RIAT

[sharpend]

I went to RIAT, arrived on the Thursday and will depart tomorrow. The weather was fine and the traffic not too bad. In all a very good event, but I missed the Vulcan and other vintage jets. Was Duxford any good? Have any other visitors or participants any comments?

[Stuff]

I arrived v-early on Fri and was treated to the unexpected F-16 qualifying display.

After that, the Reds + friends were outstanding for the 50th celebrations. Despite the 4500ft cloud-base they, and Red 10, provided the best display of the day.

A400M was very impressive. Putting all those CAS in one aircraft really made a statement... even if it was a touch ballsy for the auth!

[NutLoose]

Duxford had a Connie :)

[treadigraph]

Duxford had a Connie :)

...and the Peashooter!

[Mike51]

...on Saturday. It remained on the ground yesterday due to crosswinds.

[Flap62]

"Peashooter"?

For those of us who don't drink all of our beverages from a tartan flask any chance of a decode?

[Archimedes]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Boeing_P-26A_USAF.jpg/640px-Boeing_P-26A_USAF.jpg

I'm guessing this - the Boeing P-26.

[NutLoose]

Correct

you can see shots by several people on Flypast, here are a couple

http://www.digitalaviationart.com/forums/photos/FL2014/14-07-12_Duxford_37021.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d140/MERLINPOWER/IMG_4658_zpsb817b1ab.jpg
Anna's picture of the Connie

SimonR's Piccie of four MK1 Spitfires!!

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2932/14643920034_722658ab38_c.jpg

more here

http://forum.keypublishing.com/forumdisplay.php?24-Airshow-Photos

[WH904]

From what I've heard it doesn't sound like there was much to get excited about. Okay, gawd bless the Reds but I wouldn't queue all the way to Fairford and buy an over-priced ticket to see them - far easier ways to do that. Likewise, I see no thrill in seeing an A400 when they'll be lumbering in and out of Brize soon. I was promised one at Waddington before their show but I couldn't be bothered to wait 40 minutes to see it! From what I've seen, there was only the Su-22 that was in any way exciting at RIAT, the rest was just the same diet of aerobatics and generic modern stuff that has been seen way too many times.

All very nice of course and I'm sure everyone who went thoroughly enjoyed it and that's great. But when I remember what IAT was all about and how magnificent it once was (and yes I know why it isn't so great now), the latest show just seemed very, very dull. Joe Public doubtless loves all the aerobatic teams but when there are no "interesting" aircraft to see, it all becomes rather tame for a connoisseur such as myself (and an awful lot of my colleagues). I mean, is a Japanese tanker in a car park really that thrilling?

In my view, Waddington staged the best show of the year by far. A pale imitation of the great shows of the past I agree, but for 2014 I think it was a commendable effort. Vulcan, Canberra, three Hunters, three Gnats, Viggen and Draken... If they'd booked the Sea Vixen it would have been a perfect line-up.

In some ways I sympathise with RIAT, in that they have a difficult job getting anything of interest when there is so little left, and so little money to throw about. But I'd have more sympathy if they stopped billing the show as another IAT or RIAT, implying that it's the same show that we used to get at Greenham Common. It isn't, so why not just sell it as a family air show and stop making it into such an over-inflated and over-priced event?

If they really do want to continue being acclaimed as the true home of quality military air displays, they need to up their act. Bring back the Russians or Ukranians (and I mean in the air, not stuck on the ground). Yes it costs money but what is better? An endless line-up of familiar acts, or something really interesting? If it's all about maximising profit then fine - keep peddling the same tired old show.

[treadigraph]

Mauld has kindly posted a video of the Peashooter's display on the historic forum here (http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/543520-boeing-p-26a-peashooter.html).

Brought from California especially for Flying Legends display by Steve Hinton and his colleagues at the Air Museum at Chino, it's the only one still flying; the only other known survivor is in the National Air & Space Musuem at Washington.

An absolute little gem!

[bar fly]

WH904 I completely agree. On Saturday there were three solo F16 displays and two separate F18 displays. Even the commentator was struggling to find anything interesting to say about the same basic displays.


It is still enjoyable as a day out, and selling out the Saturday tickets tells you all you need to know about the popularity, but I think the organisers are becoming complacent.

[Bob Viking]

I haven't been since 2010 (when I was participating in the display as part of the BoB 70th) due largely to geography, but I think alot of the guys on this forum are losing perspective a little.
When I was younger I would have sat and watched solo F16s and F18s all day long and gone home happy as Larry. I would also have wandered around the static park ogling at lines of aircraft dreaming about one day getting to fly one. Nowadays it doesn't hold quite the same thrill but that doesn't mean that the airfield isn't filled with the young and old alike enjoying a great day out. My kids would probably have a ball.
Just because the 'pure' spotters and military veterans haven't got the latest bit of hardware to satisfy their whims probably doesn't even register on the minds of the average punter.
You can criticise RIAT all you like (I'll admit I haven't paid for an entry since the 90s) but despite the negativity of alot of guys on here it seems to hit the spot for most of it's patrons despite the trafic jams and vagaries of the British weather.
BV:O

[PICKS135]

Sorry to say WH904. Sea Vixen was sick at Leuchars with a dodgy engine. So wouldnt have been able to attend anyway :(:(

[WH904]

Indeed, it's a shame that the Vixen couldn't have capped-off a very impressive line-up of classic jets.

I wonder if someone will ever manage to re-create the style of the last show that the folks at Coventry arranged? That was a really impressive day, with not only the Vixen but also a Hunter, Canberra, Pembrokes, Noratlas, Electra, etc. I seem to recall that the show didn't attract a huge crowd but I have a feeling it was more a symptom of poor publicity, and a lot of alternative events at the time. I would think a show like that staged today would be brilliant.

Bar fly I know what you mean! I've no objection to watching F-16s and I like the F/A-18 very much (I had the pleasure of flying one once!) but there's no avoiding the fact that when you've seen one, you've seen 'em all. They're no substitute for "real" aeroplanes, be they old or not so old :)

[beardy]

when you've seen one, you've seen 'em all. They're no substitute for "real" aeroplanes, be they old or not so old

Tosh.

I fly for a living and also for pleasure outside work. I paid to go to RIAT this year and was entranced by the spectacle. The money was well worth it. Having participated in the past I know the rigours of display work and find WH904's comments to be quite insulting to the organisers, volunteers and pilots.

I also paid to go to Welshpool this year, which had a good mix of old and new but few of each. The organisation was reasonable for a small venue. I will go again.

[WH904]

Tosh.

Your opinion, which you're entitled to of course. It isn't one that a lot of other people hold :)

[beardy]

RIAT had a lot of people there, it was sold out on Saturday, that's a lot of people who seemed to share my opinion. But, I'll grant you there were more citizens who weren't there, perhaps they are the ones who share your opinions?

[threeputt]

Is this a 15 minute argument or do you want the full half hour?


3P:ok: