Car Park Issues - Not prepared properly?

[RichC]

Looking on a thread on UKAR it seems the Blue Car Park is an absolute mess with a few mats placed out at the entrance with cars getting stuck left right and centre in mud even before 7am.

For those wanting to go tomorrow (Rhymes for me), it really doesn't look good at all.

Can people please post updates on this thread for the car parks for people wishing to go into RIAT itself. There is a seperate thread for Rhymes Field too.

[Richard B]

A few mats over the entrance is a joke, better off chucking a load of straw down then the mats and keep throwing straw down,
problem is when you get off the mats you still churn up the field. problem comes when the mud gets on the mats and then cars start slipping to get on the mats.

[Blue Diamond]

Think I'll head down there tomorrow with the Landy. Could earn a few pennies towing people out.

[RichC]

It was this thread on UKAR
http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=44724" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[lambo1784]

From what I gather the blue car park is a major problem for tomorrow.Talk of a meeting to discuss options for tomorrow's show to go ahead.Best to check RIAT twitter tonight or tomorrow morning just to check.Been reading reports on UKAR and it does not look good.
E-mailed RIAT earlier this evening and reply said still on tomorrow but guess that depends if they can get parking sorted out.
UKAR seems to have crashed with people posting their views but it might clear later and we should get further reports here once people get home.
Just posted on RIAT at 2010 show still on but situation will be looked at through the night,any change will be posted.

John in Sussex

[pikey01]

just posted on the Riat site:

"As at 20.10 on Saturday 7 July, we can confirm that the Air Tattoo will take place tomorrow (Sunday). We will of course be monitoring the situation throughout the night and if there is any change we will update our website immediately."

[paullangford]

Were the red car parks affected at all ?, I'll be going in M40 from London.

Thanks

P

[Richard B]

Lest hope they have gone out and bought a few trailers of Hay or Straw to lay down thick,
@a few quid a bale its not going to break the bank.

Anyone that went to Barn farm Waddington last Thursday seen how fast the ground churned up on the camp site after a hundred or so entered, a few bales of straw down soon had the entrance working again.

Pretty certain they could buy a few hundred bales at RIAT each year and sell back to the Farmers what they do not use, would be a good way to help the car parks.

[richpittman]

When i left the red car park,i spoke to the AA guys.they had 1car stuck all day up till i left.
They said the blue was a nightmare.

I have just heard they were lifting the metal road in the red car
PArk, to use elsewhere I guess.

We had no trouble leaving the red car park and lots of field wasnt used today.

[jingernut]

It was this thread on UKAR
http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=44724" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Can't get on ukar at the moment but can imagine the threads being created by the kids. Probably some massive over reactions to tiny things and demanding compensation.

[paullangford]

When i left the red car park,i spoke to the AA guys.they had 1car stuck all day up till i left.
They said the blue was a nightmare.

I have just heard they were lifting the metal road in the red car
PArk, to use elsewhere I guess.

We had no trouble leaving the red car park and lots of field wasnt used today.

Thanks for the info Rich.

I found it hard to believe with all the cutting edge technology available within a mile radius of Fairford, they still haven't sorted the car parking out.
I'll play it by ear in the morning.

[RichC]

The thread on UKAR was started by Andy Evans and shows atleast one photo early in the morning of a BMW being pushed out of the mud near the entrance. I haven't been able to get back on to check but last time i did, Andy was stating that the marshall said they were having a meeting tonight about it.

Obviously now, as of 20.10 they have issued one statement to see how it progresses through the night.
Straw would be the best bet right now if no matting can be found to cover the whole lines of entry/exit. Will be a pity to stop the show just because of one car park.... surely they have a contingency just in case to open another field?

[StuBie]

Were the red car parks affected at all ?, I'll be going in M40 from London.

Thanks

P

I used the Red car park today and didn't have any problems myself.

[MarkL]

It was this thread on UKAR
http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=44724" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Can't get on ukar at the moment but can imagine the threads being created by the kids. Probably some massive over reactions to tiny things and demanding compensation.

Your comment is unfounded. Both FC and UKAR have been extremely informative throughout the day.

Mark

[Mike]

RichC, that was a BMW - they couldn't cope with the skin on a rice pudding even on a good day, they are absolutely hopeless as all the weight's at the front and they're rear-wheel drive. They just can't cope with any slippery surfaces like any proper car can.

[Steveb23]

I too got in fine and left fine today in the Red Car Parks

I have no idea what was going on in Blue but I think people need to bear in mind people only complain when there is something to complain about, therefore it is not necessarily a realistic view of the situation.

Inside, the show ground was muddy in places, i.e near toilets, stalls etc making boots essential, however the flight line seemed completely normal.

If I listened to all the doom and gloom I read last night regarding car parks, weather etc I would not have gone today. I did and had a great, enjoyable trouble-free day.
RIAT's MET people were spot on....

People need to trust the RIAT organisers - if they say it will be OK, it will be OK, but maybe take longer than usual. If they decide against it then its for good reasons and your welfare.

Just do the sensible precautions, i.e. allow extra time etc and I think there shouldn't be any issues if RIAT says its all good to go ahead tomorrow.

[wave scanner]

It was a joke this morning, but they soon wised up & shut the green field car park down after 100 cars or so & opened the hardstandings up for parking, we were on the field, we got off o.k.
There was a large john deere tractor there & a Jcb also the AA in case people had any probs, they used about half the matting they did last year on the same car park,,,,,,up to your ankles in mud almost walking to and from the show.
So in summary I guess they were ready but why stick us on a really water logged field in the first place?

[willow70]

Just got back from the best RIAT for years the majority of cars were parked on base but as some have said some of those that were parked in fields had difficulty. I thought this may happen so I parked several miles away and cycled in. I am an unfit pensioner so come on guys get a grip and enjoy the show.

[Malcolm]

We left Yeovil at 6am. Hit the back of the queue at about 7:45 on the brown route. Waited about 20 minutes then the queue started to move. They took us in on a north side crash gate onto the northern perimeter road, across the runway at the 09 end and into the green car park. All on hardstanding, and we parked about 20 yards from the entry gate, behind the German Seaking, not far from the black triangle thing that we're not allowed to talk about.

Left the airfield during the MV-22 display, and were on the Fairford to Lechlade road during the Korean display.

One of the best get in and get outs of Fairford in years for us - we normaly head for the Blue car parks, but went green this year for an easier exit to Brize and onto Farnborough. By the sounds of it a good decision !

Cheers
Malcolm

[wave scanner]

Just got back from the best RIAT for years the majority of cars were parked on base but as some have said some of those that were parked in fields had difficulty. I thought this may happen so I parked several miles away and cycled in. I am an unfit pensioner so come on guys get a grip and enjoy the show.

Loved the show, didn't appreciate being parked on a field with nearly half inch of water standing on it in places!
We were fortunate they stopped putting folks on it when they did, we waited until the last knockings to get off as only a hanfull of cars left on there, therefore we could pick how & where to head towards to get off.
I'd be very surprised if they use it tomorrow without at least another 200m of matting & 30 tonnes of woodchips ..
I'm not moaning by the way just making an observation....