Eastbourne Airbourne

Well, what an exciting project. This job really does pull some amazing displays out of thin air.

Our Artistic Director loves fireworks and planes so what a red letter day this was going to be on the beach in Eastbourne.

After an initial meeting with the Fireflies Aerobatic Team we set upon designing a very specific show with strict parameters. The first question we asked ourselves was how we could safely fire what was in effect, explosives into the air…close enough to look spectacular but in reality safe enough for the pilots and planes.

There were other mitigating risks that we had to reduce as well. We would have the beach loaded with other fireworks for the conclusion of Airbourne that night and we had to make sure that the twilight display would not accidently light the evening display with any hot debris.

After days of planning we had hatched a plan. We would have an imaginary box in the sky for the Fireflies and one for ourselves. Our fireworks must not enter their box and the Fireflies must not enter ours to ensure we have the correct safety distances. These are events that you cannot really practice so this was very much a visual live performance using our vast experience.

The day arrived and the weather was perfect for a display, clear skies and light winds. Both displays were set up on time on the beach and the time had arrived for our first joint performance.

Loaded with single shot candles and shells, our Cobra wireless firing system was turned on and the Fireflies arrived on the horizon. We stood with one of the Fireflies ground team as they read the display script to us. On came the smoke, on came the music as the run in to the audience began. The planes had fireworks and smoke pods fitted to the wings for the first half performance and then we were cued into the joint pyro project.

The music blasted out into Star Wars as we launched our first volley of shells to loud gasps and applause from our audience. The pilots twisted and turned with pyro firing from the wingtips as we answered in kind with bright volleys of colours and special effects. As they made their final break in front of the crowd we fired a large barrage of shells which reverberated around Eastbourne beach.

The display by both parties was performed safely and with exact precision. It was hugely successful and was an entirely different experience for our team. Now onwards to the bigger display in the evening to close Airbourne once again in the best way possible, with fireworks bursting across the night sky.