Viewing points

[riot1]

Hi All - 1st post!

I was wondering if there's anywhere to park up and view the airshow without going on base - like the various fields & farms around RIAT.

On google maps I can see on the opposite side of the airfield there are what appear to be some country lanes ( Bineham lane & Pyle lane) however I can't find anything anywhere to say there are any good offsite viewing areas.

Any help would be appreciated.Obviously I don't want to annoy the locals by parking up on their street!

[MrAngry2]

Why not just go in to the show?

And I have a feeling that that as a first post will not go down to well.

[VLAD]

I'm afraid Bineham Lane and Weir Lane (and therefore access to Pyle Lane) will have road closures in place with access to residents only, who have all been issued with passes.

[Lomcevak26]

Why not just go in to the show?

Indeed!

[riot1]

Why not just go in to the show?

And I have a feeling that that as a first post will not go down to well.

What's the difference with Yeovilton & RNAS? Plenty of advice and tips of where to watch the displays off site for that show.

I have been on base for the past 3 years, however this year is likely to be a very last minute decision if I do go so I was just wondering if there's anywhere a little further out where I could watch for a bit from. No offence or disrepect in my first post was intended, it was just a question.

[AlexC]

Last time I went to the Air Day I went on base in the morning (therefore paid) and in the afternoon for the flying display I left the car in the car park and walked around to the 27 threshold. It's not that far, and you can view from the south. Hopefully the sun will be out!

[stranexuk]

Weather looking good for Friday so planning a trip up to get some arrival pics. Appreciate people saying "just go in" but as I understand it, entry is not until early afternoon thus precluding arrival pics. Also, is the viewing location on base still northside? Obviously not great for photography on a sunny July day?!

Is it still possible to enter the field by the 27 threshold or is the out of bounds on the Friday? Believe there may also be a location slighty SE of that field (near a footbridge over the stream?) which may allow approach shots...anyone confirm this?

[AlexC]

I've been in the field on Friday's, but not recently. Viewing the display is still from the north on base, not good.

[DeconflictionService]

As someone who has the priviledge of working in Air Traffic at VL, PLEASE don't go standing in the approach to Rwy27.......
If anything happens you are not covered by any insurance should anything go wrong. I have seen a few people standing on the fence line & get a BIG shock sometimes....

[stranexuk]

Thanks MM1072 but I too work in Air Traffic and have "operational" experience with miltary jets.

I'd like to think we ALL have enough commom sense (?) to know we shouldn't stand right under the approach and in deed that we are not covered by any insurance should anything go wrong (!)

However, as this isn't MOD land, and the vast majority of togs will want to stand away from the direct approach to take pics, I presume the Navy, MOD or ATC have little say in the matter?

So long as people exercise common sense, don't stand directly under the approach path & don't attempt to sue the MOD or claim on their travel insurance if an a/c crashes on their head, I presume this location is still availablle and, due to the sun behind you, offers 200% better photo oppourtunities of arriving a/c than being "on base"?

I appreciate the "health warning", but please.......we're not american

[Hardcase]

MM1972 are you going to post up a programme of arrivals for the Friday? Would be great if you could if your in the know...

[AlexC]

I appreciate the "health warning", but please.......we're not American

When I've been there the folks on the base regularly come out and advise quite forcefully people who are directly under the approach (and there are often quite a few of them, despite not being American as far as I'm aware!) to move away.

[trebleone]

There were several people directly under the approach on last year's arrivals day, both at the fence and out in the 'sheep field' .....

[AlexC]

There were several people directly under the approach on last year's arrivals day, both at the fence and out in the 'sheep field' .....

Do you think they were American?!

[trebleone]

Do you think they were American?!

Dunno ..... it was just a little too noisy to hear their accents

[AlexC]

Dunno ..... it was just a little too noisy to hear their accents

[stranexuk]

Obviously my veiled comments relating to the American compensation culture and nanny state did not get taken in the way they were meant.....

[AlexC]

Obviously not. With respect it was a crass remark to make. Your implication that America is a nanny state, and we are not is inaccurate in my opinion.

[Mictheslik]

Sheep field at 27 is good for arrivals.....just don't stand under the approach as they are quite low by then.....

As someone who has the priviledge of working in Air Traffic at VL, PLEASE don't go standing in the approach to Rwy27.......
If anything happens you are not covered by any insurance should anything go wrong. I have seen a few people standing on the fence line & get a BIG shock sometimes....

Please tell the Rafale pilot to land on the runway this year



.mic

[Requiem]

I have just been in the field at Rwy 27 end awaiting the Vulcan to arrive which has sadly gone tech . Just before we left at 12:30 a white van was trundling around the field putting out cones . I caught up with the van and was informed the fields will be shut off on Saturday but the bloke was unsure about Friday . He reckoned there will be police on the gates to the field . Damn drat and blast !

[stranexuk]

Alex C, with respect, you still are only hearing what you want to and not reading my post as it was meant.

" American compensation culture and nanny state" related to;

American compensation culture
Nanny state

I should have been more explicit but when referring to a nanny state, I did mean the UK.

Anyway, enough of this bickering.....as I understand it, there is a public footpath running through said field under the approach so I beleive the police are unable to deny access? If you decide to wander from the footpath that is of course a different matter! Guess we will find out soon enough....

[trebleone]

....as I understand it, there is a public footpath running through said field under the approach so I beleive the police are unable to deny access? ....

I've just been looking at an OS map of the area and can't see a public path marked - granted it's an old 1" map, but it's rare for new FP's to be created over farmland. The legend on the map states: "The representation on this map of any other road, track or path is no evidence of the existence of a right of way"

On a legal note - the police have the power to close a road - is there any reason why they can't also close a footpath?

And a related question - is ok to use the Friday Photocall 'holding area' car park for the day and walk to the fence on the south side of the approach, then enter the base on the second entry slot 17:00-17:30 ?

[DamienB]

If the police could close off private land and public footpaths willy nilly they would have done so before this year. Your cone man was talking a load of cones...

[Requiem]

Thats what I would have thought . He only laid out about 10 cones . One where the bridge crosses the river into the field with the landing lights and the other cones along the bridleway . Bizarre to say the least.

[Rotor]

Ah Andrew.
I did wave bye

See my thread Re cones
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=24699

Double drat they get everywhere!