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Airbourne Welcomes Crowds for Best Airshow Yet
20th August 2025
Airbourne: Eastbourne International Airshow enjoyed four successful days of action-packed flying displays last week, attracting bumper crowds in its best airshow yet.
Sunshine and a sensational flying display line-up brought hundreds of thousands of people to Eastbourne seafront from Thursday onwards, for the UK’s biggest free airshow.
The show marked its 31st year with sell-out success across many of its commercial sales, from grandstand seating and advertising to corporate hospitality and premium parking, with all income supporting the show.
The annual airshow provides a huge boost to the local, regional and national economy, generating millions in visitor spending, raising the profile of the town and supporting the British staycation.
However, the cost of the flying displays and the temporary infrastructure requires financial support from businesses and airshow visitors to offset costs each year.
Eastbourne Borough Council’s Lead Member for Tourism & Place, Cllr Jenny Williams said, “Stunning weather - superb displays – this has been the best Airbourne yet! We had an exceptionally strong start on Thursday and it continued, with the seafront getting busier every day.
“Our thanks go to our brilliant sponsors, partners and the many volunteers who help to make Airbourne such as success, from military personnel to the emergency services and charities, there are hundreds of people working incredibly hard behind the scenes to deliver an astonishing show.
“We also thank everyone who donated – every pound helps to fund the flying displays and the more we raise, the better the flying line-up for you!”
This year’s Airbourne showcased four days of flying and ground displays including the Red Arrows – the only UK show to receive four displays - along with a ground visit from all nine pilots on Saturday.
Crowds also enjoyed the RAF Typhoon, Norwegian Vampire, Strikemaster, Jet Provost, Tutor, Rich Goodwin Pitts S2S, an AeroSuperBatics Wingwalker and the much anticipated return of the Royal Navy Black Cats.
The show’s biggest ever military aircraft – the RAF’s Atlas C1 (A400M) – made its Eastbourne debut, co-piloted by Flt Lt Weaver who visited the show as a child. Other first timers at the show were the Stampe Formation Team and the Mustang P-51D ‘Moonbeam McSwine’ with its first display on UK shores since acquisition from the United States.
On Friday at midday the showground stood still to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ-Day to the sound of a bugler performing The Last Post, with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and Rolls-Royce Spitfire performing later in the day.
Airbourne 2025 is supported by Trafalgar Theatres (Gold Sponsor), Brufords, Cloud Connx, Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce, EDEAL, Eastbourne Hospitality Association, East Sussex Growth Hub, Elite Medical, Environment First, Euro Self Drive, Frontier Fireworks, idverde, Lansdowne Hotel, More Radio, Neighbourhood First, Pureprint, PRG Marketing Communications Ltd, Recorra, Stagecoach, Trafalgar Theatres, The View Hotel, Visit Eastbourne and Your Eastbourne BID.
Also supporting the show is Caffyns – the Eastbourne Airshow Official Pilot Transfer Sponsor dealership - providing net zero emissions pilot and logistic vehicles.
Airbourne can only continue with financial support and there is still time to donate. Fans can support the show now with a one-off donation or a monthly pledge from as little as £2 a month.
Fans can also show their support by voting for the show in the 2025 Airscene Awards at www.airscene.co.uk/Airscene-Awards-2025.php.
For more information on Airbourne visit www.EastbourneAirshow.com.
