RNAS Yeovilton Air Day 2012 - Your Thoughts

[airtyphoon]

Well I thought considering all the challenges the Organisers had to go against the show turned out a very balanced show with something for everything alike.

Things that Need Addressing
Toilets in the Hurricane car park - there is none and and driving a distance you then need to wait around an hour to get on Base, next year it would be nice for toilets to be provided in all car parks.
Toilets Behind the Static Rafale - there was three blocks for woman and one for men and by 14:00 there was a large cue for the Male Block, could there please be a second block for men to speed up the Toilet Break.
Static was spread out thin even though there was only a few Aircraft there.

Positive
Car Parks - Getting in and out of the Hurricane Car Park was very quick and well marshalled a big improvement over previous years.
Saudi Hawks - the pilots were more than happy to Stand for photos and a chat.
Lynx Role Demonstration - lovely to see the Lynx Firing off a Salvo of flares, maybe next year the Commentary could inform us as to look for specific aircraft as to Not miss It.
Saudi Hawks - the Display has Improved since last year and the formations are more tight only drawback is you have to wait for the next formation or Pass to come in.
Commando Assault - Great to See the Sea Kings firing Flares but where were the Naval Lynx's.

I will be Returning next year for Arrivals and Air Day Again, hopefully the Static will be Larger with The NH90 Included and maybe an RAF Typhoon and the Flying Display will Be Bigger with more Fast Jet Displays/Demo's and Foreign Display Teams.

Roll on 13th July 2013 - Air Day 2013.

airtyphoon

[Mictheslik]

I rather enjoyed it. The organisers couldn't help the unfortunate cancellations and the dull weather, but some of the flying was spectacular, the meteor in particular was thrown around superbly. I also loved seeing the An124 in the show and the few passes it made were very enjoyable.

.mic

[pan trash]

This year was my first and I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the army lynx display, spectacular. I was in the hurricane car park and had no problems whatsoever, but I was expecting a wait so had my kindle to hand. As for toilets I just stopped off before I got into the car park. Personally I had a great day and will be going back next year.

[markranger]

My first time and i enjoyed it.
Thought the classic jets and Tornado Role Demo were brilliant.
I was amazed it how close the display line seemed to be to the crowed.Loved it.
Mark.

[lynothehammer]

Certainly not to be compared with last years display, think they were just very unlucky this year with last minute cancellations which is completely out of their control. All in all, a decent little airshow for the money. Hughlights for me were the AN124 (having not seen one since i was 12), The Red Arrows, Meteor & The Commando Assault.

I have to say out of all the airshows i've been to Yeovilton seem to have it right with the toilet situation, plenty of loos all over the place and they're actually clean too.


My one real gripe with the whole show is the rudeness of people especially during the commando assault. It seems to me that parents (I myself am one and left my child at home) think they have the devine right to push to the front just because they have children. I arrived at 9am and picked a place to sit (didn't look round the static so we didn't lose our space), yet some woman had the audacity to start moaning that her little boy couldn't see and that followed with her foul mouth doing the rest of the talking. I'm then stood there with her child kicking me in the back/nudging into me so i asked her to move back a little only to be told to do one.

My dad went off to get a cup of coffee & a programme only to return to find 4 spotty teenagers were stood infront of his chair and upon returning they stood there and didn't move. We had bags trampled on, and parents just stood there watching the display and not the children. I think the simple answer would be to have a roped off area where children can go and sit on the grass rather than the shambles where everyone piles forward and makes it dangerous.

All in all though a good day was had, unfortunately the weather just didn't want to play ball once the flying had actually started.

Out of 10 i'd give it a 7.

[Cessna954]

Not a bad year, but also not a classic by any measure.

Despite the well documented aircraft cancellations the organisers managed to put on a diverse flying display. For me the highlight was the TCAT Meteor T7, a striking aircraft displayed beautifully and with verve. From that moment my £23 entry ticket had been justified. Whilst being something a bit different, the AN124 was no more than a curiosity, if only it had been displayed like the SAA B747-400 of 1997. The flying display timing seemed sporadic, despite running late from the outset, significant gaps in flying still occurred.

The static display gets thinner by the year, yet the Falklands exhibits were crammed in to a confined area that made viewing, not to mention photography, difficult. Maybe they were trying to simulate the parking arrangement on Atlantic Conveyor?

I would describe the commentary more as intermittent ramblings. Quite bizarre at times. And someone explain to him the context of an aircraft checklist at an airshow!!

The traffic management plan was as per previous years but for some reason egress from Vixen was alot slower this year. It would appear caused by one-way roads having to temporarily revert to 2-way to allow for local access when required.

I'm concious there's alot of negatives above, but the positive was that I had a good day out and felt that it was money well spent.

Well done and thank you to the organisers, but could do better on a number of fronts.

[nick197]

Considering the situation the organisers were left with shortly before the show with planes pulling out left right and center they done a great job. The An124 was smart and done a fair few sporty turns, The Tornado role demo was imense as usual and the reds also put on a nice display.
NEGATIVES
I only had a little walk around the static after the flying display, I found that the safety barriers were put a little tight around the rafale making it difficult to get a nice shot.

The Commentator, A little warning that a photo pass was going to be next or there will be flares next would be nice. The Sea kings in the commando assualt done a nice break followed by a spectacular release of flares, Which i missed getting a photo of.

Is there no way they can use the whole length of the airfield to spread the crowd out?, It can get quite cramped on the grass.

The Hurricane car park was'nt very level, Infact it looked like the english channel on a very rough day. My uncles suburu, Which is'nt a perticular low car was rubbing along the grass and threatening to scrape the front bumber or the exhaust. Please provide a better car park next time.
POSITIVES
It was a nice mixed flying display with fast jets, Classics, Helicopters and heavy metal.

The barriers were nice and close to the rafale so you could get nice and close to it, Good if your not a photographer .

Alot of the aircraft in the flying display was parked close to the crowd so you could smell the jet fuel and get close to the action .

All in all a good airshow and on the way out me and my uncles were in agreement that we'de be back

[Dunk]

All fantastic bar the british weather!

Does anyone have a list of the flying display in order that it happened please? DM will do.

[SOMERSET SKYHAWK]

Well I thought considering all the challenges the Organisers had to go against the show turned out a very balanced show with something for everything alike.

Things that Need Addressing
Toilets in the Hurricane car park - there is none and and driving a distance you then need to wait around an hour to get on Base, next year it would be nice for toilets to be provided in all car parks.
Toilets Behind the Static Rafale - there was three blocks for woman and one for men and by 14:00 there was a large cue for the Male Block, could there please be a second block for men to speed up the Toilet Break.
Static was spread out thin even though there was only a few Aircraft there.

Positive
Car Parks - Getting in and out of the Hurricane Car Park was very quick and well marshalled a big improvement over previous years.
Saudi Hawks - the pilots were more than happy to Stand for photos and a chat.
Lynx Role Demonstration - lovely to see the Lynx Firing off a Salvo of flares, maybe next year the Commentary could inform us as to look for specific aircraft as to Not miss It.
Saudi Hawks - the Display has Improved since last year and the formations are more tight only drawback is you have to wait for the next formation or Pass to come in.
Commando Assault - Great to See the Sea Kings firing Flares but where were the Naval Lynx's.

I will be Returning next year for Arrivals and Air Day Again, hopefully the Static will be Larger with The NH90 Included and maybe an RAF Typhoon and the Flying Display will Be Bigger with more Fat Jet Displays/Demo's and Foreign Display Teams.

Roll on 13th July 2013 - Air Day 2013.

airtyphoon

I had a Great day

I will be Returning next year for Arrivals and Air Day Again Too

[lmgaylard]

Hi Guy's,

I have not posted sooner so as to give an honest opinion...
This year was my 25th Yeovilton air day, first being in 1982.

Overall, I think the air show, while it had gaps and a bit dis-jointed, was actually quite good. We all know about the late cancellations, which never help's, but I find it funny that arguably the highlight's of the day for many, Meteor,Vampire and Venomn, were late additions due to cancellations.......perhaps these should be on the list first for next year.

The static, unfortunatley, has been getting smaller with each passing year, hopefully something can be done for next year but the display aircraft should, I think, be priority. The barriers should not be so close to the aircraft, so taking photos, should be easier to see the aircraft. And it's not like they were struggling for space either.

Now a moan.....Correct me please if i am wrong, BUT, was this not supposed to be the Falklands 30 air show????
We know the Vulcan cancelled, but to be honest i didnt want that taking all the glory for what was useless bombing missions, and there is no Sea Harrier's flying in this country. But should there not have been more to promote this anniversary? where was the signs, that should have been everywhere, saying Falklands 30? where were the tributes, where were the photos taken during the war? There was no indication, that i could see, next to the Falklands static display what this display was meant to be.......why were the aircraft placed so close together and at odd angles?
I also dont think a one minute silence would have gone a miss either.....

Also, as I had suggested with emails to AHA, why was their no Active Shar's brought up from Culdrose?
I suggested to AHA to get some of the 'ground runners' up from Culdrose, park them onto South Dispersal and then at an appropriate time, taxy them over to the crowd line and park up.......OK, they dont fly anymore but it would have been great to at least see them taxy and to hear the Pegasus back at VL.....
And before anyone ask's, I had spoken to a lot of friends at VL, and they all said that this could be done quite easily and Culdrose had been half expecting a call about this..........
I feel this Anniversary, which wont happen again, was sorely let down.....

On a more positive note, the air display had some real gems with the AN-124, Meteor,Vampire, Venomn, Saudi Hawks...etc etc.....

I will no doubt go again next year but I do hope that some of the suggestions made by us all in our posts will be acted upon.......

Ramble over guy's.......

[SOMERSET SKYHAWK]

My one real gripe with the whole show is the rudeness of people especially during the commando assault. It seems to me that parents (I myself am one and left my child at home) think they have the devine right to push to the front just because they have children. I arrived at 9am and picked a place to sit (didn't look round the static so we didn't lose our space), yet some woman had the audacity to start moaning that her little boy couldn't see and that followed with her foul mouth doing the rest of the talking. I'm then stood there with her child kicking me in the back/nudging into me so i asked her to move back a little only to be told to do one.

My dad went off to get a cup of coffee & a programme only to return to find 4 spotty teenagers were stood infront of his chair and upon returning they stood there and didn't move. We had bags trampled on, and parents just stood there watching the display and not the children. I think the simple answer would be to have a roped off area where children can go and sit on the grass rather than the shambles where everyone piles forward and makes it dangerous.

I had the same last year. :

[stingrays4]

Hi my apologies for being so late in finding this thread but i am still on a P/C some days
First up - yes toilets in the car park would be very handy! Me and me brother usually stop just before we get to the base!
Car park {as mentioned by me nephew}yes looked like the north sea on a calm day,was scary driving over!
Toilets yes why do the ladies toilets outnumber the male toilets three to one???
Also yes be a great idea to give the kids a fenced off area at the front? After all if you are early and get at the front{which we have never done yet!!}Then people shouldn't hassle you!?!
Commentary - rather lacking in info on when the flares were going to be used {did they actually know though?} Also on the flypast they didn't spot the planes coming in sometimes {bit like me }
Parking of the aircraft taking part in the flying display, i really do enjoy getting near the aircraft which will be in the display,and the smell of aviation fuel!
Yes agree the Falklands wasn't covered very well and a minutes silence would have been a fitting tribute.
Will we be back? - that's a definite yes!