Families day 2024

[IMarsh]

This years families day is August 15th with the RAF Falcons down to participate.

[IMarsh]

On their website the Gazelle squadron are also saying they will be sending "A Private 4-ship Display for the benefit of RAF Benson Families Day."

[IMarsh]

The Mirror has the Red Arrows listed for a display at RAF Benson families day along with Eastbourne air show the same day. Every other list I can find, including the official RAF one just mentions Eastbourne. I suspect Benson may just get a low level flypast, but one can live in hope.

[benben]

The Mirror has the Red Arrows listed for a display at RAF Benson families day along with Eastbourne air show the same day. Every other list I can find, including the official RAF one just mentions Eastbourne. I suspect Benson may just get a low level flypast, but one can live in hope.

Benson isn't mentioned on the AIC they listed with all their airspace restrictions for this season, so doesn't look like a display unless they've published one separately.

[benben]

I'd recommend looking on here for 'jet formation' for all their sites each year https://nats-uk.ead-it.com/cms-nats/ope ... auve-aics/

In a normal year, they may post 2 separate documents with one for before and one for after the mid-season break. With this year's Canada trip it's a single doc, it includes all families days.

[roger4]

RAF Benson has posted a brief notice on Facebook here:

https://www.facebook.com/RAFBenson/

Helicopter "joy-rides" (Puma and Chinook presumably) for families in the morning, aircraft arrivals during the day and flying display 13:00-16:00, but without any details of what is in the display. Weather forecast for Thursday looks pretty good.

[IMarsh]

Red's transit route shows in Benson area 12:10 (local).

Looks like a flypast as opposed to a display which was reported in a certain "newspaper"

[JLewis_Aviation]

Newspaper is generous

[IMarsh]

From the RAF Benson facebook page:

"Thank you for your kind messages of support. The display will take place between 1300 and 1530. All being well featuring a variety of aircraft; BBMF Lancaster, Mustang, Harvard to name a few. A friendly safety reminder, the crash gates around the airfield are for emergency vehicles and are not to be blocked."

[D1scafellpike]

It will be interesting to see what happens this year. Last year, there was only a very small number of items in static, with only 1 RAF visitor. Also, after about 3 displays (all helicopters), flying was cancelled circa 14:45 but I can't remember why.

[Nighthawke]

Bad weather looking back through the threads

[D1scafellpike]

Bad weather looking back through the threads

Looking at my photos, it may have been low cloud in the afternoon.... a lynx almost disappeared from view circa 14:20. No sign of wet tarmac or umberellas in the 7 or so hours I was observing.

[Nighthawke]

No idea personally. I just put Benson in the forum search and found threads for that time. Maybea plague of rats blocked the runway - who knows?

[IMarsh]

I heard it was bad weather that caused the cancellation in 2023, although I wasn't present as away on hols.

[IMarsh]

Chinook doing "joy-rides" already in the circuit, visual from Didcot, showing as ZA683 c/s "Airwolf2" on ADSBExchange

[T0RNAD0-GR4]

It was awful weather last year. Sky was so dark and it lashed it down. Think the Gazelles did a fly through but that was about it.

2 x Chinooks landed as a pair at about 7:45 this morning I assume from Odiham - RAF display team plus spare maybe?

Joy-rides been going up since 8am - Chinooks only so far, no Pumas.

Harvard is 5 mins out, on way over from Yeovilton.

[D1scafellpike]

Navy wings harvard present. 2 chinooks giving rides. Two pumas parked . 1 chinook parked. What i assume is static area contains one tutor and a few small civvies
Edit: + a chipmunk

[D1scafellpike]

Regular tw536 just arrived

[T0RNAD0-GR4]

Jet provost 18 miles out. Just confirmed he is also doing a display later. 136.450 Benson APP

[T0RNAD0-GR4]

Gazelle formation (x4) also inbound now