RIAT 2019 wish list

[capercaillie]

Send one in for the Friday (maybe offload a flight of passengers at Fairford and buss them to LHR, then buss a bunch of passengers to Fairford for an evening flight to wherever BA wants it to go), then repeat it on Saturday with the second special and finish it off on Sunday with the third. I have to say, a formation of all three on only one day sounds less unlikely.

Non-starter I’m afraid. No way BA would even entertain having first and business class pax landing at Fairford rather than LHR, and bussing them. How to lose future custom fast! That’s even before thinking about the infrastructure and resources need to cope with a 747 full of passengers and baggage, that might be connecting on to other flights ex-LHR: Baggage handlers, Customs, Border Force etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B7Yd87j-0k
You're right, will never happen.

[harkins]

Surely that wasn't full of fare paying passengers departing on a scheduled flight to Santiago or somewhere was it? First class passengers presumably got use of the officers mess prior to boarding.

Must say I agree with Gonzo230 in that whilst I might be pleased to be diverted to Gloucestershire to be in the middle of an airshow, I doubt my wife would be as pleased to face a four hour coach journey to Heathrow for a connection to Manchester following a long haul flight just for the benefit of a few people who want to see an airliner at the Air Tattoo rather than heading to Heathrow themselves to see lots of airliners any hour of the day on 365 days of the year.

And I'm not sure the key to a successful Brexit is randomly diverting overseas nationals to random parts of the UK in the hope they'll plan a return for a holiday there as aviodromefriend suggested. That might be a good strategy for removing the need for extra runways as people avoid transiting through the UK at all cost.

[capercaillie]

Surely that wasn't full of fare paying passengers

I have a feeling it was supplying extra food for the FRIAT enclosure.

"So popular were last year’s Boeing 747-400 charter flights from London Heathrow Airport to the Royal International Air Tattoo that we hope to repeat them again this year. The flights, organised by the British Airways’ aircrew charity High Flight, helped raise £50,000 towards the Royal International Air Tattoo’s Flying Scholarships for the Disabled (FSD) charity."

[Skyflash]

BA 747s used to be regular visitors to the Air Tattoo; as recently as 2004 (possibly even 2005) there was one which used to arrive first thing on a showday morning, sit way up west at the top end of the airfield, then depart after the flying display, carrying (IIRC) a whole load of BA staff on some sort of pleasure flight paid for by the airline.

[harkins]

I have a feeling it was supplying extra food for the FRIAT enclosure.

I like that idea. Having lunch served on a plastic tray in the stand and so not needing to miss the Blades or RJF whilst heading to a burger van.

What would raise serious income for RIAT would be chartering military transports and flying in the punters from Brize Norton or Mildenhall. 'Park and Fly' if you like. Oh and para-dropped or fast-roped into the FRIAT stand so as to avoid mixing with the great unwashed. Terrific.

[AMB]

Surely that wasn't full of fare paying passengers

I have a feeling it was supplying extra food for the FRIAT enclosure.

"So popular were last year’s Boeing 747-400 charter flights from London Heathrow Airport to the Royal International Air Tattoo that we hope to repeat them again this year. The flights, organised by the British Airways’ aircrew charity High Flight, helped raise £50,000 towards the Royal International Air Tattoo’s Flying Scholarships for the Disabled (FSD) charity."

Perhaps it will be the 'BOAC' liveried 747?

[Gonzo230]

Surely that wasn't full of fare paying passengers departing on a scheduled flight to Santiago or somewhere was it? First class passengers presumably got use of the officers mess prior to boarding.

Must say I agree with Gonzo230 in that whilst I might be pleased to be diverted to Gloucestershire to be in the middle of an airshow, I doubt my wife would be as pleased to face a four hour coach journey to Heathrow for a connection to Manchester following a long haul flight just for the benefit of a few people who want to see an airliner at the Air Tattoo rather than heading to Heathrow themselves to see lots of airliners any hour of the day on 365 days of the year.

And I'm not sure the key to a successful Brexit is randomly diverting overseas nationals to random parts of the UK in the hope they'll plan a return for a holiday there as aviodromefriend suggested. That might be a good strategy for removing the need for extra runways as people avoid transiting through the UK at all cost.

Thank you harkins, at least someone actually read my post.

Coping with a 747 physically? No issue.
Coping with a 747 on a special charter? A bit more complicated, but doable,
Coping with a commercial operation that is arbitrarily moved from a major international hub at least 2hrs coach travel away? Non starter.

Anyway, given BA’s recent results announcement, they might be knee-deep in industrial action from engineers, cabin and flight crew to worry about attending RIAT.

[bfcmick]

Would love to see the Blue Angels. Missed out on them twice. Once at Finningley and once in Chicago both times due to the weather.

[Airshowhammer]

Would love to see the Blue Angels. Missed out on them twice. Once at Finningley and once in Chicago both times due to the weather.

Performing elsewhere on RIAT weekend. Starting to think will they ever cross the pond?

[borismorris]

Might as well throw a daft un out there- as a special nato anniversary present, let’s have the F-117 come back for an encore...

[Tmyers123]

Italian Tornado display, would love to see that come back.

[G-CVIX]

Hungarian An-26
German CH-53
BA BOAC 747
Special scheme F-15s

[bfcmick]

Would love to see the Blue Angels. Missed out on them twice. Once at Finningley and once in Chicago both times due to the weather.

Performing elsewhere on RIAT weekend. Starting to think will they ever cross the pond?

I know. Think I am destined never to see them!

[bfcmick]

Would love to see the Blue Angels. Missed out on them twice. Once at Finningley and once in Chicago both times due to the weather.

Performing elsewhere on RIAT weekend. Starting to think will they ever cross the pond?

I know. Think I am destined never to see them!

[bfcmick]

Would love to see the Blue Angels. Missed out on them twice. Once at Finningley and once in Chicago both times due to the weather.

Performing elsewhere on RIAT weekend. Starting to think will they ever cross the pond?

I know. Think I am destined never to see them!

[Airshowhammer]

Italian Tornado display, would love to see that come back.

Haven’t seen that mentioned anywhere!

[Danny]

Must be time to start the 2020 rumour?

The Blues have an open date on RIAT weekend and the only other major show currently scheduled in the US on those dates is the Duluth Air & Aviation Expo, which the Thunderbirds are already confirmed for.

Why don't the Navy Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds fly together?

Current Department of Defense policy states the use of military aviation demonstration teams is for recruiting purposes; therefore the teams usually do not fly within 150 miles of each other without special permission.

https://www.blueangels.navy.mil/faq/

With the Reds touring the US later this year, perhaps 2020 is the most likely year for an appearance for some time?

[flight79]

have the blue angels ever been to RIAT

[Abbo46]

Not to my knowledge, no.

Last displayed in the UK in less than pleasant conditions at Finningley in 1992, last in Europe for the 'Open Dagen' at Leeuwarden in 2006.

[CJS]

Would love to see the Blue Angels. Missed out on them twice. Once at Finningley and once in Chicago both times due to the weather.

Performing elsewhere on RIAT weekend. Starting to think will they ever cross the pond?

I know. Think I am destined never to see them!

Anyone else got a sense of deja vu today?

[CJS]

Might as well throw a daft un out there- as a special nato anniversary present, let’s have the F-117 come back for an encore...

Now that, that is a proper idea

[PanaviaTornado]

Italian Tornado display, would love to see that come back.

Do they still have a dedicated demo team? If so, I agree!

[G-CVIX]

French PC-21 would be a nice little addition.

[MarkEstus]

Serbian MiG-29 please

[Flyboy345]

After seeing its recent display at LIMA19 on YouTube, the Malaysian SU35 would be pretty incredible!