UNCERTAINTY surrounds whether the famous Red Arrows will headline the action in the skies at this year’s Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta.

But newly elected regatta chairman Ed Botterill says the aerobatic display team are being ‘pursued vigorously’ and everything is being done to bring them to Dartmouth.

And he said talks were being held with the Civil Aviation Authority later this month to clarify what was required of the town to host an ambitious air display this summer.

The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team – that has been wowing the crowds at the regatta for more than 35 years – had to dramatically cancel its aerobatic display last year after a 1950s Hawker Hunter jet crashed onto the A27 during the Shoreham air show, killing 11 people.

The Red Arrows were forced to reduce their appearance days later in Dartmouth to a fly-past after the CAA clamped down on air displays taking place over built-up areas.

Now regatta committee representatives are to attend a summer air displays symposium with CAA officials to seek clarification over how this year’s air displays might be affected. It follows a report published last week in which the CAA announced a series of measures to further improve safety at air shows.

Mr Botterill said he believed Dartmouth already conformed to many of the new measures that were detailed in the CAA action report from its ongoing review of civil air display safety in the UK.

‘Air display director Jason Aylett and committee member Basil Williams are attending a pre-season conference later this month where the report will get turned into action of what we need to do,’ he said.

‘Jason is confident that we already do 80-odd per cent of what it says anyway but there is talk of more risk assessment and also the level at which the responsibility is held by the event organiser who signs off the safety in action plan.’

Mr Botterill said the regatta committee was very conscious as to how it would rationalise its budget spending this year, particularly over the air displays.

‘A lot of people love the Red Arrows and they do draw in the crowds,’ he said. ‘But after Shoreham last year we are aware that things are going to change.

‘We have marked the Red Arrows into the programme but what they can offer will depend on what the CAA say. Display people up and down the country are waiting for the CAA final report. It all hinges on it.’

Mr Botterill said everyone wanted to see the iconic Red Arrow’s ‘diamond nine formation’ perform with a display line flying up and down the River Dart – as they had always done.

‘But if the CAA say they have to be on the far Kingswear side, we have to decide if it is worth the money,’ he said.

‘It may not be worth spending around £10,000 to put on an air display which would be better enjoyed in Brixham. That is not what we want.’

Mr Botterill said around £25,000 was spent on air displays during the regatta and another idea might be to try to do more Battle of Britain flights.

The CAA says its review is considering all aspects of the safety oversight of UK civil air displays.

More on this story in this week’s Chronicle