RIAT, Fairford this Sunday?
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RIAT, Fairford this Sunday?
Hi folks
Anybody going to Fairford this Sunday? Looks like I am driving, though I wouldn't mind flying there ( is it possible even, unless u r in an F16). Perhaps arrange a meet and put some faces to names.
REX
Anybody going to Fairford this Sunday? Looks like I am driving, though I wouldn't mind flying there ( is it possible even, unless u r in an F16). Perhaps arrange a meet and put some faces to names.
REX
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Hampshire, UK
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I'll be there - hopefully flying in. Flying in there is perfectly possible but I suspect that if you have not organised it already it is too late. They need copies of insurance documents and you need to fill in a load of forms - one of which is 14 or 15 pages long and asks for things like diagrams of your display routine :-)
They charge a large handling fee if you fly in - but what the heck? It's a bit of a one-off!!
Quite looking forward to the day and I hope it all works out for me to fly in. Mind you if the weather is no good for flying in then it may not be worth going! I plan to be lurking in the area 20 minutes before my slot time so I don't mess up too much!
If you look at the aircraft participation list on the web site (www.airtattoo.com I think it is) you will see the list of visitors. It was seeing some of the aircraft on the list that prompted me to call them up and find out whether I could be on the list!
They charge a large handling fee if you fly in - but what the heck? It's a bit of a one-off!!
Quite looking forward to the day and I hope it all works out for me to fly in. Mind you if the weather is no good for flying in then it may not be worth going! I plan to be lurking in the area 20 minutes before my slot time so I don't mess up too much!
If you look at the aircraft participation list on the web site (www.airtattoo.com I think it is) you will see the list of visitors. It was seeing some of the aircraft on the list that prompted me to call them up and find out whether I could be on the list!
Anyone else blagged a free ticket and 'day's entertainment in our enclosure' from the nice folk at Breitling UK? Just don't forget to wear your watch as that's a condition of entry.....
BEagle :
No, but I'll be looking out for your big watch and small lunchbox . . .
Myself, Mrs Fairy and Fairy Junior will be attending on the Saturday. I'm going to get him to say either "collective" or "fixed wing pilots are nancy boys" before the end of the day.
No, but I'll be looking out for your big watch and small lunchbox . . .
Myself, Mrs Fairy and Fairy Junior will be attending on the Saturday. I'm going to get him to say either "collective" or "fixed wing pilots are nancy boys" before the end of the day.
Last edited by The Nr Fairy; 16th Jul 2002 at 12:21.
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Remember people (even though it says it in the title) it's back at Fairford !!, just making sure nobody turns up at Cottesmore
(Apparent this actually happend when it changed from Fairford, a coach load turned up at Fairford not realising it had been moved)
(Apparent this actually happend when it changed from Fairford, a coach load turned up at Fairford not realising it had been moved)
GRP....
Based upon my previous involvement (ex RIAT "volunteer"), I'd say you've been lucky to get a slot....unless you have connections with RIAT/Rafbf that is!!
Sounds like great fun....
Always found it amusing working in the area I did, when bold(normally FJ) young Officers would breeze into the Office issuing demands (parking/fuel for jet, where's my key for hire car/ticket to the hangar bash etc!!) and then find the person they're addressing is a Gp Capt or Air Commodore in shorts & t-shirt
Based upon my previous involvement (ex RIAT "volunteer"), I'd say you've been lucky to get a slot....unless you have connections with RIAT/Rafbf that is!!
Sounds like great fun....
Always found it amusing working in the area I did, when bold(normally FJ) young Officers would breeze into the Office issuing demands (parking/fuel for jet, where's my key for hire car/ticket to the hangar bash etc!!) and then find the person they're addressing is a Gp Capt or Air Commodore in shorts & t-shirt
Join Date: May 2002
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Nope. No connections with RIAT or the RAFBE!
When I looked on the web site only about a month ago there were only a couple of visitors listed and when I called up I was immediately assigned a PPR number in the low teens. I see now there are quite a few more aircraft listed. To be honest I was surprised that all the available slots hadn't been booked out already - most of the tickets for grandstands, enclosures etc were sold out already! I suspect not a lot of people would think you could fly in so don't bother to try.
I now have my slot time and weather permitting will be heading up there early on saturday. I've taken the precaution of calling Brize ATC for a briefing - they were completely helpful, fantastic.
I'll report back!
When I looked on the web site only about a month ago there were only a couple of visitors listed and when I called up I was immediately assigned a PPR number in the low teens. I see now there are quite a few more aircraft listed. To be honest I was surprised that all the available slots hadn't been booked out already - most of the tickets for grandstands, enclosures etc were sold out already! I suspect not a lot of people would think you could fly in so don't bother to try.
I now have my slot time and weather permitting will be heading up there early on saturday. I've taken the precaution of calling Brize ATC for a briefing - they were completely helpful, fantastic.
I'll report back!
I'm sure you've got in by doing a lot of upfront planning and getting your bid in well in advance, good on you for that!
You'd be amazed (maybe not!) at the no. of calls we used to take in the days immediately before the show (and on the show days themselves) from people who would just phone up and ask if they could fly-in (who should really realise that RIAT is not a grass strip fly-in - not that I have anything against those!).
As you have said, the paperwork itself makes this unworkable in most cases.
RIAT is a HUGE undertaking, with months of pre-planning, and considering that the actual flying display runs for the best part of 9 hours each day, slots in and out in the morning and evening are bound to be limited.
You'd be amazed (maybe not!) at the no. of calls we used to take in the days immediately before the show (and on the show days themselves) from people who would just phone up and ask if they could fly-in (who should really realise that RIAT is not a grass strip fly-in - not that I have anything against those!).
As you have said, the paperwork itself makes this unworkable in most cases.
RIAT is a HUGE undertaking, with months of pre-planning, and considering that the actual flying display runs for the best part of 9 hours each day, slots in and out in the morning and evening are bound to be limited.
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Well.... after all that I never made it anyway thanks to low cloud over Goodwood when I arrived there this morning at 6.45. It cleared, but by then I was too late. Drove up in the end - never again!!! The traffic was appalling. We got stuck for 2 hours getting in and a mind-blowing 5 hours just getting out of the car park on the way back.
We missed the 'prang' that took place around midday and by the time we arrived they had pretty much restarted the displays. Particularly awesome sights were the B1B which has to be the noisiest thing I've heard to date, the F117 Stealth Fighter and the B2A Spirit which unbelievably had flown all the way from Missouri for a single flypast at Faiford before heading back home! The crew spent more time in that aircraft than I did in the car, which is saying something!
Ho hum.... maybe try to fly in there next year! It was particularly irksome sitting in that car park watching a C182 depart!
We missed the 'prang' that took place around midday and by the time we arrived they had pretty much restarted the displays. Particularly awesome sights were the B1B which has to be the noisiest thing I've heard to date, the F117 Stealth Fighter and the B2A Spirit which unbelievably had flown all the way from Missouri for a single flypast at Faiford before heading back home! The crew spent more time in that aircraft than I did in the car, which is saying something!
Ho hum.... maybe try to fly in there next year! It was particularly irksome sitting in that car park watching a C182 depart!
GRP I never realised that you could fly into something like RIAT. Just how much is the "large handling fee"? Probably more than my Auster is worth 
Ahh, I remember the B1B setting off car alarms and making kiddies cry at Mildenhall 5 years ago. Marvellous. They also had the manic Turkish national formation team in F-5's. Brilliant, especially the completely over-the-top commentator
Ahh, I remember the B1B setting off car alarms and making kiddies cry at Mildenhall 5 years ago. Marvellous. They also had the manic Turkish national formation team in F-5's. Brilliant, especially the completely over-the-top commentator
Last edited by LowNSlow; 21st Jul 2002 at 04:17.
Right. That's settled it. I've got a free ticket for a day's entertainment thanks to Breitling - but I am bŁoody NOT going to get stuck in traffic for 2 hours or be imprisoned in any damn car park for 5 hours for anyone. So I shall be staying at home - no doubt the 4 F-16s going round and round over Witney for 30 minutes infuriating my neighbours will be back this afternoon - and there'll be RIAT highlights on TV at some stage in any case.
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fairford landing fees
i realise that whilst im writing this that riat is almost over for this year! but on the subject of landing fees, as fairford is a royal air force station landing fees should be the same as any other british military establishment. when i was stationed at leuchars we used to have some people arrive by air, one guy actually rang me up the day before,unfortunately i had to tell him hed left it too late. if anyone tries to attend next years, always assuming that there is one next year, and gets given a high figure i suggest getting on to the raf commander to get the figure checked. the rates for landing at mod airfields are in the air pilot.
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I'd be interested to know what the Landing Fees are there.
We tried to take a Learjet into there recently but got referred by the SATCO to the "Department of Defense, Pentagon" (spelling is correct on this one
) so we ended up going to Lyneham instead.
Although it's an RAF Station all the admin is undertaken by USAFE, so I'm guessing you'd be paying their scale of charges, not HM Brenda's...?
We tried to take a Learjet into there recently but got referred by the SATCO to the "Department of Defense, Pentagon" (spelling is correct on this one
) so we ended up going to Lyneham instead.Although it's an RAF Station all the admin is undertaken by USAFE, so I'm guessing you'd be paying their scale of charges, not HM Brenda's...?
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I had occasion to be flying into the Fairford TRA this afternoon to go to Kemble. On the return we had the 4 said F-16's do a little fly by for us just south of Bath. The kind gentleman gave us plenty of warning and told us where to look, then as they were coming into our 12 o'clock told us so - 1/2 mile ahead, 400 feet below. And there they were - quite an awsome moment! The two of us sat there, gripping the yokes and screaming 'takatakatak' as they went past. Sad I know, but it had to be done!!
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There was no landing fee, but a handling fee of Ł265 for a light single. A little steep but at 9pm last night I would have paid twice that to get out of that infernal field!!!
They also require you to have the AVN52 war risk cover on your insurance. This is the one that was revoked last september but certainly was put back on my insurance this year. The insurance went up considerably this year, but I don't think simply asking for this cover to be removed would have made a difference to that.
Apart from that they require the standard Crown Indemnity cover (Ł7.5m) that most insurance policies seem to include as standard.
There were not that many private aircraft leaving when we were there yesterday - most of those that were were exec jets. I'd probably have a bash at booking in again next year and see if it can work two years running! Maybe next time I will actually get there by air!
They also require you to have the AVN52 war risk cover on your insurance. This is the one that was revoked last september but certainly was put back on my insurance this year. The insurance went up considerably this year, but I don't think simply asking for this cover to be removed would have made a difference to that.
Apart from that they require the standard Crown Indemnity cover (Ł7.5m) that most insurance policies seem to include as standard.
There were not that many private aircraft leaving when we were there yesterday - most of those that were were exec jets. I'd probably have a bash at booking in again next year and see if it can work two years running! Maybe next time I will actually get there by air!
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Great, great day at RIAT. Was watching the 222 do a very spirited display from the queue -not surpirsed he stuffed it!
But -the RAC signs were non-reflective and difficult to read in the dark -apparently motorists were overshooting them in daylight!!Nobody knew where the Early Brid CP was Friday night
Took 2 hours to walk in from the car park, only two X-ray scanners in operation -crazy.
Vulcan FM should be shot, never heard such an amateurish station for ages -it was Jenny Catt's first time on air, and it showed!! Even Sean Moffat's 'commentary' in the morning was very poor -lots of gaps and drivel -he desperately needed a script.
We arrived back at our motor home at 19.15, watched a Beemer take two hours to move 5 car lengths. Eventually left at 23.00 after the CP emptied for a flying run home.
Somebody -organisers, Glos Constabulary need to be shot !!!!
Understand it was BETTER at Cottesmore because of the direct access to the A1?
Rgds
DOC.400
c.c. RIAT(e-mailed today)
But -the RAC signs were non-reflective and difficult to read in the dark -apparently motorists were overshooting them in daylight!!Nobody knew where the Early Brid CP was Friday night
Took 2 hours to walk in from the car park, only two X-ray scanners in operation -crazy.
Vulcan FM should be shot, never heard such an amateurish station for ages -it was Jenny Catt's first time on air, and it showed!! Even Sean Moffat's 'commentary' in the morning was very poor -lots of gaps and drivel -he desperately needed a script.
We arrived back at our motor home at 19.15, watched a Beemer take two hours to move 5 car lengths. Eventually left at 23.00 after the CP emptied for a flying run home.
Somebody -organisers, Glos Constabulary need to be shot !!!!
Understand it was BETTER at Cottesmore because of the direct access to the A1?
Rgds
DOC.400
c.c. RIAT(e-mailed today)