RIAT 1985 Flying display list.

[adimale1981]

Brilliant post

[Seahornet1]

For a few days, I've been trying to find the time (and the words) to respond to a certain recent crass assessment of today's RIAT; Droptank, you've said it all for me, many thanks!

[dervish]

I won't be going as it bores me. That's my choice.

Saying that, I think it's important to remember that 99% of the people paying for tickets to RIAT are families on a day out. They aren't really the people who look at aviation bulletin boards or know how many pounds of thrust the latest eurofarce has at it's afterburners.
99% of the people will be happy to see the sparrows and a selection of other aircraft, whatever they are, spend stupid amounts on offal and play on the funfair. The RIAT organisers have a duty to generate income for the RAFBF so they need to keep that 99% happy....and they do so.

The other 1% - the people who frequent bulletin boards like this and would know which company supplied the knobs in a merlin cockpit are not the priority customers for the organisers - BUT they do a very good job of getting variety of airframes from a variety of air arms ESPECIALLY for that 1% in economically challenging times.

Was it better value in the past - possibly, but it still ranks as a fairly cheap day's entertainment based purely on the ticket price/display time/time to view the static.

Will we ever have the volume and variety that we have had in the past - not a chance. The number of types in use has decreased, the number of aircraft has decreased, the 'slack' that allowed attendence at shows by frontline squadrons has gone.

Stop knocking the organisers of the show each year - they are doing a difficult job in difficult conditions knowing that the 1% are never going to be totally satisfied (but trying none the less!).

[Blue Diamond]

I feel duty bound to add my views on IAT/RIAT good old days versus what we can look forward to next month- sorry it goes on a bit.

I went to my first "Air Tattoo" at Greenham Common in 1973, I'd never heard of the place and went on a bus trip from Manchester, spending
only one day at the show in the sunshine.

It had an indelible impact on me as I had never seen an airshow of this type (the weather helped), my main shows being Woodford, Church Fenton etc.

To see a US Army Chinook, Cobra, Skycrane, KC97 etc was amazing, things I had only seen in magazines.

That was then and it inspired me to go to every IAT/RIAT show, barring three, since.

If I remember rightly there were around 150 participants in 1973 and included a range of aircraft that probably wouldn't be seen elsewhere in the UK.


The now.

If you were to ask any new RIAT visitor what he thought of the 2016 show, I guess he/she would have said something along the lines of "I never thought
I would see a Greek Phantom or an F22 fly, I've only seen them on YouTube"- it was great!

So, after over forty years, the effect is pretty much the same, a great, and unique, air show attracting rare and spectacular aircraft from far-flung
continents around the world- take it for what it is rather than what it was.

We can all "wish" for the old days but as so many people have said, they're gone for good, but who in 1973 would have thought in future years we
would see a Russian Bear, Pakistani Hercules or Japanese Kawasaki sub hunter at RIAT???- not many!..things change quickly.

What we have now is a fantastic air show that is head and shoulders above any air show across the world from both a quality and quantity perspective,
it is also well organised and only ever disrupted by the weather.

Having wild expectations about what "should" come to RIAT is a little short-sighted and I do appreciate that some of the requests are made tongue in cheek.

To suggest that the RIAT team are doing anything less than trying to attract the very same aircraft you desire is unfair, they deserve far greater appreciation
than they receive for their efforts in my opinion.

The recent team has picked up the baton from Paul Bowen who started it all with Tim Prince and they are now successfully attracting the right sort of attendees
based on their own growing reputation and that of the show- and it shows.

To describe RIAT as a "Farce" is simply unreasonable, it remains the show to go to above all others and I for one am very happy that we (in the UK) are fortunate
enough to host it.

If you have a quiet moment waiting for the next update, think back a bit and list the aircraft that you HAVE seen at RIAT, you then can beat yourself up for
not making the most of them when they were sat in front of you on static or flying!

This year is no different to any other, we have a great air show to look forward to and hopefully once the F22 starts to roll all preconceptions of it being
a "farce" will be forgotten.

Hopefully I am not alone in giving advanced thanks to the RIAT team for what they have achieved so far with so much global unrest and commitment of
armed forces, I can't wait, it's my birthday on July 11th and I can't think of a better way to spend it than travelling to RIAT!

Droptank.

Absolutely spot on IMO.

[timb]

I would like to echo everything Droptank has to say. I also went to my first IAT in 1973, I,ve only managed to miss one. I still thoroughly enjoy it and wouldn,t miss it for the world. I,ve never been to a bad one -- Are some better than others ? Probably ! Has there ever been a disappointing one ?--Never !!!
The organisation is awesome.The only thing I always try and avoid is looking at the participating a/c list, then i,m never disapointed and always surprised. Always great value for money.

[luke28]

The organisation is awesome.The only thing I always try and avoid is looking at the participating a/c list, then i,m never disapointed and always surprised. Always great value for money.

I used to love the pre Internet days of turning up, seeing tails and getting excited. To not look at the participation list must take a huge amount of self control on your behalf though, I'd like to be able to do it but I'd have no chance!