RAF Leuchars Airshow

For one Saturday each September, St Andrews briefly loses its home of golf moniker as fighter jets, luxury Learjets and vintage flying machines all swoop and soar to this small corner of Fife to land at RAF Leuchars Airfield for one of the UK's finest and most established air shows.

Easily accessible by car and only a short walk from Leuchars Railway Station, the event will take place on 12 September 2009 and combine a day-long flying programme with a large collection of static parked aircraft on display. Not just for flying enthusiasts, the RAF Airshow has been gaining more and more visitors in recent years, with this year’s appearance by the recently restored Avro Vulcan V-bomber sure to make tickets sell fast.

Providing a real up-close and personal opportunity to see (and sometimes go inside) famous planes such as the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight consisting of a Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane, this is a fantastically fun day out, where interactive education comes alive. Watch the RAF’s latest hi-tech fighter, the Typhoon, perform its energetic and high-speed display or sit back and marvel at the incredible close formation flying of the world-famous Red Arrows aerobatic team.

When you're not watching the Falcons Parachute Display Team take to the skies or the massive Chinook helicopter performing its hair-raising manoeuvres, there are plenty of things to do away from the main hub of the display. The Event Arena will be showcasing performances all day, from the RAF Leuchars Pipe Band and the Fly Right Dance School, to demonstrations from the RAF Volunteer Dog Display Team. For kids there will be rides and entertainments on site too, as well as a host of snack and foot outlets.

For real flying enthusiasts, Leuchars always produces interesting participants, whether it’s the Cold War bomber the B-52 Stratofortress, or appearing for the first time this year, the Czech Gripen supersonic combat aircraft.

This is a day to remember for all and a highlight in Fife’s events calendar. To find out more and get your tickets in advance, visit the website.