F-35 combat jet's UK debut at Fairford Air Tattoo cancelled
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I'm currently serving but had the opportunity to do voluntary work yesterday morning at RIAT and was lucky enough to have the afternoon free to look around. I was working on one of the main entrances and I would say it was roughly a 70/30 split between families looking for a good day out and genuine aircraft spotters. Traffic was heavy up until 11ish then people were commenting on how quickly they had got in after that time. Even I baulked at the price of a programme (£12 they were £8 last year) but they were selling well and families were impressed that it included two posters, one of the F-35 (doh!) and The Red Arrows. I was somewhat surprised that not one platform from BZN was on static or flying display but saying that the 400M did put on a very good display (surprised how quiet it is in the air). To me the show seemed more thinly spread out than last year but this was slightly compensated for the fact that there seemed to be more static aircraft on display this year. If I was a genuine spotter I would have been mighty pi##ed off with the fact that the show was sold on the back of a flying F35, but to me most of the punters seemed to enjoy their day with the kids getting their free stickers etc. Also the Apache + explosions going off was real life movie stuff right in front of people and to me it did seem to be a bit of a day saver. The sun shined and the majority of people leaving seemed to have enjoyed themselves, but I can see the counter arguments about pricing / value for money etc. Oh and my 1st pint of cider next to the Thames did taste good later that evening!
I also went, recently retired after 38 years. The show was definitely poorer than 2 years ago, even if the had pulled the plastic F35 from the far side of the airfield and put it on display it would have helped. There were some great displays including the Turkish F16, the day was spoiled by inflated prices and an incident involving the Red Arrows Gazebo which blew over as it hadn't been pegged down, this left an elderly lady injured (head injury) and FOD all over the apron being used by the Reds and the Frecce. Overall a decent day but begining to look very tired, hope the lady was looked after by the Reds once she was treated.
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Overall a decent day but begining to look very tired, hope the lady was looked after by the Reds once she was treated.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
I see a spokesman for the MOD says the manufacturers will be getting a "shoeing". I'm sure they're terrified. In my day it was "a boot up the a*se".
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REDS GAZEBO
I am reliably informed that the Red Arrows gazebo did not blow over.
If anything did actually blow over it was nothing to do with the Reds. There are lots of stalls at air shows peddling Red Arrows stuff. There wasn't any wind anyway.
Usual PPRune misinformation.
I am reliably informed that the Red Arrows gazebo did not blow over.
If anything did actually blow over it was nothing to do with the Reds. There are lots of stalls at air shows peddling Red Arrows stuff. There wasn't any wind anyway.
Usual PPRune misinformation.
B Word
How was the beer tent seeing as the Bulldogs were just a static?
LJ 
How was the beer tent seeing as the Bulldogs were just a static?
Sharpend
Why would I be excited about 3 Bulldogs displaying? That is definately a time earmarked for the beer tent!
Or do I detect a hint of sarcasm in your post?
Why would I be excited about 3 Bulldogs displaying? That is definately a time earmarked for the beer tent!
Or do I detect a hint of sarcasm in your post?
I hear that the F35 didn't come to the UK this weekend because it is wheelie-bin collection day in Fairford and they didn't want the Council to take it away...
Wheelie Bin
F35
LJ
Wheelie Bin
F35
LJ
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Sorry Leon, Courtney ...
But the real reason why the F-35 is having difficulty is fundamentally down to European Legislation ...
You see you can't operate a Wheelie Bin above 89db
But the real reason why the F-35 is having difficulty is fundamentally down to European Legislation ...
You see you can't operate a Wheelie Bin above 89db
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Anyway ... Our F-35 Desk Officer has just Tweeted (08:53) ...
Just arriving at FIA Farnborough - hoping for an F-35 participation decision over the next couple of days. Will keep you all posted!
Ah well the 5 of us must have imagined the guys in blue overalls and all the Red Arrow material blowing across the aprons, and the RAF Medical Officer who attended the scene. Must be age or something, sorry for the confusion hope the person involved was ok.
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I'd rather watch three Bulldogs than an F-35 to be honest. There's never anything very exciting about a shiny new wonderplane in my opinion, not when there is such a rich heritage to call upon 
WH904
I can think of nothing more boring than watching 3x common as muck training aircraft being flown at an airshow;and I think most of the fee-paying public would agree. They want noise and spectacle - the Bulldog can provide neither!!!
LJ
I can think of nothing more boring than watching 3x common as muck training aircraft being flown at an airshow;and I think most of the fee-paying public would agree. They want noise and spectacle - the Bulldog can provide neither!!!
LJ