Eastbourne is in full throttle for this week’s Airbourne: Eastbourne’s International Airshow, as the seafront gets ready to welcome the show’s 800,000 strong audience.
With RAF exhibits arriving from Monday, including replica aircraft on low loaders, and hotel rooms filling up with visitors, exhibitors and RAF, Eastbourne is expected to enjoy its busiest week of the year.
Eastbourne Borough Council Spokesperson for Tourism, Councillor David Elkin said "We know from monitoring our website traffic that interest in Airbourne is at an all time high, and with independent research showing a £30 million visitor spend, we can look forward to a busy week ahead for our economy."
Now in it’s 14th year, Airbourne visitors can expect over 90 flying displays to take place at the free show using 26 different types of aircraft ranging from the Spitfire which celebrates its 70th birthday, to the French Air Force Mirage which this year makes its debut in Eastbourne.
Around 1,000 staff will work the event from pilots and RAF personnel to stewards and lifeguards. Safety boats, emergency services and a flying control committee will also monitor everything on the ground, at sea and in the air.
3,000 cars are expected at the Park and Ride, which returns to Five Acre Field and St Andrews School, with regular Eastbourne Buses shuttle services to and from the Pier, or alternatively get on your bike and park at the cycle park in Howard Square.
At Beachy Head, additional parking will provide a birds eye view of the show, and from here visitors can catch up on live commentary from Radio Airbourne 87.7FM which will be providing 165 hours of live programming throughout the week.
Ice cream kiosks are getting ready to sell 35,000 ice creams – equivalent to 2 miles of ice cream cones laid end to end, and it is expected that the resorts 2,200 deckchairs will be in full use, as well as the growing batch of sun loungers which have increased following high demand during the summer.
500 keen enthusiasts are expected to take to skies in a helicopter pleasure flight, while many pilots will be returning to the grounds after their displays to sign a few autographs.
The show will come to a spectacular close on Sunday night with 8,500 fireworks launched from Eastbourne Pier after a moving Sunset Ceremony which will see the Spitfire and Harrier provide a twilight flypast.
Airbourne runs from 17 – 20 August on Eastbourne seafront and entry is free. For more information call 0906 711 2212 (calls cost 50p per minute at standard rate) or visit www.eastbourneairshow.com
