How do you run an airshow over the sea? Interview with Dave Walton, Display Director of the 2021 Bournemouth Air Festival.

Welcome to TLG and to our series of interviews from the 2021 Bournemouth Air Festival.

Putting on an airshow requires an immense amount of organisation, and safety is of course paramount. But when a display takes place over the sea, and away from an airfield, who controls the display area and calls the aircraft in to begin their display? What if they need to hold, or if there needs to be a last minute change due to unforeseen circumstances? Dave Walton is Display Director for the UK’s Coastal airshows, including Bournemouth, so who better to talk to us about everything that’s involved in the smooth and safe operation of an airshow over the sea?