45th Guernsey Air Rally brings pilots and pounds

Pilots and passengers in almost 60 private aircraft are expected to descend on the island from this Friday for the Annual Guernsey Air Rally, representing a significant boom to the local tourism economy.

As of today, 120 visitors are registered to fly themselves in for the week-end’s activities on and in the skies around the island as part of the Guernsey Aero Club’s Annual event.

The aviation crowd includes travellers, and their planes, from Sweden, Germany, France, Ireland and Belgium as well as a large contingent from the UK.

A ‘squadron’ of 15 aircraft has registered for their flight from Arclid in Cheshire, in addition to multiple entries from Tatenhill and Derby in the Midlands. These groups are all vying for the “largest club” trophy.

Rally Director, Gary Elson, said: “General aviation is not welcomed at all airstrips but Guernsey takes great pride in being open to, and warmly welcoming of, non-commercial and recreational pilots.”

“The Club’s priority in staging this event is to showcase the beauty and convenience of flying in and around the Channel Islands, in the hope that this community will make Guernsey a regular stop on their flights to and from Europe or the UK,” he said. 

Conservative estimates have put the value of the event at about £100 per visitor, a potential £12,000 in 2017 to be spent on accommodation, food and tourism activity on the island.

This is the 45^th year the Guernsey Aero Club has been staging the 3-day rally, which is best known through-out UK and European aviation circles for its friendly welcome, great flying weather (fingers crossed!), and the ‪Saturday night Hangar Party.

This year’s fancy dress theme of Starry, Starry Flight will see 200 people dressed as everything from aliens and fairies to ET and Darth Vadar filling the club’s aircraft hangar for a sit-down dinner followed by awards for various flying competitions held over the week-end, and dancing.

This year’s event has again been made possible through principal sponsorship by ASG (Aircraft Servicing Guernsey).