Airbourne: Hundreds of thousands of visitors came to Eastbourne for the air show

Eastbourne Borough Council said Saturday once again proved the most popular day with bumper crowds, as fans enjoyed displays from the likes of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Tutor T1, Tigers Army Parachute Display Team, Rolls-Royce Mustang and Spitfire, Hawker Fury and Firefly.

Thursday saw a surprise visit from the Boultbee Spitfire, and on Friday the Chinook flew with a short display despite some stormy weather across the south coast.

Over the weekend the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight extended its display to fly the Lancaster and ‘Blackjack’ Typhoon in tandem, in an extra special performance for fans in Eastbourne. A beefed-up display from the Strikemaster, with not one but two jets, also provided a rare treat of the Strikemaster Pair in action, and the Norwegian Vampire took to the skies on Sunday.

Rich Goodwin proved to be a crowd favourite with his incredible aerobatics and newly added jet turbines giving his aircraft a turbo boost in what is the world’s only jet powered Pitts Special biplane – built over four years in a garden shed.

In addition to the many interactive ground displays, several environmental measures were in place with no rubbish from the event going to landfills.

Grandstand and bandstand seating, as well as hospitality, all sold out across three days, with funding generated by programme sales exceeding 2022 levels.

Airbourne tribute shows returned to the bandstand for the first time in four years with Friday sold out well in advance, and the event was rounded off with a glittering firework finale.

The council’s lead member for tourism, leisure, accessibility and community safety Councillor Margaret Bannister said: “This has been an airshow to remember! Despite a windy Thursday and rain on Friday shortening or cancelling some displays, we were treated to a stunning weekend of blue skies and epic flying.”

Bucket collections at the show were managed by the Rotary Clubs of Sovereign Harbour and Hailsham, with 30 per cent of all donations split between the Salvation Army, Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex and Eastbourne Dementia Action Alliance – with the remainder supporting the cost of the flying displays.