My IAT and RIAT Shows and what they meant to me.

[RNexpat190]

Just wanted to do a post highlighting the main highs and memories of the shows I attended here from 1989 to 2019 - yes Twenty Years(Thirty Years) but with lots of memories - More to Follow.

RN.

[stealth117]

30 years

[RNexpat190]

So - my first experience of the then IAT was in 1989 when I road down on my CB125T on the Friday, it was the furthest I had ventured out on my bike (about a Two hour ride) I was directed from the location I was near to head for the parking off Whelford Road (I think) near the 27 end, I paid the small fee and parked my bike up loving all the noise and excitement, I stayed for about Three hours before making my Two hour return trip home.

My next Fairford trip occurred in 1991 it was my First Full day at the show and what a Great show it was with such a mix of different aircraft types - with Excellent coverage by the Americans, that sight when driving down the lanes in the lines to get in catching the tail of the C5 and the other heavies.
The same continued with 1993 - 1994 - 1995 - 1997 - 1999 and 2003, I then took a break without attending until 2017 and lastly 2019.

I certainly loved every show from the long lines of USAF assets in the 90s to the Russians and the F117 and B2, also loved the Photo Bus trips over to the North side.

Great times.

RN.

[iainpeden]

My first was the '77 Tiger Meet with the RAN contingent. I have done every one since -including the (very wet) Bristol Air Festival which moved to GC with only a couple of months notice and the Boscombe ones but not the Bournemouth one where the Phantom navigator ejected on take off from the grass.

I joined F(R)IAT in 1983 for the Phantom Meet and have been a "friend" ever since.

Many great memories and a couple of sad ones. Mum died three weeks before the 2008 show but dad and I still went - to be soaked on the Friday and then woke up to the cancellation and then 2010 was the first show without him - we'd be going to airshows together since 1965 (?) (Blackbushe).

Looking forward to this JUly and I have already booked accommodation for 2026.