RIAT 2019

[T6NL]

How fast was that 1st Viper high speed pass? It must have been over the regs as you could feel and hear the pressure about to explode behind it!

[EGLL]

BOAC 747 'BAW100' getting ready at LHR.

[vbombers2]

I see FRIAT grandstand etiquette is heading for an all time low today.

[nickosbad]

I see FRIAT grandstand etiquette is heading for an all time low today.

Do explain!!!

I was thinking of FRIAT next year, I don’t come to take photos....I just come to watch! Got here very early and got myself a crowd line spot but it’s so annoying that even though they’re at the very front pole still feel the need to stand and take photos!!

[jules48]

Reds and PDF was supposed to be yesterday but was Cancelled.So will prob happen today.On Points West they were at RIAT and spoke to the Airshow Director or somebody who confirmed it would be happening at some point.

[T6NL]

Saw a chap fall off his stool earlier along with expensive lens and all

[JJC]

Crowdline isn’t much better, people still turning up and wedging themselves into any gap at all. Couldn’t stand up at one point because a couple turned up and put their chairs so close in front of mine. Ignorant.

[richyrara]

Anyone in a position to say what the campsites are like currently with spaces for park and view? With Totterdown closed I imagine that the others (Furzey Hill etc) will be packed full..?

[pb643]

Swiss F18 display is fantastic.

[G-CVIX]

There is plenty of room at the western end to bring the flypast aircraft over after the show, but whether they will or not, I don't know.

[Pat Murphy]

I think I hated every single second of today...

10000% this.
Harrier - I was just entering the showground as it took off having been sat in the car most of the morning out of the shocking weather. I hung around hoping to shoot it returning to it's parking spot in the pits, sorry pit area but couldn't get a decent angle due to the tons of stuff down there - vans, minibuses, follow me cars, literally hundreds of operational staff and the merry go round and other stuff in the vintage village. Otherwise it looked good and the pilot was literally mobbed as he walked into the public area, the public love for the jet is still so strong.
Bacon - Yep absolutely. Even more galling was being told at 16.40 "to begin thinking about collecting all your relatives and gear to exit the showground that closes at 18.30"!!!!
Every year this drives me insane to the point of being obnoxious to the happy smiley volunteers. How dare I be asked to leave nearly 2 hours before the place closes!!!!
I'll add the infuriating public service loop in the car parks voiced by Britain's dullest sounding man - it wasn't the promise of the flying starting that drove me out of the car it was this!! This or the inane drivel coming out of radio RIAT.....
Flying/none flying- Weather is as weather does, can't be helped.Even if things can't be flown why can't they be taxied up and down the runway, there was some decent sun as the LanceR sat at the hold only to turn round and go back in to the crap zone, sorry, pits. A bit of noise and something moving is surely better than commentary saying how good it will look tomorrow whilst staring at a rain swept empty runway.
Layout- if the static layout is a result of the "longest day" then perhaps next year a week maybe needed. Just a haphazard shambles of aeroplanes seemingly left where they parked. Where was the line up of NATO fighters , why was the Slovakian C27 stuck between the 2 C-17s when there could have been a line up if them, grey heaps though they are. Some of the best schemes totally wasted. Worse was the aforementioned Pakistan Herc stuck out in Green as it was quite despicably denied to us on the Wednesday - unforgiveable.
Corporates - again, 100%. More and more each year adding to the fairly unwelcoming attitude to the general public- Farnborough with slightly better aeroplanes....
Friday- Again, I agree entirely. This may sound incredibly harsh but I'm glad Friday didn't sell out, looking at the number of people it would appear not even close. It didn't deserve to sell out, it was an unmitigated rip off fleecing exercise this year.
Wednesday and Thursday are ace - they sum up entirely what RIAT is about and it's all about the aeroplanes and meeting people you don't see anywhere near as often as you used to when military shows were a weekly affair or you'd see them at the end of a runway around the country - that's all unfortunately history now.

I'll also chip in re the communications this year. The childish marketing, the at best annoying, at worse almost idiotic radio silence and cloak and daggers re the "special" flypasts, the pointless, tiresome none- commitment announcement of attendees even though the crews themselves have already announced it and the twitter feed(s) Over the past few years air traffic and others have bombarded us with information on the arrivlas and display days to keep us updated, ths year it was very, very quiet...

Yes, I hated every second of Friday, I've never felt that about an airshow in 50 years of airshowing - the traffic was awful getting to/from the base - after all who would have a big international event on a working/school day when most people will be travelling at rush hour.... That said, had the weather been good and everything flown there's no doubt I'd have come away with a much better impression and a cheeky grin rather than scowling frown as George Bacon reminded me yet again that I only had 2 hours to haul my sorry ass out. It will take something of immense interest/rarity and/or guaranteed wall to wall sunshine before I even think about attending RIAT on a public day.
Now, when's the next decent Old Warden - I need to detox ....

Post of the Year Right There. If there was a Like Button, I would have worn it out. Sounds like Sour Grapes? Nope not one bit of it, I like ST, have been Airshowing for the greater part of 50 years, RIAT have had a lot of money from me over the years and so I feel totally invested in it. Yesterday was the worst day at an airshow in all that time. Binbrook 87, weather far worse, everything flew, Brawdy 90 (I think, the memory plays tricks lol) The weather was so bad, nothing flew bar a VC 10, which we heard and didn't see. The RAF was so embarrassed, they let us all in for free the next day. Can anyone imagine RIAT doing the same? I'll probably do next year Wednesday and Thursday, but Friday (especially Friday) Saturday and Sunday, have seen my "sorry Ass" for the last time.

I Genuinely hope all goes well today and tomorrow and that everybody has a great 2 or 3 days but for me, a sour taste is the overwhelming reminder of RIAT 2019......Apart from the Harrier, The Hornets and THAT USAF Demo F16 Takeoff.....

[G-CVIX]

Just taking a moment during yet another "plenty going on around the showground" to state that I agree entirely with ST's post. I'm sure I will have more to say after the weekend.

[jules48]

BA 747 AND Reds.Wowwwwwww.Emotional.

ROAF Mig 21 pretty good

[FullCarrot]

That MiG-21 missed approach was absolutely incredible

[Chris G]

Mig-21 last pass was pretty good from the other end as well!

[Go4Long]

Just taking a moment during yet another "plenty going on around the showground" to state that I agree entirely with ST's post. I'm sure I will have more to say after the weekend.

How about if you all start a “whinging about air tattoo 2019” thread so that you don’t clog up this thread with a bunch of self entitled and completely ridiculous moaning. You three can all form a nice circle of self congratulation of some kind. It could be like a circle of jerks of some kind...there might be an unnecessary word in there, but I’m sure you’ll all love it.

In the mean time, a quick survey of the crowd line would indicate that any fears of the impending doom of the show are, much like almost everything else you lot have posted in the last few days, completely misguided.

[BrawlerO]

Mig-21 last pass was pretty good from the other end as well!

Wow! Thought we were going to have an ‘incident’ for a moment there!
(The missed approach not the last pass)

[G-CVIX]

Just taking a moment during yet another "plenty going on around the showground" to state that I agree entirely with ST's post. I'm sure I will have more to say after the weekend.

How about if you all start a “whinging about air tattoo 2019” thread so that you don’t clog up this thread with a bunch of self entitled and completely ridiculous moaning. You three can all form a nice circle of self congratulation of some kind. It could be like a circle of jerks of some kind...there might be an unnecessary word in there, but I’m sure you’ll all love it.

Behave. Look at your own post history, hypocrite.

[RedEagle]

Wow! Thought we were going to have an ‘incident’ for a moment there!

More detail please........?

[Go4Long]

Wow! Thought we were going to have an ‘incident’ for a moment there!

More detail please........?

Just had a pretty dramatic looking sink rate during his missed approach. Appeared to be well in control though.

[Go4Long]

Just taking a moment during yet another "plenty going on around the showground" to state that I agree entirely with ST's post. I'm sure I will have more to say after the weekend.

How about if you all start a “whinging about air tattoo 2019” thread so that you don’t clog up this thread with a bunch of self entitled and completely ridiculous moaning. You three can all form a nice circle of self congratulation of some kind. It could be like a circle of jerks of some kind...there might be an unnecessary word in there, but I’m sure you’ll all love it.

Behave. Look at your own post history, hypocrite.

All picking on you guys aside, this thread has devolved into you guys whining endlessly, and the rest of the posters whining about you, and a few trying to get a post in about the actual show in the interim. It might actually be a good idea to start a running thread about how you guys would personally fix what you view as the issues of the show.

[sprite1275]

Any flight times/program on here ?

[play it cool]

Not just me thinking this thread had moved into Grumpy Old Men territory then...

[Go4Long]

Any flight times/program on here ?

It was posted on the previous page. Too much info to type on my phone, anything specific you’re looking for that i can help with?

[lynothehammer]

Just taking a moment during yet another "plenty going on around the showground" to state that I agree entirely with ST's post. I'm sure I will have more to say after the weekend.

How about if you all start a “whinging about air tattoo 2019” thread so that you don’t clog up this thread with a bunch of self entitled and completely ridiculous moaning. You three can all form a nice circle of self congratulation of some kind. It could be like a circle of jerks of some kind...there might be an unnecessary word in there, but I’m sure you’ll all love it.

In the mean time, a quick survey of the crowd line would indicate that any fears of the impending doom of the show are, much like almost everything else you lot have posted in the last few days, completely misguided.

Quite frankly they have every right to moan and complain, this mornings tweet was just an insult:

https://twitter.com/airtattoo/status/11 ... 1612497920