RIAT or Farnborough ? ? ?
Discussion
I have been reading up on previous posts from the last year or two but which of these shows is the best to attend. I realise the RIAT is military themed but I seem to have read a lot of mixed opinions about it on the forum. Is there much difference in their size on the ground between either or are they both more or less the same? Does either one have a greater volume of flying displays. Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Ye I have heard things about Farnborough that certain trade stands close etc fot the public days. I guess the thing that swings me for towards the RIAT is thats it seems to be more a show for the sake of being a show, rather than trying to flog airplanes to prospective buyers. Again I havnt been to either before so any commments or experiences I would like to hear.
Went to Farnborough in 1994 on a trade day, then went last year on a non public/trade day and viewed from outside.
You had some military stuff there, although the B1 flew in did a couple of flythroughs and back to Fairford. The F-22 only displayed at Farnborough one day last year and that was operating form Fairford.
When I actually went in to the show back in 1994, it struck me as being more a trade show, really geared towards who you could flog missiles, weapons systems, business jets to. It is not like the Farnboroughs of the 1950s & 60s.
Fairford is a nightmare to get in to, security scans, bag searches etc, but is a lot more varied, and being a far larger airfield with longer runway, it can accept anything. RIAT don't like paying for display acts per se and tend to get a lot of the military stuff at a very reduced rate, so you won't see much civilian stuff in the Flying display. They wouldn't pay out for a full display for the Sea Vixen this year for example, but stuffed the wingwalkers up with an attrocious commentator for 15 minutes, I can see no other reason than cost.
RIAT should be a better bet next year and here's why.
RIAT and Farnborough fall at roughly the same time. Farnborough is a showcase for some new military hardware, and generally in Farnborough years RIAT tends to attract the same acts for their display at the same time. Look at 2006 with the Mig 29 OVT, and the Osprey, then F-22 last year.
You can bet if the F-22 is coming over again it will be next year when Farnborough is on, and will probably take in RIAT or most likely operate from there.
This is why RIAT suffered this year as it did not have the interesting stuff it could borrow from Farnborough.
You had some military stuff there, although the B1 flew in did a couple of flythroughs and back to Fairford. The F-22 only displayed at Farnborough one day last year and that was operating form Fairford.
When I actually went in to the show back in 1994, it struck me as being more a trade show, really geared towards who you could flog missiles, weapons systems, business jets to. It is not like the Farnboroughs of the 1950s & 60s.
Fairford is a nightmare to get in to, security scans, bag searches etc, but is a lot more varied, and being a far larger airfield with longer runway, it can accept anything. RIAT don't like paying for display acts per se and tend to get a lot of the military stuff at a very reduced rate, so you won't see much civilian stuff in the Flying display. They wouldn't pay out for a full display for the Sea Vixen this year for example, but stuffed the wingwalkers up with an attrocious commentator for 15 minutes, I can see no other reason than cost.
RIAT should be a better bet next year and here's why.
RIAT and Farnborough fall at roughly the same time. Farnborough is a showcase for some new military hardware, and generally in Farnborough years RIAT tends to attract the same acts for their display at the same time. Look at 2006 with the Mig 29 OVT, and the Osprey, then F-22 last year.
You can bet if the F-22 is coming over again it will be next year when Farnborough is on, and will probably take in RIAT or most likely operate from there.
This is why RIAT suffered this year as it did not have the interesting stuff it could borrow from Farnborough.
That was an excellent response supraman. Exactly how I'd explain things. I go to RIAT every year, getting tickets through work and the years when Farnborough are on are by far the best.
I missed the F-22 last year, because RIAT was cancelled, but from what I could see when it displayed at Farnborough from the office window it was amazing.
I missed the F-22 last year, because RIAT was cancelled, but from what I could see when it displayed at Farnborough from the office window it was amazing.
AshVX220 said:
That was an excellent response supraman. Exactly how I'd explain things. I go to RIAT every year, getting tickets through work and the years when Farnborough are on are by far the best.
I missed the F-22 last year, because RIAT was cancelled, but from what I could see when it displayed at Farnborough from the office window it was amazing.
Thanks, I missed the F-22 last year, because RIAT was cancelled, but from what I could see when it displayed at Farnborough from the office window it was amazing.
I've been going to RIAT since about 2003. Did see the F-22 on departure day last year as it flew out and returned from it's display at Farnborough.Farnborough is and always has been a commercial show aimed at the trade. In its earliest days (when it started pre-war at Hendon), it was entirely trade only.
Up until 1962m it was held every year. From 1964 to date it is once every two years, alternating with the Paris Air Show.
Until 1966, it only allowed British built aircraft. From 1968 onwards it started allowing foreign aircraft with British components and from 1976 it became fully international. Once that happened, it was in direct competition with Paris and tends to suffer in comparison.
As I said earlier, it is interssting iof you are interested in aspects of aviation other than just flying displays and large static diosplays of aircraft. Over the past few shows I have found the chalets to be most interesting and I've had good chats with various people manning stands.
Up until 1962m it was held every year. From 1964 to date it is once every two years, alternating with the Paris Air Show.
Until 1966, it only allowed British built aircraft. From 1968 onwards it started allowing foreign aircraft with British components and from 1976 it became fully international. Once that happened, it was in direct competition with Paris and tends to suffer in comparison.
As I said earlier, it is interssting iof you are interested in aspects of aviation other than just flying displays and large static diosplays of aircraft. Over the past few shows I have found the chalets to be most interesting and I've had good chats with various people manning stands.
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