July 3rd - Fly Navy

[PJ1]

A very enjoyable show.
Arrived around 8.45. was put in a holding line (Line 4). Speaking to the ticket lady the staff were on site around 2 hours before most got there, but they were understaffed to what they would have liked.
Gates opened late, but only by about 10 minutes. Lines went in in sequence, and as each line went in, the gate was letting in traffic from the driveway to take its place, so seemed pretty organised to me.
I never thought a highlight would be helicopter based display teams but for me all the helicopters made it.
I think in days gone, they would have been the toilet break as we would have been viewing them in venues like, Mildenhall, IAT, Alconbury or even Duxford, where in the context of long crowd lines, they got lost. For venues like Shuttleworth though they worked a treat.

[UKAirshowTour]

So somebody criticised them on Facebook about them criticising the getting in process and how they’ve been deleting comments that were negative and that comment and mine have conveniently vanished too. Sounds like this wonderful management team don’t like being criticised honestly it puts a dampener on the day and makes me really consider going again if that’s their attitude to negativity

[Ian G]

I was however concerned about that large marquise and enclosure that was erected along the crowd line, is that the shape of things to come (echoes of Headcorn last weekend)?

I'm sure there was something similar at one of the Fly Navy shows a few years back?

Anyway a pleasant day out yesterday, great to be getting back in to the swing of going to shows again! It's a shame the lovely weather disappeared right at the start of play which put paid to many photographic opportunities, but that being said it was nice just to sit back and watch displays, especially the Sea King - oh how I've missed that sound! I thought the displays were flown beautifully, many of them very close and low, just how it should be at OW. The only exception was the Bearcat and possibly something else which I can't remember now (I had gin last night and am paying for it even now) but that did seem quite distant. There were some very nice top side passes on most as well though so for the photographers amongst us, we can't grumble. I'll echo Tom's comments, really good to see the Gazelles being thrown around and the first time I've ever seen the team display. So on the whole a good day, but I can't help thinking that the show lacked some punch of some description, despite the star items. I just can't quite put my finger on it, whether it was the naff weather or whether there was just something missing from the lineup - I don't know.

The only downside was arrival and parking. Arriving at the new entrance a little after 10.30, I was stationary for 20 mins until we moved very slowly towards the four lanes we were directed in to. I was in the far left lane and it seemed that stewards were going down the line and then letting a block of say, 15 cars through at a time - then the next 15 would move up - why not check and pass one at a time at the front?! I was at the front of one of these 'blocks, I had my ticket 'checked', was then told to drive to the front of the queue but was then subsequently held there by two girls for 15 minutes while cars in the other three lanes were moved through!!! I did stick my head out my window to ask why I was being held and one of the girls just put her hand up and then turned around and carried on talking to the other one. I just couldn't understand it but eventually a woman who was letting cars through from the other lanes went up to the girls and must've asked why I was being held - eventually she let our queue go but that was just madness and very poor traffic management. And then, when we were directed to park, instead of filling the car park from L>R in two rows and then R<L and so on, as you'd expect from a queue of cars, we were at the right end of the row but were then directed back to the left hand end to start a new row from the other end - why not just start from where we were and go left?!! There were several car park marshals who had just been dropped off a golf buggy who couldn't decide what to do so again very poor car park management. It just meant that the queue completely broke up and everyone was driving cross country to park. So it was 11.25 by the time I was parked - still plenty of time to look round and relax before the display started, but not how I wanted to start the day and having endured that, it did tarnish the feel to the day somewhat. Getting out was the complete opposite, straight out and no queues so at least that worked well!

[andygolfer]

So somebody criticised them on Facebook about them criticising the getting in process and how they’ve been deleting comments that were negative and that comment and mine have conveniently vanished too. Sounds like this wonderful management team don’t like being criticised honestly it puts a dampener on the day and makes me really consider going again if that’s their attitude to negativity

perhaps they didn't want their staff demoralised by adverse comments when they were doing their best during what for them is an early start and a long day. Supposing they read these 'adverse' comments and think 'bigger this for a game of soldiers, I'm not going to bother to help if this is the peoples' reaction' so result is no staff and therefore no airshow. It's hardly going to help the situation. Perhaps those that are so quick to criticise should get up at sparrow fart and volunteer themselves for this thankless duty and then reconsider their opinions of the organisation.

I was there at 9.15 ish and directed into a queue 2nd across from the road (I think there were about 6 lines of cars) , tickets checked but not scanned and the person who did that apologised for the long queues as her first action. Said there would be a short delay as car park operators were not quite ready and it wasn't long before the line moved into the 'stage 2 area' which was already full when I arrived. I wonder if the planning and prioritising for those in the upper class/ navy enclosure needed staff for that? The cars with stickers for that were being taken out of the main queue and sent straight down the road so there was extra checking required - I noticed one or two cars coming back to join the main queues so they obviously tried their luck and didn't get away with it.
I guess that all the health and safety issues need to be sorted before people start driving in but did notice one trick that I'd never though of - people were walking in on foot around 9.30, driver stays in car while the others grab chairs and walk in to get a pitch on the fence line - I always wondered how anyone ever gets there so quickly!!! one to remember

I really don't understand the need to get there so early anyway, it's a venue where you can get a good view from almost anywhere and people arriving at silly o'clock are only making it harder for the staff as they become a distraction from their allotted duties. Turning up at 5.15 is plain stupid and doesn't help (and I bet those are some of the people complaining about the wait), it causes a queue on the public road which has to be managed and presumably the only way to do that is to open the gate to get them off the main road and that then needs someone to manage them until the ticket checkers are ready. Surely nobody can mist-time their arrival by 4 hours, an hour maybe if traffic conditions are not what you expect . I confess I was a half hour ahead of my planned arrival because there were supposedly roadworks and closures at J8 on the M11 so I went cross country to avoid it which actually proved much quicker than I expected, I normally aim for around 9.45 - 10am as the queues are diminishing fast by then.

It wasn't perfect but there again I doubt anybody missed the start of the flying or even the vehicle parade for that matter. I think they make a good job of it overall and possibly (due to reasons I have suggested) anything that wasn't spot on as planned wasn't all the organisers' fault.

[Tommy]

So somebody criticised them on Facebook about them criticising the getting in process and how they’ve been deleting comments that were negative and that comment and mine have conveniently vanished too. Sounds like this wonderful management team don’t like being criticised honestly it puts a dampener on the day and makes me really consider going again if that’s their attitude to negativity

A not-so subtle plug, but another reason for forum culture like UKAR and Fighter Control.

Agree or disagree with them but the moderators are fellow punters & enthusiasts, and no airshow has the power to delete negative comments on here - rightly or wrongly you get the full gamut in this place.

You also haven’t got an algorithm moderating your posts. You’ve got a human being able to appreciate nuance and context.

[BrawlerO]

I deliberately arrived later yesterday (11.30ish) after seeing the mess the organiser made of entry for the season opener. Not sure if these are volunteers or paid staff managing traffic? If volunteers then I’d be more sympathetic but if paid? Sorry, you’re fired! If they are going to use a multiple lane entry system they need to CLOSE IT OFF TO ENTRY WHEN FULL!Then when the traffic starts moving new cars don’t join the back and jump the queue (probably unintentionally). It’s really not that hard.

[IP1960]

...
pb643, if you were in row 4, how did you know which order the lines were formed in? I was in the furthest lane to the right but there were already three lanes to the left of us and which, therefore, were sent forward before us.

If you were in the furthest lane to the right you went in first, the three lanes to your left went in after you (I was in lane 4).

[Stagger2]

First off. That was a Cracking Show Grommet! I'm as guilty as most to the charge of "Entitlement" because I pay for the product & I want the maximum experience from it. I don't want or need to be outside the gates before opening, but having allowed for those that do, I want to get into the airfield much less tediously than yesterday! 90 minutes from home to arrive at Alder Drive at 10:30, Join the queue & 50 min's later I'm parked! Not good!
If you pre-sale tickets you know how many are coming? Surely they have previous analysis of 'normal' arrival volumes-vs-timescale? If the Staff are on-site "2 hours before" Gates-open then there is time to adequately resource or re-allocate volunteers to admission duties? Brief those volunteers to add some value to their parking tasking? (saw one guy rotating his arms like a full-speed propeller urging me to go obviously straight-on except for the 20+ cars in front of me at the speed limit? Bless him!) If indeed people do turn-up without tickets, just peel them off & send 'em straight out the Park entrance we used to use for access? I'm sure many of us would rather choose to decide the night before whether or not to attend, but hey! Taking money at the gate might cause delays on entry.

[Stagger2]

...
pb643, if you were in row 4, how did you know which order the lines were formed in? I was in the furthest lane to the right but there were already three lanes to the left of us and which, therefore, were sent forward before us.

If you were in the furthest lane to the right you went in first, the three lanes to your left went in after you (I was in lane 4).

Sooo, was Lane 4 on the right as you looked at it going in or was Lane 1 on the right as you looked in your mirror going in? Also was Lane 3 next to 4 but 1 away from 2? Dilligaf is quite possibly the answer!

[UKAirshowTour]

Have people lost the plot? even on Facebook people are saying “but you got in before the flying so what’s the issue?” The issue is I actually wouldn’t mind seeing the stuff on the ground before the show it should not take 40 minutes to get into a venue that for the other 26 years of my life never had any issues driving into. If you’re going to wack your entry fees up don’t get upset if people aren’t happy for having a worse experience but as I say as always the flying at the show was top draw

[UKTopgun]

Seems to be an ever-growing phenomenon, people wanting to enter the event before gates open.

The same happens at RIAT.

If a show asks you to not arrive before 8am for example, you can guarantee queues of cars at 6:30am.
You get a 'me first' mentality which is not very pleasant. The place where that never used to occur was OW, so if it now happens there too, then all I can say is the world's gone mad.

[Mooshie1956]

I Enjoyed the show like everyone else. I really enjoyed the helicopters, I wonder if that's because there's so few of them about nowadays. I left after the BBMF Spit displayed which I saw from the car park and even using my 250 lens I managed a half decent topside photo. I forgot about the TFC stuff still to flay and decided to call it a day.
Regards getting in I can't comment over as I preferred a lie in to leaving home at daft o'clock. I got there at about 11.30 and straight in and parked up. I can't understand the rush to get in at OW apart from take off and landing you don't need to be on the fence. Straight out and 2hrs 51 mins later back in Manchester.

[capercaillie]

Perhaps the most innovative idea at the show was designing the three way speakers with the show's theme in mind, perhaps that is where the price increase is being spent?
_DSC2431 (2) by Paul Downes, on Flickr

[Slinger65]

Like a number of previous posters, this was my first post-Covid OW too, and the first one on my own (teenage son is no longer teenage or living at home). Aimed to arrive around 11 to 1130, having only just made the decision first thing Sunday morning to go. I'm around a 90 minute drive away.

This is the first time I've used the new entrance - coming from the Milton Keynes direction my usual route was in via Cardington & OW village. Satnav took me out towards the A1 then down to the new entrance. In hindsight would have been quicker (and a more interesting / scenic drive) to go the original route and then past the old entrance / end of runway and around to the new entrance, but wasn't sure what time the road closure would kick in.

Am sorry to hear of the traffic problems for the early birds (for which I heard an apology over the slightly dodgy tannoy) - I queued for maybe 20 mins to get in, which wasn't too bad overall.

Felt so good to be back on "hallowed ground" - and though my middle aged memory may be fading a little, there did seem quite a lot less hallowed ground between the front of the parking and the crowd line? That said, it never felt crowded, just the usual relaxed OW atmosphere.

Agree the Gazelle's stole the show, shame about the weather and light, but all in all great to be back and hope to get another show or two in before the season ends.

[wdg]

To change the subject, does anyone know why the trainers flew the missing man formation on their last pass? I didn't hear anything on the commentary.

[Tobyone1985]

To change the subject, does anyone know why the trainers flew the missing man formation on their last pass? I didn't hear anything on the commentary.

I didn't hear anything in the commentary, however I would guess it was for the 10th anniversary of Trevor Roche's passing.

[Andover]

I think a lot of folk get there early, so as to be parked within the main airfield area, so you can view from your car - as I did!

Was great to see the Wessex/ Sea King and Gazelles were superb. Catalina really stood out against that dark sky, and the rain shower didn't dampen my spirits!

I think adding to the queuing problem is the fact that a lot more people go to Old Warden now because there just aren't many airshows around anymore. That's certainly the case with me, I used to go to the Kemble shows. But I love Old Warden's intimate feel, it's a lovely little airfield, and this show was very satisfying.

[Tommy]

That’s a fair point - perhaps the queues will resolve themselves (at least in part) once the wrinkles of post-pandemic blues and more staff are ironed out.

[Roughcutter]

Perhaps the most innovative idea at the show was designing the three way speakers with the show's theme in mind, perhaps that is where the price increase is being spent?
_DSC2431 (2) by Paul Downes, on Flickr

If I had a pound for every potential winning shot spoiled by these "photo bombers"....they need to be pruned by about six feet.

[rockfordstone]

Perhaps the most innovative idea at the show was designing the three way speakers with the show's theme in mind, perhaps that is where the price increase is being spent?
_DSC2431 (2) by Paul Downes, on Flickr

i find it interesting for the drive in shows the commentate through shuttleworth fm, yet for the main shows use the tannoys. why not just make it blanket over the radio so people who want to can tune in and have less speakers?

[Xray833]

why not just make it blanket over the radio so people who want to can tune in and have less speakers?

Absolutely agree. I like the commentary through the radio as you can choose to tune in or not. You can also adjust the volume to your liking or turn off and enjoy the engine sounds, particularly the RR Merlins. As I suspect many others have, I did make the comment to a number of volunteers at Shuttleworth last year.

[lynothehammer]

why not just make it blanket over the radio so people who want to can tune in and have less speakers?

Absolutely agree. I like the commentary through the radio as you can choose to tune in or not. You can also adjust the volume to your liking or turn off and enjoy the engine sounds, particularly the RR Merlins. As I suspect many others have, I did make the comment to a number of volunteers at Shuttleworth last year.

Sure i heard a rumour this was being looked at, although it's quite expensive...

[tankbuster]

just a case for arriving early. I have a 130 mile journey with a big chunk of that on the M25. I start out early, not to get there early but to make the journey as simple and traffic free as possible.