Royal International Air Tattoo 2017 Discussion Thread

[BunkerAlpha]

Westbound Air Space Res posted which looks likely for tomorrow's B2 flypast and exiting via the south

[NutsyDuts1]

Is that flying in tomorrow, and on static tomorrow??

[seven]

Well it would need to fly in to be on static, but as I've said before, until DBH confim it..

7

[BunkerAlpha]

Well it would need to fly in to be on static, but as I've said before, until DBH confim it..

7

The westbound airspace reservation suggests otherwise...

[page_verify]

Correct - B-2 is a flyby only sometime between 1 and 3pm, cloud base permitting.

[ranger703]

Im Really excited about today my first RIAT in over a century and first one with my digi gear, as folk will know I was here for the June deployement and put my pics up, but RIAT is a very different Kettle - Fish.

Bring it on Cant Wait


C.

In over a century! Jesus how old are you chap? I didn't think RIAT existed a 100 years ago?

[Duane Hewitt]

Quick question about departures day, as it's something I've never done before...
What time does the last A/C lift approximately? Just trying to time my getaway to hand the hire wagon back.

[sabrejet]

Final departures likely to be the bombers, Wed/Thur probably. Monday's departures usually peter out around 6 if I recall form previous years, but most gone by 4-ish.

[page_verify]

While I don't have a strong opinion on whether the Thunderbirds or Raptor are amazing or not, they both deserve the benefit of reality about their display decisions today, especially given what I've just read about them over on t'other internet plane forum.......

The cloud base changed a lot between 2 and 3pm this afternoon when the Raptor and Thunderbirds were scheduled to display.

While the Raptor was taxying, the Mustang arrived and reported a 900-1000 ft cloud base which was too low for the Raptor.
The Raptor asked if it could display later in the afternoon when the forecast suggested there'd be better weather - but was told no.

While it was taxying back, the Mustang did some passes along the crowdline to fill while the weather was getting better all the time.
However, while it was brighter there was still no confirmation that the cloud base had risen to 1500ft, which the Thunderbirds needed for their flat display - but the Thunderbirds could see the cloud was lifting.

In the end, Thunderbird 1 decided that with conflicting weather reports that he'd launch first and do a weather check, and then reported the 1500ft cloud base they needed.
What he did was clever, he had the other F-16s line up on the runway while he waited for the cloud to lift - rather than hold at the taxyway.
While I know they would've moved off of the runway if they were told to, Thunderbird 1 effectively paused the flying display until the cloud lifted enough for them........
I might've misheard but I'm sure the Thunderbirds worked out they wouldn't get re-scheduled so needed to play the game......

[page_verify]

I'd say you can be very comfortable that if a B-52 crew knows about it then it's planned. The question is whether or not B-2s are cleared to do flybys with cloud at 1,200ft or whether it'll just continue with its GPM......
Oh I misread your post - why would they only come for the Sunday.....?

Whilst i do not disbelieve them, i wouldn't say a completely seperate squadron would be a reliable source for that kind of information.

Dan213-Haaaaa!

7

Different squadrons yes - but they're both in the relatively small Global Strike Command (AFGSC) so it's very probable that they'd have been told what other AFGSC squadrons were doing at RIAT.

[page_verify]

Hi Timbo69,

This was posted on t'interwebs a few days ago and while I don't know of its source it's been accurate enough for me on Friday and Saturday.




Sunday 16th July

10.00am
Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon Turkish Air Force
Patrouille Suisse – Northrop F-5E Tiger II x6 Swiss Air Force
SAAB JAS-39C Gripen Swedish Air Force

11.00am
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 RAF
Westland Sea King Mk48 Belgian Air Component
The Royal Jordanian Falcons – Extra EA300L x4
Panavia A-200A Tornado Italian Air Force

11.50pm
The Midnight Hawks – BAE Systems Hawk Mk51 x4 Finnish Air Force
AgustaWestland WAH-64D Apache AH1 Army Air Corps
Couteau Delta – Dassault Mirage 2000D x2 French Air Force
Leonardo C-27J Spartan Italian Air Force

1.00pm
SAAB J105OE Austrian AF
Pilatus PC-9M Slovenian AF
Avro Lancaster B1 and Supermarine Spitfire x4 BBMF

1.45pm
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Sally-B
North American P-51D Mustang Hangar 11 Collection

US Air Force 70th Anniversary Flypast:
Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker
Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules
McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle
McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle
Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon
Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk
US Air Force Heritage Flight:
North American P-51B Mustang Comanche Fighters
Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor

2.50pm
The Thunderbirds Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon x6
Airbus A400M Airbus Defence & Space

3.50pm
SAAB JAS-39C Gripen Swedish Air Force
Leonardo T-346A Master Italian Air Force
Lockheed Martin F-16A MLU Fighting Falcon Belgian Air Component
McDonnell Douglas EF-18M Hornet Spanish Air Force

4.30pm
The Red Arrows x9 BAE Hawk T1/T1A RAF
Dassault Rafale C French Air Force
Boeing Chinook HC4 RAF
Aero Vodochody L-159 ALCA x2 Czech Air Force

[Alfie]

Timbo wrote:-
So if I want to find out the schedule I have to buy a program? Thats on par with the £10 burgers for extorsion! Ive spent £200 on tickets, the least they could do is publish a schedule?

when you ordered your tickets you were giving the opportunity to pre-purchase a programme at a reduced rate, perhaps you should have took it.



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[Nighthawke]

I haven't been to an airshow in nearly 20 years and my last Fairford was in 1993. But, if I recall right flying schedules were usually included in the program not given out freely.

Sorry but a football match is no comparison - of course you know what time kick off is similar to gates open or display start time but not individual timings.

Super secret - hardly it is all in the program!

As for extortion I'm sure I was paying a fiver last time I went (see above!). You paid £200 for tickets, your post suggests that you may pay £10 for a burger so £12 for a commemorative program doesn't seem that bad at today's prices - assuming they are on a par with yesteryear's publications.

Failing that why not just sit back and enjoy the surprises

Anyway I hope you enjoy the show

[welshandy]

Timbo wrote:-
So if I want to find out the schedule I have to buy a program? Thats on par with the £10 burgers for extorsion!



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Didn't see the £10 Burgers I only paid I think about £6.50 for a 1/4Ib Cheese Burger. Mind you I wasn't expecting to pay £2.50 to use a Cash Machine( I know it said a nominal charge) but thats over the top

[NutsyDuts1]

Sorry, slightly off topic, and yes I probably could look back through other posts, but what does 'DBH' mean??

[MRTT]

Douglas Bader House.

[UKdragon]

Correcting earlier info posted here, the two U-2s are departing on Monday, 1200 and 1300 local.
The one that is currently in the hangar is 067, which used to be the test bird based at Palmdale, and which only rejoined the operational fleet last year.

The Aviation Bookshop (trade stand in the red zone opposite the RAF Typhoon) sold all the first batch of signed copies of my book on Friday morning. I got the aircrew to sign some more and gave them to The Aviation Bookshop to sell. Maybe they will still have a few on Sunday - you would have to check with them.
Chris Pocock, http://www.dragonladytoday.com

[bizfreeq]

Final departures likely to be the bombers, Wed/Thur probably. Monday's departures usually peter out around 6 if I recall form previous years, but most gone by 4-ish.

B1 is departing Tuesday morning according to the crew.

[Blackcat1]

Any idea on departure times on Monday for the Greek F4s, Mirages, Eagles and Italian Tornado please?

Many thanks

[sabrejet]

Any idea on departure times on Monday for the Greek F4s, Mirages, Eagles and Italian Tornado please?

Many thanks

I'd suggest turning up at gates open and enjoying the day.