AT 2010’s weather-hit Bournemouth Air Festival, it was the agile aerobatic planes that still managed to show off in the skies.

One already confirmed to return in 2011 is the SWIP team, which flies lightweight Twister aircraft.

In the pilots’ seats are Peter Wells and Guy Westgate.

Peter said he always wanted to be an aerobatic pilot, so he did it all himself – the planes, which are the brainchild of German brothers Thomas and Matthias Strieker, were built at his firm, Zulu Glasstek, in Buckinghamshire.

Peter has performed at Bournemouth several times – last year in a glider – and this year the pair will do a pyrotechnic display during the evening shows on the Thursday and Friday of the festival – being held from August 18 to 21 – plus a daytime performance on the Saturday.

The Twister in action at last year's Air Festival

He said Bournemouth was a great event for the team: “It’s probably the best air show in England from our point of view. It’s the best location and the best organised and it’s turned into the biggest.”

The aircraft will reach a maximum height of 1,000 to 1,100ft during their performance – something that meant they could still display during last year’s bad weather.

“The show we do with the Twister is much more close to the crowd because we’re slower. We can actually do a full air show at a height where the Red Arrows struggle to do a flat display.

“The Twister is a small, compact little plane and we’re always changing, so this year at Bournemouth there will be pyros but also something else as well,” added Peter.

Pete started flying when he was 15 and flew gliders before moving into powered aircraft.

Guy has been flying aerobatic planes since 1993 and his day job is flying 747s for British Airways. He has won many gliding competitions and met Peter in 2008, when the current team was born.