Yet Another RIAT F**k Up!

[splitbrain]

Originally Posted by rafair7643

Whatever the depth of the ruts in those images, is immaterial. Once the traffic had been allowed in on Saturday, they would have been 10 times worse.

Absolutely, and you would have thought this was obvious wouldn't you? At the rain sodden V Festival at Weston Park 2 years ago the carparks started out looking better than the ones in the photos; by Sunday evening they were hellish to drive through. Last year was a repeat performance and many cars, including local taxis doing pickups, had to be abandoned overnight.

[Mal Drop]

Got quite close...

[Rafair7643]

Actually old boy, I don't "hate" Chelsea Tractors...............look where I live! I'm a country boy.

As to the weather...............not a scooby mate. I was a Range Conducting Officer and Civvie Policeman. All I knew about the weather was that most days in Scotland when I was outside............it always tipped down.

Cheers

Stew

[Rafair7643]

Only 114 miles? Man, yer damn near a city dweller

Cheers

Stew

[Green Flash]

Then why, if the climate is warming at such a great rate, is it raining so much?

To keep all the Chelsea Tractors washed clean of (airshow carpark) mud!

[Regie Mental]

I suspect the talk of moving away from Fairford has much to do with rumours that the base will go into care & maintenance soon. If that is something which prompts a move then it would also rule out any other disused base so I guess Cottesmore is a prime candidate for a new venue (until it too becomes disused).

["Taylor"]

Great pictures there Mal, especially love the hangar shot. You must be in a priveledged position to get that access.

[Mal Drop]

The trick is getting the guy who is guarding it to pose for the shot...

[Didntdoit]

Biaised

Well, an interesting thread. It's interesting how it starts off with vitriol, goes through anger and understanding, frustration and sorrow, cynicism and sympathy.

I had a gut feel when I arrived on Monday that the parking would be an issue. And that was before I saw the state of some of the showground areas. To call an event off on the basis of a gut feel, well, that's a hanging offence, no? Then, it appears, so is calling it off at late notice. Add the crime of pressing on regardless, then you have a no win, lose your balls situation. You can never keep everyone happy. But it's clear to me that there are many who regardless of what the RAFCTE does, they will be tainted by individual experience and misinformed opinion ; those will not be converted. There are many more who do not feel that way, and these are the punters that come back year on year. And that number, by the way, includes crews and their support (ok - the Dutch can be a bit barking ).

I've been involved in RIAT for a while now, and thought I'd add a couple of perspectives:

• Treatment of Volunteers; it went through a low period, but we get looked after ok thanks. Sure, the accom can be low rent, but hotels is not an option. If treatment is that poor, I wouldn't be having a reunion with a bunch of other 'suckers' year on year.
• Alternate Venue; Let's see how well we do in finding a long runway, next to lots of empty concrete, relatively close to ample hotels, etc, with lot's of vacant accomodation, well maintained facilities and infra and acceptable public access. Answers on a postcard to....
• Costs; RIAT gets a bill for the extra policing. This is a 6 figure sum. For those that say that RIAT is just about making money or getting Vulcan airborne - go figure...
• Costs...2; Anyone seen the price of fuel lately. Sadly, RAFCTE has not been able to get sponsorship with Shell.
• Bowen and Prince; Frankly, it's a shame to see folk taking a pop at those that have left this world. As for Mr P, well, it takes balls to make a call so close to the wire, and RAFCTE would be nothing without his drive and leadership.
• "Bob"; Well, he works for me, and I'll be having words! But seriously, we all try to make the experience as good as we can, for all we interact with. We don't please everyone, but most are content and understanding.
• Letting Spotters in on the Friday; More mis-info. There were 5,000 guests involved in the Colours' Parade. Guess where they had to park? My honest opinion that this gave us the best indication that the car parks would not have held over the weekend.
• Tikcets; Damned if you do and damned if you don't. Let's say that there was no control on ticket sales. Let's say that Sat tickets were made valid for Sunday. Let's say Sunday went ahead. Do the math; it don't work. I cannot think of many public events that do not have a control on access. The decision re day-specific tickets was a change; folk don't 'do' change. It was though an overdue change.

This time last week, we should've been surrounded by thousands of people enjoying the best airshow in the world. That we weren't was due to the hardest yet easiest decision. Forget health and safety, public safety, safe sex; it was a no brainer. And it was the most gutting experience I've had in a long time. But..........we'll be back.

And, as there are some gratuitous Rapter pics going....'av it!

It's an awesome jet and the RAF is fortunate to have such a fine ambassador as the first Raptor exchange pilot. And compared to the last time the USAF bought a new jet to RIAT, the 1st TFW people were good to work with.

And, one more thing....It's been emotional.

[Warmtoast]

With all the speculation re costs relvant to mounting the Tattoo (insurance of £1.4 and £20 million are mentioned above, as is a three figure sum for the extra policing) the latest published accounts:

http://www.airtattoo.com/Assets/File...&As%202007.pdf

show more sobering figures as below. OK they aren't this year's figures but give an idea as to the finances involved.

How the Money was Raised for the 12 month period ended 28 February 2007

Incoming Resources
Commercial trading operations

Royal International Air Tattoo 5,714,976
Other income 1,324,703

Total Incoming Resources 7,039,679

Resources Expended
Costs of generating funds:

Promotional costs 270,855
Commercial trading operations
Royal International Air Tattoo 4,145,951
Other expenses 2,053,680
Corporation Tax 34,068

Governance costs:
Legal and professional fees 4,552
Audit fees 17,714
Travel and subsistence 76,432

Donation to Royal Air Force Charitable Trust 300,000

Total Resources Expended 6,903,252


Net incoming resources for this period 136,427
Fund balance brought forward 1 March 2006 110,447
Fund balance carried forward 28 February 2007 246,874

[Mal Drop]

The amount of adverse comment made about cancelling the show days is (in my opinion) tiny compared to what would have been levelled against RIAT had they gone ahead. Remember that for the majority of punters it is meant to be a nice day out with the family. The conditions on the grass areas were atrocious even with the relatively light traffic we had on Friday. Having been part of the show for almost 20 years, I truly believe that Tim Prince made the right call.

Here's a picture of the Colours Parade marching off...



Oh, and a few more Raptor shots from Friday.

[Green Flash]

It may be worth considering that, especially for things outside the wire, the Silver Commander might just have an opinion or two? Not blaming Gloucs coppers who face a big challenge each year and I'm not blowing smoke up TP's fundament either. Mangled car park, punter slips, car slides out of control - you get the picture?

[Rafair7643]

Now I'm no expert, but surely that picture of the Colour Party is just screaming out to be used in the Caption Competition.

Cheers

Stew

[Al R]

To the person who was kind enough to suggest by other means what I used to get up to in my room in the Barrack Block, I would remind them that I was not suggesting that the show should have continued under the circumstances. Rather, I was wondering why there were no contingencies in place in the first place. On local telly last week, 2 of the farmers who owned the fields were ruefully admitting and suggesting that they should have had more hardcore in place - but didn't. So why not? Was the matter simply not considered? Is it not the role of the organising committee to think of these matters - the 'worse case scenario' option?

In the week that saw the first anniversary of floods in Gloucestershire, only someone who was organising a village fete could conceivably fall back on the 'ignorance' defence.. but a world leading event with a 'Royal' suffix? Come on! Especially when you wonder how much of that RIAT statement of expenditure covers salaries anyway. £175,000 or so in hardcore and application could have prevented the cancelling, which as it turns out, has been an even greater financial catastrophe. But as it was, no one even considered planning ahead (compare to Goodwood FoS, which did) and its that RIAT thinking which has to be called into question - not the decision itself to cancel.

[wwoody01]

Hi In some regards you probably have a point. However, having been to Fairford all the week, I cannot see what have could have been done to to make the area usable. The airfield was a quagmire in a lot of areas. the car parks would have gone that way in a day or so. I have seen emergency vehicles struggle in poor ground areas, and God forbid, anything happened it would have been a nightmare. Personnally, although, extremely dissappointed, it was the right call to make.

Woody

[unclenelli]

I have seen emergency vehicles struggle in poor ground areas, and God forbid, anything happened it would have been a nightmare.

At Waddo, I was at least 3 blue light convoys weaving their way through the crowds on the Saturday, and that survived a downpour.

Organisers have a duty of care over the great unwashed who frequent their doo, so if the emergency services were incapable of providing adequate cover, they'd get sued and their insurance would probably have a clause negating cover.

[Didntdoit]

Spin...

Are you lot still going on about this? It's over, done and dusted. It was cancelled, get over it and move on.

It wasn't cancelled, but merely delayed 12 months. But 1.4G is quite right ; no amount of worry-beading or hand wringing-changes what should be veiwed as the only decision that could have been made in the circumstances.

That is all.

[Kodakman]

Kodakman

Hello members. I am so pleased to be able to have helped at RIAT with the departure of the Raptor, and the taxi past all the photographers at the western park-and-view. Friends in the area simply asked me if I could convey to the pilot their request to the Raptor pilot. He was kind enough to agree to them, and the result was lifted spirits all round, including mine. If anyone was at RIAT on Friday, they were treated to one of the finest and most interesting displays ever seen at a UK air show. Breathtaking would be an understantement.

Bob Archer

[Thaihawk]

RIAT departures

Kodakman,

Yes,the F-22A display on the Friday proir to what should have been the show was impressive.