The Airshows and Air Displays Working Group of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Aviation held its inaugural meeting yesterday (5th March) at the House of Lords. This is the first time our industry has had direct liaison with Parliament. The group’s members cover a wide range of roles within the air display industry and consist of (as pictured left to right).
- Charles Skiera – Flying Display Director – R5 Air Displays Ltd. (Vice Chairman of the new group)
- Matt Wilkins – Flying Display Director, Event Organiser, Chair of British Air Display Association and Chair of the new group
- Adam Kendall – Event Organiser, IWM Duxford
- John Romain MBE – Founder and Owner of the Aircraft Restoration Company, Duxford, Warbird Operator and Pilot
- Gary Elson – Author of the British Air Display Association Review and BADA Committee Member
- Bruce Buglass – Flying Display Director, Event Organiser and Display Pilots
- Trevor Graham – Flying Display Director, Event Organiser of Midlands Air Festival and others
- Paul Atherton OBE – Chief Executive, Royal International Air Tattoo
- Ben Gleeson – Director of Operations, Farnborough International
Other members, unable to join:
- Rod Dean, Flying Display Director and Display Pilot
- Paul Bonhomme, Display Pilot Evaluator
- Dave Walton, Flying Display Director – TSA Consulting Ltd
The new group has a great many topics to work on, above all ensuring that Airshows, and the millions of people who support them each year, have a voice at Westminster.
Charles Skiera, Co-Director of R5 Air Displays said, ‘I’m imensly proud to have been asked to join the working group and then to be asked to be Vice Chairman. The group features some of the best people in the Airshow Community, who all have a passion and the dedication to making sure airshows continue into the future’.
Source: British Air Displays Association
