ORGANISERS of Jersey’s Air Display are “devastated” after a pilot was killed in a Spitfire crash over the weekend.
The accident, which claimed the life of Squadron Leader Mark Long, led the RAF to temporarily ground the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
BBMF operates six Spitfires, two Hurricanes, a Lancaster, a C47 Dakota, and two Chipmunk aircraft used for training. These aircraft are flown by regular RAF aircrew and are a popular sight at summer shows.
However, Mike Higgins, who leads the Jersey International Air Display – a not-for-profit company which has organised the free air show for over two decades – said the decision to ground the aircraft was unlikely to have any impact on Jersey’s event this September.
He added that the Spitfire and Hurricane were not due to perform at this year’s event, with the RAF only sending a Lancaster.
Meanwhile, Spitfires.com recently announced that it was bringing its operation to Jersey for the first time, with Islanders offered the chance to strap into the back of one of only seven two-seater Spitfires in existence.
It is understood that these are not affiliated with BBMF and will be going ahead as planned to coincide with celebrations of the 80th anniversary of D-Day from 8 to 14 June.
Speaking to the JEP yesterday, Mr Higgins said: “As a team, we’re devastated by the fact that a pilot has been killed and a Spitfire has crashed. The air display community is small and while I personally didn’t know him, we all feel the loss and feel for his family. It is a very tragic accident.”
Mr Higgins was in the process of finding out whether Sqn Ldr Long had previously flown in the Jersey Air Display.
He continued: “As far as Jersey is concerned, it won’t affect us because we’re not getting the fighters this year anyway. We’re getting the Lancaster from the RAF, but not fighters.”
He added that it did not point to any dangers with flying old aircraft.
“You’ll get some of the sensationalist press trying to suggest that,” he said. “The truth is that many of these airplanes have been taken apart and rebuilt, almost to be like new planes.
“The standard of maintenance on them is phenomenal, and the Lancaster that will visit the Island has just come away from a major rebuild at Duxford.
“We’re going to have to wait for the inquiry to reveal what happened, and there is no point speculating. All we know is that he crashed shortly after take-off.
“It won’t affect ours, and it won’t affect any other air displays, unless in the inquiry they find there’s a fault with the aircraft, in which case they will ground and examine all the aircraft.”
The chairman of the Historic Aircraft Association told the BBC that Sqn Ldr Long’s death was the first fatality involving a BBMF aircraft since its creation in July 1957.
Two aircraft which have already been announced for Jersey’s Air Display, due to be held in the second week of September, are the The Fokker D.XXI fighter and the The Saab B17.
