Royal International Air Tattoo 2025 General Discussion Thread

[Red-Eye-Knight]

This was posted over on UKAR

"Qatar ordered a fleet of 24 Eurofighter Typhoons in December 2017 and as part of the agreement a joint training squadron on the type was set up at RAF Coningsby where RAF instructors from 12 Squadron train Qatari pilots to fly the Typhoon."

"Qatar will be exhibiting a Typhoon FGR4 as part of this year’s Air Tattoo static display. The aircraft in question will be in RAF markings and provided by the joint training unit, 12 Squadron, from RAF Coningsby."

Usually polite to credit the poster even if it is another forum. In this case "CJS" although it was a requote.

Well if thats the case the same could be said about a certain comment on here last week from Harkins that I pointed out he basically copied from someone on UKAR then I got a grilling from mods and admin about it So whoever you are Dreadnought well done for pointing out what Harkins copied from you last week over on UKAR.

[Red-Eye-Knight]

I imagine there'll be a significant number of additional items to the flying programme, what there is so far isn't at all bad. But at 20 or so items, its looking more like the Fridy programme in total, and it's now cutting it fine as we are just inside two months to go. I dare say with the US and France yet to declare, if anything, what they may have lined up, it could make a difference. Further, with a signficant anniversary, 80th VE/VJ Days this year, it might presage an interesting "finale" as in previous years. Finger crossed.

LF

French Air & Space Force have already said they are sending the E-3 Sentry still waiting to see what if anything the French Navy send, I think most people are hoping for the Rafale pairs demo or the ATL2 Atlantique but I suspect as like most years they will send the Xingu.

[Discodaz]

Don't go then.

This sort of moronic response is why people do not post on this thread anymore. People are allowed to express concern at the line-up or a negative view.

Red-Eye-Knight's comment above yours is a reasonable response. Taking Daz's point and arguing against it with his opinion.

exactly steven, and exactly the reason i rarely post on here. i have said it in the past and i will say it again. SOME members of this forum are toxic and deliberately look for a fight.

[cat1]

Don't get me wrong, I love RIAT for what it is, but with more and more air shows/days/fetes going under I would rather a large amount of small shows over one massive one with everything else crammed in!

[Red-Eye-Knight]

This sort of moronic response is why people do not post on this thread anymore. People are allowed to express concern at the line-up or a negative view.

Red-Eye-Knight's comment above yours is a reasonable response. Taking Daz's point and arguing against it with his opinion.

exactly steven, and exactly the reason i rarely post on here. i have said it in the past and i will say it again. SOME members of this forum are toxic and deliberately look for a fight.

Exactly correct Discodaz some people come on here looking for a fight but I have to say that certain people (Not naming anyone) who normally come on and post have been very conspicuous by their absence and the forum has been a better place this year due to that.

[capercaillie]

lets say as it is guys..so far this year is crap! thats why nobody is chatting about it.every week we all think it has to improve and yet it somehow doesnt

OK, fair enough everyone is entitled to a point of view, and fine saying on a forum "this year is crap", but to be honest its without context as to why "its crap", so you could say the retalitory post was as informative and justified to the "its crap" post.

So what is crap?

Is a Qatari Apache crap?
Is the Finnish F-18 display crap?
Is the Danish F-16 diaply crap?
is the French E-3 crap?
Is the Portuguese Merlin display crap?
Is the Spanish S-76 crap?
Is the Czech Sokol display crap?
Is the Czech Let-410FG crap?
Is the Spanish Harrier display crap?
Is the Spanish Tifon display crap?
Is the Finnish Defender crap?
Is the Spanish CN235 Vigma crap?
Is the Swedish Blackhawk display crap?
Is the Polish Hercules crap?
Is the New Zealand 757 crap?
Is the Lithuanian Dauphin crap?
Is the Italian P-72 crap?
Is the Hungarian Caracal crap?
Are the Greek Mirages crap?
Is the German A400M display crap?
Is the Italian E-550 crap?
Is the German Hercules crap? Actually leave that last one.

Cause I'm at a loss where you're going to see most of that lot anywhere else in the UK this year? Seven are UK show debuts and several are second only appearances. OK at present, the show isn't living up to the standards of the previous three, but I imagine in the current world circumstances its an incredibly difficult job year on year getting not only great acts to the show but also new things that the enthusiasts have not seen before or for ages, or for one last time before they're gone forever.

So to come on and just say "its crap" is not only insulting, when clearly its not, but also incredibly lazy without justification of how it could be done better.

[MiG_Eater]

Is a Qatari Apache crap? No
Is the Finnish F-18 display crap? No
Is the Danish F-16 diaply crap? No
is the French E-3 crap? No
Is the Portuguese Merlin display crap? Yes
Is the Spanish S-76 crap? Yes
Is the Czech Sokol display crap? No
Is the Czech Let-410FG crap? No
Is the Spanish Harrier display crap? No
Is the Spanish Tifon display crap? No
Is the Finnish Defender crap? Yes
Is the Spanish CN235 Vigma crap? Yes
Is the Swedish Blackhawk display crap? Yes
Is the Polish Hercules crap? Yes
Is the New Zealand 757 crap? Yes
Is the Lithuanian Dauphin crap? Yes
Is the Italian P-72 crap? Yes
Is the Hungarian Caracal crap? Yes
Are the Greek Mirages crap? No
Is the German A400M display crap? No
Is the Italian E-550 crap? Yes
Is the German Hercules crap? Actually leave that last one....... Yes

[Canberra TT.18]

Is a Qatari Apache crap? No
Is the Finnish F-18 display crap? No
Is the Danish F-16 diaply crap? No
is the French E-3 crap? No
Is the Portuguese Merlin display crap? Yes
Is the Spanish S-76 crap? Yes
Is the Czech Sokol display crap? No
Is the Czech Let-410FG crap? No
Is the Spanish Harrier display crap? No
Is the Spanish Tifon display crap? No
Is the Finnish Defender crap? Yes
Is the Spanish CN235 Vigma crap? Yes
Is the Swedish Blackhawk display crap? Yes
Is the Polish Hercules crap? Yes
Is the New Zealand 757 crap? Yes
Is the Lithuanian Dauphin crap? Yes
Is the Italian P-72 crap? Yes
Is the Hungarian Caracal crap? Yes
Are the Greek Mirages crap? No
Is the German A400M display crap? No
Is the Italian E-550 crap? Yes
Is the German Hercules crap? Actually leave that last one....... Yes

[Red-Eye-Knight]

Only six updates left? Really is going to be a smaller show this year.

The Apache is a great addition in both rarity and its looks. But if it gets dragged out the back of a transport plane and parked up surrounded by traffic cones and an ice cream van for a backdrop, then its a very diminished appearance in my book. But photography is a bigger part of my weekend than it might be for others and I go for all six days in part hoping to see everything fly at some point.

I wonder if it's quieter on here partly because there has been a bit less to get excited about this year than in recent years? And expressing the opinion that this year is a generally a bit below par is usually met with a load of abuse. I guess this year was always going to be in a bit of trouble after last years extravaganza.

Another thing is, it's really difficult discussing what makes something good at RIAT as we have so many different takes on it. People who only go for one day tend to focus on what's in the flying display, many people who go for six days often see the static as equally, if not more important. Often the rarest stuff is in static, so seeing it arrive and depart is brilliant. Only seeing it with covers on, surrounded by cones, flags and tents is less impressive. Probably some simply need to read a serial and that's job done for them. I'm sure some come and are more than happy to see the RAF Typhoon and Red Arrows display and anything else is just a plane. Seemingly a disco is the attraction for some.

I'm also a bit concerned about what I've read (but not posted) on the other forum, that helicopters now must land on the threshold of the runway they approach and taxi to their parking spot - and not hove- taxi(?) up to the other end. This could mean a much reduced chance of seeing some of the helicopters on arrivals - most likely at the western end.

The Qatari NH90 had the same description of being loaded in the back of a C17 to the show in it's confirmation last year, but it was dropped off by a grey C17 to Brize and flew over to Fairford, according to the crew that year it was because it was 1: a request by DBH and 2: training for them to fly in an completely new area of operations, it'd be amazing if they manage to do the same with the Apache, but in general, the Qatari participation for this year and the last has been incredible and it seems they really do take the enthousiasts their wishes into consideration as well

Loved it when someone asked the NH90 crew to keep it low on departures, and they immediately said yes, to then actually do it as well, turned out nice their appearance last year!

From what head of RIAT Air Ops said today over on UKAR (Credited the poster Nighthawke ) the Qatari Apache will be flying in itself for arrivals as the NH-90 did last year.

[phantom6]

Ironic isnt it I love airshows but there are thousands of people being killed and we are arguing about a darn airshow come on lads get it into prospective

[falconfighting]

Is a Qatari Apache crap? No
Is the Finnish F-18 display crap? No
Is the Danish F-16 diaply crap? No
is the French E-3 crap? No
Is the Portuguese Merlin display crap? Yes
Is the Spanish S-76 crap? Yes
Is the Czech Sokol display crap? No
Is the Czech Let-410FG crap? No
Is the Spanish Harrier display crap? No
Is the Spanish Tifon display crap? No
Is the Finnish Defender crap? Yes
Is the Spanish CN235 Vigma crap? Yes
Is the Swedish Blackhawk display crap? Yes
Is the Polish Hercules crap? Yes
Is the New Zealand 757 crap? Yes
Is the Lithuanian Dauphin crap? Yes
Is the Italian P-72 crap? Yes
Is the Hungarian Caracal crap? Yes
Are the Greek Mirages crap? No
Is the German A400M display crap? No
Is the Italian E-550 crap? Yes
Is the German Hercules crap? Actually leave that last one....... Yes

Pretty accurate with my thinking tbf, although perhaps slighly more generous

[cat1]

lets say as it is guys..so far this year is crap! thats why nobody is chatting about it.every week we all think it has to improve and yet it somehow doesnt

I saw this coming when they announced the theme

[cat1]

Ironic isnt it I love airshows but there are thousands of people being killed and we are arguing about a darn airshow come on lads get it into prospective

And this.

This plays a much bigger role than people seem to realise.

The geopolitical situation is pretty tense at the moment so its no wonder that some countries have better things to do.

Pakistan - India
Ukraine - Russia

Myanmar is in a civil war and Ethiopia isn't much better not to mention Somalia and the Congo.

China want Taiwan and Iran and Israel are just waiting for an excuse to let fly at each other.

Hence........A slightly different riat to peacetime

[Red-Eye-Knight]

Since I was born in the late 70s there has been a war in every single decade since then, Falklands, Iraq 1, Bosnia war, Iraq 2, Afghanistan and loads of other little wars going on that we never hear about so I would hardly call it peacetime.

[Gary]

Saturday general entry tickets now sold out

[Red-Eye-Knight]

1st post I've seen from you on this thread for a while gary good to hear from you

Wow That's early to sell out for Saturday tickets they did say at the FRIAT Forum Saturday was close to selling out and Friday and Sunday were not far behind.

Just goes to show that joe public don't care if the show looks good or not they just want a day out and this just proves it's a popular event regardless of the lineup.

[Nighthawke]

All of 12 days...

[Gary]

I decided this year I'm not getting drawn into the weekly updates. The show will be good as it usually is.

[Red-Eye-Knight]

All of 12 days...

I was meaning his 1st post about RIAT in a while not 1st post in a while

[cat1]

Feel like the last Austrian QRA display in 2020(?) was as good as it gets, would love to see that again in the future