Royal International Air Tattoo 2015
Discussion
Want to visit this year to Royal International Air Tattoo 2015 and thinking of going Friday. It says on the website there are 4 hrs of flying instead of weekend 8hrs but hopefully will be a bit quieter? Also want to take my 3 and half year old twins or should I leave them at home? Would they need ear protectors?
I'll be there on Friday "working".....Fridays flying display is 4 hours but will predominantly be Battle of Britian memorial flypast things which is good if you like that sort of thing but it will be light on the fast jet noisy stuff. There may well be some arrivals but not much. Cant help but feel there is a lot of static displays this year and not much going on in the air...
Friday will be enjoyable, especially for kids that age, loads to look at and a big aviation tat market place to wander through. Definately take ear plugs just in case though as some noisy stuff will be up. The Red Arrows are in the "pit area" on Friday along with a few of aerobatic teams which the kids will enjoy as you should be able to get quite close to the jets and meet the pilots, engineers etc
Friday will be enjoyable, especially for kids that age, loads to look at and a big aviation tat market place to wander through. Definately take ear plugs just in case though as some noisy stuff will be up. The Red Arrows are in the "pit area" on Friday along with a few of aerobatic teams which the kids will enjoy as you should be able to get quite close to the jets and meet the pilots, engineers etc
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 1st July 14:47
pablo said:
I'll be there on Friday "working".....Fridays flying display is 4 hours but will predominantly be Battle of Britian memorial flypast things which is good if you like that sort of thing but it will be light on the fast jet noisy stuff. There may well be some arrivals but not much.
In days of old, Fri would be arrivals and a lot of the foreign jet AF solo's would do their display validation routines on the Friday.........but I guess times have changed so much.I was there last year on Friday and Saturday and I must admit that I really enjoyed the Friday.
You really had much more time to walk around, go closer to the planes, chat with some pilots.
There were also quite a few arrivals of planes for static display, which was a bonus.
I don't know what this year's planning is, but if you plan to go with a child, I think that it's a very good choice. Keep also in mind that apart from the 4 hours display, there's something going on even before. I arrived around 10 am and I was greeted by a very low pass of a Gripen.
You really had much more time to walk around, go closer to the planes, chat with some pilots.
There were also quite a few arrivals of planes for static display, which was a bonus.
I don't know what this year's planning is, but if you plan to go with a child, I think that it's a very good choice. Keep also in mind that apart from the 4 hours display, there's something going on even before. I arrived around 10 am and I was greeted by a very low pass of a Gripen.
Haven't been for the last two years, have booked for Sunday though.
Going back a few years now, the first few arrivals used to happen on the Wednesday, the majority on Thursday (with a few display validations), then Friday the remaining arrivals, mainly RAF types, and a few more validations.
Don't know how busy arrivals days are now. Departures day is quite good, although you don't get displays, you do see the rarer stuff on static departing. As they clear most of the aircraft from the airfield by early afternoon, you tend to see a lot of different aircraft in a shorter space of time than you do on arrivals days.
Going back a few years now, the first few arrivals used to happen on the Wednesday, the majority on Thursday (with a few display validations), then Friday the remaining arrivals, mainly RAF types, and a few more validations.
Don't know how busy arrivals days are now. Departures day is quite good, although you don't get displays, you do see the rarer stuff on static departing. As they clear most of the aircraft from the airfield by early afternoon, you tend to see a lot of different aircraft in a shorter space of time than you do on arrivals days.
aeropilot said:
pablo said:
I'll be there on Friday "working".....Fridays flying display is 4 hours but will predominantly be Battle of Britian memorial flypast things which is good if you like that sort of thing but it will be light on the fast jet noisy stuff. There may well be some arrivals but not much.
In days of old, Fri would be arrivals and a lot of the foreign jet AF solo's would do their display validation routines on the Friday.........but I guess times have changed so much.I think it's over priced, there's not that of interest, the site is massive and the whole thing is dying a lingering death.
Went last year. This year chose Cosford instead which I felt was better.
Oh and dear defenders for kids is lame. They are going to spend half their teenage years with massive headphones on listening to speed garage at volume 11, or, in the backseat of a Citroen Saxo driven by drunk/stoned/high teenager at speed. Ear defenders at an air show is kinda pointless in the big picture.
Went last year. This year chose Cosford instead which I felt was better.
Oh and dear defenders for kids is lame. They are going to spend half their teenage years with massive headphones on listening to speed garage at volume 11, or, in the backseat of a Citroen Saxo driven by drunk/stoned/high teenager at speed. Ear defenders at an air show is kinda pointless in the big picture.
Edited by converted lurker on Thursday 2nd July 06:55
converted lurker said:
I think it's over priced, there's not that of interest, the site is massive and the whole thing is dying a lingering death.
Went last year. This year chose Cosford instead which I felt was better.
Oh and dear defenders for kids is lame. They are going to spend half their teenage years with massive headphones on listening to speed garage at volume 11, or, in the backseat of a Citroen Saxo driven by drunk/stoned/high teenager at speed. Ear defenders at an air show is kinda pointless in the big picture.
Having worked at cosford and RIAT the last 5-6 years as part of a display team. Cosford feels like a Sunday market, RIAT is just on another level in terms of what it offers the static displays are brilliant as are the international display teams. Went last year. This year chose Cosford instead which I felt was better.
Oh and dear defenders for kids is lame. They are going to spend half their teenage years with massive headphones on listening to speed garage at volume 11, or, in the backseat of a Citroen Saxo driven by drunk/stoned/high teenager at speed. Ear defenders at an air show is kinda pointless in the big picture.
Edited by converted lurker on Thursday 2nd July 06:55
As for ear defenders for kids are you serious? What about adults? Should I not wear ear defenders when stood next to a jet?
converted lurker said:
I think it's over priced, there's not that of interest, the site is massive and the whole thing is dying a lingering death.
Went last year. This year chose Cosford instead which I felt was better.
Oh and dear defenders for kids is lame. They are going to spend half their teenage years with massive headphones on listening to speed garage at volume 11, or, in the backseat of a Citroen Saxo driven by drunk/stoned/high teenager at speed. Ear defenders at an air show is kinda pointless in the big picture.
I'm not going to argue because its not worth it but by teenage years, the ears will be developed and not as susceptible to damage from loud noises as when they are pre-school age. Having a child with a unilateral hearing problem certainly skews my opinion but there is nothing more annoying than people giving sWent last year. This year chose Cosford instead which I felt was better.
Oh and dear defenders for kids is lame. They are going to spend half their teenage years with massive headphones on listening to speed garage at volume 11, or, in the backseat of a Citroen Saxo driven by drunk/stoned/high teenager at speed. Ear defenders at an air show is kinda pointless in the big picture.
Edited by converted lurker on Thursday 2nd July 06:55
t advice that can result in permanent damage to hearing just because you think its "lame".I agree RIAT has gone downhill in recent years though, the organisers seem to be pandering to the spotters far more now and a random Spanish F5 on static display gets tehm all excited because its a new tail number for them to tick off in their book.
It sold out this year because its the last time people will see the Vulcan and it will sell out in 2017 because they will have an F35 (assuming some people dont make it to Farnborough next year to see it)...
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 2nd July 12:45
pablo said:
the organisers seem to be pandering to the spotters far more now and a random Spanish F5 on static display gets tehm all excited because its a new tail number for them to tick off in their book.
Or maybe budget cutbacks across the western world preclude participation in the flying events. USAF stopped flying at displays outside the USA some years back.NormalWisdom said:
pablo said:
the organisers seem to be pandering to the spotters far more now and a random Spanish F5 on static display gets tehm all excited because its a new tail number for them to tick off in their book.
Or maybe budget cutbacks across the western world preclude participation in the flying events. USAF stopped flying at displays outside the USA some years back.
Also 15 years nearly of operations in the middle east haven't helped RIAT and airshows in general either.
I haven't been in quite a few years, I can't remember the exact year I last went but I remember some Greek A7s and a pair of Su22s from some Eastern European country were on static display. There just doesn't seem to be enough to make me go wow that is worth the ridiculous price and effort of going. I understand the price cuts which is why I only go to Flying Legends for an air show as a general rule of thumb as it seems to be the only one in my eyes worth it. For fast jets I think you'll see more interesting aircraft if you park up at the end of a runway of a base doing exercises. This is only my opinion and for many new enthusiasts it's probably very impressive, I guess maybe I was just spoiled by the older ones and need to get used to the cuts!
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff