British Airshows 2011 DVD
Produced by PlanesTV; available from PlanesTV.com prices £24.99 DVD, £39.99 Blu-Ray
‘British Airshows’ is the signature production by PlanesTV and is the most comprehensive look over the airshow season. The DVD covers a number of different shows starting at Abingdon and concluding at the Duxford Autumn Airshow in October. The production is introduced by Sean Maffett, but most sections feature the commentary direct from the show specific DVD products. Although most footage is from PlanesTV other companies have also contributed, most notably Flying Machines TV with their footage from Flying Legends and the Royal International Air Tattoo. It is also good see events appear for which no DVD has been produced this year, namely Southend, RAF Cosford and the American Air Day at Duxford.
If there is anything negative to say about British Airshow 2011, it is the overall editing. The introductory pieces from each PlanesTV event specific DVD have been included which are often repetitive and often introduce acts not actually included in that event’s coverage. It would have perhaps been better for each show to have been introduced by a single narrator to give a brief synopsis of the show and introduce the show commentator on the live feed PlanesTV use! This certainly works for the Bournemouth Air Festival coverage with certainly has the smoothest editing! Also a little distracting is the editing of Flying Machines and RIAT which at times seems a bit rushed and almost doesn’t make sense, particularly the Legends coverage!
However, one cannot fault the comprehensive coverage on the DVD. Most, if not all of the UK’s major display teams feature at least one time or another in the two hours of coverage. British Airshow 2011 is like it’s predecessors a double disc product. Disc 2 features the very best of the interactive in-cockpit and aircraft mounted camera features that really make for exciting viewing – some of the sequences are quite simply stunning!
This is essential viewing for airshow enthusiats and there’s some great and important moments captured in the production. However, the overall quality feel of the 2010 edition of ‘British Airshows’ seems to missing somehow!
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is6E3aaX9ZA
