Don’t fly drones during air display

The potential catastrophic outcome a drone could have to the aircraft flying at the time was covered in the article. Thankfully on this occasion that was not the outcome but there was the potential for the cancellation of the whole display.

The legal permission I receive from the office of the director of Civil Aviation to run the display requires me to suspend the display if there is any drone activity in the vicinity of the display and for me to refer the matter to the police. For the Red Arrows, ‘vicinity’ would be anywhere in the Bailiwick due to the team’s crowd rear manoeuvring. Only once we are all satisfied that the drone activity has stopped, can I allow the display to continue.

Practically, that means that whoever is flying in the display must stop displaying immediately and hold off until we can confirm the situation. These things take time to be resolved and time is something that we do not have in abundance for the display. The display must finish at 1.15pm for the airport to re-open to commercial traffic, and the block of restricted airspace, which is put in place for the display, finishes. The display cannot be held with an open airport.

Depending on when the suspension happens there will be a knock-on effect for subsequent display items – some of which may have to be cancelled. And what if a drone appears during the Red Arrows display? We would be pretty much guaranteed to lose the rest of their display and, let’s face it, for many they are the highlight of the whole display.

We managed to recover from last year’s drone activity by the goodwill of the Navy Wings Seafire shortening his display and the Red Arrows agreeing to dispense with some of its five minute ‘buffer’ put in place before the team displays.

There will be plenty of information on this in the media and on the Guernsey Air Display’s social media pages before and during the display and reminders in the display commentary. So, I ask that there is no drone flying during this year’s air display and in future years. As well as being dangerous, it could cause a major disruption to people’s enjoyment of the display. After all, that is why the foundation puts it on. We have a great line-up for you this year, let’s make sure we get to see it all without any hiccups!

BARRY NEAL

Guernsey Air Display Foundation councillor and flying display director