Herne Bay air show organisers hope to add more fighter jets to 2016 line-up
00:01, 22 April 2016
Herne Bay air show organisers hope to add more fighter jets to this year’s line-up after entering talks with a number of pilots.
Leaders at the BayPromoTeam, who brought almost 70,000 people to the town for last year’s show, are still building the event’s programme.
They hope to add at least one more ex-military jet to the line-up, which already features the Red Arrows and jaw-dropping Eurofighter Typhoon.
Show organiser Gerald McCarthy said: “There’s a good chance there will be at least one more ex-military jet displaying at our air show.
“We are looking to boost the event with some more jets and possibly some more display teams. Sponsorship is still being worked on.
“We have in mind at least two ex-military jets that would potentially be involved this summer. People love the speed and the noise of them.”
Mr McCarthy says he has been in talks about booking a Russian MiG-15, de Havilland Vampire and the Gnat Display Team for the show on Sunday, August 14.
He added: “Any jets that display at the event are expensive because they have a very high fuel burn rate.
“We are just talking to people at the moment. We are trying to negotiate costs before we confirm.
“It’s all on – it’s just a question of still waiting for everyone to confirm what aeroplanes are displaying.”
“It’s all on – it’s just a question of still waiting for everyone to confirm what aeroplanes are displaying..." - Gerald McCarthy
This year’s show will be held under new rules set out by the Civil Aviation Authority in
the wake of the Shoreham Air Show disaster last summer.
Among the new safety requirements is an increase in distance between the display line and crowd line, as well as upping the minimum altitude at which ex-military jet aircraft can undertake aerobatic manoeuvres.
Mr McCarthy added: “It’s a bit of a shame they have to be further away from the crowd but safety is paramount.
“Perhaps avid plane spotters and regular show-goers will notice they are slightly further off-shore or at a higher altitude, but the majority of people there will suspect nothing.”
