Royal International Air Tattoo 2015

[CrutyRammers]

Cheers for the heads up on time people. We're about an hour away so will leave by 7 and hopefully miss the worst.

[Clivey]

aeropilot said:

In the days gone by when I used to go to RIAT (not been since the late 90's).... I'd be leaving home in London at 5.30am just to get into the queue for the gate to get in as it was about a 60-70 min drive back then down the A40. The drive to Mildenhall for Air Fete was a two hour drive, and we'd often be leaving the house at 4.30-4-45am and we'd still be in quite a queue at the gate.

Generally, the only time I'll get up that early is for a flight...I'm most definitely NOT a morning person.

[ehasler]

I've got a purple VIP parking pass for Sunday - how much difference will this make? Should I still aim to arrive before 8am, or does the purple route actually bypass a lot of the traffic?

[onyx39]

ehasler said:

I've got a purple VIP parking pass for Sunday - how much difference will this make? Should I still aim to arrive before 8am, or does the purple route actually bypass a lot of the traffic?

They're a waste of time, you might as well pop it in the post, along with your ticket to:

[pat_y]

ehasler said:

I've got a purple VIP parking pass for Sunday - how much difference will this make? Should I still aim to arrive before 8am, or does the purple route actually bypass a lot of the traffic?

Was in VIP parking last year. to be honest it doesn't make any difference to the traffic, you still have to sit in 90% of it. Carpark is nice and close to the displays though so not too far to walk. Hang it from your rearview and the marshalls will send you to the correct gate.

[gpb1]

My son has been there all week as he's a taken the time off from being a full-time paramedic to be a voluntary one at RIAT, and he's passed on his complementary tickets to me so I'll be there Sunday. Just waiting for updates on the state of the car park before deciding to take something with 4x4 or the V12 toy.
The Vulcan arrived this afternoon apparently and things are setting up nicely but most of the time is being spent playing cricket while they wait for the major incident drill this evening.

[aeropilot]

Clivey said:

aeropilot said:

In the days gone by when I used to go to RIAT (not been since the late 90's).... I'd be leaving home in London at 5.30am just to get into the queue for the gate to get in as it was about a 60-70 min drive back then down the A40. The drive to Mildenhall for Air Fete was a two hour drive, and we'd often be leaving the house at 4.30-4-45am and we'd still be in quite a queue at the gate.

Generally, the only time I'll get up that early is for a flight...I'm most definitely NOT a morning person.

Wasn't an issue back then, had spent enough years by then doing enough forms of motorsport that needed getting up at "oh my God o'clock" in the morning for it not to be an issue. I even remember one year in the mid 80's, a mate and myself marshalled a time control on a local road rally on the sat night/early hours sun morning and then drove straight to the 'hall for Air Fete and parked up in the queue and grabbed a few hours kip in the car before the gate opened!!

[eccles]

aeropilot said:

Clivey said:

ecsrobin said:

Get there before 7 as the traffic is a nightmare a friend aimed for 9am last year and I was meeting him on the gate with his passes, 11:30 he arrived due to traffic!

Damn. That's going to be an early start for me then. - I'm two and a half hours away and am bringing others that'll no doubt hold me up by not being ready on time.

In the days gone by when I used to go to RIAT (not been since the late 90's).... I'd be leaving home in London at 5.30am just to get into the queue for the gate to get in as it was about a 60-70 min drive back then down the A40. The drive to Mildenhall for Air Fete was a two hour drive, and we'd often be leaving the house at 4.30-4-45am and we'd still be in quite a queue at the gate.

I worked there in 1989. As groundcrew,we were put up Gloucester Tech college halls of residence, so not that far away. We made a very early start, but still ended up with a police escort to get us in on time to sort our aircraft out.

[Clivey]

aeropilot said:

Wasn't an issue back then, had spent enough years by then doing enough forms of motorsport that needed getting up at "oh my God o'clock" in the morning for it not to be an issue. I even remember one year in the mid 80's, a mate and myself marshalled a time control on a local road rally on the sat night/early hours sun morning and then drove straight to the 'hall for Air Fete and parked up in the queue and grabbed a few hours kip in the car before the gate opened!!

Yeah...I couldn't do that. - I'm planning on going to bed at 21:00 tomorrow night to make sure I get enough sleep! I thought I'd kip in the car on the way to Le Mans last year whilst my wife drove down to Folkestone. Didn't happen. I took over just before the Eurotunnel (to drive the Discovery onto the train) and was absolutely exhausted, after about 36 hours without sleep, by the time we'd got to our campsite. Then we had to pitch our tent. I think the excitement of our First LM was the only thing that kept me awake!

[tangerine_sedge]

bluey1905 said:

10.00am
Patrulla Aguila x7 CASA C-101EB Aviojets (Spanish AF Aerobatic team)
Demo Team ‘Zeus’ Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon (Hellenic AF)
Boeing F-18C Hornet (Finnish AF)

11.00am
Airbus A400M (Airbus Defence & Space)
Hawk T2 Role Demo x2 BAe Hawk T2’s (RAF)
Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment 35th Anniversary:
Panavia Tornado GR4 (RAF), PA200 Tornado (German AF) & A-200 (Italian AF)
Supermarine Spitfire PRXIX (Rolls Royce) & Messerschmitt BF109G-4 (Airbus Heritage/Flugmuseum)

12.00noon
Ramex Delta x2 Dassault Mirage 2000N’s (French AF)
Bell Boeing CV-22B Osprey (7th SOS USAF)
Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm Bo.105P1 (German Army)
Airbus Helicopters AS332M1 Super Puma (Swiss AF)
PC-7 Team x9 Pilatus NCPC-7 Turbotrainers (Swiss AF)

1.00pm
Pilatus PC-9M (Slovenian AF)
Boeing AH-64D Apache (RNethAF)
Kawasaki P-1 (JMSDF)
Aero Vodochody L-159A ALCA (Czech AF)

2.00pm
Battle of Britain 75th Anniversary Tribute:
Bristol Blenheim (Aircraft Restoration Company), Hawker Hurricane I (Peter Vacher), Hawker Hurricane IIb (Hangar 11), x2 Hawker Hurricane IIc’s (BBMF), Hawker Hurricane X (Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar), Hispano HA-112-ML1 Buchon (Aircraft Restoration Company), Messerschmitt BF109G-4 (Airbus Heritage/Flugmuseum), Supermarine Seafire XVII (Kennet Aviation), x2 Supermarine Spitfire Ias (Aircraft Restoration Company), Supermarine Spitfire IIa (BBMF), Supermarine Spitfire LFVb (BBMF), Supermarine Spitfire IXT (Boultbee Flight Academy), Supermarine Spitfire LFIX (Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar), Supermarine Spitfire LFIX (Old Flying Machine Co.), Supermarine Spitfire LFIXe (BBMF), Supermarine Spitfire LFIXe (Historic Flight Foundation), Supermarine Spitfire LFXVIe (BBMF), Supermarine Spitfire FRXVIIIe (Spitfire Ltd), Supermarine Spitfire PRXIX (Rolls Royce)

Avro Vulcan B2 (Vulcan to the Sky Trust)

3.00pm
The Red Arrows x9 BAe Hawk T1/T1A (RAF)
Mil Mi-24V [or Mi-35] (Czech AF)
Royal Jordanian Falcons x4 Extra EA300L (Royal Jordanian Airlines)

4.00pm
Lockheed Martin F-16A MLU Fighting Falcon (Belgian AF)
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 ‘Fulcrum’ (Polish AF)
Synchro 75: Supermarine Spitfire (BBMF) & Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 (RAF)
2 AgustaWestland Apaches AH1’s (AAC)
Boeing Chinook HC4 (RAF)

5.00pm
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 (RAF)
Patrouille de France x8 Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet E’s (French AF)

This is the Sunday programme.

Edited by bluey1905 on Wednesday 15th July 20:25

Can I assume that the Saturday schedule will be very similar?

[Steve vRS]

Any logic in getting there for say 9am? Will the queues to get in the car park have eased?

Steve

[Ledaig]

Steve vRS said:

Any logic in getting there for say 9am? Will the queues to get in the car park have eased?

Steve

I would say not, I recall one year where they ended up turning people away on the approach roads at 2.30pm as there was no hope of getting in at all!

[Steve vRS]

4am alarm call it is then!

[bluey1905]

tangerine_sedge said:

bluey1905 said:

10.00am
Patrulla Aguila x7 CASA C-101EB Aviojets (Spanish AF Aerobatic team)
Demo Team ‘Zeus’ Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon (Hellenic AF)
Boeing F-18C Hornet (Finnish AF)

11.00am
Airbus A400M (Airbus Defence & Space)
Hawk T2 Role Demo x2 BAe Hawk T2’s (RAF)
Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment 35th Anniversary:
Panavia Tornado GR4 (RAF), PA200 Tornado (German AF) & A-200 (Italian AF)
Supermarine Spitfire PRXIX (Rolls Royce) & Messerschmitt BF109G-4 (Airbus Heritage/Flugmuseum)

12.00noon
Ramex Delta x2 Dassault Mirage 2000N’s (French AF)
Bell Boeing CV-22B Osprey (7th SOS USAF)
Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm Bo.105P1 (German Army)
Airbus Helicopters AS332M1 Super Puma (Swiss AF)
PC-7 Team x9 Pilatus NCPC-7 Turbotrainers (Swiss AF)

1.00pm
Pilatus PC-9M (Slovenian AF)
Boeing AH-64D Apache (RNethAF)
Kawasaki P-1 (JMSDF)
Aero Vodochody L-159A ALCA (Czech AF)

2.00pm
Battle of Britain 75th Anniversary Tribute:
Bristol Blenheim (Aircraft Restoration Company), Hawker Hurricane I (Peter Vacher), Hawker Hurricane IIb (Hangar 11), x2 Hawker Hurricane IIc’s (BBMF), Hawker Hurricane X (Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar), Hispano HA-112-ML1 Buchon (Aircraft Restoration Company), Messerschmitt BF109G-4 (Airbus Heritage/Flugmuseum), Supermarine Seafire XVII (Kennet Aviation), x2 Supermarine Spitfire Ias (Aircraft Restoration Company), Supermarine Spitfire IIa (BBMF), Supermarine Spitfire LFVb (BBMF), Supermarine Spitfire IXT (Boultbee Flight Academy), Supermarine Spitfire LFIX (Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar), Supermarine Spitfire LFIX (Old Flying Machine Co.), Supermarine Spitfire LFIXe (BBMF), Supermarine Spitfire LFIXe (Historic Flight Foundation), Supermarine Spitfire LFXVIe (BBMF), Supermarine Spitfire FRXVIIIe (Spitfire Ltd), Supermarine Spitfire PRXIX (Rolls Royce)

Avro Vulcan B2 (Vulcan to the Sky Trust)

3.00pm
The Red Arrows x9 BAe Hawk T1/T1A (RAF)
Mil Mi-24V [or Mi-35] (Czech AF)
Royal Jordanian Falcons x4 Extra EA300L (Royal Jordanian Airlines)

4.00pm
Lockheed Martin F-16A MLU Fighting Falcon (Belgian AF)
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 ‘Fulcrum’ (Polish AF)
Synchro 75: Supermarine Spitfire (BBMF) & Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 (RAF)
2 AgustaWestland Apaches AH1’s (AAC)
Boeing Chinook HC4 (RAF)

5.00pm
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 (RAF)
Patrouille de France x8 Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet E’s (French AF)

This is the Sunday programme.

Edited by bluey1905 on Wednesday 15th July 20:25

Can I assume that the Saturday schedule will be very similar?

Slightly different order I think, but generally the same.

[Yertis]

pat_y said:

Was in VIP parking last year. to be honest it doesn't make any difference to the traffic, you still have to sit in 90% of it. Carpark is nice and close to the displays though so not too far to walk. Hang it from your rearview and the marshalls will send you to the correct gate.

That isn't automatically true – it depends how far the non-VIP traffic has backed up. I was VIP last year – and am this year as well as a matter of fact, though I'd forgotten that until a moment ago and was looking at the blue route. It was certainly much quicker, embarrassingly so because, having left on my normal punter schedule, I was about the first into the car park. I could see the queues building up ahead and was quite chuffed that I could turn onto the purple route. For someone whose been "enjoying" Air Tattoo traffic jams since 1976 that felt pretty good.

[SydneyBridge]

Brilliant day today, my first time and will be back

The main road between the motorway and base was blocked for hours this morning, we got train and then bus. Driver was local and knew back way so we missed all jams.

Wasn't as busy as I thought it would be and weather was pretty crap till early afternoon so red arrows did not go up till nearly 3pm

[jmorgan]

What road and what time?

[anonymous-user]

Weather caused the organisers some headaches early on but they managed it well. Hind display was excellent as was the T2 role demo despite having seen them practice it for the last few months! Scorpion looks awesome, really hope UK MoD buy them! Good chat with the ground crew too, ex B1B so some good stories from the past!

Other stuff was good, loads to see and do in the RAF village bit, tried the climbing wall, managed to dodge conscription too...

Followed a preplanned route I had found last night to dodge the traffic which turned out to be the purple VIP route and just merged with the blue route at the car park entrance but can't say that will work tomorrow as a bike did pass us on the opposite direction who we suspect was checking passes but as it was quiet let us go, assumed the national trust pass was the riat pass or didn't see the lack of pass at all.

[SydneyBridge]

jmorgan said:

What road and what time?

Think it was the A419, big crash that closed road before 9am

[jmorgan]

SydneyBridge said:

jmorgan said:

What road and what time?

Think it was the A419, big crash that closed road before 9am

Ah. Ta. Thought it was weight of traffic. Hope no one was hurt.

We are coming in the other way.