RIAT 12/13 July 2008

[JS50557]

The Lockheed Martin/U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighter will be crossing the Atlantic for the first time in July, heading for the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford in the UK. The aircraft will display three times at this show, but only on the opening Monday of the Farnborough Air Show that follows later that month. It will then return to the U.S.

Among those who will witness the spectacular F-22 display at RIAT will be Queen Elizabeth of England, who will be visiting on the Friday that precedes the show’s two public days. She will be presenting a new standard to mark the 90th anniversary of the Royal Air Force, which will stage a large flyby.

RIAT is a much bigger public spectacle than Farnborough, with an eight-hour airshow and more than 300 aircraft–mostly military–on display. About 170,000 people attend the two-day event in the Cotswold countryside, 70 miles west of London. Despite taking place on the weekend immediately preceding Farnborough, RIAT is nevertheless supported by many of the prime aerospace companies, as sponsors, exhibitors and occupants of the 20 hospitality chalets on the flightline. BAE Systems is the title sponsor of the Air Tattoo, and last year signed a five-year deal to continue hosting the patron’s pavilion, which routinely attracts air chiefs, British and foreign royalty and media personalities. BAE also provides a separate enclosure for its own employees to enjoy the show. Gulfstream Aerospace sponsors the aircrew reception building and flies VIPs to the show from London aboard its G550 demonstrator. EADS, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman have all sponsored the gala dinner at RIAT, a lavish, black-tie affair held in a suitably redecorated hangar. RIAT is organized by a small full-time staff, augmented by more than 3,000 volunteers. Profits go to the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust.


http://www.ainonline.com/news/single-ne ... ir-tattoo/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Joe Kurr]

The chance of seeing the Vulcan at the RIAT has increased again, as the test flights are going well, and they now have the Air Tattoo mentioned on their website as wel.
If all goes well, XH558 will fly at Fairford.

[Betman]

Today Update

Omani 1-11
RN hawks x4, Seaking
Dutch F16's,Fokker and cougar
Norwegian F-16's
ETPS Gripen
Spanish herc
B-52 (F)
RN Merlin (F)
USMC Herc
Great war display team (f)
FRA Falcons (f)
Hawk 128 (s)
MC-130P Combat Talon
MC-130H Combat Shadow
Belgian F16 static
German Army Ch-53 & Bo105

All info from http://www.ukar.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[pipichantal]

Read on UKAR that some formation flying is expected:

16x Tornado
9x Typhoon
'90' in the sky, Hawk/ Tucano or one type
C-130, TriStar, VC-10, C-17, Nimrod

Also Red Arrows with USAF plane ,type ? ( I guess the F22 )

[Chrisse]

That large formation flypast is planned for Friday, however, when a certain royal member is expected to go to Fairford, not for the weekend

[aviodromefriend]

[quote="Chrisse"]That large formation flypast is planned for Friday, however, when a certain royal member is expected to go to Fairford, not for the weekend :([/quote]

Over the years all flying activities on Friday were rehearsels for the weekend, so have the fingers crossed for a repeat at the weekend. The queen had her formation one month earlier over the Mall.

[Chrisse]

In the past, they had already planned some special events specifically for Friday which would not be repeated over the weekend, like a flypast of the Red Arrows and the Patrouille de France in formation. Current information suggests that it is the same here. Last year, there wee also 2 items specific for Friday and not repeated on showdays The Queen's flypast would be to mark the hand over of a new RAF standard, apparently.

[Joe Kurr]

I read on the UKAR forums that the Red Arrows plan to fly a formation with "a certain US aircraft" on both Friday and Saturday.
Although that certain aircraft may be replaced by the Vulcan if it appears at the Air Tattoo.

[aviodromefriend]

[quote="Joe Kurr"]I read on the UKAR forums that the Red Arrows plan to fly a formation with "a certain US aircraft" on both Friday and Saturday.
Although that certain aircraft may be replaced by the Vulcan if it appears at the Air Tattoo.[/quote]

Would be great to see with the Vulcan. Might be even better if the Reds are in Vulcan formation.

[Stafsels]

Also some Russian-made aircraft expected at this years RIAT?
Some Su-27 or Su-30 Flankers or some Mig-29 Swifts???

Greetings,

Stafsels

[Thijs]

RAF:
A109E Power 32 (TR) Squadron RAF 90th S

RN:
Sea King HU5 SAR HMS Gannet SAR Flight Global Engagement S
Lynx HMA8 815 NAS Global Engagement S
Jetstream T2 750 NAS Global Engagement S

FAF:
C-160R Transall TBC Global Engagement SP

GAF:
UH-1D LTG62 Global Engagement S
Tornado RECCE AG51 Global Engagement S
C-160D Transall TBC Global Engagement S
Airbus A-310 FIBschBMVg Global Engagement S
AS 532 Cougar FIBschBMVg Global Engagement S


HAF:
RF-4E Phantom 348 MTA, 110 PM Global Engagement S

Indian AF:
HAL Dhruv x5 Sarang Helicopter Display Team Global Engagement F

Irish AF:
CN-235M 101 Squadron Global Engagement S

USAFRC:
HC-130P 39 RQS, 920 RQW Global Engagement S
MC-130E Combat Talon 711 SOS, 919 SOG Global Engagement S

KLu:
F-16 MLU (x2) 322 Squadron *TBC* Global Engagement S

Civilians:
Extra 400 Bruno Stocker S
Embraer Legacy Embraer VIP SP
PC-12 Pilatus Aircraft SP
DH Vampire T11 Vampire Preservation Group RAF 90th S

US education and training command:
T-43A Gator 562 FTS Global Engagement S

Thanks to Joe Kurr

[Thijs]

As said before, the Queen of England will visit the RIAT at Friday and there will be a fly-past which consist of the following aircraft:

4x Typhoon RAF Conningsby

Before the Queen departs she will be treated to a mass flypast of aircraft
representing the Royal Air Force's past and present.

All taken from a press release by the RIAT.

[aviodromefriend]

http://www.airtattoo.com/airtattoo/News ... C_CEREMONY

for more information, if you should need it. Looks like it is going on parallel with the show instead of being a part of it, so maybe also no pictures about this at the DVD I'm afraid.

[falcon]

Will the raptors goto Farnborough and only fly at Riat, or do they goto the Riat and monday departure to Farnborough?? same for the super hornets........

tnx in advance,
George

[aviodromefriend]

Will the raptors goto Farnborough and only fly at Riat, or do they goto the Riat and monday departure to Farnborough?? same for the super hornets........

tnx in advance,
George

As there will be 2 F-22's listed for RIAT, the spare will be at RIAT for the weekend. Over the last even years aircraft that went on for Farnborough left sunday during the show. Maybe for the Raptors this is gonna be different as (as far as I know) there is only a display at Farnborough, so it can be there is one departing from RIAT to Farnborough for the demo, and one departing back home to the States, joining up with the Farnborough aircraft over the Atlantic. At least, there will not be an aircraft landing at Farnborough, except emergencies. Super Hornets always left at sunday during the flying display. They have to be at Farnborough at a given time due to the regulations overthere.