RIAT 2019

All you'll ever need to know about the UK's biggest airshow
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Go4Long
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by Go4Long »

I think the most recent fast pass kings would have to be Ramex Delta on the Sunday 2016 (who did it side by side with one of the jets pulling out of it at show center and generating a nice transonic crack), and soloTurk on the Thursday of 2017 who rolled out over the campsite.

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harkins
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by harkins »

jason82wells wrote:What do we make of this?

Personally, I can't think of anything involving them exciting me. :snack:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/airtattoo/status/1133680471274078208[/tweet]

Maybe they went to say they'd changed their mind and ask for their money back and will spend it on something exciting instead?

mark_aviation wrote:
Abbo46 wrote:Display with one of 2Excels' 727s would be decent. :up:


You know, you might be in with a shout there... I wouldn’t be against seeing a 727 in the flying :up:


The 727? Really? The Blades and an old airliner at the Air Tattoo? That's like having tickets for Glastonbury and hoping the Sunday night headliners are a barbershop quartet.

Flare Path
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by Flare Path »

jason82wells wrote:What do we make of this?

Personally, I can't think of anything involving them exciting me. :snack:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/airtattoo/status/1133680471274078208[/tweet]


Disappointing. Granted, some well respected pilots (past and present) are involved in the show, but this is simply a case of putting themselves above the event - they're a member of the RIAT staff, so why are they endorsing acts they may be connected with? Messy. Furthermore, I'm concerned large amounts of civilian items RIAT rely on to sponsor the show, is causing a loss of identity - an unwillingness to fund stand-out participants; The Blades are not one of those. The acceptance that aircraft not that interesting turning up to simply make up the numbers is the way I see this event going. Unfortunately, RIAT is already in a bad place because they have big commitments to those who sponsor the event to enable it to exist as it does. More than ever, It's now a case of the same stuff each year, but this year is worse and I find that concerning.

*My opinion does not solely reflect on the addition of The Blades this year, that would be poor form on my half. Generally, it's becoming a far less exciting event and some things need changing. I don't think that will ever happen now, the event is too much for an Individual or the RAF as a whole and less about it being the best airshow every year.

3enrique
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by 3enrique »

I really do hope that all of you who don't stop complaining don't attend this year's show. The less packed the crowdline is, the better for the rest.

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Gonzo230
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by Gonzo230 »

Putting themselves above the event?

Crikey.

In 2017, ‘One of the team dropped into see the Ukrainian Air Force at their home’ was a true statement as well.

Don’t hear any complaints or aspersions then.

Why not wait to see what the story is before judging?

Oh no, wait, what am I saying? Sorry, forgot myself for a moment there.....

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CJS
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by CJS »

Also, it simply says they are a pilot. Not, "who is also one of the Blades pilots".

Also also, they're booked to display, why on earth wouldn't DBH be endorsing them? :dunno:

I'm all for opinions and, you know, having them and everything. But if every tweet / email / semaphore message sent out is met with this...well, it just gets a bit boring frankly.

I'm no particular fan of The Blades, but I'm also not about to start bashing DBH for booking what is an increasingly popular airshow display team - their goal, after all, is to fill up all three days with paying punters and therefore make as much money as possible, so that their donation to RAFCT is the highest it can be.

If they think that The Blades might help them do that, so be it. If they think that a tweet about visiting The Blades might sell an extra 300 tickets (see what I did there...) then good on them.

As for the 727 display - "an old airliner" eh harkins? Have you ever seen it's display? What if it was an Indian P-8 (AKA a 737) or a South Korean A330 MRTT?

If it did ever display at RIAT, the 727 (if the display was the same as when I saw it) would knock the spots of quite a few military 'heavies' that have displayed in the past.

Right, rant over. You're all perfectly entitled to your opinions of course (but then, I'm entitled to my opinion of your opinion :wave: )
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CJS
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by CJS »

IATthenRIAT wrote:Could the first bits of equipment have come in earlier today - A reach flt C-17 landed from Edwards/Andrews AFB and they off loaded two pallets of stuff.


Just Trump's fake tan I'd have thought. Probably avoids import tax or something by landing at Fairford. :joystick:
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G67
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by G67 »

CJS wrote:If they think that The Blades might help them do that, so be it.


I sincerely doubt that any Generic UK Family will be booking an expensive day at RIAT on account of that team. Why noy just wait for the Little Winterdon Village Fete and see them for free?

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Abbo46
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by Abbo46 »

United Kingdom flashing on the Invited Nations Page, I'm going for RAF statics today.

Luke28
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by Luke28 »

Not saying your wrong regarding potential RAF statics but I think its flashing because of the F-35 flypast announcement

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Abbo46
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by Abbo46 »

Most likely is, had completely forgotten about that. :lol:

AngryAndyPandy
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by AngryAndyPandy »

G67 wrote:
CJS wrote:If they think that The Blades might help them do that, so be it.


I sincerely doubt that any Generic UK Family will be booking an expensive day at RIAT on account of that team. Why noy just wait for the Little Winterdon Village Fete and see them for free?


Perhaps you're right. Or perhaps they want a mix of their favourite display teams and fast jets over a full and extensive day of aviation. Advertising them, either way, can only help their cause even if a minority of enthusiasts find an issue with it.

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CJS
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by CJS »

G67 wrote:
CJS wrote:If they think that The Blades might help them do that, so be it.


I sincerely doubt that any Generic UK Family will be booking an expensive day at RIAT on account of that team. Why noy just wait for the Little Winterdon Village Fete and see them for free?


You've completely misunderstood my post.

I never said I thought The Blades would sell more tickets, I am saying that a tweet (should that be a capital T by the way :dunno: ) that highlights their attendance doesn't need to be leapt on by the anti-RIAT crew quite so readily.

No one is going to see that Tweet (nah, lower case I think...) and think "right, I'm not going to bother going now. Not now someone who works for DBH has gone to visit them," (at least, not unless you're a UKAR member).

My post was also not about The Blades participation at RIAT, so can we please not start all that up again. :surrender:

edit: my post crossed with yours AngryAP
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harkins
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by harkins »

As this is a long and pretty boring post, I'll just say here that I'm defending my disinterest in non military aviation - especially at RIAT. You can just move on to guessing today's announcement if you'd prefer.

CJS wrote:As for the 727 display - "an old airliner" eh harkins? Have you ever seen it's display? What if it was an Indian P-8 (AKA a 737) or a South Korean A330 MRTT?


I haven't seen it display but, I have read often and seen on YouTube that it's a good display. I don't doubt that. However, for me I'd rather see a sedate display by one of those other types for sure. I know that I'm a bit of a dinosaur and all that, but for me RIAT is all about modern(ish) military aviation. That's what I like and RIAT is the only place really that I can hope to indulge my (weird) interest in aircraft specifically serving or recently serving in air arms. There are quite a few other airhows where there's a good chance of catching Pitts specials, Extras, 727s and warbirds. There isn't really any other airshow where you can even hope to see Indian or Korean military hardware. Maybe if I was fortunate enough to have the time and funds to add NTM's, Sanicole, MAKS, trips to Nellis or even days at the fence at Lakenheath or Lossiemouth as quite a few posters on here and FC are fortunate enough to do, then perhaps I'd be less fussed about it being military only. I live very close to Manchester airport and it's a good airport for viewing and photography. But I just have no interest at all in it. It's weird really. An A330 with 'something airways' written on it is boring, yet paint it grey, write 'something air force' on the side in another shade of grey and have a tube poking out the back and I want to see it.

Anyway, despite this, I do accept that increasing amounts of civilian acts are now necessary to maintain a 7 hour plus flying display and a large static gathering - and a good chunk of people there are happy with that (although I suspect a lot of them couldn't care less what aircraft are there as they wouldn't know the Blades from a Blackbird - it's just a day out). I shall just use things like the Blades performing flypasts with a 727 or whatever might happen for a mooch around the static and tat stands. So it's not a catastrophe.

Just one other thing whilst I'm going on with myself. I often read in here that 'enthusiasts' are some tiny minority of people through the gates at Fairford. I'm not convinced that is quite so. Yes, there are swarms of trolley dragging families who are there for the stalls and fairground as much as the airplanes but, when you walk around, there are huge numbers of camera wielding chaps with RBF tags on bags that are enthusiasts to varying degrees and do care a bit more about what pitches up. And they're the ones that tend to stay to the end. It's the soaked/sunburnt familes that drag themselves and their tired and fed up kids back to their cars and miss whatever the last 4 or 5 displays are.

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phreakf4
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by phreakf4 »

Harkins,

A fairly balanced post putting forward your point of view, but I would take issue with your last point. Survey after survey has shown that the great majority of those attending any air show do not consider themselves to be "enthusiasts" (or to use the more common term "plane spotters"). There are a few exceptions, such as Bruntingthorpe and Old Warden (and possibly Flying Legends) but mostly this has been shown to be the case.

I can not understand the reluctance of so many enthusiasts to accept this point especially since it works in the enthusiast's favour in that the more tickets sold, the more "adventurous" the organisers can be in attracting rare or unusual flying/static participants.

I have made the point before that if, just occasionally, the enthusiasts taking up the first (and at big shows often the second and third rows) at the crowdline bothered to look behind them and actually notice the crowd they would realise that most of the crowd are not wielding "big-lens" cameras, indeed many will be using a mobile or tablet whilst far more will not be recording images at all.

As to the point about the "general public/family groups" leaving the venue early, how does this affect you? It is common to see large parts of the crowd depart following their favourite display (usually the Red Arrows but such as the two Lancasters also come to mind) . The only thing I think when I see that happening is "That's a load less congestion getting out of the car park after the show ends then".
nothing is confirmed at a show until its u/c hits the tarmac or it is running in for its display.....

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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by MiG_Eater »

I agree with both prior posts - but, in the spirit of finding a happy medium - I was once a sunburnt kid being dragged around, or at least that's what it looked like to an outsider. I was actually deeply interested in aviation and cared a lot about the participation of airshows, even as a young child.

I don't always carry a camera around with me - and sometimes bring my own (hopefully not sunburnt) children with me who I hope will also grow up to enjoy aviation.

My point is that looks can be deceiving. Many camera wielding maniacs are much more interested in photography than aviation, and many families of four are actually much more enthusiastic about aviation than they might appear!

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aviodromefriend
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by aviodromefriend »

CJS wrote:I am saying that a tweet (should that be a capital T by the way :dunno: )
CJS wrote:No one is going to see that Tweet (nah, lower case I think...)
Capital in German, lower case in all other languages I know. I would say.
phreakf4 wrote:The only thing I think when I see that happening is "That's a load less congestion getting out of the car park after the show ends then".
Problem at Fairford is that that congestion is still around on that small country roads surrounding that airfield when the show finishes.
Last edited by aviodromefriend on Thu 30 May 2019, 11:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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mark_aviation
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by mark_aviation »

Today we can confirm a diverse mix of static aircraft! The USAF will be sending a B-52H and KC-135, whilst the Royal Air Force have confirmed a Voyager tanker and Hawk T.1 from RAF Leeming. Also joining will be a QinetiQ owned PC-21, operated by the Empire Test Pilot School.

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Abbo46
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by Abbo46 »

B-52! :clap:

edhunter
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by edhunter »

cracking update today

bobby 1211
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by bobby 1211 »

no b1-b :wall: but I am very happy to finally see a B-52
Also is the RAF only sending 3 statics?

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Abbo46
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by Abbo46 »

bobby 1211 wrote:Also is the RAF only sending 3 statics?

If so, very concerning.

Andyperkins
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by Andyperkins »

bobby 1211 wrote:no B-1B :wall: but I am very happy to finally see a B-52
Also is the RAF only sending 3 statics?


At the moment yes but that number is bound to increase.

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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by edhunter »

bobby 1211 wrote:no B-1B :wall: but I am very happy to finally see a B-52
Also is the RAF only sending 3 statics?



i suspect they will be sending more but they don't confirm all airframes in one go.

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aviodromefriend
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Re: RIAT 2019

Post by aviodromefriend »

edhunter wrote:
bobby 1211 wrote:no B-1B :wall: but I am very happy to finally see a B-52
Also is the RAF only sending 3 statics?



i suspect they will be sending more but they don't confirm all airframes in one go.
Well, they have always confirmed in one go in the past, and hardly increased their number, only cancelled some.
Last edited by aviodromefriend on Thu 30 May 2019, 11:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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