Shropshire Star

New team gearing up for Cosford Air Show spectacle

A new team is preparing to wow aircraft fans with a revamped event at RAF Cosford Air Show this weekend.

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A new team is preparing to wow aircraft fans with a revamped event at RAF Cosford Air Show this weekend.

Long-serving air show co-ordinator Norman Branagh and his two assistants retired after last year's show, handing over the reins to a new team.

The new co-ordinator is Amanda Butcher, a retired wing commander seconded from the RAF Charitable Trust Enterprises team.

The team runs the world's largest air show, the Royal International Air Tattoo.

Miss Butcher has been joined by officer manager Ashley Claber-Aikman and operations assistant Master Aircrew Chas McHugh.

Over the past few months Mr McHugh, who is usually a crew member on RAF Puma helicopters, has been helping to sort out the arrangements for all of the flying display and static aircraft for the show.

But the overall responsibility for the show falls to the air show chairman, Wing Commander Mike Wilson, whose normal role is as the Officer

Commanding No 1 Radio School, part of the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering.

Miss Butcher said: "The Cosford Air Show is one of only three Royal Air Force officially endorsed shows and its aim is to showcase the work of the RAF and to stimulate interest in careers in the RAF."

But not all of the team are new – the flying display director, Wing Commander (retired) Bill Hartree, has been running the flying programme for Cosford for the last nine years.

"Cosford Air Show is one of the best in the country and we always manage to put together a varied and exciting programme to entertain both family and enthusiasts," he said.

Full information on the show including details of all participating aircraft can be found at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

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