Awesome pics Max. I left before the SU displayed to beat the traffic on Sunday. Weather was turning but still kicking myself.
Sally B making a show stopping appearance at RIAT 2017.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7amxdRZvFRU
Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2017
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 flown by Flight Lieutenant Ryan Lawton, from 29(R) Sqn based at RAF Coningsby demonstrating its agility at RIAT 2017.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6NgVFZ9STo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6NgVFZ9STo
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Army Air Corps WAH-64D APACHE Attack Helicopter at RIAT 2017.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx3zMfqbvjg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx3zMfqbvjg
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My third successive RIAT. A few quick thoughts...
The good: Ukrainian Su-27 was just superb -easily the best show of the day - Italian C-27 was similarly jaw-dropping. The Red Arrows performed magnificently given the weather, getting up and flying with no fuss. Other noteworthy appearances included SoloTurk and the French Rafale with powerful and punchy displays, a tidy role demo from the Czech ALCA pair, an excellent performance from the Patrouille Suisse and a plucky demonstration from the A400M, which somehow seemed to get its full show in despite a cloud base of less than 1500 feet! And I was pleasantly surprised by the BBMF display, which surpassed my personal expectations.
The bad: the weather got the better of the Midnight Hawks, Belgian F-16, Spanish EF-18, USAF F-22 and RAF Typhoon on Saturday (when I went). I also missed out on the B-2 and Red Arrows/Thunderbirds flypast, which left a bitter taste.
The surprisingly underwhelming: the Thunderbirds. Don't get me wrong, they were good, but terribly disjointed. The crowd seemed to spend most of the show scanning the horizon trying to spot the next jet, and they'd be 30-second gaps with nothing happening following which a solo jet would enter unannounced from an odd direction for an unexciting flat pass. The commentary for both the Thunderbirds and (grounded) F-22 was a bit of a joke and not at all helpful. Like their predecessors, I thought Couteau Delta were fairly average, I never really understood the hype. Slovenian PC-9, Austrian Saab 105 and Italian Master were just too small for a show of RIAT's size and were lost against the dull sky. The Belgian Sea King didn't do a display, rather a hovering demonstration down at the right hand end of the crowdline, almost a kilometre away.
Organisational factors: as good as they get. Driving in, I don't think the car ever stopped moving and we were in a parking spot straight away. Security was reasonably quick and easy. Driving out was pain free and we were on clear roads within 5 minutes of starting the engine - quite a feat given they're all small country lanes! And finally, the officious servicemen bullying people to the exit as much as two hours before the showground closes seem to be a thing of the past.
It should have been the best RIAT in many years, and with better weather, it would have been. I just feel that, through no fault of the organisers or pilots, we only got half the show we were supposed to. Did I enjoy my day? I suppose so. But I'll definitely be back next year.
The good: Ukrainian Su-27 was just superb -easily the best show of the day - Italian C-27 was similarly jaw-dropping. The Red Arrows performed magnificently given the weather, getting up and flying with no fuss. Other noteworthy appearances included SoloTurk and the French Rafale with powerful and punchy displays, a tidy role demo from the Czech ALCA pair, an excellent performance from the Patrouille Suisse and a plucky demonstration from the A400M, which somehow seemed to get its full show in despite a cloud base of less than 1500 feet! And I was pleasantly surprised by the BBMF display, which surpassed my personal expectations.
The bad: the weather got the better of the Midnight Hawks, Belgian F-16, Spanish EF-18, USAF F-22 and RAF Typhoon on Saturday (when I went). I also missed out on the B-2 and Red Arrows/Thunderbirds flypast, which left a bitter taste.
The surprisingly underwhelming: the Thunderbirds. Don't get me wrong, they were good, but terribly disjointed. The crowd seemed to spend most of the show scanning the horizon trying to spot the next jet, and they'd be 30-second gaps with nothing happening following which a solo jet would enter unannounced from an odd direction for an unexciting flat pass. The commentary for both the Thunderbirds and (grounded) F-22 was a bit of a joke and not at all helpful. Like their predecessors, I thought Couteau Delta were fairly average, I never really understood the hype. Slovenian PC-9, Austrian Saab 105 and Italian Master were just too small for a show of RIAT's size and were lost against the dull sky. The Belgian Sea King didn't do a display, rather a hovering demonstration down at the right hand end of the crowdline, almost a kilometre away.
Organisational factors: as good as they get. Driving in, I don't think the car ever stopped moving and we were in a parking spot straight away. Security was reasonably quick and easy. Driving out was pain free and we were on clear roads within 5 minutes of starting the engine - quite a feat given they're all small country lanes! And finally, the officious servicemen bullying people to the exit as much as two hours before the showground closes seem to be a thing of the past.
It should have been the best RIAT in many years, and with better weather, it would have been. I just feel that, through no fault of the organisers or pilots, we only got half the show we were supposed to. Did I enjoy my day? I suppose so. But I'll definitely be back next year.
Last edited by Adam on Thu Jul 27, 2017 10:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Freelance airshow media and videography (thisisflight.net)
Producer with PlanesTV
Airshow commentator
Producer with PlanesTV
Airshow commentator
Belgian F-16AM Fighting Falcon at RIAT 2017. Wicked use of wing tip smoke in this high-G routine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBLnuWlsGwk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBLnuWlsGwk
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Formation F-5E II Tigers (SWISS AIR FORCE PATROUILLE SUISSE) at RIAT 2017.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBkIWTon740
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBkIWTon740
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Dassault Mirage 2000D Duo (French Air Force) at RIAT 2017
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-r5EWTzbWY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-r5EWTzbWY
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Thanks for all the videos! Sure do need to make it over there some day. Yeah it always seems like weather will rain out at least 1 day for RIAT. Just kind of have to expect it, it seems. But holy cow do they get some cool stuff.
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