Ian Allan Aviation Tours

28/10/2024

It is never too early to think about trips for 2025. Now on the website is France in the lovely month of June. The main feature is the excellent La Ferte Alais "D-Day" Airshow as well as a number of large collection museums.

The tour is now open for bookings.

21/10/2024

St Maarten, Sunday 23rd February to Saturday 1st March 2025.

Leave the cold British winter behind for a sun-drenched Caribbean island with the edge of the airport's runway leading onto the beach. It is famous world-wide for its airliner photography.

The tour starts at London Heathrow and on with KLM via Amsterdam to St Maarten.

The four star hotel that awaits you is fully inclusive with all meals and drinks, yes that's right all drinks included. So no need to budget extra for meals etc.

All details are on the website and bookings are open.

21/10/2024

Over the weekend the Turkish Air Force has invited COAP and Ian Allan Aviation Tours to a very rare opportunity to visit their F-4 Phantom base! They are holding a special two-day event at Eskisehir AB over 16th-17th November to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the TAF operating this famous, classic fighter.

As you know, IAAT is a sister brand of The Centre of Aviation Photography (COAP) and this trip is being run by COAP - we will not be doing a separate trip. Bookings will be done on the COAP website.

The tour departs on Friday 15th November and returns on Monday 18th November, with flights from London Heathrow Airport on British Airways scheduled service to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport; for those who wish to arrange their own flights there is a Land Only option (no flights).

This trip is being costed and is likely to be ready for bookings this afternoon, so please check the website accordingly, here it is:

Hot stuff! The Turkish AF 50th Anniversary of the F-4 Phantom II

11/10/2024

Some photos from our current trip in Alaska, starting off in Anchorage before heading up to Fairbanks, Palmer, Wolf Lake, Wasilla, Nenana and Chenna.

28/09/2024

The recent trip to Canada saw us travel the full length of Ontario (and a few miles into Quebec) covering pretty much the entire aviation scene out there over the course of the 2 weeks. Starting in the Toronto area, we spent the first day at the Toronto waterfront airshow. We then headed off to the Great War Museum at Brampton before a very productive visit to CFB Borden. Aside from the onsite museum and a wide selection of preserved aircraft around the base, we were pleasantly surprised to find the long line of recently retired RCAF Hawks.
Next up was the National Museum of the Air Force at Trenton, one of the highlights being its beautifully preserved Halifax and we then headed to Ottawa for two further splendid museums. The Canadian Aviation and Space Museum is remarkable in that its storage hangar has as many aircraft as the main exhibition hangar including a Beaufighter, Mosquito, Banshee and Liberator!
The next morning dawned fine and sunny as we watched the Thunderbirds do a practice display ready for the Gatineau Airshow but it then took a turn for the worse and virtually washed out the two planned visits to the show. We did get to see the Vintage Wings of Canada fleet and we belatedly enjoyed the very unusual sight of two low flypasts from a Nolinor 737 – not any old 737 but a 737-200, one of the oldest still flying.
On our journey from Ottawa we found 2 Turbo Daks at Oshawa and a polite request got us onto the ramp for some photos. Some free time in Toronto meant we could visit the CN Tower and catch a baseball game and a day at Niagara Falls followed before we headed to the Canadian Warplane Heritage collection at Hamilton. Our visit coincided with the arrival of the Red Arrows for some photo opportunities with the Lancaster – sadly the flypasts were over Niagara but we did get a rare ground formation.
One final museum in Windsor with yet another Lancaster (and Mosquito) on rebuild preceded our final 2 days at the London International Airshow. This time the weather did play ball and we had the ideal airshow experience with dedicated parking spaces on the crowd line at show centre. The US military participation was exceptional alongside various vintage acts and it was great to see a Hunter in a flying display once again. Inevitably the Reds and the Snowbirds provided the display teams for the third time on the trip!
Our departure day offered a chance to track down a few more preserved aircraft and do some photography at Toronto-Pearson before heading for home. Tour managers Chris, Keith and Mike would like to thank the whole group for their company and immaculate timekeeping. Apart from the weather at Gatineau, we covered everything we had planned plus a good few extras and left Canada with great memories. Hope to see you all again soon.

23/09/2024

CRUZEX TOUR to BRAZIL. Our tour departs Heathrow on Sunday November 3rd at 21.55. We attend Media Day on the 4th plus 5th/6th/7th & 8th. Some days will be on the base and others around the perimeter as we have done in the past.

We depart Natal, Brazil on the 8th and arrive back at Heathrow on the 9th November at 17.30.

Graham is currently working on the cost and will update the website shortly. If interested please e-mail him at;
[email protected]

13/09/2024

The Canada tour is approaching its conclusion with just a couple of days to come at the London International Airshow with both weather and line-up looking fantastic. Just a few phone pictures for now to give you a feel for what we have been up to. More to follow when we get back.

18/06/2024

Want to see the last flight of Martin JRM-3 Mars "Hawaii Mars" from Sproat Lake, Vancouver Island? It is scheduled for August 10th 2024.
The tour will be from the 8th to 16th August with possible visits to the British Colombia Aviation Museum (its new home) and the RCAF Comox Museum.
Interested then e-mail [email protected]

14/06/2024

Just back from the IAAT trip to the Tiger Meet at Schleswig. The weather tried to literally dampen our spirits at times but nonetheless we got some good action and photo opportunities. Thanks to all for the excellent company with some great banter alongside the rather good food and beers!

31/05/2024

Below is the latest information on our tours for the remainder of 2024, including THREE NEW TOURS.
24 AUGUST – 2 SEPTEMBER: Czech Republic & Slovakia: Kbely; National Tech; Vyskov and Zruc aviation museums. Two days on-base plus arrivals day (off-base), at the Slovak International Airshow. Itinerary with prices is now on our website: https://www.ianallanaviationtours.com/tours/czech-rep-slovakia . BOOKING DEADLINE: 15 JUNE

NEW TOUR – ALASKA: 6 – 14 OCTOBER: Propliner, Airliners and Freighters of Alaska, at Anchorage, Palmer, Wolf Lake, Fairbanks, Chena Lake, Nenana and Wasilla. Visit Merrill Field and Lake Hood. Alaskan Aviation Museum. Trans Northern, Everts Air Cargo, Everts Fuels, Desert Air etc. Click here: https://www.ianallanaviationtours.com/tours/propliners-airliners-freighters-of-alaskaNow BOOKING DEADLINE: 26 JULY

NOVEMBER: BRAZIL: CRUZEX 2024: will be held 2 – 17 November and we STILL await dates of official Spotters Days and media access. We return to the huge multi-national, joint air combat training exercise, hosted by the Brazilian Air Force on Natal AFB. Click here to see participants in previous years: https://www2.fab.mil.br/cruzex2018/index.php/en/ . BOOKING DEADLINE: 23 AUGUST

NEW TOUR – PHUKET, THAILAND: 1 – 6 DECEMBER. Its high season, and the weather is comfortably warm, and Phuket is at its busiest with 64 airlines operating from this famous resort airport. Our hotel, with its rooftop bar, swimming pool and snack bar, and with views over the airport, is only a 10-minute walk from the airport (or take the courtesy shuttle) and 10-minute walk from the famous sandy beach which passes the end of the runway. Option to extend your days at Phuket, Thailand, or in SE Asia. With an addition night costing only £55.00, B&B, in a single room this is proving to be a popular option. Click here to see the itinerary: https://www.ianallanaviationtours.com/tours/phuket-thailand . THIS TOUR WILL GO AHEAD

Interested in any of the above trips? Then why not go on to our website and make a booking!

2025:

NEW: 29 March – 8 April: USA: Tucson & Grand Canyon, Az and Nellis AFB Airshow, Las Vegas, NV. Starting in Tucson we visit the incredible collection of aircraft in the Pima Air Museum; the unique Missile Silo Museum; watch the action at the Arizona ANG base at Tucson Airport and Davis-Monthan AFB. Time also to see something of AMARG (9,000+ aircraft) – unfortunately, there are no more public tours, so we can only see it from the outside. Plus, we stay 2 nights on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon (optional helicopter flights). We pass the closed Planes of Fame East Museum, but google maps shows aircraft are still there, so we will stop. And in Las Vegas we attend both days of Nellis AFBs “Aviation Nation” airshow. Itinerary should be on our website by July. Email if interested.

NEW: 24 April - 5 May: MEXICO & TEXAS: Both days at “FAMEX Aerospace Exhibition & Airshow”; Museo Militar De Aviación, Base Aérea Military No 1 Santa Lucia; 2 free days staying at the Camino Real Aeropuerto Hotel at Mexico Int’l Airport; optional city tour; Lone Star Aviation Museum, Houston (optional warbird flights); aircraft carrier/museum “USS Lexington”, Corpus Christi; NAS Corpus Christi Airshow; visit to VT-21 & VT-22 (T-45s) on NAS Kingsville (TBC). Email if interested.

NEW: 2-13 JUNE: USA: Dayton, Reading, Dover & Washington DC. We visit the US Air Force Museum in Dayton; the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum and their WWII Warbirds Airshow Weekend; the large collection of military transport aircraft in the Air Mobility Command Museum on Dover AFB; the National Air and Space Museum (Smithsonian) in downtown Washington DC; and the incredible Udvar Hazy Museum out at Dulles Int’l Airport. There is also free time in DC. Itinerary should be on our website in the summer. Email if you are interested.

20-28 JULY: OSHKOSH: next year’s EAA Oshkosh takes place 21-27 July, and our tour spends 6 full days on Whitman Field. We have already got 20 enthusiasts on our “Interested” list, especially those wanting to stay in the Horizon Village. We expect to release the price of the tour in late October and there are already quite a few quite a few enthusiasts on the ‘Interested’ list already. Those on this list are not obliged to book until the fully costed itinerary has been placed on our website.

With at least 64 airlines currently flying into and out of Phuket, operating long, medium and short-haul aircraft, this airport is especially attractive for UK and EU enthusiasts. Many of the airlines are from around SE Asia – and Russia! THIS TOUR IS CONFIRMED; IT WILL GO.

24/05/2024

A journey to America's "Last Frontier", the largest state in the Union, Alaska, is now open for bookings on the website. The day-by-day itinerary as well as the costs are listed.

This is a great chance to see the propliners, airliners and freighters that operate in the number of locations to be visited during the tour.

The dates are 6th to 14th October 2024. Don't miss the opportunity to see the working propliners before they all, as they will one day, cease operations.

22/05/2024

New Tour: Phuket, 1-6th December 2024.

It’s a very popular destination with a busy international airport operating 30-40 aircraft movements an hour at peak times. Tour is costed and on the website. See below.

Anyone wishing to arrange their own transport at their own convenient times the land-only tour option is available for £490.

Any questions please reach out to Graham. Email: [email protected]

02/04/2024

Hello,

Below is the latest information on our tours for the remainder of 2024.

But first, our tour to Oshkosh is currently full and the prospect of getting additional air-conditioned rooms for this year is not good. We are already getting requests for places on the Oshkosh 2025 tour! The dates will be: departing London on 20 July, landing back on 28 July. Prices will not be available until possibly October, however, to reserve a room in either the Horizon Village or Fletcher Hall (both air-conditioned), you can email us now to register you ‘interest’ with no obligation to book. We will hold the room until the tour itinerary and prices are released and on our website, when you must then make an on-line booking and pay the required deposit - or forfeit the room.
The current status of our tours is:

21-29 JULY: USA: Oshkosh. Our annual pilgrimage to the largest airshow in the world, spending 6 full days at this mega event. We have already received a lot of bookings. We have no basic, non-air con rooms (Tour 405A), nor basic, air-con rooms (Tour 405B); and we have a waiting list for the Horizon Village (Tour 405C). Click to book: https://www.ianallanaviationtours.com/tours/oshkosh . Awaiting confirmation of additional rooms for Tour 405B. BOOKING DEADLINE: 12 MAY

7-16 AUGUST: GERMANY: Aviation Museums in Hermeskeil; Speyer; Sinsheim; Munich Schleissheim; Luftwaffe Museum, Gatow; Cottbus; and Finov/Eberswalde. Free days in Munich and Berlin. Full day excursion to Bad Reichenhall to visit the Kehlstein – Hitler’s “Eagles Nest” – in the Bavarian Alps. Itinerary changed to give more time at the Speyer and Sinsheim museums. Itinerary with prices is now on our website: https://www.ianallanaviationtours.com/tours/germany-museums . BOOKING DEADLINE: 29 MAY

24 AUGUST – 2 SEPTEMBER: Czech Republic & Slovakia: Kbely; National Tech; Vyskov and Zruc aviation museums. Two days on-base plus arrivals day (off-base), at the Slovak International Airshow. Itinerary with prices is now on our website: https://www.ianallanaviationtours.com/tours/czech-rep-slovakia . BOOKING DEADLINE: 15 JUNE

1-16 SEPTEMBER: CANADA: 100th Anniversary of the RCAF; Toronto, Ontario & Gatineau RCAF Airshows; 9 aviation museums around Toronto, Hamilton, Bordon, Trenton & Ottawa. Optional warbird flights with the Canadian Warplane Heritage, including their Lancaster, may be a possibility. Free day in Toronto. Due to a change in airshow dates we have moved around the itinerary but have retained all visits. Niagara Falls cruise now included. Tour price due imminently. https://www.ianallanaviationtours.com/tours/canada-100th-anniversary-of-rcaf . Several famous aerobatic teams will perform including Canadian, UK, Italy and the US. We now have half the number of bookings we need: keep em coming. An updated itinerary with new prices and flight details is now on the webpage. BOOKING DEADLINE: 23 JUNE

6-19 OCTOBER: JAPAN AIRPORTS: Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Hiroshima Osaka Kansai & Itami, Nagoya Centrair, Tokyo Haneda & Narita. By air, JR Express and shinkansen ‘bullet’ trains. Tour not as expensive as we feared! Itinerary with prices now on our website: https://www.ianallanaviationtours.com/tours/japan-airports .BOOKING DEADLINE: 28 JULY

NOVEMBER: BRAZIL: CRUZEX 2024: will be held 2 – 17 November and we still await dates of official Spotters Days and media access. We return to the huge multi-national, joint air combat training exercise, hosted by the Brazilian Air Force on Natal AFB. Click here to see participants in previous years: https://www2.fab.mil.br/cruzex2018/index.php/en/ . BOOKING DEADLINE: 23 AUGUST

Interested in any of the above trips? Then why not go on to our website and make a booking https://www.ianallanaviationtours.com

THE Tour Operator for THE Aviation Enthusiast

15/03/2024

Our epic two week trip to Canada in the year of the Royal Canadian Air Force's 100th anniversary needs just a few more bookings to achieve "lift-off". We take in three airshows and visit some of Canada's finest aircraft collections along with time to explore Toronto and visit the Niagara Falls. There will also be opportunities to fly in various vintage types and warbirds such as a Mitchell, Firefly and Canso if you wish.
The full itinerary is here... https://www.ianallanaviationtours.com/tours/canada-100th-anniversary-of-rcaf
and please book ASAP. For a taste of what we might get to enjoy, please see my post from last month. This will be a really special time to enjoy Canada's rich aviation heritage so if you have always wanted to do it, seize the moment!!!

15/02/2024

Our trip to the 2024 NATO Tiger Meet at Schleswig in June is now available to book. If you love lots of military fast jet action along with some amazing colour schemes, this is the trip for you and below are a selection of images from previous Tiger Meets to whet your appetite. The itinerary can be found here https://www.ianallanaviationtours.com/tours/nato-tiger-meet
Please book ASAP to guarantee your place. All photos by Chris Bosworth.

15/02/2024

Our epic two week trip to Canada in the year of the Royal Canadian Air Force's 100th anniversary is now costed and available to book. We take in three airshows and visit some of Canada's finest aircraft collections along with time to explore Toronto and visit the Niagara Falls. There will also be opportunities to fly in various vintage types and warbirds such as a Mitchell, Firefly and Canso if you wish.
The full itinerary is here https://www.ianallanaviationtours.com/tours/canada-100th-anniversary-of-rcaf
and please book in good time to get the best airfares. In the meantime here is a taster of what we might get to enjoy. Photos courtesy of Canada Aviation and Space Museum and the other museums and airshows involved.

05/02/2024

The trip to the NATO Tiger Meet in Germany, in June, is now on the website and taking bookings. Always a good event, don't miss it.

20/01/2024

SUN N FUN 24. The cut off date is in one weeks time. So any bookings need to be made by the 27th January.

If you are interested please contact Graham or via the website. Website and itinerary below.

Some of you may be aware of the big changes that has happened in the travel industry since Covid, with airlines, hotels and coach operators hiking their prices to unbelievable levels as they claw back lost income. In many cases, we must now pay non-refundable deposits, sometimes the full price, at the time of booking flights, rooms, and coaches.

“10 Weeks Before Departure Deadline”: this is for receiving the minimum number of bookings, to ensure the tour goes ahead. Last minute bookings can be made after the cut-off date, but please contact us ahead of time.

A fabulous tour featuring a multi-day airshow, an aircraft factory, some world-famous civil and military aviation museums and collections – and even a battleship!

15/01/2024

How about some of the world’s greatest aircraft museums, a renowned warbird airshow and some truly rare aircraft – sound good? That’s what our trip to Washington and surrounding areas offers in June this year.
We kick-off with 3 days in and around the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum to coincide with their annual WW2 Warbirds Weekend airshow. We will also see their P-61 Black Widow project on its way back to flying status.
Then we head to Washington DC to enjoy the delights of the National Air and Space Museum both in the Smithsonian section and the magnificent Udvar-Hazy Centre. We also fit in a trip to see the restoration of VC-121 “Columbine II” and the US Marine Corps Museum as well as free time to play the tourist in Washington.
If there is enough interest we could explore the option to extend the trip to take in the Museum of the USAF at Dayton. XB-70 Valkyrie anyone?
Photos below to whet your appetite courtesy of Gerry Manning and Chris Bosworth. Full itinerary and booking form on the website - https://www.ianallanaviationtours.com/tours/dayton-dc . Don’t delay – every tour needs a minimum number of bookings so the sooner you book, the sooner we can confirm everything. See you in June!

10/01/2024

Hello,

Some of you may be aware of the big changes that has happened in the travel industry since Covid, with airlines, hotels and coach operators hiking their prices to unbelievable levels as they claw back lost income. In many cases, we must now pay non-refundable deposits, sometimes the full price, at the time of booking flights, rooms, and coaches.

Our pleas over the years, that you book as soon as possible, have largely gone unheeded. But in light of the above, this has got to change - we simply cannot continue as before: bookings now do have to come in much earlier.

Below is the list of our 2024 tours and a “10 Weeks Before Departure Deadline”: this is for receiving the minimum number of bookings, to ensure the tour goes ahead. Last minute bookings can be made after the cut-off date, but please contact us ahead of time. Here are the tours with the deadline date:

400: 6-15 April: Sun N Fun: 27 JANUARY
412: 21 May-3 June: England: 12 MARCH
415: 21 May-10 June: England & D-Day: 12 MARCH
402: 4-10 June: D-Day: 12 MARCH
403: June: NATO Tiger Meet: 3 (tba) APRIL
404: 5-13 June: USA: Reading & Washington DC: 27 MARCH
405: 21-29 July: USA: OSHKOSH: 12 MAY
406: 7-16 August: GERMANY: 29 MAY
410: 24 August-2 September: CZECH & SLOVAKIA: 15 JUNE
408: 1-16 September: CANADA: 23 JUNE
409: 12-24 September: SOUTH AFRICA: 4 JULY
411: 6-19 October: JAPAN: 28 JULY
407: November: BRAZIL CRUZEX: 23 (tba) AUGUST

Please visit www.ianallanaviationtours.com

THE Tour Operator for THE Aviation Enthusiast

10/01/2024

It is time we had a new heading picture. This one is a Danish Air Force Merlin pictured at the Roskilde Air Show, Denmark last year. Thanks to Gerry Manning for the image.

04/01/2024

Now on the website and costed the tour to South Africa is open for booking. The dates are 12th to 24th September. It is some years since a tour to this wonderful country so if you have never been lots to see. To see the details just click on the link.

Featuring Africa's only aerospace exhibition and int'l airshow, plus major aviation museusm; airfields; optional flights; optional 4-5 day flying safari

21/12/2023

The tour to the museums of the Czech Republic and the Slovak air show in August/September is now on the website and bookings can now be made.

19/12/2023

For all fans of airliners, and I know there are lots of you out there, the tour to visit the airports of Japan from the 6th to 19th October is now priced and on the website awaiting bookings. For those who have not been, the airports of Japan are famous for their open viewing decks to photograph and spot the wide range of carriers not seen in Europe.

11/09/2023

Eight of next years tours are now on the website. They are however not yet costed but will give you an idea of some of the trips you can travel on in 2024.