View Full Version : RIAT Memories
jindabyne
13th Jul 2006, 22:02
Over many years I've attended IAT/RIAT as a displayer, marketeer, flunky host and flunky guest. Wonderful. Last year I went as a tenter cum caravanner. Guess which I enjoyed the most. Sadly am unable to be there this time - good luck to all involved, with envy.
dhurst
13th Jul 2006, 22:48
I live about 6 miles from RAF Fairford, so each year we get a pretty good view of the aircraft flying about. I also get free tickets to various displays as my Brother in Law is a Co Pilot for the Merlin display team.
Gaz ED
14th Jul 2006, 06:47
Bet you the flying display is not as "interesting" as 1993.
I was there and so was the pandemonium!
Could have been far worse....phew!
mullers
14th Jul 2006, 09:40
does anyone know if its possible to listen to the tower at fairford online?
dhurst
15th Jul 2006, 22:35
I dont think you can listen to the tower online. The broadcast range is to short, I live very near and cant pick up the channel.
Saturday memories:
Mig 29 great display. Dont get close to him in a dogfight.
V22 - Fantastic capability.
Reds - Graceful, Swiss F5 - Precision and perfection, superb flares.
F18 displays - Awesome.
Mr Breitling - excellent host.
Brazilian static - best music
Lynx(eagles) - very punchy display
Watching spotters trying to get past corporate security, some excellent ploys, plans and strategy.
Australian 707 static punch.
No Apache :ugh:
PPRuNe Dispatcher
16th Jul 2006, 10:58
Mig 29 great display. Dont get close to him in a dogfight.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1349697433246487433
:eek:
ShyTorque
16th Jul 2006, 11:55
I think the Apache boys are a little busy just now. ;)
High_Expect
16th Jul 2006, 19:08
UAS Chick whilst holding post Cranwell :ok:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1349697433246487433
:eek:
What a stunning piece of engineering! Is any of that amazing manoeuverability actually any use in a modern air to air fight though? Thought it was all BVR fire and forget these days?:rolleyes:
Conan the Librarian
17th Jul 2006, 00:38
And so it seems - until the politicians, the UN or whatever, hobble you with ROE that demand a positive VisIdent. The 29 was awesome this week and once I have downloaded many photographs, will sit here scratching my whotsits, wondering how the jockey managed to maintain any SA at all. The intellectual process for running those manouveres must be quite challenging.
Will post a few pics later, when err.. sober.
Conan
Smudger
17th Jul 2006, 17:49
Sunday: No C5 (big open space where it should have been), no SR-71, no F-117, Bone display was one flypast (huh?), too many boring trainers and helis (except for the Blue Eagles Lynx, he was good), and FAR TOO MANY pavilions, tents and other paraphenalia blocking the view (except for those who coughed up yet another twenty quid each for a grandstand seat). If you didn't block the view with sundry temporary buildings you wouldn't need a sodding grandstand!!! Money-making scam? Perish the thought. Some great flying though. Don't think I'll bother again. Oh yes, and it was far too bloody hot.
Comp Charlie
17th Jul 2006, 18:04
I was manning the Press Gate at IAT the year the MIGs crashed (1993?)
About 15 minutes after the incident, and having been ordered to close all gates to allow access for the emergency services (if I remember rightly it happened mid-afternoon as people were starting to leave?) a motorcycle came haring towards me.
The guy leapt of his bike and demanded to be let out as he had footage of the crash and needed to deliver it in time for the evening news. Upon being told he wasn't allowed out he removed his helmet and threatened to batter me with it!!
At this point a Civvy Scuffer stepped in and he calmed down!
At the aftershow party one of the RAF Northolt firemen, a fella called Chaka Kahn, who was on Temp Duty, turned up wearing a baseball cap embroidered with "Mig 29 Crash Rescue Team" and a half built Airfix model of a Mig 29 glued to the top of the cap. That had then been 'set about' with a lighter!!
It looked great, but someone didn't see the funny side, a Group Captain came up and made a bit of a scene until one of the Mig pilots involved came up, put his arm round Chaka and launched an almighty tirade at the unfortunate Groupie!! Both Chaka and the Russian then proceeded to get mightily drunk in each others company that night!
Heh heh...
wz662
17th Jul 2006, 19:30
This year I rather enjoyed telling the SWO ruling Area 14 to stuff his hats on rule, after all I'm a civvy in a grow bag and haven't been issued one! (Now where has he got a piece of grass which is hallowed I feel the need for some practice swings to improve my golf.)
Hangar party was a bit dull.
movadinkampa747
17th Jul 2006, 19:35
Hangar party was a bit dull.
Maybe it was the people there..............;)
Smudger
17th Jul 2006, 21:27
I didn't mean to be too critical in my post above. I attended Sunday. The traffic situation seems to have been sorted, there was some fantastic flying to be enjoyed, the Fs 15,16,18, Gripen etc were superb, the Chinook was superb, the C130 (close to my heart, having nearly 4000 hours on the bugger) was superb, that red Russian OVT thing was pretty good but I didn't believe it myself, I reckon it was all done with computers like. The Sparrows were stunning as always, but I guess we take them for granted, and we shouldn't do that. I just think that RIAT is TOO big, too many people in one place, and it's too difficult to get a good view of the runway. I really enjoy watching airplanes like the Bone, C-17 and the B-52 taxy out, prepare to get airborne, and then that magic moment when takeoff power is applied and you think you are going to die because they are so loud and the sound shakes your chest. That didn't happen for me this time so I guess I'm cheesed off that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Congratulations and thanks to all involved in producing the event, I don't wish to appear ungrateful. Good luck for next time.
My photos from Sunday are here. (http://www.richardflagg.fotopic.net/c1024448.html)
Mead Pusher
18th Jul 2006, 12:42
Just got back to the office after RIAT. Completely shattered, but in a good way. Things seemed to go well in our team this year overall. Hangar Party was quiet - people even stopped talking for the trophy presentations for the first time ever! The band was good, but the bar prices were far too high, so that may be why it was quiet - not sure. Any one got any other theories?
The Herc from Pakistan was fantastic - well deserved winners of the Concours D'Elegance. The Osprey was good to watch, although a bit freaky!
Need to sleep...
torque dirty to me
18th Jul 2006, 14:58
The Danish Merlin!!! Obviously Wastelands can get it right! Who'd of thought?
Particularly loved the gold dust on the paintwork! Pimp my Cab!
Mig 29 Fulcrum: Fantastic. Worthy winner of all the trophies!
Fit Aussie Crewie with superb pair of personalities! And she was giving out cocktails! Their plane was alright...:E
TheWizard
25th Jul 2006, 17:44
I live about 6 miles from RAF Fairford, so each year we get a pretty good view of the aircraft flying about. I also get free tickets to various displays as my Brother in Law is a Co Pilot for the Merlin display team.
That's interesting??!! Considering Andy hasn't even done a display yet and none of us got free tickets!!!!:rolleyes:
ironduck
26th Jul 2006, 19:48
A few pics of the day
http://www.pbase.com/wheresjr/fairford
TEEEJ
26th Jul 2006, 20:48
Sunday: No C5 (big open space where it should have been), no SR-71, no F-117, Bone display was one flypast (huh?), too many boring trainers and helis (except for the Blue Eagles Lynx, he was good), and FAR TOO MANY pavilions, tents and other paraphenalia blocking the view (except for those who coughed up yet another twenty quid each for a grandstand seat). If you didn't block the view with sundry temporary buildings you wouldn't need a sodding grandstand!!! Money-making scam? Perish the thought. Some great flying though. Don't think I'll bother again. Oh yes, and it was far too bloody hot.
SR-71? The last flight of an SR-71 was October 1999 in NASA's hands.
Something I have not seen for a while, one chap managed to trade his growbag with a guy from the Polish Navy, then continued on getting rather squiffy :hmm:, good on them :D. Good to see old habits never die...
:cool:
Pilot Pacifier
21st Aug 2006, 00:09
Here's a story for you. RIAT, a number of years ago...
Out on the town (Swindon) with the rest of my crew (4 in total, all of us single I hasten to add) on the Fri night. Nav ends up pulling, but soon leaves like a bat out of hell when he finds out that her ex was a C-130 nav! Rest of crew pull, get back to a/c at 7am, fall asleep inside it.
Jo public wants to look around a/c, engineers say it's closed as crew still still asleep in it, at 11am. Good job there's a toilet block next to it to "freshen up" once we're up!
Sat night, French 707 pilots join us, one of then ends up pulling the same girl that the nav had the night before. Spends all night with her, but doesn't get anywhere. She promises that it will "happen" the next night. He delays their departure on the Sunday by 24hrs pissing off his entire crew. Rest of our crew stagger in when the sun is well up, sleeping again until mid-day.
Three of the girls join us at the airshow, no tickets for the hanger party though. As we're walking past the Aussie 707, large party on the wing (113 to be precise, engineers had to get everyone off as the wing was bending). Lots of shouts of "get them up here." I ask for tickets, girls soon up on the wing with tickets in hand.
Spotters ask to come up on wing, all and sundry tell them to piss off. They point out that the girls are up there. We point out that they have t**s and you don't.
That night (hanger party night), another long evening. French pilot gets blown out, his face was a picture and the rest of his crew was not happy at all. Rest of us end up falling asleep in various places. (Flower bed, taxi, a/c and some of us in warm bed!)
12hrs sleep over three nights! More than worth it! Oh, the flying was good as well!
RIAT... A fabulous airshow, I'd love to go back year after year if I could...