Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2023

[n33d4sp33d_85]

Whilst last week was the last update for flying displays at RIAT 2023, we have a few more small updates for you this week, despite the high tempo of work in the Air Operations Office..!

We have listed a number of the support and visiting aircraft which will be present at RIAT 2023. Whilst some won't be seen over the show weekend, FRIAT members will see them arrive and depart carrying support equipment throughout the week. We are expecting the Finnish PC-12 and Spanish Citation to remain at Fairford over the weekend and be positioned on static display.

After speaking with the participating unit, we can confirm the Swedish Air Force plan to bring their new specially painted SK.60 as their static display jet. The flying display aircraft (and spare) will be in Team 60 colours as these are the airframes which can use smokewinders.

Unfortunately as the show gets very close, we have been notified of a handful more aircraft which are no longer able to attend. These include the Zambian Spartan, USAF KC-46, USAF C-37 and Draken's Honey Badger.

From the whole Air Operations Team, we hope you have enjoyed these weekly updated and sincerely hope enjoy the show next week!

[Adam]

Looking forward to broadcasting live from RIAT 2023 next week!

WEDNESDAY ARRIVALS


THURSDAY ARRIVALS


MONDAY DEPARTURES


To watch the show days (Friday-Sunday) you will need to be a paying subscriber to watch.planestv.com - the very reasonable fee of £10 will get you access to the whole show, plus 2022's souvenir programme (due to be released in the next couple of days) and a big chunk of their 30 year DVD archive.

[FlyRed]

First time at RIAT IN 22 years. Just one day (Saturday) and while it wasn't without it's challenges, it worked out very well.

Some highlights...

[awal2049]

Looks like the B-52 took out some runway lights after its demo

[Flightline Uk]

https://www.air-shows.org.uk/2023/07/ai ... e-at-riat/

[Theflyingace]

Me-262 full display, flying in UK for the first time since WW2

[Adam]

A few personal highlights and clips...

The standard of fast jet solo was very high this year and it was hard to identify favourites. The French Rafale and Finnish F-18 were both exceptional, but the Belgian F-16, with a revised display sequence, really stands out. Kicking in consecutive left and right rudder while flying at the crowd was a very interesting effect, as was the on-crowd negative-G bunt. Being 49 years old, it's not often an F-16 display pilot comes up with something genuinely new, but Capt. de Vries has achieved that for a second consecutive year.

RIAT fast jets.gif (9.72 MiB) Viewed 12144 times

Of the display teams, Fursan al Emarat were especially enjoyable on Thursday and Sunday. Patrulla Aguila's six-ship formation landing on Sunday was also one for the memory banks.

RIAT Fursan.gif (8.49 MiB) Viewed 12144 times

The Skytanker theme provided two especially memorable moments, one being the French C-135's very dramatic low overshoot and wing rock on Wednesday and Friday, and another being the steep three-ship topside pass by the German A400M, Tornado IDS and Tornado ECR. It's a shame external factors intervened, because the loss of the Meteor/Lancaster flypast still stings a little, and the idea that Sunday's "joint" B-52/KC-135 flypast (at 1,500ft with both aircraft seperated by several miles) in any way represented aerial refuelling was a bit of a laugh.

RIAT skytanker.gif (9.95 MiB) Viewed 12144 times

It's a testament to how strong this year's show this was that I keep forgetting we had a Harrier in the flying display! The forward-flight portion of Sunday's display was especially energetic, with vapour coming off the wings. The gentle topside during the combined Harrier/F-35B performance was also a nice moment. The unexpected arrival of two Italian Harriers rather than the anticipated singleton (one being a very rare twin-seater) was the icing on the Harrier-shaped cake.

RIAT Harrier.gif (9.54 MiB) Viewed 12144 times

But the absolute highlight for me, and, it seems, one of the big talking points of the whole show, was the outstanding Swedish SK.60 solo display. Some of the finest flying I have ever seen at an airshow, and an absolutely captivating, balletic sequence accompanied by extremely photogenic smoke. It flew, among other things, probably the slowest slow roll I have ever witnessed, and an extraordinary quarter rolling circle - a manoeuvre I've never seen performed by a jet-powered aircraft before. I was delighted to hear that the SK.60 won the King Hussain Memorial Sword for the Best Overall Flying Display - among a strong field of candidates, that trophy was richly deserved.

RIAT Sk60.gif (9.08 MiB) Viewed 12144 times

I barely got a look at the static display, but I did appreciate the photogenic positioning of the Greek F-4 and Polish Su-22 on the relatively secluded southwest loop. Two stars of the static in, arguably, the most fitting spot.

Enjoying RIAT 2023 to the full did involve spending many hours standing in the driving rain (worth it, though, even on Friday, for the RAF Typhoon solo in absolutely horrendous conditions), and yes, not all of the 'only at RIAT' set pieces actually came to fruition. I remember on Thursday, as the forecast became clearer and as the C-27, Meteor and BBMF dropped off the flying display list, someone commenting that 2023 would become a 2008-style "RIAT that could have been". Thankfully, that didn't come to fruition and it still proved to be a very good show indeed, albeit one that needed to be attended for the full six days to fully appreciate.

If you missed the show, or missed parts of it due to weather, then do consider subscribing to watch.planestv.com where the full souvenir programme will be released later this year. Filmed over six days, featuring stunning cockpit footage, and running for 2hrs, it will feature the very best of each of the performers, plus memorable moments from arrivals and departures. I have just finished drawing up the running order, and will be writing Ben Dunnell's narration script today. Here's a look below at some of the action we recorded.

[Theflyingace]

That roll rate

[n33d4sp33d_85]

Here are the following winners.

1. Paul Bowen Trophy - Best Solo Jet Demonstration (SAAB JAS-39E Gripen)
2. Sir Douglas Bader Trophy - Best Individual Flying Demonstration (French Air & Space Force Rafale C)
3. RAFCTE Trophy - Best Flying Demonstration by an Overseas Participant (Italian Army AH-129 Mangusta)
4. Steedman Display Sword - Best Flying Demonstration by a UK Participant (RAF Typhoon FGR4)
5. As The Crow Flies Trophy - Best Flying Demonstration as judged by the Friends of RIAT (French Air & Space Force Rafale C)
6. King Hussein Memorial Sword - Most Polished and Precise Flying Demonstration (Swedish Air Force SAAB SK.60)
7. Best Livery [German Air Force's EF2000 Typhoon "Eagle Star"]

https://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic ... 68#p949868

[Flightline Uk]

The skies of the Cotswolds again rumbled to the sound of the World’s largest military airshow in July as the Royal International Air Tattoo returned. Following an exceptionally hot and dry 2022, this year saw far more unsettled conditions with the organisers and participants battling wind and rain throughout the weekend. However, they prevailed on all three days to present a superb showcase of military aviation to huge crowds. A full image gallery and review can be found HERE

The Static and Support Aircraft:











































































































































https://www.air-shows.org.uk/2023/07/re ... -fairford/