UK Airshow Calendar 2018

This is a list of UK Airshow Calendars from previous years, and may be useful to find out when a particular airshow was held.

Simply select a year from the list below to display the airshow calendar for that year. To see the most recent airshow calendar then click 'Current Airshow Calendar'.

2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

Current Airshow Calendar

Cancellations this year included 'SKYLIVE Airshow 2018' at Durham Tees Valley Airport, Darlington on 27th May 2018 because of stricter regulations and rising costs. Northumberland Wings & Wheels Festival at Eshott Airfield, Felton on 11th-12th August has been postponed due to it being such a huge year for Eshott Airfield and there simply was not the time to organise the event. The Scampton Air Show 2018 on 8th-9th September was also cancelled while they reflect on the 2017 Scampton airshow with the ambition to run the show in 2019. It was also announced in 2018 that RAF Scampton will close by 2022. The Welshpool Airshow in Wales did not take place this year due to mounting costs and reduced attendance.

This year marked 100 years of the Royal Air Force and several airshows officially commemorated the centenary including the RAF Cosford Airshow in Shropshire, the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, and Northern Ireland Airshow in Portrush. There were also several RAF100 National Aircraft Tours in city locations around the country including Cardiff, London, Newcastle (Northern ireland), Birmingham, Glasgow and Manchester. On the 10th July 2018 there was an RAF100 Parade & Flypast. The flypast took place one hundred days after the Royal Air Force's official 100th birthday and included over 100 aircraft which flew down the Mall and over Buckingham Palace.

The very hot and dry Summer was good news for many events this year with plenty of sun and blue skies.

This year, the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) and Duxford's Flying Legends airshows clashed on the same weekend in July. RIAT took place over three days (Friday 13th to Sunday 15th July) and had a full air display on each day (10am to 6pm) for the first time. RIAT had an RAF100 theme and highlights were several RAF flypasts including Typhoons, BBMF, 617 Sqn flypast with Lancaster, Tornado and F-35B Lightning II. The US Air Force Heritage Flight displayed with the F-35A Lightning II, a P-51D Mustang and Spitfire. There were plenty of fighter jets in the air display again this year with the Hellenic Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon (Demo Team Zeus), Turkish Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon (Soloturk), Italian Air Force F-2000 Typhoon, Czech Air Force JAS 39C Gripen, French Air Force Rafale C, two French Navy Rafale M aircraft, two French Air Force Mirage 2000Ds (Couteau Delta), USAF F-35A Lightning II, RAF Typhoons, RAF Tornado GR4, RAF F-35B Lightning II, Royal Canadian Air Force CF-188, Finnish Air Force F/A-18C Hornet, Belgian Air Component F-16A MLU Fighting Falcon, Swedish Air Force JAS 39C Gripen and a Ukranian Air Force Sukhoi Su-27P. Display Teams included Patrulla Aguila, Frecce Tricolori, PC-7 Team, Royal Jordanian Falcons and the Red Arrows.

Duxford's Flying Legends airshow featured about fifteen Spitfires, four Me-109 (Buchons), four Hurricanes and four P-51 Mustangs which included 'The Hun Hunter\Texas' and 'Contrary Mary' which was previously called 'Miss Velma'. Also displaying were aircraft from 'The Fighter Collection' and the Flying Bulls displayed their impressive Douglas DC-6B, Lockheed P-38 'Lightning', F4U-4 'Corsair' and B-25J 'Mitchell'. The US Air Force Heritage Flight displayed at Flying Legends as well as at the Royal International Air Tattoo.

The RAF Cosford Airshow celebrated the centenary of the founding of the Royal Air Force which included an impressive static display showcased the development of aeronautical design and capability over the past century and the history of the Royal Air Force. Many of these aircraft had to be transported by road to get to RAF Cosford and other aircraft were removed from the RAF Cosford Museum and displayed outside. There was an impressive six hour flying display with the French Air Force Rafale C, Polish Air Force MiG-29 Fulcrum, RAF Typhoon and RAF Tornado GR4 flypast. There were flypasts by many RAF aircraft and some of the new training aircraft.

This year a Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), MQ-9B SkyGuardian, flew across the Atlantic and landed at RAF Fairford ready for the Royal International Air Tattoo, where it was on static display. This is the first time that an unmanned aircraft has flown into UK airspace and it signals the beginning of a new chapter in the history of aviation and brings closer the possibility that one day, airlines may routinely operate aircraft remotely.

To celebrate the centenary of the RAF, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight adopted the new 'Trenchard formation', which is named after Hugh Montague Trenchard, a British officer, who was instrumental in establishing the Royal Air Force. The formation consisted of the Lancaster, Dakota, Spitfire and Hurricane.

A Red Arrows jet (Red 3) crashed after an incident at RAF Valley in North Wales on Tuesday 20th March 2018 which sadly resulted in the death of Corporal Jonathan Bayliss. The pilot, Flight Lt David Stark managed to eject to safety and Sqn Leader Mike Ling returned as a display pilot for the 2018 season, standing in for Red 3.

In June 2018, four UK F-35B Lightning II aircraft crossed the Atlantic and landed at their new base in RAF Marham, Norfolk. A second batch of five UK F-35B Lightning II aircraft also crossed the Atlantic in August and landed at RAF Marham. These aircraft are part of the newly reformed 617 Squadron.

This year, HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft carrier set sail for helicopter trials at sea and in August sailed across the Atlantic for trials with F-35B Lightning II aircraft.

April 2018:

      01 - 100th Anniversary of RAF Open Cockpits Day - Newark Air Museum, Notts.
      01 - Stow Maries RAF100 Celebration - Stow Maries Aerodrome, Essex.
07-08 - The official Auster 80th Anniversary Fly-in - Middle Wallop Airfield, Hampshire.
      14 - Indoor Aeroboot / Aerojumble Newark Air Museum, Notts.
      29 - Wing & Wheels 2018 - Old Buckenham, Norfolk.

May 2018:

      06 - Abingdon Air & Country Show 2018 - Abingdon Airfield, Oxon.
      06 - Shuttleworth Season Premiere & RAF Centenary - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
      16 - Dambusters Anniversary Flight - Upper Derwent Valley, Peak District National Park, Derbyshire.
18-20 - Midlands Air Festival - Ragley Hall, Alcester, Warwickshire.
      19 - Shuttleworth Evening Airshow - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
      19 - Tribute to the V-Force 2018 - Newark Air Museum, Notts.
      20 - Wings & Wheels - Stow Maries Aerodrome, Essex.
      26 - Centenary of the RAF at Old Sarum - Old Sarum Airfield, Wiltshire.
26-27 - Duxford Air Festival 2018 - Duxford, Cambs.
26&28 - Lanc, Tank and Military Machines - East Kirkby, Lincs.
      27 - Cold War Jets Open Day - Bruntingthorpe, Leics.
      27 - The LAA & Homebuilt Fly In 2018 - Old Buckenham, Norfolk.

June 2018:

02-03 - Torbay Airshow - Paignton, Torbay, Devon.
02-03 - Folkestone and Ashford Military Show - Folkestone, Kent.
      03 - Shuttleworth Fly Navy - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
08-10 - Retro Festival - Newark Showground, Newark, Nottinghamshire.
      09 - Fly-in: Gyro Gathering - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
      09 - Queen's Birthday Flypast - The Mall, London.
      10 - RAF Cosford Air Show 2018 - RAF Cosford, Shrps.
14-16 - Heli UK Expo 2018 - Wycombe Air Park, Buckinghamshire.
15-17 - Guernsey Air Rally 2018 - Guernsey, Channel Islands.
      16 - Shuttleworth Evening Airshow - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
16-17 - Great Yarmouth Air Show 2018 - Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
      20 - Battle of Britain Hawker Hurricane Photography Day - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
22-24 - The Classic and Sportscar Show in association with Flywheel - Bicester Airfield, Oxon.
23-24 - Weston Air Festival - Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.
23-24 - Cockpit-Fest & Aeroboot - Newark Air Museum, Notts.
23-24 - Charity Flying Weekend (DH Moth Club) - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
      24 - The American Fly In 2018 - Old Buckenham, Norfolk.
      30 - Plymouth Armed Forces Day - Plymouth Hoe, Devon.
      30 - Maldon Armed Forces Day - Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, Essex.
      30 - Llandudno Armed Forces National Day - Llandudno, Conwy, North Wales. LL30.
      30 - Scarborough Armed Forces Day - Scarborough, North Yorkshire.
30-01 - North East Lincolnshire Armed Forces Day - Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire.
30-01 - Chalke Valley History Festival Air Displays - Ebbesbourne Wake, Wilts.
30-01 - Air Britain Fly-In 2018 - North Weald, Essex.
30-01 - Battle of Britain Air Show - Headcorn Aerodrome, Kent.
30-01 - Country Fair - Heveningham Hall, Suffolk.
30-01 - Wales National Airshow 2018 - Swansea Bay, South Wales.
There were many more Armed Forces Days at the end of June which featured Flypasts.

July 2018:

      01 - Shuttleworth Military Pageant (WWI Centenary) - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
06-08 - Southport Air Show 2018 - Southport, Merseyside.
      07 - Chelsfield Village Fair 2018 - Chelsfield Cricket Green, Orpington, Bromley, Kent.
      07 - Yeovilton International Air Day 2018 - RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset.
      10 - RAF100 Parade & Flypast - The Mall, London.
12-15 - Goodwood Festival of Speed - Goodwood, W. Sussex.
13-15 - Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 - RAF Fairford, Glos.
      14 - Shuttleworth Evening Airshow - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
14-15 - Duxford Flying Legends Air Show 2018 - Duxford, Cambs.
14-15 - Wings and Wheels - North Coates Airfield, Lincs.
16-22 - Farnborough International Air Show - Farnborough, Hants.
20-22 - Silverstone Classic - Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire.
      21 - Summer Fly In - Netherthorpe Aerodrome, South Yorkshire.
21-22 - Stow Maries at War - Stow Maries Aerodrome, Essex.
21-22 - Folkestone Air Display - The Leas, Folkestone, Kent.
21-22 - Hastings Air Display - Hastings and St Leonards, East Sussex.
24-28 - The War & Peace Revival - Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Kent.
27-29 - Sunderland International Air Show - Sunderland, Tyne & Wear.
      28 - Scotland's National Airshow 2018 - National Museum of Flight, East Fortune Airfield, Scotland.
28-29 - Old Buckenham Airshow - Old Buckenham, Norfolk.

August 2018:

      04 - East Kirkby Air Show - East Kirkby, Lincs.
04-05 - Croft Nostalgia Festival - Croft Circuit, Dalton-on-Tees, North Yorkshire.
      05 - Shuttleworth Family airshow - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
09-12 - Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 2018 - Ashton Court, Bristol.
      11 - Great British Prom - Blickling, Norwich, Norfolk.
11-12 - Newcastle Festival of Flight - Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland.
11-12 - Blackpool Airshow 2018 - Blackpool Seafront, Lancs.
11-13 - Whitby Regatta 2018 - Whitby, N.Yorks.
      12 - Gathering of Moths (DH Moth Club members only) - RAF Henlow, Bedfordshire.
14-15 - Cromer Carnival - Cromer, Norfolk.
15-16 - Weymouth Carnival - Weymouth, Dorset.
16-19 - 'Airbourne' International Air Show -Eastbourne, East Sussex.
17-19 - Northampton Balloon Festival 2018 - Billing Aquadrome, Northants.
      18 - Shuttleworth Flying Proms (21 Years) - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
18-19 - Combined OPS - Headcorn Aerodrome, Kent.
18-19 - Biggin Hill Festival of Flight - Biggin Hill, Kent.
23-24 - Clacton Air Show 2018 - Clacton-on-sea, Essex.
      24 - Sidmouth Regatta - Sidmouth, Devon.
      25 - Henstridge Vintage Fly-in - Henstridge Airfield, Templecombe, Somerset.
25-26 - Rhyl Air Show 2018 - Rhyl, North Wales.
25-26 - Dunsfold Wings & Wheels 2018 - Dunsfold Aerodrome, Surrey.
25-27 - Military Odyssey - Kent Show Ground, Kent.
      26 - Little Gransden Air & Car Show - Little Gransden, Cambs.
      26 - Cold War Jets Open Day - Bruntingthorpe, Leics.
      27 - Props and Pistons - East Kirkby, Lincs.
30-01 - Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta - Dartmouth, Devon.
30-02 - LAA Rally - Sywell, Northants.
30-02 - Bournemouth Air Festival 2018 - Bournemouth, Dorset.
31-02 - The Victory Show 2018 - Foxlands Farm, Leics.

September 2018:

01-02 - Air Waves - N.I. International Air Show - West Bay, Portrush, Northern Ireland.
01-02 - Scottish International Airshow 2018 - Prestwick Airport, South Ayrshire.
      02 - Shuttleworth Heritage Day - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
07-09 - Goodwood Revival - Goodwood, W. Sussex.
      13 - Jersey International Air Display - Jersey, Channel Islands.
      13 - Guernsey Air Display - Guernsey, Channel Islands.
22-23 - Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2018 - Duxford, Cambs.
22-23 - Classic Piston & Props - Sywell, Northants.
29-30 - The LAA & Homebuilt Festival - Old Buckenham, Norfolk.
29-30 - Cotswold Airport Revival Festival - Cotswold Airport, Kemble, Gloucestershire.

October 2018:

07 - Shuttleworth Race Day & Shuttleworth Sprint - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
13 - Photography Night Shoot - Old Warden, Bedfordshire.

Cancellations in 2018:

• SKYLIVE Airshow 2018 - Durham Tees Valley Airport, Darlington - 27th May.
• Northumberland Wings & Wheels Festival - Eshott Airfield, Felton, Northumberland - 11th-12th August.
• Scampton Air Show 2018 - RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire - 8th-9th September

Current Airshow Calendar