RIAT 2006 Press Release
AIR TATTOO HONOURED BY AIRSHOW PEERS
Airshow organisers from across Europe have presented the Royal International Air Tattoo with a prestigious award for the valuable support it has given them over the years.
At the annual meeting of the European Airshow Council (EAC) in Belgium, Air Tattoo Director Tim Prince told members that he accepted the award on behalf of all those who have been involved in the Air Tattoo since it began in 1971 and who were happy to share their expertise for the good of the wider airshow community.
Presenting the crystal glass trophy to Mr Prince, EAC chairman Gilbert Buekenberghs said: “This Lifetime Achievement Award is in recognition of the enormous assistance and encouragement the Tattoo has given to so many organisers and performers in so many countries over so many years.”
The Cotswolds-based Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises, as organiser of the Air Tattoo, not only stages its own airshow but has acted as consultants to the South African, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian and Bulgarian air forces and has even assisted 'Airshows Down Under' in Australia.
Last year, representatives from the Hellenic Air Force in Greece attended the Air Tattoo on a fact-finding mission in preparation for their own Archangel Airshow near Athens - the first public military airshow ever held in the country - and a team from the Romanian Air Force visited Fairford to pick up tips for their event. Since 2002, a team from the Air Tattoo has run the flying display elements of the Sunderland International Airshow and Airbourne, the Eastbourne International Airshow.
Tim Prince said: “The airshow community is a very close group of professionals from a wide variety of civilian and military backgrounds who share the same goals – to stage safe and entertaining air displays and promote airmindedness in youth. This honour is a great tribute to the incredible team that has worked with Paul Bowen and me over the years and who have strived not only to build the Air Tattoo into a world class event but have helped others grow too.”