After recent crowd-funding efforts, organisers of the Jersey International Air Display have confirmed this year’s event will go ahead as planned on Thursday 12th September.
The Jersey International Air Display organisers say; “This year’s Jersey International Air Display has been saved by the generosity of Islanders,and businesses who have come forward in the last four weeks to help fund the event. We are eternally grateful for their support and can state categorically that this year’s air display would not be taking place without it.
The £30,700 donated to our Race Nation giving page was absolutely amazing and when taken together with additional corporate and private sponsorship we have received, (some as late as Monday morning) now means that we now have sufficient funds toput on the flying display although we will still have to make some cuts to what we were planning for this year’s event.
We always believed that the air display was part of Jersey’s DNA and the well wishes and financial support we have received proves how much it is loved and valued by Islanders.”
The air display, which had been dogged by a number of issues beyond the organisers’ control, only received its permit to hold the flying display by the Director of Civil Aviation on 25th July.
As well as the £30,700 raised raised from public donations, the event has also received a grant of £40,000 from the Department for Sustainable Development towards this year’s display, down from the £60,000 the Jersey International Air Display received last year.
As mentioned in the statement, there have been some cuts to the extent of the event with plans shelved for the static displays both at the airport and on the Lower Park in St Helier. Proposals for a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Exhibition have also been put on hold.
The Jersey International Air Display is organised by a private sector not-for-profit Jersey company (Jersey International Air Display a.r.l), which not only has the rights to the event but has also successfully organised a safe and internationally recognised air display for 26 years for the benefit of islanders and tourists to the Island. It is run by approximately 47 volunteers from Jersey and the United Kingdom.
The air display also promotes well-being in the Island by enabling all families irrespective of income to watch one of the very few free to view events. Hoteliers have said that the air display is the biggest tourism event in the island and that the Battle of Flowers is the biggest community event.
In the past the Jersey Tourism Department conducted surveys of those who came to the Island and the air display and calculated that the air display has contributed millions of pounds over the years to the Jersey economy. The Air Display organisers also conducted a smaller survey last year and estimated the total benefit to the local economy of the event was £1.5million.
The flying display line-up for 2024 includes:
RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team
Équipe de Voltige de l’Armée de l’Air – Extra 330SC – French Air Force
Saab B17A – Swedish Air Force Historic Flight
Saab AJS37 Viggen – Swedish Air Force Historic Flight
Fokker DXXI – Egmond Vintage Wings
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina – Plane Sailing Catalina Operations
North American OV-10B Bronco – Musée Européen de l’Aviation de Chasse
North American Harvard IV – NavyWings Heritage Flight
Fairey Swordfish – NavyWings Heritage Flight
Conair Turbo Firecat – Amicale Alençonnaise des Avions Anciens
Bréguet 1050 Alizé – Alizé Marine
Edgely Optica – Private
SIAI-Marchetti SF260 – Paul Freeland
