RIAT 2018 discussion

[aviodromefriend]

F35, typhoon, spitfire and hurricane flypast?

I think they do these flights with US heritage aircraft, so I would guess a Mustang or something like that. Anyway, a cloud below a certain level can ruin the thing on the day, as we can know from last show. Maybe the RAF can pull this off with one of their own Lightning II(I)s

[Go4Long]

F35, typhoon, spitfire and hurricane flypast?

I think they do these flights with US heritage aircraft, so I would guess a Mustang or something like that. Anyway, a cloud below a certain level can ruin the thing on the day, as we can know from last show. Maybe the RAF can pull this off with one of their own Lightning II(I)s

Depends on who's flying the heritage aircraft, what they're rated for, and what's available I would imagine.

There's also discussions that the F-35 Heritage flights will include more passes by the F-35 this year.

[Tommy]

Good news. I'm softening to the F-35. It'll never be beautiful, but I still kind of like it.

It's quite interesting Re. the A-birds, because I was/am wondering how the F-35 participation at RIAT was going to play out - until now (subject to official confirmation etc) I think it was only gonna be RAF F-35Bs, so I was wondering whether it would be another deployment of RAF birds from the US, or would it be using the precious few that would have just arrived at RAF Marham.

So it would be cool to see whether this is a deployment of just F-35As, or whether they'll come across with some F-35Bs per 2016, or whether the As will be in country for a while doing all sort of other bits & bobs.

[Brevet Cable]

There's also discussions that the F-35 Heritage flights will include more passes by the F-35 this year.

Oh, goody.....more of the USAFHF's impersonation of the BBMF Lancaster -- fly up the runway...turn around...fly down the runway...turn around...repeat until all the crowd's fallen asleep...

Not exactly a good way of showcasing their super-duper, all-singing-all-dancing wonder-aircraft, is it.

[edhunter]

Please forgive me for being slow, but have they not got the f-35 as a demo flight like the f-22 now.
The reason why mention this is did they not perform a demo flight at the Paris airshow last year, so I would have thought they'd perform that along with the heritage flight?

[boff180]

Please forgive me for being slow, but have they not got the f-35 as a demo flight like the f-22 now.
The reason why mention this is did they not perform a demo flight at the Paris airshow last year, so I would have thought they'd perform that along with the heritage flight?

That was a display by an LM test pilot.

[Go4Long]

Please forgive me for being slow, but have they not got the f-35 as a demo flight like the f-22 now.
The reason why mention this is did they not perform a demo flight at the Paris airshow last year, so I would have thought they'd perform that along with the heritage flight?

That was a display by an LM test pilot.

Billie Flynn. Really cool guy, I've met him a bunch of times. He usually comes up to Abbotsford and hangs out at the LM tent.

I think they're trying to get the Heritage flight somewhere between what they're doing with it now and the full on demo they did with it at Paris.

While I agree with the above comments that it's not exactly beautiful from some angles, it's hard to deny that from some angles it's pretty cool.


F-35 Sunset by Steven Szabo, on Flickr

[Tommy]

While I agree with the above comments that it's not exactly beautiful from some angles, it's hard to deny that from some angles it's pretty cool.

Preach, dude. I agree. Aircraft don't have to look beautiful to look cool. See the A-10.

Photographically, I quite like the way the sharp edges and straight lines of the likes of the F-22 and F-35 can cut the light so cleanly across the machine. It's especially apparent when said machines are on the ground.

[CJS]

Nice addition to the flying (although IMHO they all are!).

Anyone else think that the underside of the nose of the F-35 looks a bit like an SR-71?







Fair enough

[Airshowhammer]

i know i might be clutching to straws but do you think we might see the A10 also added to link up with the heritage flight?

[Wrexham Mackem]

Sadly you are rather clutching at straws - an A-10 in the heritage flight would need the ACC demo pilot to be flying it. And we know he won't be here.

Nice announcement though. It'll be interesting to see which P-51 does the honours with the UK's stock somewhat depleted.

(edit with massive speculation:.. unless the Horsemen are back at Legends with imported P-51s, as per last year)

[Flare Path]

Maybe the same one as in 2016, Miss Helen - providing it's OK to fly (this year) after the minor September incident?

Presuambly, there's only a select number that are signed off to be part of the HF anyway and that particular airframe would be the obvious choice, one would think.

[The Baron]

Sadly you are rather clutching at straws - an A-10 in the heritage flight would need the ACC demo pilot to be flying it. And we know he won't be here.

Nice announcement though. It'll be interesting to see which P-51 does the honours with the UK's stock somewhat depleted.

(edit with massive speculation:.. unless the Horsemen are back at Legends with imported P-51s, as per last year)

Could be a second time lucky for Berlin Express if it's fixed. Bearing in mind it's Legends the same weekend there is the potential for a European mainland based example too.

[Tommy]

Maybe the same one as in 2016, Miss Helen - providing it's OK to fly (this year) after the minor September incident?

Presuambly, there's only a select number that are signed off to be part of the HF anyway and that particular airframe would be the obvious choice, one would think.

Miss Helen would’ve been my presumption, too. What else is there; “the Shark”, or TITS?

I think it only matters re. the qualified pilots, rather than the airframe (though, the airframe’s owner needs to be happy to let someone else fly her, I suppose, and I thought I recall reading about PT being a bit picky over who flies his machines - could be wrong though).

[vulcanshammer]

TITS

[Wrexham Mackem]

I would expect the Shark's RAF markings ruling it out from a USAF heritage flight, and quite rightly so.

I agree, Miss Helen is favourite if airworthy, but she currently isn't. Although its just occurred to me that Berlin Express is still at Dux and therefore still likely to be there come July I guess, again, subject to airworthiness.

Lets wait and see

[Berf]

I would expect the Shark's RAF markings ruling it out from a USAF heritage flight, and quite rightly so.

I agree, Miss Helen is favourite if airworthy, but she currently isn't. Although its just occurred to me that Berlin Express is still at Dux and therefore still likely to be there come July I guess, again, subject to airworthiness.

Lets wait and see

Maybe it's a shared heritage being the RAF's 100th

[Red Dragon]

i know i might be clutching to straws but do you think we might see the A10 also added to link up with the heritage flight?

Currently there is a squadron of A-10’s in Afghan again. They deployed there back in January this year they transited via Spain to get there. So we might be lucky enough if all the stars align correctly to get a static A-10 (obviously depending on what their rotation date is) it I have to agree I don’t think we will see a flying A-10 in the show, even if the type was based here for years.

[Milguy22]

Maybe the same one as in 2016, Miss Helen - providing it's OK to fly (this year) after the minor September incident?

Presuambly, there's only a select number that are signed off to be part of the HF anyway and that particular airframe would be the obvious choice, one would think.

What about Big Beautiful Doll? Do I recall that doing something at RIAT with a heritage flight. Might be mistaken though.

[TijnvandeBeld]

Maybe the same one as in 2016, Miss Helen - providing it's OK to fly (this year) after the minor September incident?

Presuambly, there's only a select number that are signed off to be part of the HF anyway and that particular airframe would be the obvious choice, one would think.

What about Big Beautiful Doll? Do I recall that doing something at RIAT with a heritage flight. Might be mistaken though.

If I’m correct Big Beautiful doll crashed in 2016 resulting in w/o....

[Pringles]

Maybe the same one as in 2016, Miss Helen - providing it's OK to fly (this year) after the minor September incident?

Presuambly, there's only a select number that are signed off to be part of the HF anyway and that particular airframe would be the obvious choice, one would think.

What about Big Beautiful Doll? Do I recall that doing something at RIAT with a heritage flight. Might be mistaken though.

If I’m correct Big Beautiful doll crashed in 2016 resulting in w/o....

Try 2011

[TijnvandeBeld]

Maybe the same one as in 2016, Miss Helen - providing it's OK to fly (this year) after the minor September incident?

Presuambly, there's only a select number that are signed off to be part of the HF anyway and that particular airframe would be the obvious choice, one would think.

What about Big Beautiful Doll? Do I recall that doing something at RIAT with a heritage flight. Might be mistaken though.

If I’m correct Big Beautiful doll crashed in 2016 resulting in w/o....

Try 2011

I just read a post on internet stating that there were actually 3 P-51’s painted to represent Big Beautiful Doll. One is on static display in the IWM, the other two sadly crashed, the first during Flying Legends (2011) and the other in 2016

[Pringles]

Maybe the same one as in 2016, Miss Helen - providing it's OK to fly (this year) after the minor September incident?

Presuambly, there's only a select number that are signed off to be part of the HF anyway and that particular airframe would be the obvious choice, one would think.

What about Big Beautiful Doll? Do I recall that doing something at RIAT with a heritage flight. Might be mistaken though.

If I’m correct Big Beautiful doll crashed in 2016 resulting in w/o....

Try 2011

I just read a post on internet stating that there were actually 3 P-51’s painted to represent Big Beautiful Doll. One is on static display in the IWM, the other two sadly crashed, the first during Flying Legends (2011) and the other in 2016

Ah I see, believe that was in Arizona, July 2016

[harkins]

Waited all week and finally it's Thursday again! Can they keep up the early pace with another participant announcement , or is it time for the first dignitary announcement?

In the past week we have seen self confirmation from the USAF Heritage Flight and less officially the Belgian F-16 pilot said on Facebook that "for sure we will be at RIAT this year" (which is perhaps little surprise). Although he also stated that he'll be in the loop "as soon as possible! I cannot miss that opportunity to get so amazing pictures!!"

[rdchawk]

Waited all week and finally it's Thursday again! Can they keep up the early pace with another participant announcement , or is it time for the first dignitary announcement?

In the past week we have seen self confirmation from the USAF Heritage Flight and less officially the Belgian F-16 pilot said on Facebook that "for sure we will be at RIAT this year" (which is perhaps little surprise). Although he also stated that he'll be in the loop "as soon as possible! I cannot miss that opportunity to get so amazing pictures!!"

Add to that the self confirmation of the Patrulla Aguilla