RIAT in fact starts on the previous Wednesday with Park and View locations at each end of the runway. The prevailing wind conditions makes landing on from the east onto runway 27 the most likely, however, your ticket does cover both ends and you are free to move to the other end if you so wish. This year tickets were £15/person with free parking.
At the east end a single coffee and single food stall are provided together with a good supply of the typical single toilets. Step ladders are allowed but only in a specified location which is the extreme end of the viewing line closest to the runway threshold. I flying programme is available at £2 but is free if you have a FRIAT ticket that covers that day. This tells you what aeroplanes are expected, any practices planned and departures. Obviously the timings are approximate.
Tucked away in the details somewhere the car park is said to open at 0600 with admittance to the viewing area from 0730. We arrived shortly after 0730 having experienced no travel problems and drove straight in. We were late and directed up to the far end of the car park. The viewing line was fully occupied by this time so if you want to have a fence position you need to arrive earlier. We overheard that another party arrived by car at 0530 dropped off passengers to join the foot queue and the car then went to join the car queue.
Well, my motto for airshows is arrive early and leave late for a less stressful day, but I regret that my 0530 days are over.
Airfields, in general, were not built in locations such that thousands of people could descend on it within a few hours. RIAT is very well organised traffic wise but expect the inevitable delays.
Wednesday is a fly in arrivals and practise day with a few departures thrown in for good measure. Also aircraft movements from the far side of the runway to the static park. You will not see many of the larger aeroplanes flying in the flying displays, with a couple of notable exceptions. Their will be plenty in the static park but if you want to see them in the air, all be it briefly, then your only opportunity is the fly in and departure days.
Your own seating is very necessary as arrivals lasts until 1930. Some had wind shelters etc but these were always erected well back from the viewing line.
This is clearly an enthusiasts day, all very good humoured, no commentary other than over the scanner radio. Did not see any children.
The spectators outside the field across the end of the runway were frequently visited by the guys in the yellow coats no doubt exercising the necessary due diligence. In fact about half the people did move with the rest remaining so clearly no legal power to move them. The ice cream van was very quickly moved on by the police.
Clearly the power that controls these things did not know I was going and the weather was very good and set to be good for the whole weekend.
There was a full day of flying with arrivals, flypasts and practice displays.
The only truly “historic” arrival was the 1974 Scottish Aviation Bulldog T.1 although personally I felt that some of the airframes had been around for some time.
From this location you can see across the runway to some hangars but I could not see any “historic” aeroplanes over there, judge for yourself.
I hadn’t heard before but in the last few days the airfield has been beset with a number of dust clouds and I was lucky enough to experience one.
As you can see it was pretty difficult to see across the airfield when I took this picture.
There were a number of people in front of me wearing some interesting hats so I thought I would get a shot of them, however the camera misfocused.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/JtDEEd]
The sky was mainly blue with the occasional streak across it
[url=https://flic.kr/p/JRtFyS]
Some cloud about with a little moisture precipitating out in some areas
[url=https://flic.kr/p/JRtG99]
By: The Bump - 9th July 2016 at 22:16
Great report Paul.
I went Friday and enjoyed the display and static.
Not being one to carry an expedition loaded rucksack all day I like to return to the car a couple of times through the day.
Imagine my surprise when at 1620 I wanted to return to the car to charge the phone and have some water when told I wouldn’t be able to re-enter the show ground, despite it being open another 2 hours !
Pretty bad really, plus if you are in the Green car park on a Friday you have to use a shuttle bus back and forth to the start of the static . Fine during the day but mad when a thousand or so people want to return to their cars at the same time !
By: snafu - 9th July 2016 at 21:43
Sooooooooooooooooo…how does an aeroplane become historic?
Is it by age, and if so how old?
Is it after it leaves front line military service? Would that include all military service (thinking of the last Mustangs in use in El Salvador until 1984)?
Is it by some other way?
Just asking…
By: hampden98 - 9th July 2016 at 21:20
Well, if we are going by age then C130, Phantom, Tornado, Mirage 2000 not to mention Islander, Bronco and Skyvan.
By: trumper - 9th July 2016 at 21:17
Didn’t realise RIAT was historic now.
Brian
Strange that- i went last year and there were lots of things flying around that usually you see at Duxford and some of the photos on here from this year seem to show the same types again.
By: Sabrejet - 9th July 2016 at 20:58
Problem? I was trying to help, but there ya go. You say potato…
By: jack windsor - 9th July 2016 at 20:32
See Post #9.
hi,
?, a picture of possibly 3 chipmunks, 1 F-4E, I just stated the number 7 chipmunks, 2 F-4E’s. I don’t understand the problem…
regards,
jack…
this post may contain grammatical errors…
By: Sabrejet - 9th July 2016 at 16:57
hi,
besides those mentioned previously there were 7 Chipmunks, ….2 lovely F-4E’s from Greece…regards,
jack…
See Post #9.
By: jack windsor - 9th July 2016 at 16:46
hi,
besides those mentioned previously there were 7 Chipmunks, 3 vintage gliders, 2 lovely F-4E’s from Greece and a natural metal Beech B.18S registered N45CF which looked great when a burst of sunshine caught it…
regards,
jack…
this post may contain grammatical errors…
By: AlanR - 9th July 2016 at 07:31
Not too terrible thanks, although the wind was a little annoying.
Plenty of flying in the afternoon. The Storch arrived late in the day, did a very, very slow circuit, followed by a “vertical” landing 🙂
By: paul1867 - 8th July 2016 at 23:03
Thanks Alan. Did you have a good day?
By: AlanR - 8th July 2016 at 22:47
Great report, and love the pictures Paul
By: paul1867 - 8th July 2016 at 22:38
Re post #15 is that Ian Hislop to the right, in picture, of that tall guy.
The guy on the left of picture seems to be packing a gun!!! Presumably Ian’s life has been threatened, which is hardly surprising these days!
By: paul1867 - 8th July 2016 at 22:22
Last years RIAT had a fairly large “historic” flying content including the mighty Vulcan. I think it was some sort of anniversary. It amused me to see all the younger enthusiasts avidly taking pictures of the modern aeroplanes but not bothering at all with the historic. Me, anything engineering is interesting and if it has wings and is old, well, that’s a bonus. Not so much flying in the display this year but “historic” is well represented in the static display.
Possibly a bit more infamous than famous just at the moment, but, of course, this example flown under military regs. This aeroplane provides the MOD/defence companies with an economic flying platform for testing both airborne equipment and land/ship based equipment. Because of the MOD requirement OEM support is available.
They do have a Buccaneer which is available to fly so possibly just a question of paying the money. Any fans out there with very deep pockets.
The Sea Hurricane normally housed with the Shuttleworth Collection, which also provided some other exhibits.
The aeroplane in the background had come a very long way and does deserve a mention, later.
I have seen this aeroplane static at several airshows but have yet to see it fly, maybe on Monday.
Turned out to be so many “historic” aircraft I had to start economizing on film by shooting them two at a time;)
By: paul1867 - 8th July 2016 at 21:47
Not quite sure who these guys are but no doubt somebody on here will know. But definitely not “historic”.
They were just leaving. The tea and cucumber sandwiches were very nice by the way.;)
By: paul1867 - 8th July 2016 at 20:25
Regrettably the BBMF Spitfire and Hurricane due to fly in today were not able to get away from Conningsby, I believe, because of cross winds. However, right at the end of the day we saw the arrival of SM520 a truly HISTORIC aeroplane, perhaps it lost it’s way or didn’t understand that “historic” aeroplanes have no place at RIAT.
By: paul1867 - 8th July 2016 at 20:04
Regrettably we didn’t make it at all on Thursday and late on Friday however, this does mean that we are able to confirm that at 1200 we were able to drive straight to the blue car park with not a queue in site. We did, however, see a queue which was possibly for the green car park.
Today there was a reduced airshow and together with our late arrival, this proved ideal for a walk along half of the static line. The static line is quite literally miles long!
This half, going east from the blue gate, consisted mainly of HISTORIC aeroplanes. Being a Friday it is not so crowded allowing better photographic opportunities, however, being a school day meant that there were a fair number of junior school parties.
There are the usual array of enclosures to either suit your pocket or your image! It was our first RIAT last year and the FRIAT (Friends of RIAT) packages offered seemed good, and so it turned out. There is plenty of information on the RIAT website about the packages. A marquee is provided the regulatory size too small to accommodate everybody in the event of a serious downpour. However, it does have Wifi good tables and chairs and the left luggage facility. Within the enclosure there are food and coffee stalls and a good supply of very clean toilets. The grandstand has been increased in length this year. Bring a cushion and something to dry the seats in the unlikely event that you should experience rain at an airshow. Like everything else we found about RIAT it is exceptionally well organised and very large. If you have more than a passing interest in the equipment on display you will need more than two days just to do the static line justice. Then, of course, there is the airshow, which is 8 hours long on Saturday and Sunday and 4 on Friday. The FRIAT enclosure is, of course, mainly occupied by enthusiasts most of which appear to like taking photographs. If you dislike the sound of hundreds of shutters drowning out the subtle sounds of those fast jets then this may not be for you.
Although everybody is allocated a seat in the grandstand it is not obligatory to use it, now there is a surprise. So if you prefer to be at low level on the fence bring your chairs and come early. You still get all the benefits within the enclosure.
To get those golden spots in the seating hierarchy, the much desired back row of the grandstand, you are required to jump through some hoops. More on this latter.
By: Wondy - 8th July 2016 at 19:41
Hi Paul thanks for the preview was highly beneficial!
Had a great day and especially enjoyed the historic content! The Shuttleworth Collections representation in the BAE sponsored area was fantastic as was the worlds oldest Chipmunk and Hawker Hunter owned by Hawker Hunter Aviation. Will post pics if i get a chance!
Matt
By: paul1867 - 8th July 2016 at 19:17
Hi Brian, The thread is actually, Photographic/airshow photos. Not quite the same thing if we are being pedantic. My object is not just photos but a report of the event for the benefit of people not so fortunate as myself who are unable to attend the show.
My view is simple, if a thread does not interest you, pass it by. The “Modern” forum is completely different nature to the “historic” forum but this does not mean “historics” do not have a passing interest in other bits of engineering, with and without wings.
I am happy to let the mods decide.
By: Pen Pusher - 8th July 2016 at 18:19
There is a thread for airshows.:D
http://forum.keypublishing.com/forumdisplay.php?24-Airshow-Photos
Brian
By: Sabrejet - 8th July 2016 at 16:26
Didn’t realise RIAT was historic now.
Brian
Plenty historic:Bristol Scout was a highlight for me:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]246884[/ATTACH]
, plus these beauties today:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]246883[/ATTACH]
And this definitely qualifies as historic:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]246885[/ATTACH]
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July 8, 2016 at 1:19 am