FOUR DAYS OF AVIATION ACTION

The organisers of the International HeliDays Plus Seaside Air Show are promising an interesting lineup for this year’s event, scheduled to take place over a four day period at the end of July.

 After a trial midweek flying display in 2006, this year the Show will start on Thursday July 26th, with the promise of a full flying display over Weston Bay, including the Red Arrows, the RAF Falcons Parachute Display team and a mix of other historic and modern aviation delights.

 Supporting the flying will be a visitors static helicopter park, helicopter pleasure flights, and a range of ground displays, entertainment and stalls along the length of the Beach Lawns.  More military and civil helicopters will arrive for the static park over the following days, supported by pleasure flights from the beach and offshore flight demonstrations.

 The Show will come to a climax on Sunday July 29th, when the majority of civil helicopter visitors are expected to attend.

 Event Director Capt. Elfan Ap Rees says that, following a disappointing military response last year, when ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq drained a number of UK airshows of participation, he is hopeful that 2007 will see a return to more traditional participation levels.  “We have already received a number of requests to attend from military air arms, including the German Air Force and Navy, the Belgian Air Force and the Italian Air Force and we expect the numbers to increase as we get nearer to the cut-off date” he said today.  Previous HeliDays have seen upwards of 60 aircraft attending over the period of the event.

 International HeliDays Plus is organised by a team of volunteers to raise money for local charities, including the Helicopter Museum.  Supported by North Somerset Council and Weston Town Council it is the largest summertime event held in the Somerset seaside resort and this year is expected to attract upwards of 150,000 visitors over the four day period.

 EDITORS  - PLEASE NOTE THE DATES, IN PARTICULAR THE EXTRA DAY WHICH HAS NOT BEEN PICKED UP BY SOME EVENT DIARIES.