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The More Bus Bournemouth Air Festival 2009

Four Day Flying Extravaganza in the South Coast County of Dorset

Aug 11, 2009 Elaine Findlay

Running for four days from 20th - 23rd August 2009, the free More Bus Bournemouth Air Festival promises to be bigger and better than last year's inaugural event.

In 2008, Bournemouth Borough Council staged its first ever Air Festival. The event attracted more than three quarters of a million visitors to the south coast seaside resort during its four days which included the weekend. It was deemed such a success, that the Council has organised another festival for 2009 and promises that it will be “… bigger and better than 2008 …”.

A review of the 2009 event and details of plans for 2010 can be found in the article: Bournemouth Air Festival to Return in 2010.

Headline Acts Include the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Red Arrows

The flying line up is similar to that of 2008 with three appearances scheduled by the Red Arrows and a return of the Eurofighter Typhoon front line attack aircraft, the wing walking Team Guinot, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight with its Lancaster, Spitfire, Hurricane, Chipmunk and Dakota. The Vulcan has also been booked and it’s hoped that it will actually fly this year – it was grounded by a technical fault in 2008.

As well as the flying displays which will generally be staggered throughout the day from 10am to about 4pm, there will be plenty of other attractions to keep visitors entertained throughout the day and into the night. There will be one and a half miles of funfairs, trading stands and static displays including a Chinook helicopter to explore as well as an action Beach Assault demonstration by the Royal Marines.

Air Festival Evening Entertainment

In the evenings, there will be performances by The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, street entertainers along with hot air balloon and laser shows. The Royal Marines Combat Display Team will also be giving demonstrations. There will even be an attempt to get into the Guinness Book of Records by letting off over one hundred thousand fireworks in a minute – this event will also be used to help raise money for Help for Heroes.

As the Air Festival is taking place all along the seashore and in Bournemouth’s town centre gardens and other open spaces, it will be completely free to attend. Souvenir programmes will be available costing a mere £5.00 and will give details of the timing of the flying schedules along with information about the other events and displays that have been organised.

Travelling to Bournemouth Air Festival

Some of the town’s roads will be closed to traffic and people attending are advised to either use the Park and Ride facilities provided or arrive by public transport. Bournemouth is less than two hours from London Waterloo by train. Those spectators who are considering attending by sailing into Poole Bay are advised that there will be a marine exclusion zone in operation over which the aircraft will fly.

The copyright of the article The More Bus Bournemouth Air Festival 2009 in U.K./Ireland Travel is owned by Elaine Findlay. Permission to republish The More Bus Bournemouth Air Festival 2009 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

The Wing Walking Team Guinot