RIAT Static display Photo bus?

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jasonT1981
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Joined: Fri 19 Jul 2013, 5:57 pm

RIAT Static display Photo bus?

Post by jasonT1981 »

Never been to RIAT before, but family members have. Reading through older programme guides it mentions a 'Photo bus', an open-top bus tour of the static display.

Is this still offered at RIAT? If so, what is the price?

Seems like a good way to see the static displays without having to walk the full distance.

pb643
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Re: RIAT Static display Photo bus?

Post by pb643 »

The photo bus disappeared a good few years ago unfortunately. I can't recall which year, possibly after the Mig29 midair? I seem to have vague memories that they briefly reappeared for a year or two, but only operating at the very start and end of the day. I am sure somebody will be along with dates.

They were a great part of the old IAT's allowing you to get amongst the taxying and operating aircraft in the years when the North side of the airfield was packed.

One year I recall a Czech Tu154 turning just in front of the bus I was on, the entire crowd on the top deck dived for cover as we looked directly into the exhaust of the third engine.

Great fun, unlikely ever to return. I guess with the vastly reduced numbers of aircraft on the active side of the airfield, probably no longer required :sad:

Phil

Edit: Just to correct one point, the photobus allowed access to the active side of the airfield, to the aircraft that would normally be unaccessable. Not around the static aircraft.

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HeyfordDave111
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Location: IAT 92

Re: RIAT Static display Photo bus?

Post by HeyfordDave111 »

Hi,

The photo bus actually ran from behind the stand that used to be in the park and view east (and a much missed grandstand too) all the way down the static, then across east end to the taxiway along side the hangars to the back of the hangars then back down the taxi way and round the live pan at the east, where the F35's etc were kept this year, and then back to P&V east.

It was always full, and the look down views onto aircraft either parked or taxiing by were something else to experience.

Like the stand, the busses stopped after I think 98 , and never to be seen again.

No explanations why, really. A bus company couldn't do it was the last I heard, and as for the grandstand I never did find out why that never re appeared.

Cheers
Dave
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WG655
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Re: RIAT Static display Photo bus?

Post by WG655 »

Have photos of myself on a photobus at RIAT 2002 (aged 5!) - this did go northside. Believe it was an arrivals day as there are also images of a German Iroquois hovering near to the bus.

Slappywag
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Re: RIAT Static display Photo bus?

Post by Slappywag »

WG655 wrote:Have photos of myself on a photobus at RIAT 2002 (aged 5!) - this did go northside. Believe it was an arrivals day as there are also images of a German Iroquois hovering near to the bus.

And show days. Went past the Trout that had parked up, and the Magister/TBM arrived back from Brize post G222 drama.

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jasonT1981
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Re: RIAT Static display Photo bus?

Post by jasonT1981 »

Thanks, the last programme I have seen any mention of it from was 2002 That was the year of the G-222 crash/hard landing.

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aviodromefriend
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Re: RIAT Static display Photo bus?

Post by aviodromefriend »

To the north side it was running until '03, and since then it returned for one year (don't remember which year) which had to be pre-booked (due to, as was said, US restrictions). Tours around the static were there for longer, I think it is two years now that they changed types of busses for the shuttles around the showground (which could be described as photo busses running along the static, if you climbed to the upper deck).
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MarkL
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Re: RIAT Static display Photo bus?

Post by MarkL »

2010 was the last Photobus I went on. I started with them on my first visit in '93 and sorely miss the experience.

Just feels like all the 'good bits' are being eroded away ;-(
HTAFC

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