Friday advice please

[farnboroughrob]

Hi I am taking my dad on the Friday for the first time in many years, we normally do P&V on Monday. He is nearly 80 although he doesn't look it, and I could borrow my mum's disabled badge, tut,tut . So basically we want to have minimum walking (like everybody else!) so what time would we need to get there to park on base(coming from M4)? Will struggle to get there much before 7:30-8am at the earliest. Not bothered about getting on the crowd line we will take a slow walk round the static watching the flying as we go.

[speedbird2639]

I would say your best bet is to contact DBH and explain the situation and I'm sure in view of the old fella's age they would be agreeable to including your party in the on base parking provision.

They did go through a phase of having no on base parking. Then it was reintroduced for those with mobility issues and since then as the volume of the static line has decreased there has been a gradual move back towards all/ the vast majority of parking being on base. However I did see something when they released the showground map that said there was likely to be an increased volume of static compared to recent years which also seems to hint that some people may have to utilise off base parking once more.

Alternatively there are free buses which travel around the show ground which might alleviate some of the walking.

[play it cool]

There's disabled parking near the blue entrance, but you'll have to show eligibility to qualify in advance. Even then there's a good distance to walk - it's unavoidable really.

I reckon if you get there by 07:30 there'd be a good chance of parking on base but it possibly depends which route you go.

[farnboroughrob]

Thanks guys I will drop them a email.

[skidd40]

Don't think we can compare it with last year last year remember there was shorter flying display and green zone was closed off , but the rarest thing ever happened got there at 9:30 and parked in first field from the Blue route and didn't queue at all ..... they go and spoil it by making it desirable to attend on Fridays now

[Brevet Cable]

Silly question....
If you want minimum walking & aren't bothered about getting to the front of the crowdline ( and if DBH are unable to help with regards parking ) why not use the Shuttle Bus from Swindon?

[Mr Benn]

Im planning to go on tje Friday as well, and wondered how far away i will have to park. Similar as above i dont plan to get there till about 9.30..10. Will it be a case of having to take all my bags with me as too far to go back to the car ?

[Brevet Cable]

Depends which zone you arrive at & what you'd class as too far.
Take 'Blue', for example...
If you look on google/bing maps ( or whatever ) and look directly South of the runway, you'll see a series of 4 fields running diagonally to the left of High Street ( https://www.bing.com/maps?osid=ab845837-467f-46b5-bacc-df1c830758d1&cp=51.676621~-1.782634&lvl=16&style=h&v=2&sV=2&form=S00027 ) -- those are the car parks for 'Blue'.

[Wrexham Mackem]

I'm planning to go on tje Friday as well, and wondered how far away i will have to park. Similar as above i dont plan to get there till about 9.30..10. Will it be a case of having to take all my bags with me as too far to go back to the car ?

Your car will be parked outside of the show ground entrance gates. To go back to the car parks you'll be getting a pass out, then re-rentering through security etc once again. Its quite a distance and quite a faff. I'd recommend taking your day's gear with you and going back to the car only if you really really need to.

[farnboroughrob]

Just a update, kudos to RIAT on this one. After explaining the situation that my dad doesn't have a blue badge as my mum does but she wont be there, they have sent me a disabled parking badge. So hopefully my dad wont be going to the medical tent, unlike last year!

[Mr Benn]

Thanks for the replies guys. Tempted to carry a foldable chair so if cant go back to car to get it then i will just take it all in one go with my drinks n snax. Will look like the guy off carry on camping

[Airwolfhound]

Thanks for the replies guys. Tempted to carry a foldable chair so if cant go back to car to get it then i will just take it all in one go with my drinks n snax. Will look like the guy off carry on camping

Along with 50,000 other people I reckon then

[Brevet Cable]

To do it properly you'll need a 'bomb trolly' ( or two ) stacked about 4' high with half a ton of junk.