Airshow returns as part of Jubilee celebrations
(CNS): Two decades after the Cayman Islands last held the much loved annual event, the Air Show is returning as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebration weekend. On the morning of Friday, 3 June, world-class pilots and aerospace specialists will perform aerobatic demonstrations in the airspace above Grand Cayman’s Public Beach, followed by an exhibition in the afternoon at the Owen Roberts International Airport.
Visitors will be able to view all the aircraft involved in the aerial performance as well as the pilots and exports. Then in Cayman Brac on Saturday, 4 June there will be a parachute display and an aircraft exhibit at the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport.
The Air Show is a collaborative effort between the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Department of Tourism (DoT) with support from the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Steering Committee and all events are free and open to the public.
“It’s exciting to have the Air Show returning to the Cayman Islands,” said Director-General of Civil Aviation Richard Smith. “Historically, it was a beloved and well-attended event by the community and we’re hoping the show this year has a similar reception. The scheduled acts for the Air Show have a wealth of experience and will captivate the audience with their performances.”
Smith said people will be able to “get up close and personal” to the aircraft and meet the aviators at the exhibition. “This is a great opportunity for enthusiasts as well as students who might be interested in aviation,” he said.
Director of Tourism Rosa Harris said the return of the Air Show will set the destination apart and was positioned to become a signature event once again. “Moving forward, we see the Air Show as one of the key events to signal the start of Cayman’s summer season and inspire travel to the destination,” she said.
Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose, the chair of the Steering Committee, said the show is a unique centre-piece event for Cayman’s celebrations. “The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Steering Committee has worked with local and overseas stakeholders to bring back an event that is near and dear to the hearts of the people of the Cayman Islands,” he added.
Parking will be limited for both the public beach aerobatics and the airport exhibition and as a result off-parking with a shuttle service is being provided.
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Category: Art & Entertainment, Local News
I do recall attending a couple of airshows and can certainly vouch for the six persons who parachuted over Governor’s Harbour. Not all landings were smooth. I also recall the Harriers that came over from Belize where they were based to deter Guatemala invading Belize.
Most of all I recall the seaplane owned by the late Connie Edwards, a frequent visitor to our shores. He once landed outside the Seaview Hotel that he owned much to the consternation of the Attorney General who lived down the road.
He also landed on WBB and allowed children to take a ride in his plane. Connie was the lead stunt pilot in the Battle of Britain movie largely because of his experience of flying a spitfire which he owned at his ranch in Texas. He was a larger than life person and a great raconteur who loved the Cayman Islands.
Good times indeed! We never knew what we had back then.
I was fortunate to get a ride with my then teenage son on Connie’s seaplane. He took off from the airfield and landed near Stingray City.
SO many of us will be so high we can all attend and perform…
This is an acrobatic show, not an air show.
Can’t wait for the formation of the Airmens Association. They will need their own hall of course, and a monthly handout.
So the air show line up includes the Mosquito plane (MRCU)????!!!! What the actual F? LMAO
Most useful out of all the planes anyway…
The Mosquito plane was designed in the late 30s and by 1941 was the fastest operational aircraft in the world. It was constructed using wood and canvas with a seating capacity of two, being the pilot and navigator/wireless operator. Frequently they were used as pathfinder operations and were involved in locating the pocket battleship, the Graf Spree in the Norwegian Fjords.
Be grateful, it might be the only time you see it flying this year.
Tbh…I chuckled.
I remember the two Harriers flying in from Belize and announcing their arrival flying from the East and heading straight out over the beach at pretty high speed. Magnificent.
Ah memories.
Its a free air show on a public holiday.
Just enjoy it or don’t bother looking up.
People around here will complain about absolutely anything.
I know right, it wasn’t always like this though…
Signed,
Caymanian.
PACT is flush with cash and can spent on these events, which I’m sure they will try to justify with the usual BS – it attracts tourists. Announcing it a week before it happens – i hardly think so. Tell the world ( and voters ) we are concerned about the environment and then have a super-polluter that costs the countries coffers a million bucks. Now that’s PACT transparency!
CNS – The mistake is not yours because we know in Cayman’s public sector, many people spout at whim, with no clue of what they speak. No doubt, someone told you that the last air show was 20 years ago.
Please note, the last air-show was held in 2012 to celebrate 60 years of aviation in Cayman. It was organized by the Cayman Islands Airports Authority and included a large “fly-in” of private aviators, static displays & sky diving teams. It coincided with Pirates Week that year.
The air-show which hasn’t been held in two decades is that which was sponsored by Cayman Island DoT, which usually included very costly US military teams.
The Air Show website says it was 20 years ago.
Utter Rubbish, there was no “Airshow” here in 2012. It was over 20 years ago since the last real airshow.
20 @ 1:19pm – “Utter rubbish” tells me enough. Nevertheless, you are wrong. Perhaps you’d like it called an “air display”? But it happened. The para-jump was on the Friday afternoon eve of PW and the jumpers landed on the Royal Watler Dock. The static display was held all morning and intentionally ended before the PW activities started.
Perhaps you were too busy knocking back a few and missed it? Fun over knowledge every time! Right?
Watching those F-14’s flying straight into the beach about 100 feet up was really something. Made me realize how unpleasant it would be if they were aiming for me.
I was very fortunate to jump seat for an intense stunt display ride in the Pitts S2B Special biplane in the hands of Fred Cabañas back in 2001. Thundering fly overs aside, he really flung that thing around to put the “show” into our airshow. RIP.
https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2013/january/16/remembering-aviation-great-fred-cabanas
I don’t remember sky diving displays or fly bys in 2012. Just a few rich people flying in in their private aircraft. Not really a “show”.
It was not in 2012, your mistake on the civil servant side is per usual…. making up stuff that is not fact.
Airshows used to be exciting back in the days when nobody was concerned about the environment. There used to be a Cold War message to neighbouring Socialists and Autocrats that came with flexing sophisticated defence hardware over our Territory. There was also a colonial Hearts and Minds element. Time seems to have expired on most of that criteria.
I have a lot of respect for the queen, but I don’t get burning fossil fuel for entertainment, when our so called government promotes saving the environment?
7:56, Did you swim to Cayman or arrive on a plane?
I came by pain, no plane.
Born here smart ass
seriously? do you drive to work?
Driving to work is not entertainment. Try reading properly.
Sure is when you go there to talk about everybody behind their back.
Yes, lets ban NASCAR, Formula 1 etc. Jet skiing competitions have to immediately go as well.
Water skiing and wakeboarding need to end for good starting this weekend.
Also hockey, as the Zamboni that resurfaces the ice after every period uses fossil fuels.
And our neighbors in North America need to turn down their furnaces this winter to reduce the burning of fossil fuels. ….after all, they can just as easily wear fur to keep warm…..
You don’t get it do you? You can’t spout green green green and then sponsor something like this. Pick a side. Your arguments make no sense, it is kind of essential to keep warm and not really entertainment.
And the Zamboni??
The air show has been part of Caymanian history, which has not occurred in 20 years or over, but I see where you’re going with it. Give this a chance. You just might enjoy it too.
Great memories on Brac – very happy for this.
The line up is a bird’s skeleton of what is used to be in previous shows, not worth the bother. I’d go if there were some afterburners and or some vintage warbirds but this stuff does not turn my propeller.
Agree, without the low-level passes by the F15s etc that we used to have, it is not worth it. That was spectacular when they last did it.
For years this was an annual event, with the US Air Force jets being the star attraction. The last show was in May or June of 2001. Then 9/11 happened, and the USAF jets/pilots had other priorities.
So the air show is scheduled for a Friday morning when all the kids that would love to see this are in school!!! Good move guys!!
Boy you fool
It is a stat holiday this year.
It’s a public holiday…
10:31, Enjoy your empty office.
Friday is a public holiday.
L-O-L
Doesn’t anyone realize that Mr. Connie Edward has passed away. The only airshow required. The one who paid for everything himself. Seaplane King…Seaview king. May he Rip
I don’t know about Connie Edwards “paying for everything”. He was highly connected though and a skilled aviator. It was far more to Mr. Edwards than some Texas oil money and owning the sea view hotel.
Mr Edwards was indeed generous. When the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman started the Brac Club he flew two of us over for the opening, stayed overnight and enjoyed the occasion, before flying us back the following day.
He had a house on North West Bay Point road and was known to many.
I wish more people would be as informed as Mr Johnson. He too is generous but without all the attention that others seek.
Meanwhile the public school system is still suffering from self serving Caymanians that see no value in refining it to a high standard for the future of Cayman.
The public school system is suffering from ill-equipped PARENTS that send their undisciplined, deprived children to school with no parental encouragement or understanding of the importance of focusing on education.
As a parent who has had many of my children go through public school I can tell you from experience the teachers are qualified and ready to work with students who want to be taught – but when you have disrespectful, disruptive children whose parents only send them to school to get them out of the house – that is the problem!
My 10 year old came home to report that yesterday in her primary school a boy got his tooth punched out, while another was hit on the arm by a chair flung by another boy and there was some other fight (all in one day, separate incidents).
These children need discipline and parents get in a hissy when teachers make reports on their naughty kids!
BRING BACK THE STRAP!!! teachers were not abusing children with one or two little slaps in their palm – I would bet my house that order would get back in to the public school system if teachers could swat these unruly kids from primary school!
And parents – talk, talk, talk to your children and READ, READ, READ to your children! Stop making electronic devices raise and “teach” your kids. And stop thinking it is the teachers responsibility to keep your kids up to date on academics – it all begins at home!
These children need teachers and a system that educate them, that’s CIGs problem. CIG cant effect the parents or home life, but it can effect the school system. The fact that their parents went through a very poor system won’t change. So the change has to start at school with a systemic change.
What that gotta do with the Air Show?
Everything. All monies spent by CIG on entertainment projects takes resources away from being applied to a higher standard of education for our kids. CIG has to make education their number one their priority.
#sustainability
Without military aircraft it will never be as good as before. I would still like to see it, but our population has grown so much and we have less space to get a good view. Oh and we have that little covid thing going around too.
Garbage – this should help combat climate change. Can’t think of anything duller.
To each his own.
Well you are duller…
Thanks a lot Captain Buzzkill…
I guess you dont eat meat because of cow farts?
Lame
Ask McBeater why it was stopped!
CIAA landing fees and Caymankind AV gas prices.
Potential of 60k people heading to the aerobatic demonstrations in the airspace above Grand Cayman’s Public Beach should be interesting.
Might have to set up a camp to reserve my spot from this weekend.
Oh nice! it won’t be a one off event this year? they are bringing it back every year now?
Confused. Looked at the schedule and can’t find if there will be any military hardware? Past airshows had the whole shebang (f15s, 16s a10s, c17 galaxies etc)
Would be helpful to know thx!
No military anymore it seems 🙁
They left a bunch in Afghanistan and the rest gone to Ukraine
There is a Mosquito Plane; that’s Cayman military Bobo.
😄😄😄
Amazing! People waited for this for so long! best memories as a kid in high school with all of us running out of the class to see the fighter jets as they came in!
A shame there won’t be no military jets this time but nonetheless amazing to have some fun back with aviation!
Wow, its been a long time coming since going down on the beach across from old West Indies Hotel to watch the Jets and then going to the Airport to see then afterwards.
Where was the West Indies Hotel?
Darts home now, across from Burger King 7 mile.
Next to Coral Beach bar – Ken Darts home (next to Bob Darts on the other side)
Need them both gone anyways (don’t matter who does it)
Indies Suites?
DartBot
Behind Foster Bay Villas…Next to Ken darts Atrocity-ton Hotel.
19 @ 3:59pm & 4:59 pm – Actually Ken Dart’s residence is the former West Indian Club. It was not a hotel, perhaps one of the very first individually-owned “condos” before strata laws existed. Caribbean Club & Victoria House followed.