Silverelise (nice car BTW),
Completely agree with getting there early. I got to the back of the queue about 09:00, coming down a series of narrow country roads and through the village of Downe and was inside and parked up by 09:50-10:00 ish.
Wandered around the stalls and the extremely disappointing static display, and all the way down to where the biz jets were parked by the end of 29, and back again, then found a spot right behind the grandstand (by the Merlin) and sat there and watched the display for the rest of the day. It was close to the toilets and the food stands and as we were a little way back from the crowd line, it wasn't too crowded either and meant one could lie back and had the perfect viewing angle to watch the aerial antics.
We hung around for a bit at the end, and left after the Sea Vixen had done it's mini-display when it departed. Walking back to the car, I thought it was going to be a nightmare getting out looking at the queue that was there, so I took my time, set my self up for the return journey and even though I was parked almost by the exit, prepared to go and join the queue getting out. At that point, 2 mini busses full of Royal Marines belted over the grass where I was parked, through a gap in the hedge at the bottom of the field and round the corner, so I followed them. It turned out that there were several lanes at the entrance, but only 1 was open for cars leaving (all had been open to let people in), however some kind person had taken out 2 of the barriers leaving a nice car sized space to get out just to the side of that, so I was out in just over a minute !!.
It was an ok day out, and the cost compared to a major sporting event for a whole days entertainment was reasonable. The flying display was not the best, with long gaps between displays - not to mention the unfortunate tech a/c that were the high lights of the show. The static display was shocking though. Nothing like the shows I've been to in the past at Finningley/Mildenhall/Fairford etc. Not even 1 USAF a/c there on the ground, and the only one that did come just did 2 low flypasts.
I'd been put off by the price of RIAT the last few years (I normally only go to one big show per year), however in future I will be giving Biggin Hill a miss and spending the extra few ££'s to go to RIAT as it is just so much better in both the flying and static displays.
