AVIATION enthusiasts will flock to Abingdon Airfield next month for Oxfordshire’s biggest air show of the year.

Spectacular flying displays will take place at the airfield on Sunday, May 5, attracting thousands of visitors.

As well as dramatic entertainment in the sky, there will be plenty to see on the ground, with stalls, activities and static displays, will attract thousands of visitors from 10am.

READ AGAIN: Eyes to the skies for Abingdon Air and Country Show

Last year organisers paid tribute to the RAF in its centenary year with a static line-up of vintage aircraft including the RAF C-130 Hercules, a Spitfire Mk.26 and Tiger Moth.

Oxford Mail:

This year’s air show is the 20th and the flying display will feature a North American NA-64 Yale, an RAF Hercules, a P-51 Mustang and a Chipmunk WZ882.

The air show was launched in 2000 by Neil Porter and over the years it has raised thousands of pounds for good causes around the county.

READ AGAIN: Avation enthusiasts look forward to Abingdon air show

The 2000 event barely broke even but it has steadily grown into one of the area’s largest annual events and established itself as a highlight on the airshow calendar.

The show’s website said: “Unlike the majority of the UK’s airshows, everyone involved in the show’s organisation is a volunteer.

Oxford Mail:

“This has meant that, over the past 19 years, we have been able to donate over £94,500 to charity, including £77,595.70 to the Thames Valley Air Ambulance, £14,000 to Douglas House Respite Centre, and a further £3,000 to other local charities.”

As well as the air displays featuring more than 50 aircraft, there will be lots of entertainment on the ground.

Thus will include Abingdon Concert Band, Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers, Falconry Oxfordshire, hot air balloons, the Rockets Children’s Motorcycle Display Team, and the Wallingford Dog Agility Team.

By 2001, the cost of organising the show was £4,000 and only about a fifth the size of the event of today.

Last year’s show cost £80,000, with costs including £27,000 to cover the air displays and fuel.

Oxford Mail:

Other costs include public liability insurance - £25m cover - which costs £10,250, and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation airfield licence, which costs £11,300.

As well as revenue from ticket sales organisers ask visitors to make donations to help cover the annual cost of staging the show.

The easiest way to reach the show is by car, and the public entrance to the event is just one mile from the A34 and three miles from the A420.

Oxford Mail:

For ticket sales on the day drivers should go to Gate A off Barrow Road, while advanced ticket holders are being asked to use Gate B in Honeybottom Lane.

In 2017 a Twister Aerobatics plane crashed, injuring the pilot, who was expected to make a full recovery.

The Twister aircraft came down in a ‘wheels up’ landing and a number of ambulances and two fire crews arrived quickly at the scene.

The aircraft remained intact despite the heavy impact and the pilot was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital after being checked over by paramedics.

For further details about the show visit abingdonairandcountry.co.uk