Author: Alex Bradley
Alex Bradley is a UK-based aviation writer and airshow circuit regular who has spent years attending displays from RIAT at Fairford and the Biggin Hill Festival of Flight to small fly-ins that drew two hundred people and a hot dog van, and values both for entirely different reasons. He is not a pilot. He is not a PR man for the aviation industry. He is the person in the crowd who has been coming long enough to notice when something has quietly changed, when an organiser is papering over a problem, and when a display is genuinely worth the drive. His writing on Redhill Airshow covers the British airshow circuit, safety, display team politics, CAA regulations, and the quiet contraction of grass airfield culture that nobody in the industry wants to discuss plainly. He has stood at Redhill Aerodrome in every kind of English summer weather, watched Tiger Moths bank low over Surrey farmland, and carries strong opinions about what this country is slowly losing one cancelled event at a time.
The Shoreham Airshow disaster occurred on 22 August 2015, when a vintage Hawker Hunter T7 jet aircraft crashed onto the A27 road in West Sussex during an aerial display, killing 11 people and injuring 16 others. It was the deadliest airshow accident in the United Kingdom since the 1952 Farnborough Airshow crash, which killed 31 people. This article covers the sequence of events, the official investigation findings, the legal proceedings, and the regulatory changes introduced as a result.For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Shuttleworth Airshow 2026: 7…
I was standing at Redhill last summer when someone mentioned that Thunder Over the Boardwalk had simply stopped in 2025. No announcement that explained it properly, just a gap where twenty-three years of Atlantic City display history had been. Then the 2026 news arrived, and the name was gone along with the August dates. The rebranding to Soar & Shore Festival presented by Visit Atlantic City tells you something precise. This is not primarily an airshow that a city hosts. It is a tourism product that uses an airshow as one of its central components. That distinction is not trivial.…
The Shuttleworth airshow 2026 season features 7 themed shows running from May to October at Old Warden Aerodrome, Bedfordshire. Building on a record-breaking 2025 season with more than 30,000 visitors, the 2026 programme includes a fresh theme, expanded attractions, and the return of much-loved favourites. Every show is held at Old Warden Aerodrome, near Biggleswade, home of the world-famous Shuttleworth Collection.For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Paris Airshow 2026: 5 Key Facts, 2025 Results, and the Next Show Date.What Is the Shuttleworth Airshow?The Shuttleworth airshow is a series…
I was at Farnborough in 2022, standing in the public enclosure on the Tuesday, when I understood for the first time what the event actually is. The flying was excellent, the static display substantial, and the crowd thin in a way that felt structurally intentional. Farnborough is not thin because it is not popular. It is thin because the public is not really the point. RIAT at Fairford draws around a hundred and seventy thousand visitors across three days. The feeling on the ground there is different from any other airshow I attend. The damp grass underfoot after overnight rain,…
The Paris Airshow does not take place in 2026. The International Paris Air Show — officially the Salon International de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace (SIAE) — is held exclusively in odd-numbered years at Paris-Le Bourget Airport, France. The most recent edition was the 55th show in June 2025. The next edition is the 56th show, scheduled for 14–20 June 2027.What Is the Paris Air Show?The Paris Air Show is a trade fair and air show held in odd years at Paris–Le Bourget Airport in France. It is the largest air show and aerospace industry exhibition event in the world, measured by number…
The Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) is the world’s second-largest aerospace trade exhibition, held biennially in even-numbered years at Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The 2024 edition generated US$105.8 billion in commercial aircraft and engine orders and attracted 100,358 visitors from over 60 countries.For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Avalon Airshow 2026: Why There Is No Show and What to Expect in 2027.What Is the Farnborough International Airshow?The Farnborough International Airshow is the premier biennial global marketplace for aerospace, defence, and space industries. It brings…
The news from Mountain Home came through on a Saturday. I happened to be at Redhill at the time, watching a Strikemaster do a close low pass over the grass strip. The contrast between the two scenes was not comfortable to sit with. Two United States Navy EA-18G Growlers collided during a training exercise near the base. The aircraft are valued at approximately sixty-eight million dollars each. A hundred and thirty-six million dollars of hardware was destroyed in a matter of seconds. In this instance, both pilots survived. CNN published an analysis shortly after that asked a question military display…
There is no Avalon Airshow in 2026. The Australian International Airshow is a biennial event held every 2 years. The 2025 edition ran from 25 to 30 March 2025 at Avalon Airport, Victoria. The next confirmed edition is the Avalon Airshow 2027, scheduled for 23 to 28 February 2027. No 2026 edition exists.For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Airshows Europe 2026: Dates, Locations, and 8 Must-Attend Aviation Events Across the Continent.Is There an Avalon Airshow in 2026?No. The Avalon Airshow does not run in 2026. It is a biennial…
The conversation that keeps coming back to me happened at Fairford two summers ago. A man standing near the static park, someone I had seen at enough events to recognise but not quite know, turned to nobody in particular and said that he was not sure how many more of these there would be. He meant RIAT specifically. He was right, as it turned out. RIAT 2026 is cancelled. The reason cited is the Iran War and the operational demands it has placed on the aircraft and personnel that make the event possible. That reason is real, unlike some of…
Europe hosts over 100 confirmed airshows in 2026, spanning the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, France, Portugal, Poland, Italy, and beyond. Events range from major international aerospace trade shows to free seaside community displays. This article covers the 8 most significant European airshows of 2026 by date, including confirmed aircraft, themes, locations, and attendance figures.For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Hotels Near Fairford Airshow 2026: 7 Best Places to Stay for RIAT in July.What Are the Biggest Airshows in Europe in 2026?European airshows in 2026 fall into 3…
