Author: Alex Bradley
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.
There is a particular kind of silence that falls in a crowd when a display goes wrong. Not the silence of shock, exactly. Something more considered than th
I found out the way most people did. A message in a group chat, no context, just a link and a single word from someone who had been going to Fairford since
The first time I saw an ejection seat demonstration — not a live one, mercifully, just a ground-based pyrotechnic test at a trade day at Farnborough — I re
The East Kirkby Airshow 2026 is Lincolnshire’s biggest independent airshow, held on 1 August 2026 at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby Airfield, near Spilsby, Lincolnshire, PE23 4DE. The event features 3 hours of flying displays, Lancaster and Mosquito taxi runs, military vehicles, re-enactors, and tank firepower demonstrations.For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Bournemouth Airshow 2026: Why the Air Festival Is Cancelled, Its 16-Year History, and What Comes Next.What Is the East Kirkby Airshow?The East Kirkby Airshow is an annual fundraising aviation event held at the Lincolnshire…
The Bournemouth Air Festival does not take place in 2026. BCP Council (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) formally voted to stop all further work on the event for 2026 and beyond. The last edition ran from 29 to 31 August 2024. No confirmed dates exist for 2027.For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Battle of Britain Airshow 2026: 3 Major Events, Dates, Aircraft, and Tickets.What Is the Bournemouth Air Festival?The Bournemouth Air Festival is a free annual coastal airshow held along a 1.5-mile seafront stretch between Bournemouth and Boscombe Piers,…
The Battle of Britain Airshow is an annual aviation event commemorating the 1940 RAF air campaign that defeated the German Luftwaffe. In 2026, there are 3 major Battle of Britain airshows across England, held between June and September. Each event features historic warbirds, flying displays, and re-enactments from the Second World War era.For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Old Buckenham Airshow 2026: Dates, Aircraft Lineup, Tickets, and 6 Essential Facts.What Is the Battle of Britain Airshow?The Battle of Britain Airshow is a commemorative aviation event honouring the RAF’s…
The Old Buckenham Airshow 2026 is a 2-day public aviation event held on 25–26 July 2026 at Old Buckenham Airfield, Abbey Road, Old Buckenham, Norfolk, NR17 1PU. It is the largest airshow in Norfolk and Suffolk.For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Swansea Airshow 2026: Dates, Aircraft, Tickets, and 5 Key Facts.What Is the Old Buckenham Airshow?The Old Buckenham Airshow is Norfolk’s premier annual aviation event, combining warbird flying displays, electric aircraft demonstrations, military vehicle rides, re-enactors, and ground attractions across 2 days.The show has been held over 2 days…
The Swansea Airshow 2026, officially known as the Wales Airshow, takes place on 25–26 July 2026 over Swansea Bay. It is the biggest free event of the year in Wales, regularly attracting 250,000 visitors over the weekend. The event is brought to the public by Swansea Council and features aerobatic displays, state-of-the-art military aircraft, and vintage planes.What Is the Swansea Airshow?The Swansea Airshow is a free, 2-day aerial and ground display event held annually over Swansea Bay in South Wales. It features incredible aerobatic displays, state-of-the-art military aircraft, and vintage planes. Past events have included the Red Arrows Display Team, the Battle…
There is no Sunderland Airshow in 2026. Sunderland City Council permanently cancelled the Sunderland International Airshow in October 2022, citing the global climate emergency as a key factor. The last show was held in 2019. No replacement event has been announced for 2026.For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Rhyl Air Show 2026: History, Cancellations, and the Push for Its Return.Is There a Sunderland Airshow in 2026?No. The Sunderland Airshow 2026 does not exist. Sunderland City Council confirmed in October 2022 that it has no plans to run the airshow…
The Rhyl Air Show has not been confirmed for 2026. The event has not taken place since 2023, with the 2024 edition cancelled due to the Red Arrows’ unavailability and the 2025 edition cancelled due to a lack of funds. A public campaign is now urging organisers to bring it back. This article covers what the Rhyl Air Show is, why it has been absent, and what a 2026 return could look like.For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Manston Airshow 2026: Cancelled for the 2nd Year Running Due…