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.
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…
The closest hotels to the Fairford Airshow are in Fairford town itself, Cirencester (9 miles), and Swindon (13–16 miles). The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2026 takes place at RAF Fairford from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 July. Hotels within 15 miles sell out and prices increase by 50% or more during RIAT weekend. Booking months in advance is essential.For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Airshow Cleethorpes 2026: Dates, Aircraft, Free Entry, and 5 Key Facts About the Armed Forces Weekend.What Is the Fairford Airshow?The Fairford Airshow —…
I heard about the Mountain Home collision the way most people in the airshow community hear about incidents. A message in a group chat, no context, just a link and a single line saying two jets were down. I put the tea down and read it twice. Two EA-18G Growlers. Mid-air collision during a formation display. Four crew members ejected successfully, all stable. The show cancelled immediately, the base locked down. Two aircraft valued at a combined $136 million destroyed on the second day of the Gunfighter Skies Air Show in Idaho. The relief that everyone survived sits alongside something…
The Cleethorpes airshow takes place as part of the North East Lincolnshire Armed Forces Weekend on 26–28 June 2026. The formal Armed Forces Day falls on Saturday 27 June 2026. The event is entirely free and includes flying displays, parades, entertainment, and military capability demonstrations across the Cleethorpes seafront. Flying display director is R5 Air Displays Ltd. Confirmed aerial acts include the RAF Typhoon display and RAF Tutor display.For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Orders at Dubai Airshow 2025: $202 Billion in Deals, 6 Carriers, and 3 Manufacturers…
I noticed it on a Tuesday morning while scrolling through the International Council of Air Shows calendar. Selfridge Open House and Air Show, Michigan, May 30-31. Status: cancelled. No explanation attached, no statement linked, just the word sitting there in the column where a date used to be. I have seen this before. Not the Selfridge cancellation specifically, but the pattern it belongs to. An event disappears from the calendar and no formal announcement follows. The silence is the announcement. Selfridge Air National Guard Base has been running public open house events for decades. These are the shows that build…
Orders at the Dubai Airshow 2025 totalled $202 billion, setting a new record and doubling the $101 billion secured at the 2023 edition. UAE national carriers alone committed to over 502 aircraft across firm orders and purchase options. The 19th edition ran from 17 to 21 November 2025 under the theme “The Future is Here.”For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Midlands Airshow 2026: Dates, Aircraft, Tickets, and 7 Key Things to Know.What Were the Total Deals at Dubai Airshow 2025?The Dubai Airshow 2025 closed with $202 billion…