Flying Legends 2019 was the last at Duxford

[FoolTrottel]

Ah, finally Mick's gonna stop asking me "You coming to Duxford this year FT?" ...  what a relief! 

[FoolTrottel]

And... what a date to read this ...  😥

[Friar]

That's it then, we go public with "Dogzford" stream it live with tickets and merchandise, invite pilots to display......worked for GT3 racing

 

[Jabo]

So that's that then - Legends has been my 'must do'  airshow since I was in my 20's. Very sad to read this today of all days. For me, part of the point of Legends was the location - Duxford is still very much a time capsule and I for one will be sad to lose that.

Jabo

[DD_Fenrir]

I am most despondent about this development - not just for Flying Legends but for the warbird scene as a whole.

Legends was the antithesis of the bland "air fair" formats that have increasingly popped up as organisers try to generate more revenue for less content, but it appears this is the route IWM are branching down. We'll probably see them rebrand some time soon as the W in that acronym is "too aggressive"...

If we're increasingly going to have to deal with a mentality that wants to censor the undesirable or unpalatable in our past in the name of inoffensiveness then we tread a path leading to a culture of bland conservative veneer hiding a repressed seething undercurrent of malcontent. And that historically has always gone so well... 🙄

[Painless]

Could not agree more Tom !

[Jabo]

15 hours ago, DD_Fenrir said:

We'll probably see them rebrand some time soon as the W in that acronym is "too aggressive"...

We're more likely to see the removal of 'Imperial'. I notice the BBC have decided to have instrumental versions of Rule Brittania and Land of Hope & Glory played at the Last Night of the Proms because of Covid - so nothing to do with anything else then...eh Mr Hall?

[Crash]

A long time ago I was pleased to hear that there was going to be a northern branch of the IWM. I went there and was very disappointed by the displays. I think that there was a couple of tanks but not much else on the military side and lots of stuff about how wars affect the civilian population. I know it affects the civilian population, it always has. This "woke" and victim culture is becoming very annoying. I bet that XR would like to ban all airshows and motor sport as well. Poo.

[BluBear]

Guys, let's try not to head towards Daily Mail comments territory. We're all saddened and angry at the news, but no-one is tearing down statues of Douglas Bader or airbrushing out the word War here.

From everything I've read about it, this has more to do with money than anything else. Reportedly Legends nearly didn't happen for a number of the most recent years due to breakdown in negotiations with IWM. Remember when the dates mysteriously changed a year or two ago?

The current IWM management seem to have been angling at getting their hands on the Summer slot for years so they can put on another bland 'air fair' style show and take all of the profit.

Also, if Flying Legends does end up moving somewhere like mainland Europe (TFC have strong links with La Ferte Alais), you have to look at the CAA and their post-Shoreham knee jerk actions that have done more damage to the UK airshow scene than any protest.

 

 

[BluBear]

And here we have a radio interview with the boss himself, make of this what you will:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1522r9yhqkv1kg3/Ni on BBC Cambs radio 2.m4a?dl=0

 

[Painless]

Thanks Chris, that was an interesting interview.         
 

[Jabo]

Agreed, thanks Chris. I'm not surprised that the IWM were after the summer airshow slot, but interesting that Mr Grey was at pains to point out that this was a decision that neither side wanted - sounds more like TFC were presented with a done deal - but maybe that's just me.

Anyway I'm off to dig out the passport - la ferte alais next year chaps?

[DD_Bongodriver]

On 8/26/2020 at 6:03 PM, BluBear said:

And here we have a radio interview with the boss himself, make of this what you will:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1522r9yhqkv1kg3/Ni on BBC Cambs radio 2.m4a?dl=0

 

OK, a bit of clarification here. Flying Legends actually generates zero revenue for the IWM, the deal has always been the Fighter collection took every penny from admissions and also the stall holders. basically the Fighter collection took ownership of the entire IWM Duxford site for the airshow and they did not pay for that privilege. the only revenue stream for IWM during flying legends actually came from my mob at Classic Wings through our partnership contract as the Fighter collection never contacted us to operate during legends.

This opens the question of whether the fighter collection will ever find such a sweet deal elsewhere and perhaps we will yet see Legends at Duxford if they can knock out a mutually beneficial deal. I think that would be the wise thing to do.

[DD_Arthur]

10 minutes ago, DD_Bongodriver said:

 Flying Legends actually generates zero revenue for the IWM, the deal has always been the Fighter collection took every penny from admissions and also the stall holders. basically the Fighter collection took ownership of the entire IWM Duxford site for the airshow and they did not pay for that privilege.

Ahhh....now that does sound like a civil service negociated contract! 

 I wonder if this is all a bit of a contract dance?   Flying Legends comes roaring back in 2022 with Nick Grey having to put his hand deeper into his pocket but joyfully re-united with Duxford?

[BluBear]

11 minutes ago, DD_Bongodriver said:

see Legends at Duxford if they can knock out a mutually beneficial deal. I think that would be the wise thing to do.

Quite! Thanks for the additional insights old bean.

We can only hope.

 

[DD_Bongodriver]

I don't know how much of the IWM's financial woes can be blamed on Legends of course. They have 363 days of the year when they are solely responsible for their own revenue.