RIAT 2022 Discussion Thread

[JJC]

Am I right in thinking there are usually some rehearsals and validations after most of the arrivals wrap up Thursday afternoon?

[capercaillie]

Am I right in thinking there are usually some rehearsals and validations after most of the arrivals wrap up Thursday afternoon?

It depends what you mean by arrivals wrapping up really?

In 2019 for example the Romanians MiG21s and C-27J both arrived around the 6.00pm-6.20pm mark. MiG didn't fly a practice at Fairford at all.

A lot of the rehearsals happen in the early morning on Thursday before 10am if they've arrived the day before, with other display items that arrive Thursday usually in the pm slots.

[coanda]

I was just managing expectations a bit really - there was a time when Friday was full of movements still being an arrivals/practice day - now it's a public day that (tends) to have reduced things like that to focus on the displays.

Looking forward to RIAT more than I thought!

Gimme that £10 hot dog!

[Bodz156]

Am I right in thinking there are usually some rehearsals and validations after most of the arrivals wrap up Thursday afternoon?

Rehearsals tend to be spread across the 2 days at random....seen the RJFs rehearse Weds lunch-time for example, & Italian Typhoon I remember doing one on a Wednesday aftenoon, the Finnish Hornet last time rehearsed on both Weds (late) & Thursday (mid-afternoon). Validations (if required) usually happen late on Thursday after the FRIAT stand is cleared, USAF F-16 needed this in 2019. There's no definitive pattern to it in my experience.

[CJS]

Are validations even allowed in front of paying spectators (ie FRIAT members on Weds / Thurs)? Surely part of the validation is checking the routine is safe to be performed in front of people?

[Bodz156]

Are validations even allowed in front of paying spectators (ie FRIAT members on Weds / Thurs)? Surely part of the validation is checking the routine is safe to be performed in front of people?

No, not as I understand it. Hence they only tend to happen when the FRIAT stand is empty (Weds / Thurs late). Rehearsals can happen any time...

[verreli]

Perhaps just 3 updates remaining so we're getting to the sharp end of the participation announcements. There's a few highlights such as the Black Eagles, KC-390, Austrian Typhoon and regulars such as the Belgian F16 who put on a great display at Cosford and I always marvel at the panache from the RSV displays - but what's missing? I'd say there's nothing 'big' in the flying display (although the RSV Spartan is always a highlight) and there's no Soviet jet (although we have some helicopters). There's usually a set piece just after lunch but there's not been much discussion about what this could be yet or even if they'll be one this year. The natural thought would be something from the Americans due to the 75th anniversary but I'm not optimistic with the lack of rumours. Any ideas?

[Tommy]

Are the Black Eagles not a “big” highlight?

It’d be nice to see a USAF bomber in the flying in some guise.

[rdchawk]

Not sure if he meant big as in size. There are no heavies in the display other than rsv Spartan

[Bodz156]

Perhaps I'd say there's nothing 'big' in the flying display (although the RSV Spartan is always a highlight) and there's no Soviet jet (although we have some helicopters). There's usually a set piece just after lunch but there's not been much discussion about what this could be yet or even if they'll be one this year. The natural thought would be something from the Americans due to the 75th anniversary but I'm not optimistic with the lack of rumours. Any ideas?

Assuming you mean 'big' as in a large aircraft display, this is why the 757 was such a loss last week....with the Airbus A400M demo strangely absent this year (1st time since....the year it had a fleet-wide engine issue?) there isn't anything larger than the C-27J that comes even semi-regularly to RIAT's flying display.

Hoping for some USAF home-based flypasts maybe....
Or is it too outlandish to hope for the 70 flypast of Typhoons to be re-created at Fairford on maybe the Friday (weekend seems like a push for all the aircrew required)....
From what DBH seem to be saying I'd say there are a few flying acts still unannounced personally, but maybe I'm wrong...I don't count the minutes up.

[bobby 1211]

Weird that there's no A-400M. I wonder if DBH didn't invite them, or if the team rejected attending RIAT.

[Jameslw1993]

Weird that there's no A-400M. I wonder if DBH didn't invite them, or if the team rejected attending RIAT.

The A-400M wasn't confirmed until the 27th of June in 2019. So it may still be announced.

[Bodz156]

Weird that there's no A-400M. I wonder if DBH didn't invite them, or if the team rejected attending RIAT.

The A-400M wasn't confirmed until the 27th of June in 2019. So it may still be announced.

Possibly, however the update last week indicated they "had no space for civilian flying acts" on the weekend days....so that would rule it out, other than a Friday only appearance maybe (which I can't really see happening)

[verreli]

Yes, I was meaning size rather than status when referring to 'big'. The 70 formation for Friday is an interesting thought but surely that would just annoy the Sat/Sun crowd and even then, what could fill the slot on those days? Friday is also looking low on confirmed acts (I know, 4hr+ vs 8hr). Perhaps there's a few things still to be confirmed / last minute negotiations and/or a few things up the sleeve?

It's my first time attending on three show days (and after a two year gap) so perhaps speculating /anticipating more than normal...

[JMC]

Verreli - Given the circumstances of world this year, what Soviet jet could we realistically of expected aside from perhaps the Polish Mig 29 (which would’ve been a pipe dream considering they might flog em all to Ukraine) or Fitters? Which have never been regulars. Perhaps the Slovakian Mig-29 but from what I recall haven’t displayed in years.

The only possibility of a Soviet jet in the flying is if India decided to rock up with a Flanker, and we know that’s about as likely as a German Mig 29.

With regard to the A400, it’s most likely that DBH haven’t not invited them or Airbus have rejected, it’s just perhaps they don’t have a display worked up this year? (Seeing as it’s a Farnborough year I wouldn’t see why not)

I think we’ll see a unique addition like in 2013, that’s out the blue like a KC767 flypast with Typhoon’s. No one expects stuff like that, but when it does get announced it’s like ‘damn that’s cool, didn’t even cross my mind!’

[Mike]

Verreli - Given the circumstances of world this year, what Soviet jet could we realistically of expected aside from perhaps the Polish Mig 29

Are they even still operating them? They've been noticeably absent from even Polish events this year, and their demo teams aren't posting anything at all.

[Tommy]

One was due to display in Spain this weekend, and another on static in Denmark (I presume as well as the Polish show taking place) but it’s been pulled from the static at the Danish airshow (haven’t checked the others).

[CJS]

Weird that there's no A-400M. I wonder if DBH didn't invite them, or if the team rejected attending RIAT.

The A-400M wasn't confirmed until the 27th of June in 2019. So it may still be announced.

Possibly, however the update last week indicated they "had no space for civilian flying acts" on the weekend days....so that would rule it out, other than a Friday only appearance maybe (which I can't really see happening)

To most people that wording is clear and unambiguous. However, you could argue that the A400M is (by its very designation) a military aircraft, and therefore gets around the announcement of no civil aircraft rather nicely.
#clutchingatstraws

[verreli]

Verreli - Given the circumstances of world this year, what Soviet jet could we realistically of expected aside from perhaps the Polish Mig 29...

I wasn't suggesting we'd get a Soviet jet this year, just that for the last several years we've been lucky to have one in the flying display and this is missing this year.

As for large aircraft, the A400 isn't the only possibility, even with the little time remaining this year.

[Bodz156]

Yes, I was meaning size rather than status when referring to 'big'. The 70 formation for Friday is an interesting thought but surely that would just annoy the Sat/Sun crowd and even then, what could fill the slot on those days? Friday is also looking low on confirmed acts (I know, 4hr+ vs 8hr). Perhaps there's a few things still to be confirmed / last minute negotiations and/or a few things up the sleeve?

It's my first time attending on three show days (and after a two year gap) so perhaps speculating /anticipating more than normal...

I agree that a Friday only flypast would maybe upset the Sat/Sun crowd, but it's the old 'can't please everybody' situation...and wouldn't be the first time. In 2018 the big RAF100 flypast was a Friday only thing until the weather intervened & nobody saw it!

Plus, what better way to encourage Friday ticket sales.... (Saturday sold out already, Sunday bound to get close). Friday's only a half show, so it'll be Black Eagles, RAF displays, plus a few other weekend acts who are happy to do the extra demo (no idea who they'll be). There'd be room for a Jubilee flypast in there. I just wonder about getting enough aircrew/aircraft given the other commitments the RAF have with NATO currently....

Large aircraft....easy to forget we do have a C-130 that will be flying around for a bit with 2 Typhoons in tow.

[CJS]

Verreli - Given the circumstances of world this year, what Soviet jet could we realistically of expected aside from perhaps the Polish Mig 29...

I wasn't suggesting we'd get a Soviet jet this year, just that for the last several years we've been lucky to have one in the flying display and this is missing this year.

As for large aircraft, the A400 isn't the only possibility, even with the little time remaining this year.

For a flypast perhaps not, but I'm struggling to think of anything else heavy that could conceivably offer a display.

Actually - we have the Austrian C-130 in the flying display don't we? Pretty sure they count as heavy!

Also, this has been bugging me for a bit - why is the Dragon Rapide down as a 'visitor'? Is it flying in (bringing VIPs or whatever) then sitting live side until it goes again? It seems that the operator, Scillonia Airways, offer pleasure flights, often from OW, but I don't recall that ever happening at RIAT.

Any ideas anyone?

[verreli]

Actually - we have the Austrian C-130 in the flying display don't we? Pretty sure they count as heavy!

Good shout. Missed that one.

[CJS]

Actually - we have the Austrian C-130 in the flying display don't we? Pretty sure they count as heavy!

Good shout. Missed that one.

I think me and Bodz edited our posts at the same time!

[Bodz156]

Pretty much

[danspuggti]

We won’t get a Polish Mig-29 as the Polish Air Force are listed on the Air Tattoo website as NOT attending this year