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Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

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Dan213
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by Dan213 » Thu Jul 19, 2018 11:27 am

Yunglee wrote:
Wed Jul 18, 2018 11:31 am
This was our first year in the FRIAT enclosure partly as a reward to my 16 year old son for his hard work in the run up to his GCSE's and partly for my father in recovery from cancer. We stayed from Tuesday until the Monday departures and although we left knackered, we had an absolutely amazing boys trip away.

We camped in the Tangerine fields which was fantastic with clean toilets and showers and on site hot food. That changed after Thursday when the camp site filled up and clearly 16 toilets are not enough for the supposed 2000 tenters!!! But the slowly disintegrating toilets and luke warms showers didn't drop the mood.

The arrivals, show days and departures where all great and staying for so long allowed us to catch different light conditions especially as the flight programme changed from day to day.

I have to agree with the earlier comments about the arrivals day in Park and View east. My Dad decided he wanted to be one of the first few through the gates, bearing in mind he's recovering from cancer, no mean feat getting up at 5am. We where in a good position but between 6:30-7:30 loads of people turned up and slowly joined the large group of people in front of us. The final straw must have been when a couple of French lads joined their party in front of us carrying there Costa Coffee! at 7:15am.

In future I'll happily give up a fence line position to arrive after 7:30 and simply walk in.

Lee.
You must have been stood right next to us! Was also pretty annoyed when that French party of around 10 joined the queue at 7:15. Have never seen it happen to that kind of extent in years before

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Knife 04
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by Knife 04 » Thu Jul 19, 2018 12:33 pm

Great show all round I think - went from Wednesday to Friday and back again Monday. Crews friendly, good company (and a couple of beers) and apart from Friday for a couple of hours it was good weather.

Sat at the very back of Park and View on Monday on a small set of steps after asking staff who had no problem with it. A slight raise in the ground coupled with the steps gave a view over everybodys head at the front.

Don't bother any more trying to get on the fence line - sit back abit and watch / shoot from there. Static good on Friday with not too many people around - armed cops in the evening a good laugh with one little lady carrying her own body weight in ammo I think.

You always get some idiots in any situation with crowds - pushing, shoving, trying to get in front - the bloke that got me though was the one in P&V East on the Thursday afternoon - instead of walking the 100 yards or so to the loo decided to take a p*ss up against the fence next to the road! NOW that is out of order especially with kids around
James Cutting wrote:
Mon Jul 16, 2018 4:11 pm
When will we stop comparing current RIATs to 80’s/90’s IAT’s??
When I am in a box Jimbo - besides only do it to wind you up :D :D

Darren

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James Cutting
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by James Cutting » Thu Jul 19, 2018 12:34 pm

Much love Darren :blush: :lol: :lol:
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Knife 04
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by Knife 04 » Thu Jul 19, 2018 1:51 pm

And you mate!

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DanBeeden
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by DanBeeden » Fri Jul 20, 2018 3:17 pm

I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this year's show, doing every day apart from a mid-week rest day on Friday to recharge for the second half. I think this was Air Tattoo #19 for me.

I think we can (thankfully not seen on FC but as exemplified by another well known aviation forum) fall into a mindset of thinking that an air arm's main priority for any given year is to get aircraft to RIAT. Which obviously is not the case. Working in aircraft ops myself I know the massive effort it takes to get an aircraft to where it needs to be for a key tasking - and attending airshows certainly isn't a key tasking by any stretch of the imagination. The friendly guys from Germany next to me at P&V West were waxing lyrical about everything we saw as they said you just get nothing like this in Germany. Maybe a photocall if you are lucky.

Thinking of the spectacles I witnessed at RIAT last week, and there are too many highlights to mention them all, but things like the C-2, the Pakistani Herc in that superb paintscheme, the SU-27s, B-1B, Couteau Delta, the first public outing of an RAF RC-135, the Canadian Hornet, were just fantastic. The sun shining as Couteau Delta lined up in front of P&V West (tempered mildly by my belongings ending up 50m behind me a few seconds thereafter!) was brilliant.

One thing I did notice this year was (my perception at least) that the displays seem to be getting higher and further away. I had the same camera set up this year (500m zoom on my D300) and noticed by comparing shots from this year to last, how further away many things seemed in the viewfinder. This year's RCAF Hornet vs last year's Spanish Hornet for example - the Canadian Hornet feeling very high and distant to me.

I had no problems with queues via Green or Blue routes inbound or outbound, and the weather of course was welcome and felt long overdue after recent shows plagued by marginal weather. All non-show days were spent at P&V West which continues to deliver for me as many aircraft taxi round the top end. The significant increase in toilet facilities was very welcome, avoiding the long queues of previous years.

Hats off to the team at DBH for an excellent show.

Dan

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James Cutting
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by James Cutting » Fri Jul 20, 2018 3:37 pm

Do we think aircraft seemed further away/higher this year because they were 'full' displays, with little to no restrictions...just a thought! We are used to 'flat' or 'rolling' displays
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The Cat
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by The Cat » Sat Jul 21, 2018 10:41 am

Definitely further away and higher in my opinion.....a result of the Shoreham incident and CAA rules ? it's at the stage now when not just enthusiasts but the 'general public' need binoculars ! I always find European shows better personally.

The Cat
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by The Cat » Sat Jul 21, 2018 10:52 am

Been to more RIAT's than I can remember and always get to the East end line after photographing static around 0930. I have never had a problem getting a crowd line space but in the last few years I have and been forced to stand behind the 'chair line'. Fair enough as you can't expect people to stand all day ( even though I do and I'm 72 ! )
So my question is I feel it necessary to upgrade to one of the VIP areas but is there easy access to it's crowd line or is it just jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Also which one would be best to go for.
All thoughts and advice appreciated

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sneezy24
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by sneezy24 » Sat Jul 21, 2018 6:24 pm

I did the viewing village this year (garden seat, not grandstand) and thought it was good! I didn't venture to the front, but could have done so easily.

One plus point is that when taking pics of low passes, the plastic chairs are a great aid to panning as you just swivel your bum!!!

This was Friday.

Next year I'm planning on Friday for walk-round and statics, and Saturday in the viewing village - I am assuming it will be the normal 'half-day' on Friday next year.
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Droptank
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by Droptank » Sun Jul 22, 2018 3:00 pm

Specific response to "The Cat" regarding various viewing facilities, based on personal experience.


I am a perennial FRIAT member but missed out this year as I left my application too late.

I therefore booked P&V (West) tickets for Tuesday & Thursday, later adding Wednesday when I saw what the weather was going to be like!

I booked show tickets for Friday, Saturday and Sunday with an added option of a booked grandstand seat for Saturday.

Obviously the P&V experience was the same as every other year (but busier than ever) and obviously nowhere near as good on departure
days as FRIAT is definitely the place to be.

The (dedicated) Public Grandstand seat was OK but the stand was set further back than the FRIAT stand and the people occupying it were
a little less disciplined in getting up and walking about when aircraft were displaying, but that's understandable as they are less fanatical
about photography than the FRIAT Community!

The distance from the runway also meant that the chairs and people in the garden in front of the Grandstand appeared in any shots of
aircraft on the runway.

Sunday was spent as a regular punter and it was very busy and although not impossible, difficult to get a spot on the front of the crowdline
which would be quickly filled if you moved an inch.

In summary, having a little more flexibility than staying in FRIAT for the duration of the weekend is OK but if photography is your thing, FRIAT does
offer the best opportunities as you are almost at show centre, particularly good on departures day.

The facilities in FRIAT also seem to be a bit better, toilets, seating, marquee, vendors etc. than the public areas.

Cost-wise there isn't a great deal in it if you were to have a grandstand seat for both (or all three if it happens) show days, buy a programme and
pay for P&V each day.

Hope that helps.

Droptank.

np1991
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by np1991 » Mon Jul 23, 2018 3:39 pm

Really enjoyed this year's show. However one thing did bug me, even though it didn't affect me so to speak, which was on the Thursday a pair decided to position their ladders at the front of P&V east. Yeah ok it was in the ladder enclosure but at the front? Really? Did hear a few "nice comments" aimed in their direction.
Cheers Niall

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The Cat
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by The Cat » Tue Jul 24, 2018 8:03 am

Many thanks for the info Droptank and I'll certainly consider FRIAT for 2019

Redflag17
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by Redflag17 » Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:06 pm

FRIAT is great. already paid for next year. worth every penny. don't understand the free gift coin this year but hay ho

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James Cutting
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by James Cutting » Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:17 pm

Free gift coin??!! :S :S I didn't get that :'(

Hope they'll call me soon to let me know the price as next year we'll be our second FRIAT :thumbs:
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Gary
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by Gary » Tue Jul 24, 2018 3:39 pm

It was a challenge coin, wasn't it in the bag with the programme James?
Posh are going to Wembley (albeit for a tin cup)

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James Cutting
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by James Cutting » Tue Jul 24, 2018 3:49 pm

Most likely, will have to dig that bag out when I am home :lol: :lol:
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MRTT
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by MRTT » Sat Dec 29, 2018 2:08 am

Massive resurrection but,

Would anyone happen to know the song played during the USAF F-35 Demo?

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saint1
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by saint1 » Sat Dec 29, 2018 2:34 am

MRTT wrote:
Sat Dec 29, 2018 2:08 am
Massive resurrection but,

Would anyone happen to know the song played during the USAF F-35 Demo?
From memory they cut between a few music tracks but have defo used Metallica, check out Orion a few mins in, if not that somebody might have the music listing they use.

MRTT
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by MRTT » Sat Dec 29, 2018 11:44 am

Fantastic, cheers. :thumb:

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bizfreeq
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Re: Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Discussion Thread

Post by bizfreeq » Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:41 pm

MRTT wrote:
Sat Dec 29, 2018 2:08 am
Massive resurrection but,

Would anyone happen to know the song played during the USAF F-35 Demo?
Could have just googled it mate ;)

Intro: Orion - Metallica
Takeoff: Turbulence - Steve Aoki & Laidback Luke ft. Lil Jon
Hard Pitch Out: Monster - Skillet
High Speed Climb: Cruise - Florida Georgia Line
High Speed Pass: Click Click Boom - Saliva 
Landing: Suicide & Redemption - Metallica
Cheers
Mark



If our airforces are never used, they have achieved their finest goal.
— General Nathan F. Twining

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