stonesfan wrote:And before anyone mentions 'real world' 'cutbacks' etc, how did Yeovilton manage to put on such a fantastic display? Is it a case of those who are organising it are simply better than those at RIAT?
Weather Gods and security issues asside.
Presumably peoples level of expectation and hype play their part, I doubt too many people thought before-hand that yeovilton
would be a "fantastic" show this year and the participation list was initially even thinner than last year...
before the MiGs and SVix were added to the lineup. Those editions; plus the shorter but quite varied display and willingness to do something different (558 + vix formation) meant that relatively low levels of hype and expectation were exceeded. Result, lots of happy people, dispite lack of static, aviation stalls etc. Proves that it only takes 1 or 2 star items to make a lot of people sing a shows' praises. Only downside now is that VL will have alot to live up to in 2012! Good luck guys
RIAT has to live with the yoke of permanently high expectations, with people wanting more, bigger more diverse and better lists every year, no matter what the world situation, any drop off in the lists, for what ever the reasons, be they legitimate/ understandable or not, Will always cause disapointment. I rekon that its maybee become a victim of its own success, It could never have lived up to the highpoints of the 90s in the last few years, but to keep the punters coming, the show has to hype itself up to seem like it will be as good as it once was, in this much they are deluding themselves, joe public and alienating their core entusiast support by padding the show out with tat. That hype plus the memories of the 90s means that expectations are always high. Result, lots of disapointed people.
The apparent failure to have a contingency plan for appauling weather on saturday morning seems pretty poor In my eyes.
I would have thought that whatever happens you should make every possible effort to be sure your star items are displayed.
Even at the expense of your regulars. Theres one thing for sure, whatever happens, however much you annoy the RAF, the tutor and king air displays will be around next year so dont be scared to reschedule them!
.
What I also cant understand is why there seems to be nothing really unique to match the Vulc-Vix formation with this years display. I mean, is it beyond the wit of man that the finale could be...i dont know.... the vulcan followed by the reds with a vulc-reds formation in, between? It could have been the RIAT trademark for the last 3 shows...just an Idea?!.
Take the spitfire-typhoon duo last year...very original and very appreciated. MORE of the same sort of out of the box thinking please RIAT.
I think they might be spreading themselves too thin in some respects, they dont need large numbers of trainer teams and civils padding out the flying. Just CONCENTRATE on getting 1 or two really special FLYING military items that, YES, would cost alot but really make the show stand out, which i presume VL must have done to get the polish Migs.
Furthermore one should always put ones core support, the ENTHUSIAST first, filling the show with perfume stalls,
music stages, cars and furnature will do nothing to create a good "air-minded" vibe.
I guess whatever happens in the next few years we're going to have to be content with less in terms of numbers,
but we dont have to put up with less in terms of quality and the show day experience itself.
Fine...if you cant get the current military aircraft, get the aviation traders, the cockpitters, get the military statics out of museums, get the balloons!, make it the anual air-fest it should be, not just a "day at the corporate fair with a few aircraft thrown in" as it increasingly seems to be!
I guess its time for a RIAT re-appraisal by everyone, get realistic, dont be scared to downsize, get some originality back, get back to the AVIATION roots that should be at the core of the show, get rid of the distractions and get it into your heads that its quality not quantity that matters nowerdays. The next 2 years will be crucial I rekon. Please change for the better while theres still some good will left! Just wish I had some hope that any of the above or any other of the criticisms on this forum would be listened to by those who really can make a difference.
Sorry for the ramble....My 2 cents!...probably a few contradictions but at the end of the day...still a worried for the future krusty!