Our creative editor Euan Ruddick looks back at all the found memories from TSIA after South Ayrshire Council axed £250K of funding leading to the Airshow being cancelled this year.
Euan Ruddick Said:
"I look back with fond memories as the ongoing argument between the Airshow and South Ayrshire Council comes to an end with critical funding and support withdrawn, this means that the Airshow has now been cancelled."
"The memories of the excitement for the very first Scottish Airshow in 2014 on the Low Green will be cherished by all of us for a lifetime."
"This was not just another event!
Not just another music festival!
This was something so big that it was almost unbelievable that 3 pals eating a pizza one night could come up with the vision to pull it off for Ayrshire and indeed Scotland."
"It was an event created by the people of Ayrshire to give to the world and boy did we do just that."
"It put us up there with the best, no longer would we be just known for a decaying High street, but we were truly once again market leaders, we were back in the game, up there with the best to show the world the glory of Ayr."
"As a caring and sharing team was put together, it was decided this event would be free for the people of Ayrshire and the world."
"But how do you pull off such a cash hungry and technically challenging event?
We are not talking about putting a stage in a park somewhere. This would have to bring together the best people in event and aviation organisations"
"Infrastructure would be built with agencies from lots of Council and Government departments given a huge role to play."
"Remember this was to be a free event!"
"Next time you go to the petrol station and fill up, just think about the thousands of gallons of aviation fuel that has to be paid for with an airshow, nevermind the cost to bring the aircraft and pilots, oh! And they all have to be put up in hotels along with the support ground crew that get them into the air."
"Could we really pull it off? Yes was the reply, we have so much talent in Ayrshire that dedicated groups were formed to start the massive task of getting global sponsorship and booking planes."
"Groups worked out a safe road and traffic plan for the thousands of vehicles that would flood into Ayrshire. A plan to minimise road closures and keep things moving as smoothly as possible. They expected 20 thousand people to come in 2014 and 50,000 turned up. The team improved in 2015 and 16 and now over 100,000 a day turn up with n’er a delay."
"Not forgetting the part that Prestwick Airport would play with hosting the aircraft and keeping our skies safe throughout the event."
"This was new territory for Ayr as nothing so big had been attempted before with the police doing their part in helping to quietly put a clear safety net around the roads and the Low green."
"We would sit in the Mercure hotel to the wee hours creating promo videos, and it was like waiting for Christmas to come and when that day eventually came it was the most fabulous family event that Ayr and indeed Scotland had seen for years."
"The sun was blazing, and the Low Green had been turned into a mini-village with tarpaulins stretching as far as the eye could see. We had food, drink, live entertainment and areas for adults and children to watch singers, dancers and even clowns."
"There were static classic car displays, education tents and a giant funfair, truly something for all the family."
"Then the excitement of the main event came with the first aircraft flying over us, the scene was awesome with tens of thousands of spectators lining the beach and from the air, they looked like ants."
"The air vibrated as the massive Vulcan bomber swooped over us and from 2015 we were treated to the world-famous Red Arrows."
"It's a sad day for Ayr, It's a sad day for Scotland and it's a sad day for the people who came from Hawaii, Wichita, New Zealand and bonnie Dumfries. They came from all over the world to stay overnight and help generate millions of much-needed cash into our Ayrshire economy."
"It's a sad day for the small organising team who have just seen their dreams turn to sadness and delight to despair."
"A dream that started in 2013 with so much energy and enthusiasm and ended in 2020 by people who can't dream, people who hide behind contracts to the very last word and people not doing their elected duty to the people of Ayrshire by not finding an amicable solution to a problem that could surely have been solved."
"The event was truly bigger than the problem and the ensuing argument between the Council and the Airshow organisers."
"As Walt Disney once said: If you can dream it, you can do it."
"A huge thank you to the Scottish International Airshow for bringing a bit of Disney to Ayr and as Robert Burns once penned:"
"The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."
Haste ye back the people of vision.✈️🏴❤️