively.
An air show, is a public event where aircraft are exhibited.
They often include aerobatics demonstrations, without they are called "static air shows" with aircraft parked on the ground.
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Scampton. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams that had been sponsored by RAF commands.
Royal Air Force Woodvale or RAF Woodvale is a Royal Air Force Station located 4 mi (6.4 km) next to the town of Formby in an area called Woodvale which is located to the south of Southport, Merseyside. Woodvale was constructed as an all-weather night fighter airfield for the defence of Liverpool. However, it did not open until 7 December 1941 which was just after the Liverpool Blitz which peaked in May of that year.
Royal Air Force Waddington otherwise known as RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station located beside the village of Waddington, 4.2 miles (6.8 km) south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire in England.
Canadian Forces Base Shearwater, commonly referred to as CFB Shearwater, is a Canadian Forces Base located 4.5 nautical miles east southeast of Shearwater, Nova Scotia on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
Royal Air Force Valley or more simply RAF Valley is a Royal Air Force station on the island of Anglesey, Wales, and which is also used as Anglesey Airport. It provides fast-jet training using the BAE Systems Hawk and provides training for aircrew working with search and rescue.
Surya Kiran is an aerobatics demonstration team of the Indian Air Force. The Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) was formed in 1996 and are a part of the 52nd Squadron of the IAF. The team has since performed numerous demonstrations usually with nine aircraft. The squadron was composed of the HAL HJT-16 Kiran Mk.2 military trainer aircraft till 2011 and were based at the Bidar Air Force Station in Karnataka. The team was suspended in February 2011 and was re-established with Hawk Mk-132 aircraft in 2017.
The Farnborough International Airshow is a week-long, biennial event that combines a major trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries with a public airshow. The event is held in mid-July in even-numbered years at Farnborough Airport in Hampshire, United Kingdom. The first five days are dedicated exclusively to trade, with the final two days open to the public.
The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) is the world's largest military air show, held annually over the third weekend in July, usually at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England in support of The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust. The show typically attracts a total of 150,000 to 160,000 spectators over the weekend.
Royal Air Force Honington or more simply RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located 6 mi (9.7 km) south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. Although used as a bomber station during the Second World War, RAF Honington is now the RAF Regiment depot.
Royal Air Force Topcliffe or RAF Topcliffe is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, England. It is a satellite station serving in the role of a Relief Landing Ground for Shorts Tucano T1 aircraft of No. 1 Flying Training School based nearby at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Topcliffe is home to No. 645 Volunteer Gliding Squadron flying the Grob Viking T.1 glider.
The Miramar Air Show is an annual air show held at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California. The three-day event is the largest military air show in the United States, with total annual attendance estimated at 700,000. The show is held in October coinciding with Fleet Week activities in San Diego. The 2011 show was the 56th edition of the event, and celebrated the 100th anniversary of naval aviation. In 2007, the Miramar Air Show was voted the "World's Best Military Air Show" by the International Council of Air Shows, the first time the award was given to a Marine Corps air station since 1994.
Imperial War Museum Duxford is a branch of the Imperial War Museum near Duxford in Cambridgeshire, England. Britain's largest aviation museum, Duxford houses the museum's large exhibits, including nearly 200 aircraft, military vehicles, artillery and minor naval vessels in seven main exhibition buildings. The site also provides storage space for the museum's other collections of material such as film, photographs, documents, books and artefacts. The site accommodates several British Army regimental museums, including those of the Parachute Regiment and the Royal Anglian Regiment.
Aero India is a biennial air show and aviation exhibition held in Bengaluru, India at the Yelahanka Air Force Station. It is organised by the Defence Exhibition Organisation, Ministry of Defence.
The Vickers Varsity is a British twin-engined crew trainer operated by the Royal Air Force for 25 years from 1951.
The Tauranga City Airshow is a biennial show held in Tauranga, New Zealand. It features displays of classic, private, and military aircraft.
Royal Air Force Cosford or RAF Cosford is a Royal Air Force station in Cosford, Shropshire, just to the northwest of Wolverhampton and next to Albrighton.
Air Force Station, Bidar is one of the Premier Flying Training establishments of the Indian Air Force. It was established during World War II, has been a training centre for budding pilots of the IAF since 1963. The air base had trainer aircraft like HT2 and various variants of Kiran aircraft for nearly four decades. Now it has been remodelled and refurbished for the arrival of the Hawks. The runway has been extended to 9,000 feet and new facilities for aircraft and engine maintenance and testing are built.
Exercise Joint Warrior is a major bi-annual multi-national military exercise which takes place in the United Kingdom, predominately in north west Scotland. It is the successor of the Neptune Warrior exercises and Joint Maritime Course.
