Eastbourne Airbourne (air show)

In 2008, there was particular controversy when EBC decided to introduce a £5 event admission fee, to a part of Eastbourne seafront set aside as a special viewing area, which had previously been accessible to the public for free. The intention behind charging admission was to help cover the show's rising costs, especially in a year when a major event sponsor was sought but not found. However, it caused an outcry in the local press.[4]

That year visitor numbers were down, costs were up and there was an operational loss of "hundreds of thousands of pounds", alongside bad publicity. The local council had initially projected that the event would make a £183,000 profit. In response to the blunders, the council ordered an internal inquiry and subsequently reversed the introduction of admission charges.[5][6]

Five senior staff members at the council were made redundant in late 2009. The cause was cited as a cost-cutting exercise, but press reports claimed that the 2008 Airbourne finances led to the firings.[7] At the time, Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council David Tutt, said: "We will be investigating what went right, what went wrong and looking very seriously at ways of ensuring the event for future years."[8]

Nonetheless, despite all normal safety precautions, on Friday 18 August 2000 former Red Arrows pilot Ted Girdler crashed into the Channel and died, while performing a stunt for Airbourne crowds. He was 62 years old and lived in the neighbouring county of Kent.[9]

Girdler was killed when his Aero L-29 Delfín jet failed to pull up from a diving roll and fell into the sea, watched by a crowd of more than 40,000 people. The main body of the plane was not immediately found and members of the crowd were reported to be traumatised by witnessing the death.[10][11]

Eyewitness reports in the national press described pandemonium: "Everyone was screaming and shouting. It is incredible that nobody [else] was hurt as there were thousands of people on the seafront. It only just missed a small group of boats. The plane just disappeared and left some debris floating on the surface of the sea."[9] Two swimmers, watching the event from the sea, were treated in hospital after swallowing jet fuel.

Jim Maitland, display co-ordinator for the event, said the diving aileron roll that Mr Girdler was attempting was not a dangerous manoeuvre.[9] Girdler had previously run a flying school at Manston Airport, with his family.[12]

In 2015, a disastrous accident occurred at Shoreham Airshow, taking place at Shoreham Airport, 20 miles from Eastbourne. 11 people were killed in what became known as the 2015 Shoreham Airshow crash.

Pilot Andy Hill crashed onto a major road, between Eastbourne and Brighton, following a failed attempt at a loop manoeuvre. Hill had performed the same manoeuvre at Eastbourne's Airbourne the week before. A large number of the smaller planes taking part in Airbourne continue to use Shoreham Airport, as a base to perform over Eastbourne.[13]

Following the Shoreham Disaster, the Civil Aviation Authority opened an investigation and later published a review. In response, on behalf of Airbourne, Eastbourne Borough Council issued a public statement saying: "we are confident of being able to introduce any additional safety measures required by the review."[14]