Here's the stats; 160,000 people, 269 aircraft, representing 33 air arms, from 22 nations. That was RIAT '09, still the biggest military airshow in world and still the aviation enthusiast's biggest weekend, week even, of the year.
RIAT consistently delivers military hardware in a quantity that eclipses other shows in this country, but is not immune to the pressures and issues facing any other UK event, nor indeed the criticism and debate.
It goes without saying that most people connected with RIAT will just have been happy to see the event take place this year, and the heavy rain that blighted Sunday's show never threatened a repeat of the 2008 washout.
"Given the current world climate and the kind of budgetary pressures under which everyone is operating we are definitely happy with how it went this year" says Rob Windsor.
The numbers tell their own story, but perhaps more than most RIAT seems to fall foul of historic comparisons, a victim of its own success perhaps and the vast scale of shows in years gone by. I ask Rob to give me a feel for just how difficult it is in the current climate…..
"This was my seventh show and we had the biggest cancellation list since I've been here. We lost something like 40 / 45 aircraft that had been confirmed and approved to attend and you just can't do anything about that.
"It's very difficult to get the numbers of aircraft we used to have. My first year was 2003 and we had 535 aircraft, albeit that some were museum pieces. That's really where it peaked and we've seen number tail-off since then. Three hundred to three hundred and fifty aircraft is a realistic benchmark for us now and achieving that takes a huge amount of work. This year fell short of that benchmark but what was on show was, I think, very good."
"We would love to see more but also we have less space on the ground and I just don't think it's realistic to say that it will go back up to 400 plus aircraft."
The team still put in the legwork to secure participation, a process which will start in September for RIAT '10 with visits to air attaches (both here and abroad), squadrons, chiefs of staff and so on. Invites will be sent, requests made, favours called-in, all the standard airshow tactics to deliver aircraft to the show, but the fact remains that if money, manpower and flying hours are short then it just won't happen.
"One UK air attaché told us that in the country where he is based their defence spending had just been cut, across the board, by 25%" Rob tells me.
Unsurprisingly, that country didn't make it to RIAT '09.
People hate to hear it, and many seem to be in complete denial whenever the subject is raised, but we are talking about budgets and operational commitments here, plain and simple.
"They are the sole reasons for pulling out. There is an incredible worldwide will to attend the show and that support hasn't wavered over the years, but it's getting that support past those who hold the purse strings" Rob says.
"Look, no one is blocking attendance for the sake of it, but everyone has a budget that they have to stick to. One positive point is that probably 90% of those who were forced to cancel have promised to do whatever they can to be here next year.
"Feedback on the static display has also been largely positive with a number of comments about the improvement to the layout for photography and also just allowing people to move round. There were gaps as we've already discussed but with late cancellations that is unavoidable - although we did manage to get the A-10s at very short notice!"
The other issue of course is one of variety. In terms of types, numbers are dwindling dramatically.
"Realistically, the days of multiple MiG-29s attending RIAT have gone. The cost of bringing something Russian or Ukrainian to the UK is prohibitive as they have very restricted budgets themselves."
Rob won't rule anything out in terms of future attendance but unless something remarkable happens in a financial sense it is extremely unlikely. He is also quite happy to confirm that the reasons are almost solely financial.
"A few years ago we looked at bringing a large Eastern European fast jet over at our expense. With the display jet, spare, support aircraft and crew it would have cost us in the region of £100,000. That's just not feasible.
"We don't actually have any restrictions placed upon us in terms of whom we can and can't invite. We do occasionally take guidance from the MOD and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on sensitive areas but that hasn't happened as much over the past few years."
This year's show wasn't without highlights and I've got no desire to concentrate entirely on what didn't appear at RIAT '09 so where did Rob feel the legwork for this year's show really paid off?
"The Algerian Air Force C-130 was my personal highlight. A brand new country for RIAT (the 51st), a great crew and the culmination of seven years hard work. They were a great bunch of people and hopefully that will bode well for future shows.
"My aim, which might be totally unrealistic, is to add a new country every year, or at least every two years. A RIAT debut for the Rafale was another highlight for me, anything new for the show always is."
Rob and I go on to discuss the success of the Fly Navy 100 portion of the show, so wonderful to see after the huge disappointment of Yeovilton's weather affected show the previous week. It took a great deal of planning to make this work for RIAT as, despite everything being worked-out beforehand, holds and timings had to be amended to ensure the formation could be safely and successfully displayed in Fairford's airspace. But why no Sea Vixen solo? This would surely have been a perfect addition in this year of all years.
"It does come down to money once again, I'm afraid. There are no issues with the aircraft's insurance and there never have been (Editor's note: as was reported on one forum) but the cost is prohibitive. The cost of buying in any aircraft, be it Sea Vixen, Vulcan or warbirds can be huge and it's difficult to justify taking money away from the charity pot when we already have a seven and a half hour flying display filled with aircraft that we don't have to pay for."
"It's an extraordinary situation when you think that RIAT, generally speaking, doesn't pay for any of the aircraft. There are exceptions to this rule but we have to balance putting on a family show with acts like Team Guinot and of course keeping the enthusiasts happy. But our budget for aircraft is probably a quarter of that for a seaside show so we are quite restricted in terms of what we can buy in."
As has already been mentioned it is getting harder and harder for the show to add 'new' aircraft and that of course reflects on the static display aircraft in exactly the same way as on the flying schedule. What would Rob say to those people who wonder whether the show actually needs, for example, eight or nine C-130s on static?
"Our aim is to bring in as many military aviators from as many different air arms as possible. We put them all together and give them the opportunity to meet and discuss their roles and expertise. Having that many Hercs is brilliant and if they learn something and want to come back then that obviously works for us too."
"If we only had C-130s on static then I would be worried! We don't currently run any kind of training symposium for visiting aircrew but I certainly wouldn't rule that out for the future. It is however a huge undertaking, a whole separate event essentially."
Many have mentioned the amount of aircraft that were on the north side and most are wondering why some of these aircraft couldn't have been moved to operate from the south, public side?
"In term of spare display aircraft then we need to have those with the display jets in case the crews need them for whatever reason, that much is clear. If we had put the spares south side how quickly could we move them around and get them to where they need to be?
"We also just don't have the real estate any more. One possibility would have been to squash the static up a little to put some display aircraft on the south side but you are then doubling the workload by needing engineering and fuel on both sides of the airfield.
"The south east loop was traditionally fast jets and display teams but that is now the on-base red car park so while it would be nicer to put everything south side we need a balance, and after last year the on-base parking was a priority. It almost guarantees that we have an airshow for a start."
Moving away from participation what of the traffic issues that many experienced this year?
"I am moving away from my area of expertise here but I think it's fair to say that until someone builds a dual-carriageway to the airfield that there will always be some challenges with traffic management!
"Equally we need to do whatever we can to ensure that we manage it properly and to read about some of the trouble people had is very disappointing for everyone here. Those problems are already being investigated and will be looked at ahead of next year's show."
Incredibly, and with great credit to the PR push in the days running up to the show, literally just "one or two" people turned up at the show without a ticket and Rob confirms that a similar amount of people managed to turn up on the wrong day. Advance ticketing does allow the Air Tattoo team to manage the event more accurately and it seems likely that the show will continue on this basis.
FRIAT (Friends of the Royal International Air Tattoo) was once again very popular with many of the packages sold-out and I ask Rob whether the debrief has yet covered some of the issues raised by those who went for the FRIAT experience?
"I hope that in the main everyone who purchased a FRIAT package will have enjoyed it. The feedback we've seen so far has been mainly positive and most have given the flying display the thumbs-up although we have received some complaints that there were three Hornet displays and two Gripen displays!"
And what of the suggestion that the flying display itself could be shortened to give people more time to take in the rest of the show and perhaps ease the pressure on those almost inevitable traffic queues?
"That's a difficult one. We have already trimmed the display a little and this year it ran pretty much to time at seven and a half hours. If last year had happened I think we might have struggled to squeeze it all in to nine hours! With the support we have for the show we don't want to be turning anyone away, especially if the late addition that might push it over is an F-22 or a MiG-29, so I think it would be tough to reduce it below the mark that we had this year."
The ideal of course is for people to have a wander around first thing, after a traffic jam free journey in, watch the flying and then take in the rest before heading off, perhaps after staying for the free concert. We don't live in an ideal world unfortunately but with so much going on it seems that there should be a solution for everyone where RIAT is concerned, just don't expect the event's schedule to change fundamentally.
The RIAT team is clearly pleased with the range of stallholders and attractions in attendance at the show, regardless of their aviation connection.
"Not everyone who visits this show wants to go home with an aircraft coaster set!" Rob remarks.
"Many of them will enjoy every minute of the flying but will go home with something not at all related to aviation."
Let's not forget that all the money from stall-holder bookings add to the bottom line for RIAT and will eventually finds its way in to the charity pot; the same goes for the hospitality areas at which the enthusiast aims much of its ire.
"Love it or hate it, hospitality is a great income generator for the show and, as a result, the charity. Those people have paid to be there so it's incorrect when you hear them referred to as 'freeloaders'. Many of them will have paid a significant amount of money to be there."
But is it all getting too commercial? Has RIAT moved ever closer to being a trade show, more similar to Farnborough than the Air Tattoo's of old?
"I would dispute any comparison with a trade show. If you go to Paris or Farnborough it's nothing like RIAT. I believe that the Air Tattoo has always been a relatively commercial enterprise and I think we, and the sponsors, have simply become more professional in the way that we present that. Perhaps it seems more obvious, but they've always been here.
"They support the show and therefore the charity and that's what we're here to do."
As Rob explains, RIAT is all about striking a balance. It's not a trade show, though they do have senior military staff who want to attend the show to talk in a formal setting, but that in turn can help the show attract participation. Everything is linked together.
The themes for next year's show are already formalised with 'Training' selected as the operational theme, taking in everything from elementary training to OCUs. The public theme will be the Battle of Britain's 70th Anniversary and the 150th anniversary of Military Cadets will also be commemorated. Before anyone asks, it is far too early to begin speculating on which aircraft these themes might attract but it is sure to be a spectacle. It will also be the 40th year of the Air Tattoo (the first event was actually in 1971) itself, but Rob was unable to confirm if, or how, that might be marked.
Having covered as many major topics as the time will allow it's time for any other business, a few questions sent to me via Twitter and that have appeared numerous times on some of the enthusiast forums. One particular burning issue seems to be the appearance of tents and windbreaks and such like on the crowd-line, despite a ban on such items being used within a 10m exclusion zone.
"That's a very good question" agrees Rob.
"I don't actually know the answer directly but I will certainly investigate. This is something that we as an organisation have all signed-up to so I would assume that it just needs more policing, but I will look in to it."
The programme is another thing which has drawn many negative comments - too expensive, poor quality imagery and too many adverts being the most common.
"I actually think we've made great inroads with the programme and it is certainly much better than it used to be. I am sure that it will continue to improve and evolve but I will pass on the feedback."
A final, very specific question surrounded the early-bird car park which many people seemed to think actually penalised those who arrived early by being a hefty walk away from the showground.
"It is difficult with car parking. We need to use all of the car parking, on and off base, so someone is always going to have park in those which are a little further away. I will however endeavour to provide some specific information from those in charge of this area."
So there we have it. Rob and I covered as much as we could in the time available to us and, in all fairness, he answered every question I put to him, whatever the issue and regardless of whether it was his specific area of expertise.
In some ways it's heartening to see that RIAT is affected by the current global climate in the same way as every other airshow, a comment which is in no way meant as a slight towards the hard-working team at Fairford. It's more a case of 'if RIAT is affected then of course everyone else will be'; and perhaps some of the general sniping and misinformation surrounding a number of our major airshows will ease if people take the time to consider what all the organisers are being faced with.
Rob tells me that earlier this year a meeting was held, for the first time, between the organisers of the shows at Cosford, Waddington, Leuchars and RIAT. They debated and shared information and this kind of co-operation can only be seen as positive sign that they are all working hard to improve and learn from each others mistakes and successes. Long may it continue.
It's impossible to cover everything in one go and there will always be specific questions or complaints that get missed out. If there is anything you would like to know, use the button below and we'll post your comment or question right here. The RIAT team will see it and hopefully respond wherever possible.
The Air Tattoo team has very kindly extended an invite for Global Aviation Resource to keep track of the show as they work towards RIAT '10 so do look out for further update features in the new year and also the weeks prior to the event.
GAR wants to interact with its readers so if you have a question for the author or a comment to make on this feature, please click on the button below. The best comments will appear right here on GAR.2009-08-11 - Peter Browning
Thanks for the comment Rob.
I understand, as do all I'm sure, that everything you spend is not available to give to your parent charity. There has to be a balance though and in the name of diversity and of making the show attractive you have to make an effort to get 'interesting' aircraft to the show. The Sea Vixen is one such aircraft and it was certainly a disappointment to me that it wasn't there.
There were three F-16s at the show and as nice as these aircraft are they are pretty much vanilla and having three of them was pretty much yawn inducing for me. I have come to love RIAT for it's diversity and range of interesting aircraft and that just didn't happen this year, partly for very good reason, I understand. However, because of this, and also because of the parking and traffic problems already discussed, I'm now undecided whether to attend next year at all and I know I'm not alone in this.
I feel that some money needs to be spent to get some headline aircraft in - a MiG or two and the historic aircraft maybe. I know this will impinge on the final bottom line but at the end of the day it's us, the punters, who pay into the charity, it's by no means a cheap family day out and we do ask that we get good value for money. Spend a bit to earn a bit more maybe? Certainly spend a bit to ensure that RIAT stays at the top of the tree of air displays.
2009-08-11 - Robert Windsor
Hi all,
Thanks for the comments and feedback to the article.
We are in the washup of '09 and planning for '10 so I will bring your points forward here and see what can be done for the future.
As said in the article, the GAR team and us folks here at RAFCTE hope to keep you up to date over the next 11 months.
And surprising though it may seem to you Damien, my budget did not allow for the Vixen whereas Kemble's obviously did. It was not a move to spite those people who wanted to see the aircraft, but a purely financial decision. As I said, any 'extra' we spend is effectively taking away from our parent Charity.
Cheers,
Rob.
2009-08-08 - Ben Usher
A very interesting article that highlights all the difficulties and problems involved with organising and producing a top quality show. This years show was a very good effort/year in my opinion. Variety is definitely the spice of life so good luck with next year attracting some interesting participants. Regular interviews every few months in the build up to the show would be a great way to educate more people and build up the anticipation for enthusiasts. Thats if the staff at Fairford have the time of course. Well done all involved for a great show!
Ben
2009-08-06 - phil
Guys,
Last year (?) we saw the start of the no ticket on the day policy, along with warnings that this year it would be advance tickets only and in the run up to the show this year, I reminded many of our club members of this, only to be chastised by one RIAT regular that no such policy had been enforced this year. Yet, there is a comment in the article about only a few turning up without tickets, so what was the actual policy this year?
I did look on the website and there was nothing obvious on there that said tickets were / not available, but the wording strongly hinted, but didnt expressly state that tickets WOULD be available on the gate.
Sadly i didnt get there this year owing to getting laid off, but here's hoping for 2010 !!
2009-08-05 - david smith
Great show under great financial pressure,we want but do not expect everything.However not wishing to be greedy,would it not be possible for FRIAT members to have on base parking and their own dedicated queue rather than the forty minute wait with everyone else,until the last 30 yards of the entrance....It was a very slow fast track
2009-08-04 - Damien Burke
This year's Kemble Air Days had both the Vixen and Vulcan and lots of other stuff, all paid for, and also directly supported the RAF Benevolent Fund. But RIAT couldn't afford the Vixen? Pretty stunning!
2009-08-04 - Peter Browning
Thanks for raising the car parking issue. Early arrivals, in my opinion, should be rewarded with parking closer to the entrance. The early bird parking should be on-base, hard standing and as close as possible to the entrance. Why should late arrivals get the prime parking real estate?!
My other main gripe is smoking. Our family was surrounded by smokers on the crowd line as well as in the entry queue and we had to endure a constant barrage of smoke and ash drifiting over us, our children and our food! Consideration should be given to making the entire show non-smoking, or if that's not possible then at least ban it within 10 metres of the crowdline.
2009-08-04 - Peter Reoch
Well done GAR! Another great report which gives us another view on airshows and answers some very interesting questions!
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