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Some of it is a tongue-in-cheek continuation of the anti-RIAT jokes, and some of it is a product of how it went down. When the A-10 team announced OSH, it meant all 4 teams would be flying together which is pretty special and awesome these days. Of course, that post was immediately hit with people whining that it wasn't coming to RIAT instead.Adam wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2019 8:13 am Wow! A nice surprise to wake up to.
Edit - I see this has gone down like a lead balloon in the US. But it's the main show celebrating the 70th anniversary of NATO and you're getting our only major crowd-puller for half the entire season. I think perhaps people forget that over here we have ONE jet formation team and ONE jet demo, sending one Stateside for nine weeks is a big deal, kind of like sending the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds away on a simultanious extended tour bang in the middle of the show season. Borrowing an ACC Demo Team or two for one weekend each year is entirely justified if you ask me.
Oh I'm well aware of the esteem RIAT fans are held in abroad (and here, too, in many circles!). Your April 1st article from last year was right on the mark.RyanS wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2019 11:45 amSome of it is a tongue-in-cheek continuation of the anti-RIAT jokes, and some of it is a product of how it went down. When the A-10 team announced OSH, it meant all 4 teams would be flying together which is pretty special and awesome these days. Of course, that post was immediately hit with people whining that it wasn't coming to RIAT instead.Adam wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2019 8:13 am Wow! A nice surprise to wake up to.
Edit - I see this has gone down like a lead balloon in the US. But it's the main show celebrating the 70th anniversary of NATO and you're getting our only major crowd-puller for half the entire season. I think perhaps people forget that over here we have ONE jet formation team and ONE jet demo, sending one Stateside for nine weeks is a big deal, kind of like sending the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds away on a simultanious extended tour bang in the middle of the show season. Borrowing an ACC Demo Team or two for one weekend each year is entirely justified if you ask me.
Then there were rumors that the F-16 would bail on OSH to cover the Colorado show, so we were kind of expecting disappointment from that, but the inclusion of RIAT came completely out of nowhere. A big plot twist on that one! And a night of whiplash trying to write about all of it.
I'm curious if the F-16 demo is really all that exciting for Europe, since there are already more dynamic Viper demos over there?
In a word - yes. It is exciting for any European show to have any USAF participation in its flying display including the F-16 Viper Demo Team. It is a rarity. (Actually, any US military participation flying or static is something of a coup for many events these days - even from European based units!)
Bang on, Flightline. As I said earlier, regular USAF support for the Air Tattoo is justified, little doubt about that, but certainly not obligatory or to be taken for granted. The sense of self-righteous entitlement expressed by a very vocal minority becomes extremely irksome, not just with the USAF but with foreign air arms generally. I am of the opinion that, given the assets available from each country, both get a reasonably fair deal in the long run and I couldn't be happier to see the RAF returning the favour later this year.Flightline Uk wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2019 1:55 pm It has become the expectation of some that at least one USAF ACC demo team will be attending.
Good to know, I guess a large factor is just what is new and rare in an area. I found it funny last year when I was in Canada, some guys were shitting all over their CF-18 demo and kept saying how the USAF F-16 demo (also in attendance) just blows theirs out of the water. The prevailing attitude I've always seen and felt is that the CF-18 demo is usually "better" than US demos. Obviously there is some variation from year to year, but I just wouldn't expect a gray Viper flying back and forth to hold up well against a beautifully painted Viper twisting and turning and spewing flares.Flightline Uk wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2019 1:55 pmIn a word - yes. It is exciting for any European show to have any USAF participation in its flying display including the F-16 Viper Demo Team. It is a rarity. (Actually, any US military participation flying or static is something of a coup for many events these days - even from European based units!)
The display flying style maybe different (or less dynamic as you put it), but I think you'll find the superb public engagement from USAF demonstration teams does mean they are appreciated by organisers and airshow audiences. That is true even at RIAT where somehow it has become the expectation of some that at least one USAF ACC demo team will be attending (Not sure where that comes from, there have been plenty of years including some of the classics in the 1990's that didn't have any USAF flying involvement, let along the stateside based demo teams).
Rain is forecast! Major John 'Rain' Waters of the Viper Demo Team is confirmed for RIAT 2019 flying the F-16! His display marks the first time for over a decade that we have welcomed the USAF F-16 demo to the Air Tattoo. We can also confirm a flying display from the CV-22B Osprey as well as USAF static appearances from another CV-22B, MC-130J Commando II, C-17 Globemaster, F-15E Strike Eagle and E-6B Mercury from the US Navy!