Re: Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2020
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 5:09 pm
Thank you very much!!! A lot of great advice!Bingofuel wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 3:58 pmGood stuff...RIAT is incredible. Getting to Fairford isn't that hard. Fly to Heathrow...Take the bus or Train to Swindon. Uber or Taxi or Shuttle to Fairford. Much like Oshkosh bring a comfy par of shoes...You're gonna walk miles and miles.Nighthawk117 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 12:53 pm I'm slowly starting to plan my dream trip, going to RIAT in 2021. I would like to know your experiences to organize this kind of trip. I took a lot of information from the RIAT official website, but I would like to know if you know websites or blogs of people who tell their stories about RIAT and how to organize this type of trip? Thanks!
I've been twice now 2013 and 2018. I'd say definitely choose a FRIAT enclosure package if you're going for AERIAL photography purposes. You get bleacher seating and the view looking down on the runway is amazing for photos. You get your own section with washrooms and a few food trucks all within the enclosure, so its pretty gucci. Can be pricey though.
As I'm not an avid photographer I decided in 2018 to choose the Garden Viewing Village. Cheaper but still an enclosure with provided chairs and close to everything. Much more relaxed atmosphere in there compared to FRIAT. FRIAT can be cramped and busy. Viewing Village has the option to also choose bleacher seating (But it's set back farther from the runway than the FRIAT stands). Otherwise the VV grass seating is quite spacious and comfortable.
***and did I mention they provide lawn chairs?*** Keep in mind travelling from Canada or the US you probably don't want to pack a folding chair with you. Or else you can purchase a chair at the show or at a store in Swindon the nearby city.
2013 I stayed in the town of Swindon and used the airshow shuttle each day to get to Fairford. Not a bad way to go, but the hotels drastically raise their prices for RIAT week. 2018 I decided to camp using Tangerine Fields. This is the official show campground right beside the Airfield. Paid extra to have a tent/mattress/sheets all pre setup for me when I got there. Amazing proximity to the show entrance and a good time with other Aviation Nerds in the campground with you. Albeit cold showers at times and VERY limited food options...but it's camping after all.
Whatever you do...Make sure you get the Pre-show and Departure day tickets. The Friday arrival day 2018 was easily the most amazing and varied day of Airshow insanity I've ever experienced. The show itself is fantastic but for aviation nerds the arrival days are the gems of the week
Feel free to PM me if you guys have any questions.