RIAT may relocate

[SquAdmin]

Found this link on Alert5.com:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 506082.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can't see how a relocation would increase the chances for good weather (unless they shift to Spain)

[Gerbrand]

Relocation wouldn't increase the chances for good weather, but maybe they search for an airfield nearby a city with the possibility of paved parkingplaces.

Parking in industrial zones and long waitings for the shuttle busses........

[SquAdmin]

True, but from what I've read they used buses during the departure day as well. Anyway, let's hope they can work something out, because looking at the aircraft in this years' edition RIAT is still the mother of all shows.

[Flanker27]

Besides that, the tourbuses at RIAT also park on the paved part since years.

[aviodromefriend]

Relocation wouldn't increase the chances for good weather, but maybe they search for an airfield nearby a city with the possibility of paved parkingplaces.

Parking in industrial zones and long waitings for the shuttle busses........

Like Swindon? If you organize the shuttle busses well, like they have done in the past handling the Swindon-Fairford shuttle, or the KLu did in recent years at the Open Days, this will be the best thing to tackle these kind of trouble, I think. Not only because they could have sticked to improving the showground's state (and didn't have to worry about the carparks), also because all the traffic doesn't reach the small roads near the base, only shuttle busses. And their drivers normally behave better at these small roads than a lot of aviation enthusiasts, that are only interested in getting to the show before everybody else, thinking it is only organized for one specific person. (Believe me, that is how we are seen by the local people around Fairford).

And going back on-topic: RIAT built its own headquarters just outside RAF Fairford some years ago, in which a lot of money from charity was used. I can't imagine RAFCT is supportive to building another RIAT headquarters near another field. If something is to change, I expect it to be parking away from base. Furthermore, RIAT knows relocating the show is not that easy, remember the Cottesmore years, which were not as good as (or maybe I should say inferior to) the shows before these years at Fairford. I actualy think they were just coming over this set-back this year, looking at the participants.

Furthermore, which airbase of the size necessary to host RIAT could be handed over for 14 days to a bunch of volunteers for hosting an airshow, talking about the base's normal operations?

[Stephen.C.Borg]

I am from the small island of Malta and I've attended the Royal International Air Tattoo eight times since 1998 and I have to say that it is a very good airshow indeed because you get the occasion to see a vast range of rare and interesting military aircraft all in one place but the weather conditions and the organization when it comes to us aircraft photographers and spotters is really awful and the last two airshows where the worst I've ever seen when it comes to weather and to Static aircraft parking. As regards weather the first warning for FRIAT organizers came last year when on the arrivals days and on Sunday the weather was really awful but it seems that they did not take any action and move the airshow to a later date because since 1998 the airshow has been brought forward by a least two weeks. In 1998 the airshow was on the 25th and 26th of July and the weather was lovely. I also firmly think that the Airshow should be moved from the west of the UK to some other airfield in the east of the UK because the weather conditions on the east of the UK are far more better then those on the west as could be seen at the Legends airshow in Duxford held on the same weekend as RIAT. Now as regards static aircraft parking I recall that on the 1999 airshow we where given the chance to pay around 10 quid on Friday and be able to go around the Static aircraft when the base was empty from other visitors but this very ideal option for us aircraft photographers an spotters was in place only for one year, the year after it was scraped. I have been to many airshows in Europe and around the World but I have never encountered ridiculous Static aircraft parking as the one at RIAT. I hope that the organizers take a stand an try to solve these two big impending problems

[Wijgert IJlst]

All speculations here, other options could be:
Create parking space on the base again. Flightline aircraft, including the civil charters, to the north part of the fiel again (just like during the '90s).
Demonstrationteams could operate out of other RAF-bases such as Brize Norhon and Lyneham perhaps, this to make some extra spacing available on the north ramps.
Relocate FRIAT and VIP tents etc. to a location where less ramp space is used. There is lots of ramp space between static aircraft right now, a more compact lay-out could save some extra space. Let people park their car at the airfield on rampspace where currently the Eeastern-flightlines are, aswell as on the civilcharter ramp on the west. Gates to enter the show could be placed between the parking area and the static.

Or else buy alot of farmland from the farmers around the base, which they use for parking already during the show... and put alot of asphalt on it!
Just like in the Joani Mitchell song (Big Yellow Taxi) "They paved paradise, they put up a parking lot..." But I expect the farmers are not willing to cooperate with that idea... what else could they do with all there former farmfield during the rest of the year!

[aviodromefriend]

All speculations here, other options could be:
Create parking space on the base again.

If you should have followed communication from RIAT to the visitors post 9-11 you would know it's simply far out of the question, for securityreasons.

Demonstrationteams could operate out of other RAF-bases such as Brize Norhon and Lyneham perhaps, this to make some extra spacing available on the north ramps.

First, Lyneham will close in the next years, and the Hercs will relocate to Brize. I don't know if there is space enough at Brize to accomodate the Tristars, VC-10s, Hercules, the upcoming A-330 tankers and all RIAT demoteams..., Besides, what do you want to do with the northern ramps? carparking? All public walking as the machines for the flying are taxiing around? Do you consider that a safe thing?

Relocate FRIAT and VIP tents etc. to a location where less ramp space is used.

As far as I've seen over the years, these are on grass, so moving wouldn't give you more ramp space, maybe less.

There is lots of ramp space between static aircraft right now, a more compact lay-out could save some extra space..

And a return of the complaints about a cramped static.

[FISHER01]

i have an idea relocate it at Twenthe

[Copter]

.... or Malta !

Malta = good weather, large airfield, allmost all visitors come by airplane so no traffic jams, allmost everyone speaks English, the beach nearby .....

[hawke]

The problem of the weather is heavy there.
This year we have been particularly unlucky.
But nevertheless in England there are so many basis and shows as alternatively, in bad things like this.

[aviodromefriend]

the organization when it comes to us aircraft photographers and spotters is really awful

I think you don't get what this show is for. It is to make money for charity, not to cater for that weird spotters as us.

and the last two airshows where the worst I've ever seen when it comes to weather

This year, yes, but last year??? during the showdays the first drop of rain fell around 16.00 local on Sunday. I don't know if you visit more shows than RIAT and Malta, but airshowweather in northwest Europe can be quite common compared to last year, many times it's even worse than that little bit of rain.

As regards weather the first warning for FRIAT organizers came last year when on the arrivals days and on Sunday the weather was really awful but it seems that they did not take any action and move the airshow to a later date

typo I think, FRIAT has to stick to the days RIAT is organized, else they should have a lot of people in the grandstand watching an empty runway. And as been said for some years at different sources in print as on the whiskeywhiskeywhiskey, at even years, nowadays RIAT has to be held the weekend before the Farnborough Airshow, due to an agreement between the shows, as a lot of companies indicated not to come to the UK twice in such a short period for Fairford and Farnborough. They wanted to combine these shows. Now Farnborough has been privatized, and the new operator told the Farnborough Airshow which slot in the calendar they had to put the show. Unfortunately, this was the same weekend RIAT already announced it should stage their show at Fairford. Given the agreement I mentioned before, RIAT choose to be a reliable partner for Farnborough, and brought the show one week forward. So you can't blame Fairford, you must complain about the Farnborough owners (I thought it was TAG Aviation, from Switserland). And please bear in mind last year the week after RIAT RAF Fairford was flooded to an even worse state then we can see at different pictures how Fairford was this weekend. So a later date is not guaranteed better weather.

I also firmly think that the Airshow should be moved from the west of the UK to some other airfield in the east of the UK because the weather conditions on the east of the UK are far more better then those on the west

And can you give a name of an airfield that might be able to host a show the size of the Tattoo in the eastern part of the UK? Don't mention Cottesmore, as that proved in 2000 and 2001 it was not suitable. And about your comments about the static, (which I completely disagree) I think it is off-topic here.

[Stefan]

remember the Cottesmore years, which were not as good as (or maybe I should say inferior to) the shows before these years at Fairford.

Don't mention Cottesmore, as that proved in 2000 and 2001 it was not suitable.

Just out of curiosity; what is your definition of 'not as good' and 'not suitable'?

I am having a very hard time understanding what (apparently) was wrong with the shows at Cottesmore...

Greetings,
Stefan

[aviodromefriend]

remember the Cottesmore years, which were not as good as (or maybe I should say inferior to) the shows before these years at Fairford.

Don't mention Cottesmore, as that proved in 2000 and 2001 it was not suitable.

Just out of curiosity; what is your definition of 'not as good' and 'not suitable'?

I am having a very hard time understanding what (apparently) was wrong with the shows at Cottesmore...

Greetings,
Stefan

Aircraft numbers way down, for example. Lot of countries that were common at the Fairford shows before not coming (especially in 2001, after experiencing what Cottesmore was in 2000) then (Israel for example, Norway and Denmark cutting down the number of aircraft types, and don't react about types withdrawn from service, as those types were until recently still in service, or are still in service). And be aware, Also RIAT themselves talked at a stakeholderforum about the Cottesmore years as not as succesful. And the reason RIAT gave was a lack of aprons at the base to house all the aircraft that would have come if the shows then would been have held at Fairford. Limited amount of aircraft of the same type (as RIAT just even didn't ask for too much of the same type then, also because of a lack of space at the site). (Enough, or do you want me to mention more). And yes, in 2001 even I had enough on one showday to do everything I wanted to do.

[Spine24]

Shall we leave it to the RIAT to relocate or not?
Greenham was the best place for this, glad I was there in '83.
As I don't like airshows at all, this was a special day, with the 'Scramble' Fellowship to Southampton.