AN AIRSHOW that attracted thousands of visitors to the region has been cancelled by an airport “not in a position” to cover the financial costs of staging a display.
The Skylive Airshow first flew into Durham Tees Valley Airport (DTVA), near Darlington, in 2016 after a 26-year absence from the site after organisers vowed to bring airborne entertainment back to the airport.
However, it has emerged that the airshow would not return in spring 2018 following a decision made by DTVA bosses to activate a get-out clause part-way through a five-year contract with Skylive Events.
A DTVA spokesman confirmed the decision had been made in the wake of rising airshow costs damaging future passenger operations at the site, adding that a loss had been made on two previous airshows.
The DTVA spokesman said: “The air show has been organised by an outside company.
“Airshows held at civilian airports such as DTVA have seen increased regulatory and safety requirements over recent years from the Civilian Aviation Authority (CAA).
“We are fully supportive of these requirements, but they bring with them higher costs to administer the air show which are borne by us, the airport.
“In both years the costs incurred by the airport have not been covered and, given the need to deliver our business plan to put the airport on a firmer financial footing and support passenger operations, we have had to inform the air show operator that in line with the terms of our contract, we are not in a position to proceed for next year.”
However, Skylive organiser Chris Petty refutes DTVA's position and said that positive discussions over hosting a Skylive 2018 were being held with the airport as late as last week.
Mr Petty said: “I was gobsmacked when I found out.
“We had a five-year deal to deliver the airshow and there’s a breakout clause in that contract and they have activated that clause.
“They say it’s to do with Civil Aviation Authority safety regulations, but it’s nothing to do with that – there are no safety concerns.
“They’re letting down the locals and the businesses and charities that got involved and made money off the back of the airshow.”
The first scheduled Skylive Airshow was cancelled in 2015 in the wake of the Shoreham Airshow crash that killed 11 people and brought in stricter CAA safety regulations.
Mr Petty stated then that stricter rules would have “seriously limited” some of the flying displays – agreed with by DTVA – pushing the original late summer show back to spring 2016.
Around 18,000 visitors were attracted to the first display followed by another successful show in May this year, featuring displays from the Royal Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoon team and a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
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