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Airbourne, Eastbourne International Airshow 2009

After a disappointing 2008, the sun, the traders and the crowds all returned to Airbourne 2009. It seems that no-one bore a grudge for the charging debacle that had kept so many visitors away the previous year. Thankfully, attention could turn to the air and ground displays.

Unusually for Airbourne, there was no reenactment of an air-sea rescue or beach landing this year. Otherwise, the flying programme has settled into something of a routine. A heavy RAF presence, including the progression of Grob Tutor, Hawk, Typhoon, BBMF and Red Arrows; a parachute display; the Stearman wingwalkers; a prop aerobatic team - the Blades again this year - and a splattering of extras.

In apparently deliberate competition with new boy on the block and seaside rival, Bournemouth, Airbourne booked the Red Arrows all four days of the show, with an arena appearance to distribute literature and sign autographs.

The Arrows performed four different routines on the four days. Yes, we know there are normally only three basic varieties, the full, the rolling and the flat. But on Saturday, a fourth variation arrived by chance when Red 7 was unable to join the other eight because of a mechanical problem with the plane. The absence of Red 7 on Saturday was well covered in some formations, but you couldn't help noticing the missing Number 7 during the opposition passes, which became rather pointless single-plane flypasts.

The best day for cloud cover was on Thursday, when the Arrows managed the full display. On Friday cloud forced a rolling display and after Saturday's eight-ship variation, lower cloud meant a flat display for their show-opening earlier display on Sunday. Pity. The cloud soon cleared so a later display would have left more options.

Sgt Rich Cross, the RAF Falcon parachutist who was very seriously injured during a drop it Airbourne 2007, came to the arena at the end of a bike ride to raise cash for those who helped him. Since the accident, the RAF Falcons have not jumped at Airbourne. This year's parachute display was provided by the Tigers who landed - as last year - in the sea just off the beach. Impressive though the RAF Falcons are, the Tigers offered something different, with a variety each day of vertical and side-by-side tandem drops, culminating in a 4 man stack on Sunday.

There was a Dutch connection to two of the popular attractions. A third, the programmed AB412 rescue helicopter was a no-show. The double-seat Mk IX Spitfire trainer has shed the Irish Air Corps livery it wore until 2007 in favour of Royal Netherlands Air Force colours and was flown superbly by John Romain. The BBMF Spitfire display was fine, but John managed to show the wartime favourite to its athletic best, keeping centre stage throughout the gripping display.

For thrill value, there was a phenomenal display by Captain Ralph 'Sheik' Aarts of the the bright orange RNAF F16 complete with a new upward then downward vertical spiral with one smoke canister on, making a double corkscrew in the sky.

A bonus on all four days was an appearance by the RNAF Spitfire and F16 together, following the Spitfire display and leading to the display of the F16 and on Sunday, the P51 Mustang joined in.

As usual for Airbourne, WWII warbirds were well represented. As well as the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and John Romain's display of the Spitfire trainer, we were treated to Peter Teichman's Hurricane MkIIB fighter-bomber or 'Hurri-bomber', "Jumpin' Jacques" P51D Mustang, and at the weekend an F-86 Sabre and T-6 Texan.

The Swift Glider Team included Airbourne along with Shoreham and Bournemouth in their shows this year. Billed as 'glider and powered aerobatics' it didn't appear to draw or rivet the crowds. Of course, the glider could not detach because there is no-where convenient to land (what would have happened if the cord broke, as at Dunsfold?), so it is a towed glider, twisting on its tow line and flying upside down, but without the thrill of the free-gliding Fox glider. Having said that, it did manage 14 rolls on tow, equalling a record set earlier in the year. The accompanying Piper Pawnee keeps something in front of the crowds whilst the glider goes around, but hardly compares with the likes of Will Curtis, who had been to Airbourne several times, the Matadors or Mark Jeffries. Good for Eastbourne for trying something new - we encourage that - but not many people will be worried whether this team comes back next time.

We were disappointed with last year's commentary from Airsound, provided from a cabin away from flight-centre. This year the commentary was again provided from a pod on the promenade, but the team of Brendan O'Brien and George 'Smokey' Bacon was much more confident, lively, enthusiastic and entertaining. Regular show-goers must wonder how Brendan can be so surprised every time the Guinot girls dismount at the end of the display, but he plays it well, every time! Other teams brought their own commentators, including the Red Arrows, the Wingwalkers, the Blades and Chris 'Omelet' ('Bouncer' in Dutch) Vaneker for the RNAF F16.

There was also a change for 2009 to the arrangements for the show programme.

The usual £5 booklet with provisional display times was replaced by a £3 advert-laden booklet of similar size. It had times for the displays of the Red Arrows but only indications of the likely participants (including some that didn't actually turn up), with no timings, for other displays. Instead, vouchers in the programme could be exchanged at an information desk for a flight timetable for that day.

The old-style programmed timings were always unreliable, but most people found them helpful even if they had to be amended when the local radio station announced changes. This year's daily listings were not infallible, but much more dependable. However, the show can be viewed from a massive area from Beachy Head on the west to the Sovereign Harbour on the east. As far as we could see there was only one pick-up point for the daily lists - near the arena. From the harbour to Beachy Head visitors had to listen to the radio to learn about the flying details and could not even know the time flying was due to start or finish on any day.

A better compromise might be a programme in the style of 2008 and earlier years, with best possible indications of the participating aircraft and order of appearance and flying start and finish times, accepting that the early publication date will result in some unavoidable changes. A more widely available daily update would be a bonus.

Although the lack of a major sponsor, and thus of funding, is a recurring threat to the event, and despite an inevitable local anti-airshow lobby, there is an overwhelming support in the town to retain Airbourne and the title 'biggest free airshow in the world'. However to retain that accolade against determined competition, not least from other seaside towns such as Bournemouth, Eastbourne needs to see what it can do to pull in not only the cash but also airshow enthusiasts.

A new evening experiment worked very well and will certainly help if repeated.

On Friday from about 6.15pm until 8ish, the crowds were entertained by the Typhoon, a pair of Gnats, the Spitfire, Hurri Bomber and Blades aerobatic team. There is something emotive about display flying as dusk approaches. On a broad blue stage the descendent sun provided excellent spotlighting for some stunning performances. Let's hope this is an experiment that is repeated and that the weather is as kind next time.

It would be good to see a little more variety in the Airbourne line-up, including some of the major crowd-pullers. Airbourne wouldn't be the same without the BBMF - local people reminisce and applaud - and the RAF line-up is probably a constant because of the heavy involvement of the RAF in the day as a whole. Most family shows will expect the wingwalkers. But with that platform, it would be good to see Eastbourne expanding on their already good reputation for innovation. Perhaps a themed show, with a massed warbird showing or some replicas from The Great War Display Team. The Vulcan, too, may be expensive, but if neighbouring shows invest in such attractions and it draws the enthusiasts, this may well be at the expense of long-standing venues such as Eastbourne if they don't book it too.

These thoughts are not criticism but possible ways of improving what is already a tremendous free family show and one that deserves the continuing support of local businesses and authorities.