Can we have airshows back on TV please ?

[XPLUMBER]

I don't watch BBC1 very much these days, it has rather dummed down I'm afraid!

[Mike]

I completely agree with you Mish.

[The_Edge]

Bring back Holiday with Noel Tidy Beard and Captain Hutchinson the ex Concorde pilot :-D

[Dan D'Air]

Yes, I couldn't agree more.

Farnborough one year, RIAT the next.
Occasionally a seaside airshow.....

I really am sick of the listings for the telly being full of cooking, houses and junk.....sorry, antiques.


BBC, ITV ... are you listening?

[kristianrj]

I still have Holiday Air '85 from IAT Fairford on VHS somewhere, I need to get that on YouTube. Great SR-71 footage.

[kevster]

Yeah, Ive got Biggin Hill International Air Fair from 87 or 88... might hook up the ol VHS later when she's gone to bed...

Kevster

[Tim Holden]

In the 90's we actually had "The Airshow" every week on BBC2 hosted by the excellent Julian Tutt and the idiot Alain DeCadinet. That Youtube video of him nearly getting diced by Ray Hanna in MH434 is a classic! I found a few episodes on VHS when I moved house and watched them again recently.

I have no idea why they do not put RIAT and Farnborough on TV. We used to get coverage of Biggin Hill Air Fair too and Flying legends, hosted by Martin Shaw. Would be perfect for a Sunday afternoon after a Grand Prix.

Tim

[Arthur Tee]

Would be perfect for a Sunday afternoon after a Grand Prix.

Tim

Not that there will be many of them next season either....!

As said earlier Raymond Baxter - sorely missed.

Arthur

PS Anyone remember a programme called "Skywatch" (I think) - remember seeing stuff bombing Salisbury Plain - including Vulcan with retarded weapons!

[Unknown74]

I remember that programme "The Airshow" BBC2 on a Thursday Evening if memory serves correctly. One item I do remember is every week Julian Tutt focused on a different branch of the British Airborne Armed Forces (RAF, AAC and FAA) - or was it just the RAF. Two other items I seem to remember were Julian Tutt "test flying" a Naval Merlin and also Young Hanna hitching a ride in the back seat of the 2 Seat Thunderbirds F-16 when the Team was at Mildenhall back in 1997. Great show, why did they ever end it, stuck with crap like Strictly Come Jungly X Big Brothers House Get Me Out Of There Factor now how dull and boring.

[kristianrj]

Yup, it's all about what the lowest common denominator wants. Lots of people have a passing interest in dancing, gardening and cooking so that's what we get. I'd have thought lots of people would have a passing interest in aviation, but I suppose it could be expensive filming airshows given that they last for several days of outside broadcast time.

There's great production companies within our hobby though like PlanesTV so there's no excuse really. I bet if the BBC showed their airshow movies on a Sunday it'd get more viewers than the drivel they usually show.

I miss Raymond Baxter too, Spitfire pilot, scientist, engineer, politely intelligent. What a great role model. One of my childhood TV memories (it must have been about 1975) was RB standing with his microphone in front of a forested area and said "If you go down in the woods today you're sure of a big surprise" and there was a surge of jet noise as a Harrier GR.1 lifted vertically out of the forest behind him.

Great video of RB here if you have a few moments:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoGd0T-GUWs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[22A]

For insomniacs and shift workers; "Men & Motors" Sky channel 228.
2.00am they show aircraft documntaries most days.

[22A]

Today (Thur 24 Nov) and every weekday upto & including Thur 1st Dec Sky Turbo channel 523 is repeating the series "Classic British Aircraft". They're showing one episode at 7.00am and a second at 7.30. So you can watch at least one episode before going to work.