Waddington airshow today…

Security is an added issue within he UK. Last time I did RIAT it was so over the top, and exactly what are the security team hoping to find. OK that does not need an answer, let just hope that they NEVER do find anything.

“Was there no such security at Zeltweg ???”

None that I saw indeed the camp site which I used was adjacent to the base perimeter fence. However to gain access to the airfield a portion of the fence had been removed and this was patrolled by two men and a dog, allbeit the men had guns and the dog a nasty smile :>))

Yes Red Bull were big sponsers but I dont expect they did more than provide staff, services and support in return for the free advising and drinks sales. What is more likely is that other local firms provide free sevices to the airshow (hire cars, hotels,ect) in exchange for the knowledge that extra local sales and publisity will be gained. Another very obvious sign was the huge numbers of military personnel that were carrying all sorts of jobs around the site. They did not require voluneers to pick litter or direct traffic, they had a strong armed forces presence, proud to be there and meet the public. Sadly those hardworking members of the armed forces in UK are over stetched and too thinly spread to be called in in large numbers to help a public event.

I think the problem might be with the civies who were in charge of traffic, clueless and bored looking they were. The only time the traffic moved proper on the saturday morning was when the police motorbikeists stepped in.

The single roads coming out of waddo is always a problem you get into Lincoln then meet the rest of traffic.

Camped locally other year which was a little easier took back roads out and missed lots, but last time went a bit earlier rather than get jammed in.

Whats best finish at 5pm and leave gates open till say 10pm for more to leave not sure.

Build a dual carriageway around the place that might help.:D

Well it has to do with other things imho…

OK Redbull is a great sponsor to have (if you checked the website it’s all done by the same department that makes the Redbull sites aswell)…

But a lot of air forces aren’t allowed to ask entrance money for their shows (Dutch Airforce for instance). That show is entirely free of charge. only car parking for 5 euro but that goes directly to the Farmers who own the field..

It’s because the simple idea of let show the taxpayer what they do with the tax money and how we do it, Recruiting new men and women, inviting other aircraft to make things more attractive but it all has to be in one budget. That’s why we are now have a period of 3 years having an airshow and next year unfortunately none because we also have the Army and Navy putting on a show… so it’s rotating quite a bit…

no delays while two dozen people ask for tickets, check prices, work out how many adults or children, wait while Mr Numpty finds his wallet and asks if he can pay by cheque, take money and give change.

There is no queue at RIAT Fairford to pay, give change etc – all tickets are pre-purchased.

What does cause delay/bottleneck is checking every single person through security.

Was there no such security at Zeltweg ???

Ken

“OK these event cost money, but how can the Europeans run them more efficantly for free ?” Indeed how can they? I can only suppose that they pay nothing for the displays and that every single person involved with the shows volunteers. Is that likely? Or perhaps they are heavily sponsored.

Waddington show full, roads blocked, people be turned away. Same seems to happen at Fairford, which is now advanced ticket only, by why ? Is it the damed Health and Safety that state 50,000 people on site is OK by 50,001 is a danger ?
Airshow are popular all over the world in the USA there is never a problem with over crowding. I did not attend Waddington show instead visited Austria and the bi-annual Zeltweg Airpower11 event. Reports state they had 170,000 people on Friday alone, 300,000 over two days, were roads grid locked ‘No’ did people have to queue ‘No’ was everybody happy ‘Yes’ So how can the Europeans run these event so well. In my opinon several things standout, thousands attended by coach, the road outside the was made one way and hundreds of coaches just parked nose to tail and people walked, surrounding fields were used for car parking with a simple charge of 10 Euro, shuttle buses were avialable but most people seem happy to walk, but the most important thing to speed things up was free entrance, no delays while two dozen people ask for tickets, check prices, work out how many adults or children, wait while Mr Numpty finds his wallet and asks if he can pay by cheque, take money and give change. Duxford will no doubt be the same. with queues not to drive though the gate and park the car but to pay. OK these event cost money, but how can the Europeans run them more efficantly for free ?

I think I got lucky. Coming down the A1 followed the yellow signs to the A17 then up towards the base. Got filtered into the first car park on the way in and then a quick bus ride down, about 8:30 (did mean a 6 am start though).

Got some neat photos which I will put onto my Flickr account in the next few days.

Not been to a major airshow in a long time (last one was a Mildenhall show!) so obviously it was mostly new to me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If I was being very critical I would say that having two groups of four-ship Extra 300 displayers did get a little repetitive and the subsequent Yak just seemed a little lost in the sky in comparison.

I left home at 6, stopped for breakfast at Caenby Corner, hit Lincoln about 8, was parked by 8.30 easily. The easiest run in to Waddington I’ve ever had 🙂

re;

South Coast Airways used to fly passengers in too, but it would be nice to see Drag em oot in the flying display.

he pointed out theres never been a Dak at Waddingtion

There has! One of Coventry’s used to fly in with passengers on the morning of the airshow, until all Dak passenger flights stopped in the UK. There was also one in the static park last year, near the hangars on Classic Flight’s stand.

Regards

Rich

Airfield full??? I’ve never heard of that happening at a US show. I’m not even sure they have a “capacity”? Or were they refering to car parks, not actual people?

re;

I got the Shuttle bus from Lincoln railway Station approx 10-30 and had no problems at all. Just in time too see team Viper – they are fantastic!

Great to see Sally B, not seen her fly in ten years. It was eerie standing on a WW2 bomber station watching her depart, thinking to myself “I hope she gets home safe” then it dawned on me i was standing on the same spot where lads my own age would have felt exactly the same 70 years ago – eerie it was if the barriers and funfair were not there.

BBMF, Reds, Vulcan, Sally B, Venom and vampire – have they gone through the checklist of most popular airshow a/c? Had lovely talk with the chap who owns the 5 squadron lightning, smashing bloke, he pointed out theres never been a Dak at Waddingtion, and we need to see a Meteor, Sea Vixen and Canberra next year!

Shame there was no Hurricane R4118 this year.

All for £20. roll on next year!

helicopter shuttle? how did you wangle that one you ****** 😀

sounds like a good event, shame i couldnt afford it

Yesterday I was fortunate to be able to use the Helicopter shuttle from Newark, we landed at Waddington at 9.30am and all of the roads seemed to have a lot of traffic on them but it was moving steadily.

This was unlike the situation 2 years ago when at a similar time of day all of the same roads were at a complete standstill and gridlocked!

Hats off to around 1800 service personnel who this weekend are making the Airshow happen; despite the base personnel being operational in two different theatres – well done everyone at RAF Waddington! 🙂

Well , the traffic was worse than two years ago (didn’t go last year) but we followed the signs, arriving Newark-ish at around 8am. We were parked at 8.45am, following the A607 and A15. We wer ein the Silver Wings enclosure which was bvery good indeed. The show itself was very good but the static a bit sparse. The Thunderbirds were very impressive, fast and loud.

On leaving, we drove straight out and were home in Cheshire by 7.45pm. A thoroughly enjoyable day out.

Mantog, you must have been just behind us. We were pretty worried by the “Airfield FULL” signs on the way in, but crawled on regardless. The numbers presumably took them by surprise – we also parked at the barn and were on the bus as the Thunderbirds took off, but then of course the bus dropped us as far from the crowd line as we could be! However, a great display – enjoyed the T-birds (interesting to compare then to the Reds), the Vulcan was superb, especially that first climb and wing-over, the hunters were lovely and the Norwegian Vampires made excellent use of their bit of blue. My first UK air display for nine years and I really enjoyed it, despite the traffic!

hi,morning,
i went yesterday,a good day… due to a train delay threw me back a hour,so i had just got on the shuttle bus at Lincoln,and the driver had a mobile call and said only ticket holders are being let in,that was at 1130…

regards
jack…

I got to the A15 entrance at 8.30 and things were already starting to grind to a halt.

Excellent displays, by all manner of aircraft. BBMF, the Vulcan, Sally B…. and I never thought I’d see five Hawker Hunters in the air at once again!

Marvellous stuff.

Heard a whisper that they may have closed the gates around lunchtime – due to reaching their visitor capacity; Newark certainly benefitted and had extra visitors over and above a normal Airshow Saturday.

Nice selection of historic types at the show! 🙂

I guess that dispels the myth about Waddington not being popular – well done everyone over there is what seem to have been challenging conditions!!

Also, the Meteor NF14 is now outside again at Newark – should be some photos around tomorrow. :rolleyes: