IT’S fast, noisy and one of the big favourites at Bournemouth Air Festival.

And the good news is that it is here to stay – and that’s from the horse’s mouth.

Patrons of the festival were enthralled by a talk from the RAF’s Typhoon display pilot, Flt Lt Jamie Norris, at the Cottonwood Hotel.

He was accompanied by his display manager, Flying Officer Callam Pearson.

Though accepting that multinational aircraft had had a chequered history getting off the drawing board and into the air, Flt Lt Norris told his audience: “Its options for the future use are countless. It will be with the RAF for a long time to come.

Flt Norris described the Typhoon as “an awesome aircraft” and said: “I have had plenty of hairy moments in other jets, but never in this one.”

Using a video, Flt Lt Norris talked the audience through the routine for Bournemouth, which will include going from 100 feet to 8,000ft in about four seconds.

The air festival is between August 29 and September 1.

Looking back

BOURNEMOUTH Air Festival has been thrilling the summer crowds for five years.

To mark the occasion, the Daily Echo is publishing a book filled with pictures of the action.

Bournemouth Air Festival: A Photographic Celebration of the First Five Years is a 178-page hardback featuring shots by our award-winning photographers.

It covers the festival from 2008 to 2012 and includes shots of all the aircraft in the annual event.

The book, which retails at £15.95, will be published on August 19, and you can pre-order it in any of three ways:

  • Visit bournemouthecho.co .uk/books and follow the links.
  • Call 01305 830924 to order by credit or debit card
  • Complete the form in the paper and send a cheque for £21.80 (including £5.85 postage)

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