The Bournemouth Air Festival is an annual

air show An air show (or airshow, air fair, air tattoo) is a public event where aircraft are exhibited. They often include aerobatics demonstrations, without they are called "static air shows" with aircraft parked on the ground. The largest air show m ...

held along the coast at

Bournemouth Bournemouth () is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area of Dorset, England. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 183,491, making it the largest town in Dorset. It is situated on the Southern ...

, in

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...

, England. It has featured aircraft from the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

and the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

, as well as civil aviation displays. Since its formation in 2008, the festival claims to have entertained over ten million people. The festival usually takes place in late August, over four days including dusk and night air displays with live music. It is organised by

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council is a unitary local authority for the district of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in England that came into being on 1 April 2019. It was created from the areas that were previously administered by ...

, and is estimated to generate about £30 million of trade annually for local businesses.

2011 crash

Red Arrows The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Waddington. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams ...

Hawk Hawks are bird of prey, birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. Th ...

aircraft crashed into a field near Throop Mill, one mile from

Bournemouth Airport Bournemouth Airport (previously known as Hurn Airport and Bournemouth International Airport) is an airport located north-northeast of Bournemouth, in southern England. The site opened as RAF Hurn in 1941, but was transferred to civil cont ...

following a display at the 2011 Bournemouth Air Festival. Flt Lt Jon Egging, pilot of Red 4 (XX179), died in the accident. The investigation into the incident determined that Flt Lt Egging was incapacitated due to the effects of g-force induced loss of consciousness until very shortly before impact. A memorial to Egging was originally unveiled in 2012 at

East Cliff, Bournemouth East Cliff is a suburb and ward in Bournemouth, Dorset, England. History In 2016, and again on 17 April 2021, a landslide occurred at the cliffside. Buildings East Cliff is home to a number of expensive hotels, like Langtry Manor. Also in ...

, before being moved to a new location nearby in 2017 following a landslip. His widow Emma Egging was made an OBE in the 2021 Birthday Honours.

References

External links

{{Commons category-inline, Bournemouth Air Festival
Official Bournemouth Air Festival WebsiteBournemouth Air Festival WebsiteOfficial Bournemouth Air Festival FacebookOfficial Bournemouth Air Festival TwitterOfficial Bournemouth Air Festival Instagram
Airshows in the United Kingdom Festivals in Dorset Festivals established in 2008 2008 establishments in England Annual events in England Tourist attractions in Bournemouth