RIAT now and then.

[fox4g]

What can I say about RIAT 2018 can only be summed up as Grey, Grey, and Grey what’s happened to all the colourful aircraft out there ? Apart from the vintage stuff Grey now seems to be the standard colour apart from a few fighters that made the effort wasn’t overly impressed took less photos than I’ve ever done a RIAT or IAT. Even the Ukraine sent the same aircraft as last year.
Was it me or did there seem a lack of Fighters this year I know finances are a major issue these days and a lot of Countries can’t afford to send their aircraft but is it me been spoilt over the years, you look at some of the European shows and they seem to get all the colourful aircraft. We were at the top 09 end for the departures Monday and seeing as we pay a lot of money to see these aircraft it would have been nice of ATC asking for the pilots to keep low for all us photographers as they did on arrivals. As this is the largest UK show think they could do more effort and stop trying to rip everybody off. So what do I think as an OAP of this RIAT not a lot and I also think if we still had the shows like Mildenhall, BoB shows, and some of the other great shows of old they wouldn’t get as many punters as it does now. Sorry for sounding Grumpy but I can’t afford or due to health travel abroad like most have to these days so have to contend with RIAT. I think I need to change my hobby.

[sneezy24]

Personally I thought there were some great paint schemes, and plenty of fighters.

I was at 27 end (P&V East) lots of photo-ops.

Remember that the aircraft need to get away and en-route as planned, so they don't all have the luxury of being able to keep low.

I also attended on Wednesday and Friday. Sky was (mostly) grey on Friday, but still a great day of flying.

[SteveT]

I certainly think the whole atmosphere has changed with (R)IATs.

It's now a slick and professionally run corporate event with hospitality suites and other means to make a significant amount of money, and in so doing has lost something of the original character of the show.

The first ones I attended at Greenham Common didn't have the 'Royal' prefix, and the American hosts broke out their BBQ cookers made out of old oil drums just like they had at the Mildenhall Air Fetes.

There was little in the way of 'corporate sponsorship', double glazing salesmen, bouncy castles or any other distractions so the prime focus of the shows was on the aircraft and flying displays.

Costs were probably much lower then as, despite the 'Greenham women', the police and security presence wasn't as robust as it is now. Similarly the insurance costs were much lower.

It would be nice to be able to turn the clock back and have the range of airshows that once filled the calendar - RAF At Home days, the Battle of Britain Airshows, and various other events like Navy Days - that would show off Britain's military forces and be a good recruiting tool for aspiring generations.

Sadly it's doubtful we'll ever see those sorts of shows ever again in the UK due to 'budgetary pressures' and so the show-piece event will remain as long as it makes a profit.

Curiously though, the French military shows have managed to retain the character of the old British air shows which makes them a joy to attend.