RIAT 2017 (Discussion & Participation Thread)

[Airwolfhound]

I gather that one of the many things being considered as a possible theme for next year is the evolution of the combat helicopter through various conflicts. Oooo that'll mean lots more helicopters on show. Very much looking forward to seeing wall to wall helicopters there

[Airshowhammer]

I gather that one of the many things being considered as a possible theme for next year is the evolution of the combat helicopter through various conflicts. Oooo that'll mean lots more helicopters on show. Very much looking forward to seeing wall to wall helicopters there

Wouldn't tell AFC that

[AFC]

I gather that one of the many things being considered as a possible theme for next year is the evolution of the combat helicopter through various conflicts. Oooo that'll mean lots more helicopters on show. Very much looking forward to seeing wall to wall helicopters there

Wouldn't tell AFC that

Noooooooooo. Why RIAT, why??!!

[Adie1980]

I gather that one of the many things being considered as a possible theme for next year is the evolution of the combat helicopter through various conflicts. Oooo that'll mean lots more helicopters on show. Very much looking forward to seeing wall to wall helicopters there

I thought the theme was the 70th anniversary of the USAF??

Helicopters....

[aviodromefriend]

I gather that one of the many things being considered as a possible theme for next year is the evolution of the combat helicopter through various conflicts. Oooo that'll mean lots more helicopters on show. Very much looking forward to seeing wall to wall helicopters there

Ah, just let the Mildenhall style MC-130 to Special Ops Helicopter AAR demo/flypass return, but also during the weekend this time!

[Leadfoot]

Hi,

Could you please help me out a little?

A friend and me are planning to visit RIAT for the first time in 2017, an we are a bit lost... We are familiar with large airshows, but RIAT is in a league of its own, I guess.
The first step would be to book some accomodiation - but where? I mean, which settlements are the most recommended?
We are coming from abroad - in your opinion, should we rent a car, or can we rely on public transport? Are there buses to RIAT (other than the ones from Swindon)?

If this is not the right place to ask such questions, could you perhaps recommend a site/forum where such info are summerised?

Thanks in advance!

[Slappywag]

Hi,

Could you please help me out a little?

A friend and me are planning to visit RIAT for the first time in 2017, an we are a bit lost... We are familiar with large airshows, but RIAT is in a league of its own, I guess.
The first step would be to book some accomodiation - but where? I mean, which settlements are the most recommended?
We are coming from abroad - in your opinion, should we rent a car, or can we rely on public transport? Are there buses to RIAT (other than the ones from Swindon)?

If this is not the right place to ask such questions, could you perhaps recommend a site/forum where such info are summerised?

Thanks in advance!

Anywhere within 20-30miles are mostly fine; it's a nice part of the country and not the North/Wales etc
Best off with a car depending on the amount of time you're spending over.
Buses only operate from Swindon unless you're looking for a coach tour? Fairford is pretty rural so public transport links can be quite limiting.

[Luke28]

Swindon would be the logical place to get a hotel, these sell out fast around the new year though, you can jump on the excellent shuttle bus from here, you also have direct trains to London and Cardiff.

[iainpeden]

Hi,

Could you please help me out a little?

A friend and me are planning to visit RIAT for the first time in 2017, an we are a bit lost... We are familiar with large airshows, but RIAT is in a league of its own, I guess.
The first step would be to book some accomodiation - but where? I mean, which settlements are the most recommended?
We are coming from abroad - in your opinion, should we rent a car, or can we rely on public transport? Are there buses to RIAT (other than the ones from Swindon)?

If this is not the right place to ask such questions, could you perhaps recommend a site/forum where such info are summerised?

Thanks in advance!

pm sent

[flight79]

Swindon is your best bet I stayed in Travellodge 5 mins from the bus station for me show days and departures are the best

[aviodromefriend]

How do you want to enter the UK?

If by aircraft I would recommend the Heathrow-Swindon coach by National Express (if you end up in Swindon), unless you're in a wheelchair, but that is another off-topic story. I doubt if hiring a car is cheaper than that one. Also you will have someone driving that is used to driving on the left side of the road. But if you also want to go to the other days than the official showdays all that changes, as there are hardly any possibilities to travel to Fairford I can think of except taxis.

This year (2016) there were also busses running from Gloucester, but these weren't as regular as the ones from Swindon (IIRC there were three times a day when they left). But of course this can change for 2017.

So booking accomodation is not the first thing to do, you have to make up your mind about when you want to go first. (Having that will also make it easier to book your accomodation, as those might like to know when you arrive and leave while booking.)

[Leadfoot]

Thanks for your reply!

We will fly, that's 100%, but we don't know the destination airport at this point - that depends on the fares in the spring. Most probably Luton (Wizz) or Stanstead (Ryanair). After some consideration, and your input, we decided to rent a car (a small car is fine for us), as we also plan to be there on some of the arrival/departure days. Of course, I will be able to arrange the rental once we know the details of our flight.

Thanks again!

[mikek]

Book a hotel ASAP if you are planning to stay anywhere near the show!

[boff180]

Indeed book while you can, the Hotels are once again ripping people off for 2017.

This year my hotel charged me £495 for six nights in a double room with breakfast. Was told the proposed cost for 2017 yesterday..... £890!

I've managed to get a decent hotel in Burford for £594... still a £99 increase and further out from the base away from Blue route

[phantomphan92]

Indeed book while you can, the Hotels are once again ripping people off for 2017.

This year my hotel charged me £495 for six nights in a double room with breakfast. Was told the proposed cost for 2017 yesterday..... £890!

I've managed to get a decent hotel in Burford for £594... still a £99 increase and further out from the base away from Blue route

Having the same problem, usually stay in Swindon (well, M4 junction 16 anyway), makes it easier for going out in the evenings for food and going places on the non-airshow days. Hotels we normally use are already wanting a fortune for next year. In fact they're looking for the same as you're being quoted to stay in Burford!!

[CJS]

It stinks but it's supply and demand. They'll charge what they can get away with charging, which I guess you could argue is just good business acumen.

Although as Andy has demonstrated there is the risk that you get it wrong and it backfires.

[mikek]

It stinks but it's supply and demand. They'll charge what they can get away with charging, which I guess you could argue is just good business acumen.

Although as Andy has demonstrated there is the risk that you get it wrong and it backfires.

'good' business acumen & systems that can squeeze the last drop. simply checking prices can push the price up if a few ppl do it.

[st24]

Indeed book while you can, the Hotels are once again ripping people off for 2017.

This year my hotel charged me £495 for six nights in a double room with breakfast. Was told the proposed cost for 2017 yesterday..... £890!

I've managed to get a decent hotel in Burford for £594... still a £99 increase and further out from the base away from Blue route

That's beyond scandalous. I'd stay at the highwayman on the A417 if I was you - at least you'd feel that getting robbed was more legit in a place of that name.....

[play it cool]

This year we stayed in a cottage nearby at Ampney Crucis. Fab location - on the Sunday we got to our car when the last act started and were at our accommodation before they'd finished. Next year we're staying slightly further out at Cirencester - again another cottage and will stay there a week. It works out no more expensive than a bog-standard hotel and gives us so much more room etc.

[capercaillie]

This year we're staying slightly further out at Cirencester - again another cottage and will stay there a week. It works out no more expensive than a bog-standard hotel and gives us so much more room etc.

I've some bad news for you, the show was four weeks ago.

[Mul]

It stinks but it's supply and demand. They'll charge what they can get away with charging, which I guess you could argue is just good business acumen.

Although as Andy has demonstrated there is the risk that you get it wrong and it backfires.

Not really, if a company has a smaller output (in this case customers) at a higher price then they will have lost revenue due to the fact that they haven't successfully maximised their profits.

I am assuming here that people aren't paying the price increases and gone elsewhere. If they are paying it then they are supplementing the local oligopoly.

[CJS]

Your assumption is exactly the point I was trying to make. Any b&b, hotel or whatever within a certain radius of FFD is going to know that they'll sell out very quickly indeed, especially if they've been at it a while. Ergo, they have plenty of time to see if their raised prices will work before dropping them if they don't.

Like I said, I agree with it not one bit, but if I thought I had a chance of selling the same number of rooms at a higher price, I'd be daft not to try.

Of course the long term risk is that your reputation goes down the pan, but when did you last get customer service which focused on the long term? Exactly

[tankbuster]

I would say if the accommodation prices are scary. Don't worry too much about being so close. I live 90 miles away and takes me 90minutes on Saturday morning from home to parked up so there are loads of places closer but not on the doorstep that will be available for sensible rates and still in easy driving time.

[phantomphan92]

I would say if the accommodation prices are scary. Don't worry too much about being so close. I live 90 miles away and takes me 90minutes on Saturday morning from home to parked up so there are loads of places closer but not on the doorstep that will be available for sensible rates and still in easy driving time.

We did that one year and like you we found it relatively easy, it was the year we only went Saturday and Sunday. I considered further away this year because of the hotel prices in Swindon but when I worked it out, driving there and back on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday would have cost me more in fuel than the extra cost of the hotel, stung either way in the end I figured I may as well pay the hotel more money, at least we'd get back quicker and onto the beer sooner

[Skyflash]

I would say if the accommodation prices are scary. Don't worry too much about being so close. I live 90 miles away and takes me 90minutes on Saturday morning from home to parked up so there are loads of places closer but not on the doorstep that will be available for sensible rates and still in easy driving time.

This is fine if you are just doing the public days.

If you are planning on doing arrivals, with the attendant bonkers early starts, then you'll want to be as close as possible to avoid having to get up in the middle of the night. 5am starts for those of us fortunate enough to stay nearby are bad enough...