Agree totally that the lack of a met office on site was a big minus point. Surely in this day+age the pfa could at least have got a wireless internet connection at the booking-in tent to give up-to-date TAF's + METAR's. Looking at 8 hour old printouts pinned on a board was no use at all when people were making decisions late afternoon about whether to go or not.
Other minus points that need to be addressed....
Why no fuel after 17.30 ? People were waiting for the weather to lift and the decision to go would have been easier to make if fuel had been available later.
Why wasn't the display stopped in order to allow people to get away before the weather got worse.
The 'no radio call until on finals' is a mistake and a recepie for trouble. On my first approach I was cut up by a slower aircraft and had to go around. Second time round we followed the AIC route exactly (turn finals inside of Kemble village) and was accussed by ATC of cutting someone up who had made a straight in approach. If muppets didnt make finals calls straight-in from 4 miles and actually followed the route it would be helpful but you also need to stream the faster / slower traffic. A streaming from the VRP would be so much better and safer. Oh yes, and make sure the arrival ATIS can actually be heard properly!
A disappointing day for me and I saw no real improvement on previous years.
I'm sorry but this is supposed to be a premier event but much of the organisation has more of an air of a village fete about it. I will think seriously about if I go again next year. memo to the PFA - get a professional event manager to organise it - sure, it will cost but you'll reap the benefits of increased attendance. .
Well done though to the Marshallers who all did a great job