RIAT 2005

[jvaughan]

Anyone go to this?

[Eric Mc]

Last went in 1993.

Must go again some day.

[pdV6]

Went on Saturday. Marvellous time was had.

[dougc]

Yep - camped out for the whole lot, Friday to Sunday. Fantastic weekend.

[gopher]

Was there yesterday - great day out!

[jvaughan]

Went Both days too. The wife was working (Running the broadcast truck). Not as good as Last year I thought, a lot less planes, and a lot less fast jets on display.

Spent the Sunday morning in the EuroFighter Typhoon Hospitality. Nice to have airconditioning !

[mrs_knee]

Yep we were there....great day but far too hot!

Who was driving the silver chim that I was following then?

>> Edited by mrs_knee on Monday 18th July 16:27

[up-the-dubs]

Whats this then?

[pdV6]

up-the-dubs said:

Whats this then?

www.airtattoo.com/airtattoo/showcontent.asp

[up-the-dubs]

Yup, that looked pretty cool.

[Eric Mc]

I used to make special trips from Dublin for this starting in 1976. I attended the RIAT when it was held at Greenham Common in 1976/77,79 and 80 and went to the Fairford version in 1985,87 and 93.

Haven't been since - probably as I was beginning to think it was all getting a bit samey. There certainly was a much bigger variety of aircraft on view in "the old days".

[speedtwelve]

Went on the Saturday for the first time. Great show, plenty of variety. Liked the Tiger Squadron Celica painted in tiger-stripe cammo with ejection seat warning triangles on the doors. Cool. Best display, as usual, was the French Mirage 2000. Very punchy. Typhoon was a little restrained after having very nearly stacked it on his Friday practice. The bloke in the Sukhoi was a complete mentalist, he was snatching 11g performing those 'cobras'. Quite impressed with his commentary on the radio while snatching all that 'g' and flicking the aircraft. Pity the B52 and B1 didn't have display authorisations; they were restricted to 800' level flypasts only. Remember a B1 doing a 'combat' departure from Leuchars airshow a few years ago: set off half the car alarms on the airfield.

ST

[yertis]

A strange thing I saw at RIAT, not far from the big chalets where people like BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman peddle their military weapon-systems, was the police ordering a stall-holder to desist from selling catapaults.

[x1m]

SO ITS ALL YOU LOT FILLING UP THE FG ROAD OUTSIDE MY HOUSE EH? took me 40mins to get home from my girlfriends, it normally takes 4. Grrr.

Seemed awfully quiet this year, not many planes seemed to be coming and going compared to previous years.

[jvaughan]

Yep, Twas Us, although, the time I passed by your house, it was just getting light !...

Was there from 7am .. no traffic ques.

just uploaded some of my quick snaps
www.btinternet.com/~jason.vaughan/fairford2005

Also saw the arrivals last week, and will be there for some of the departures tomorrow. Ahhh No Public

[yertis]

There won't be many left will there? I stuck around for the Luftwaffe F4 and Su-22, then it looked like rain so I cleared off.

[andy_vtec]

Went last year, missed this, defo going next year as the Vulcan is aiming to be ready for it's first display after restoration.

The extra £15 to go in to the waitrose enclosure will be the best money you will spend there.

Best seats (deckchair) in the house, and waitrose tucker throughout the day. Sweet.

[Dickster]

Aye, went Sunday and it was cool (as in good, not cool).

Drove from Leeds and were straight in!! No real que.

Not happy about the B1 and B52, they were the reason I went really.

Best were Chinook (it really shouldn't be able to do that), Apache and Mirage 2000. Awesome.

A10 on static which is a shame as I'd love to see it flying again. Haven't seen it for years.

How do you get camping? I looked for ages before but couldn't get any help or replies from people.

[dougc]

Dickster said:

How do you get camping? I looked for ages before but couldn't get any help or replies from people.

Theres a place called Kempsford camping which is just outside the airfield. It fills up quick and takes bookings starting around February each year. This is the second year I've been and it's great. The view of the flying is just as good as going through the gates as you are only about 60yds from the perimeter fence of the airfield.

[dieseljohn]

I was there. Spotted a Celica with pistonheads sticker in the car park. Any of you lot?

Eurofighter, apache and red arrows were my favourites.