RIAT 2011 (Part 1)
This was my first visit to RIAT since 2007, for reasons including the cancelled show in 2008 and the advanced ticket only scheme they've implemented since, meaning it is often pot luck with regards to the weather. We opted to buy either-day tickets, but the forecasts
for the Saturday and Sunday both looked wet! In the end we decided the wet Saturday morning, but sunny afternoon, would be better than the heavy showers and cloud of Sunday. We battled through the heavy rain Saturday morning, huddled under umbrellas on the crowdline, until around noon when some flying finally started.
Despite the slow start (and other 'issues' with regards RIAT turning into a fun fair!) a good show was had generally, and I was glad I managed to get a good spot on the crowdline for once.
The first shot is the four display teams lined up on the north side of the runway. From front to rear are; The Red Arrows, Breitling Jet Team, Patrulla Aguila and Il Frecce Tricolori:
The first aircraft to display was the Royal Netherlands Air Force Apache:
Next up was the Saab JAS 39C Gripen from the Swedish Air Force:
Quite a rare sight was the Danish Air Force F-16, which gave an impressive display:
The RAF Chinook put on a dynamic display as always, showing us what the large helicopter is capable of:
One of the star items at this year's show was the A-10C Thunderbolt from the USAF. I remember displays from these as a child, but didn't have any photos, so was keen to get some good shots.
Unfortunately, the aircraft developed some technical issues soon after take-off, and aborted its display. I still managed a few shots though:
Next up was an aircraft I hadn't seen before; the Dassault Rafale from the French Air Force. Lots of people were impressed by its display and it produced a nice amount of vapour in the damp air. Unfortunately my lens's limitations meant I had to make do with some low-level shots:
Although the RAF Typhoon displays were cancelled for 2011, BAE Systems sent one for RIAT, with a full set of weapons under the wings:
