MARS wrote:
Mistral wrote:
Best airshow on planet earth. C'mon Marc, join me next year !!
If things work out as planned for this year, this could be a very real possibility.
I have a friend who is at RIAT right now, weather doesn't look great though.
Realistically when should the planning begin?
How long should one stay?
-I assume about a week covering the whole weekend, plus arrivals and departures.
Marc, best to book as far in advance as possible. I left it too late this year. You need to register with FRIAT (Friends of RIAT). They run the photog's stand and enclosure halfway down the runway. The best seats in the house. The display pilots know this so fly to impress. Buy a Mach 3 ticket - gives you full access on arrivals days, two airshow days and departure Monday. Enclosure is access controlled, own ablutions and several food vendors exclusive to FRIAT members. Access to Fairford air base is also much quicker - the crowds are unbelievable but no long queues
for Mach 3 Ticket holders. 3 years back a Mach 3 ticket was around R3,000. If you don't want to spend so much dosh, go for a Mach 1 or 2 option.
Usually the weekend before RIAT is Duxford Flying Legends near Cambridge. So plan to arrive the Friday and travel through to Cambridge. Spend two days at Duxford - what an experience
. Monday travel through to Wales and do two days in the Mach loop.arrive early Wednesday at Fairford for first arrivals. Talbots of money for books and models as the vendors are out in full force. Take several 16GB memory cards (don't go bigger as a card failure will bring you to tears). Download images every evening. You'll take thousands.
Accommodation. Don't bother with hotels. Go B'nB. Eat at local village pubs. Good food and reasonable prices. One of the inns about Fairford is that this is the Cotswolds - magnificent rural scenery interspersed with quaint English villages. I shall be booking my Mach 3 ticket as soon as booking is open. The selection of aeries this year is way better than when I went in 2015.
By the way, don't plan on predicting the weather. This is after all England. In 2015 there was a severe heat wave. So weather wise, go with the flow and pack a rain jacket and 'brolly, old chap
RIAT is run very professionally with knowleagble international commentary. It's unfair to compare to the local airshow circuit but comparisons are inevitable. I had guys behind me In the stands bemoaning the fact that there were too many Gripens and F-16s