riat past and present.

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edhunter
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riat past and present.

Post by edhunter »

What has been your favourite riat, favourite aircraft, got you into riat, your first riat, your best photo and what you consider to be the best moment at riat?

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phreakf4
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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by phreakf4 »

Don't have a "favourite" (R)IAT, enjoyed all those I have attended (almost all since mid 1970s at Greenham, even 2008! I think I have missed 2). What got me into (R)IAT was a love of aircraft and of photography .Don't have a favourite aircraft either. Best photo is probably one I haven't taken yet and favourite moment would be the B-1 double roll or the Bear/tanker arrival......
nothing is confirmed at a show until its u/c hits the tarmac or it is running in for its display.....

tuska2
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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by tuska2 »

I would echo phreak4's nicely put response, but '93 and '97 would rank pretty high for top years, but it has to be said that even the "lesser" years have given us
some Gems, both in terms of aircraft and "moments" too many for me to rank in order, just hope it keeps on coming! I think the rolling B1 was a Cottesmore?

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Skylinerworld
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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by Skylinerworld »

I'd been to a few RIATs before, but RIAT 2006 probably started it off properly for me, was the perfect airshow in my eyes!
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Tangoringo
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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by Tangoringo »

Two for me.
One was 95 with the finale set piece to commemorate the 50th anniversary of VE Day. The sight and sound of all the a/c lined up on the runway with heli’s hovering just behind followed by the missing men flypast and the reds v break with Spit/109/ mustang flying through left me gobsmacked and quite emotional. Pure aviation theatre and a wonderful commemoration.
Secondly, and for more simple reasons I think it was IAT 89 ( poss 90 ) The Unipart Fournier Duo flying to Pink Floyd’s Shine on you crazy diamond in perfect blue skies was mesmerising. This combined with the reds and Concorde The departure days with the SR71 low departure and just the sheer variety was incredible. I sincerely hope I’m not combing 3 years worth with this last choice as my memory is shot to bits!!

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capercaillie
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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by capercaillie »

Tangoringo wrote:Two for me.
One was 95 with the finale set piece to commemorate the 50th anniversary of VE Day. The sight and sound of all the a/c lined up on the runway with heli’s hovering just behind followed by the missing men flypast and the reds v break with Spit/109/ mustang flying through left me gobsmacked and quite emotional. Pure aviation theatre and a wonderful commemoration.
Secondly, and for more simple reasons I think it was IAT 89 ( poss 90 ) The Unipart Fournier Duo flying to Pink Floyd’s Shine on you crazy diamond in perfect blue skies was mesmerising. This combined with the reds and Concorde The departure days with the SR71 low departure and just the sheer variety was incredible. I sincerely hope I’m not combing 3 years worth with this last choice as my memory is shot to bits!!


Your last three are all the same year, it was 1985 though, the first Fairford IAT. :up: A big show but oddly with one of the least number of countries participating since the early North Weald days.
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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by boff180 »

I have 2 key memories.

IAT 93 - My first ever IAT/RIAT and the year of the Bear. Whilst the crash will stay seared in my brain for life (the second aircraft just missing the campsite my mother was on at the time) my happiest memory of the day was meeting the Russian pilots of the Bear who posed for a photo with me wearing one of their giant hats!

RIAT 2008 - I was lucky enough to win a FRIAT draw for a ride-along in a follow me vehicle during the quiet period whilst the RAF 90th Parade occurred. Not only did I miss the infamous downpour but I got to shoot all the flying assets up close and personal. It was a brilliant experience. Later that day it was followed up by the Queen leaving the airfield, when she appeared the entire FRIAT stand erupted into a spontaneous Standing Ovation for her including three cheers... the Queen then stopped and acknowledged the FRIAT members prior to boarding her helicopter. Despite the rain it was a great day.

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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by Tangoringo »

capercaillie wrote:
Tangoringo wrote:Two for me.
One was 95 with the finale set piece to commemorate the 50th anniversary of VE Day. The sight and sound of all the a/c lined up on the runway with heli’s hovering just behind followed by the missing men flypast and the reds v break with Spit/109/ mustang flying through left me gobsmacked and quite emotional. Pure aviation theatre and a wonderful commemoration.
Secondly, and for more simple reasons I think it was IAT 89 ( poss 90 ) The Unipart Fournier Duo flying to Pink Floyd’s Shine on you crazy diamond in perfect blue skies was mesmerising. This combined with the reds and Concorde The departure days with the SR71 low departure and just the sheer variety was incredible. I sincerely hope I’m not combing 3 years worth with this last choice as my memory is shot to bits!!


Your last three are all the same year, it was 1985 though, the first Fairford IAT. :up: A big show but oddly with one of the least number of countries participating since the early North Weald days.


Haha. Thanks Capercaillie. So near, yet so far!
Quite scary to think that was nearly 33 years ago. :shock:

flight79
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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by flight79 »

German F4F for the past and for the future the F35 :rock: RIAT 2001, RAF Cottesmore for me

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convair
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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by convair »

First for me was 74 - Still remember that lightning take off.
Best.. I think it must be the Ukrainian TU-22 (1998?)

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Skyflash
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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by Skyflash »

First RIAT was 2003, and the amazing '100th anniversary of flight' celebration with all the museum pieces, absolutely brilliant. :clap:

Favourite RIAT: possibly 2006 (that weather... :cool: ), although 2012 runs it very very close indeed. The '12 flying display maybe lacked a standout item like the OVT from '06, but it was perhaps a more rounded airshow, with a fabulous, full static park which contained, of course, a B-2A.
:rock:

I should also acknowledge that the '08 airshow would potentially have been a classic had the weather not knocked the hale thing sideways. Such a pity.
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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by CJS »

2007 was my first. Seeing the F-117 and B-1b flying was pretty cool from that year. Leon Creese in the King Air in 2009, the Japanese P-1 debut, likewise the F-35 were 'I was there' moments. Best photo I sincerely hope I haven't taken yet.

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rdchawk
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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by rdchawk »

1985 was my 1st - So many highlights to name, 1 that does stand out is the B1B being rolled in the vertical at a RIAT in Cottesmore.
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aviodromefriend
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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by aviodromefriend »

edhunter wrote:What has been your favourite RIAT,
'99
edhunter wrote:favourite aircraft,
Bone
edhunter wrote:got you into RIAT,
stumbling upon an advertisement of an airshow-travelorganisation that offered trips to the airshow IAT (actually, before that I thought it was a get-together of people that had aircraft tattoos all over their body :oops: )
edhunter wrote:your first RIAT,
'96
edhunter wrote:your best photo
Deffo not one taken at RIAT.
edhunter wrote:and what you consider to be the best moment at RIAT?
B-2A landing in '97. Shocking to see for real what a short aircraft it was/is.
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Wrexham Mackem
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Re: RIAT past and present.

Post by Wrexham Mackem »

edhunter wrote:What has been your favourite RIAT,


What a difficult one to answer. As much as I'd love to say ATI 92 at Boscombe Down, I'm disqualifying it from being an IAT, although it 99% was. I've been asked this question lots and more often than not I say 95. The theatre of the air concept worked brilliantly in the finale, the breath and depth of participation was stunning and the weather was sublime. Subjective, of course.

edhunter wrote:favourite aircraft,


Again, too hard to call. Let's go for the SR-71.

edhunter wrote:got you into RIAT,


It was before the internet, but back then the airshow scene was very well documented in the magazines of the day. It was the generally held wisdom that IAT was a must-see event. Also one which was every other year until 94, adding incentive to get there or wait an awful long time for the next one.

edhunter wrote:your first RIAT,


IAT 83, so I caught the last event at Greenham Common. I'm pleased I did, if only to be able to fairly compare the venue to Fairford over the years.

edhunter wrote:your best photo


Loads of them. There have been some great moments over the years at a venue that suits the camera. Couldn't pick one though. Unless I was to allow myself Kvotchur's Boscombe arrival. (which I won't).

edhunter wrote:and what you consider to be the best moment at RIAT?


As above, discounting Anatoly Kvotchur's incredible arrival at Boscombe in 92, it could be the 95 VE Day set piece, Red Arrows and Concorde formation in 85, SR-71 ripping the place up a handful of times but most memorably 89, Bear in 93, Black Eagles in 2012, or even the B-2 arcing topsides of 2017. I could go on and on.

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