As many as 20,000 people enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of a major airshow last weekend and kept their social distance. AirShow London has been deemed an unqualified success by patrons, performers and organizers in social media posts and the SkyDrive format was well received.

Both weekend shows sold out about 2,000 spots where attendees could park their cars on the flight line and sit in lawn chairs around them. The spots were spaced to ensure social distancing and patrons brought their own snacks and supplies.

The lineup rivalled that of the biggest airshows held during normal seasons, with a heavy presence from the U.S. Air Force. The Thunderbirds air demonstration team was there as were most of the bombers, fighters and attack aircraft in the USAF inventory. Canada’s air demonstration teams have not been flying since the spring but the RCAF pitched in with a Polaris tanker in an air-to-air refuelling demonstration with two CF-18s.

Most of the U.S. personnel did not stay in London. The aircraft staged from nearby Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan and only skeleton maintenance crews stayed in London because of COVID-19 border restrictions.

Photo credit: Gustavo Corujo