UK Airshow Calendar 2020

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

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UK Airshow Calendar 2020

Many UK Airshows and aviation events have been cancelled this year (2020) due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Below is a list of 2020 events - The highlighted shows have cancelled/postponed because of the virus. There were a couple of cancelled events unrelated to the virus and these included the 'Scottish International Airshow' because the Council withdrawed funding and also the 'Portrush Air Show' which was cancelled as its funding was cut by the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

With all the major airshows cancelled this year, there were just a few smaller events that took place. These included several Shuttleworth Drive-in airshows at Old Warden, three 'Showcase Days' at Duxford, Wings & Wheels at Stow Maries Aerodrome, Classic Piston & Props at Sywell, Battle of Britain Airshow at Headcorn Aerodrome, and the Guernsey Air Display which featured a Red Arrows display. Many airshow organisers also put up virtual live-streamed airshows which were free-to-view over the internet.

Despite the lack of airshows this year, there were a few interesting events which featured flypasts which are listed below:

• 30th April - Capt Tom Moore's birthday (BBMF Spitfire & Hurricane).
• 8th May - VE Day Flypasts (Red Arrows, BBMF Spitfires, Daily Mail Spitfire, Typhoons).
• 18th June - Red Arrows & Patrouille de France Flypast.
• 27th June - Armed Forces Day Flypast - Red Arrows.
• 2020 - Various Red Arrows Practice flights.
• * Summer 2020 - NHS Spitfire (Several NHS Hospital Flypasts) - Aircraft Restoration Company's Spitfire PR.XI (PL983).
• 15th August - VJ Day 75 Flypasts (Red Arrows & BBMF).
• 18th September - Mildenhall Air Force Birthday Bash (Red Arrows & BBMF flypasts).

* The Aircraft Restoration Company decided to fly their Spitfire 'PL983' over several NHS Hospitals as a 'thank you' to the National Health Service on its 72nd birthday (5th July). This was so popular that they decided to fly the Spitfire, which has the words 'Thank U NHS' under its wings, over many more NHS hospitals around the country to raise money for the NHS. They did this by hand writing thousands of names onto the Spitfire from people who had donated money through the https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nhsspitfire page.

Themes for 2020 included the '75th anniversary of VE Day', '75th anniversary of VJ Day' and the '80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain'.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) achieved its Public Display Authority on the 17th July 2020 and some of their flypasts can be found here. The Red Arrows achieved their Public Display Authority on the 8th July 2020 and their first display was in Finland at the 'Kauhava Air Show' on 29th-30th August 2020. Their second display was at the Guernsey Air Display on the 10th September 2020. A list of their flypasts/displays can be found here. It was also announced that the Red Arrows would be moving to RAF Waddington before RAF Scampton closes in 2022.

Duxford announced on 25th August 2020 that 'The Flying Legends' show would not take place at Duxford in the future. 'The Flying Legends' facebook page said that their last show at Duxford was in 2019 and they would now look for an alternative venue. The reason given by IWM Duxford was that due to 'financial pressures which have resulted from the coronavirus pandemic over the past few months, IWM Duxford has been required to examine all future events and consult with key partners to ensure that, as a charity, the organisation is able to maximise income and remain financially stable. It was therefore mutually agreed that 'The Fighter Collection' would seek an alternative location to host Flying Legends, which will be confirmed at a later date. It was later announced that 'The Flying Legends' show would take place at Sywell Aerodrome on the 10-11 July 2021.

RAF Lossiemouth had major infrastructure and runway resurfacing work done in preparation for the arrival of nine new P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft. More information about this can be found here.

In September/October 2020, HMS Queen Elizabeth embarked a total of fourteen UK & USMC F-35Bs and eight Royal Navy Merlin helicopters as she prepared to take her place at the heart of a UK-led NATO Carrier Strike Group during operation 'Joint Warrior' around Scotland. She was joined by two RN destroyers, two RN frigates, two RFA support ships, and other supporting units, as well as warships from the Netherlands and the USA. More information about this can be found here.

Three more UK F-35B Lightning aircraft (ZM153, ZM154, ZM155) crossed the Atlantic and landed at RAF Marham on the evening of Monday 30th November 2020. More information about the UK F-35B Lightning aircraft can be found here.

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Current Airshow Calendar