RAF Air Tattoo 2009 at Fairford - Anyone going?

Luke · 1 Jul 2009 at 19:02

^^Gord^^ said:
I bet that hotel cost you a bit!

No, £50 surprisingly. But it is a dive of a hotel(I think). It was a nightmare finding one though, hotels as far as Swindon either fully booked or stupidly expensive.

Actually, just checked my booking and it was only £39!

Housey · 1 Jul 2009 at 19:03

The Vulcan was at Cosford which I believe was its first show this year. I wasn't there but I was on it's flightpath about 20 miles east!

loltim · 1 Jul 2009 at 19:04

^^Gord^^ said:
You are looking under civvy aircraft aren't you?

I'm at Waddo this Sat, weather is looking touch and go.

I can't see it on any of the lists

Will the Vulcan be at Waddington?

Berserker · 1 Jul 2009 at 19:12

emailiscrap said:
It was a nightmare finding one though, hotels as far as Swindon either fully booked or stupidly expensive.

The good ones get block booked by sponsors and so forth, so you've missed out before you've even started looking. Luckily I have contacts.

Luke · 1 Jul 2009 at 19:13

It's 3rd on the list of civvy aircraft.

^^Gord^^ · 1 Jul 2009 at 19:33

Tim said:
I can't see it on any of the lists

Will the Vulcan be at Waddington?

Sure is. It will be in formation with the Breitling display team on Sat and the Red Arrows on Sunday.

Assuming it doesn't go tech and the weather sorts itself out!

loltim · 1 Jul 2009 at 19:47

Yep, i'm blind, seen it now thanks.

Does Waddington often sell out? Last year there were hundreds of people outside, are these people just being tight or did it sell out? It's too late to buy tickets online but it's only a 40 min drive.

Luke · 1 Jul 2009 at 19:51

Bought my ticket on the gate last year, but arrived very early to make sure.

Trifid · 1 Jul 2009 at 20:01

Definitely going for the weekend.

Anyone know of a good hotel nearby? Hopefully there will be one within a decent proximity...

Luke · 1 Jul 2009 at 20:03

Good luck, I booked mine 2 months ago and spent an entire evening searching for one before getting one on laterooms.com. I'd say your best bet now is hotels that aren't on the web and to ring around.

Gog · 1 Jul 2009 at 20:26

Berserker said:
Yes. I've bought myself a 450D and 70-300 IS for the occasion. If it gets rained upon again this year I might have to kill whoever is responsible - and if that's God, then so be it.

PS - never done air show photography on a DSLR, so I hope I'm a quick study.

Quite new to it myself. Shutter priority and keep the speed below 1/500 for the prop craft so you get blurring seems to be a general rule. Oh, and use IS mode 2 on the 70-300 (cracking lens btw).

Here's a quick primer I found: http://airfoto.photosite.pl/

And here's a very quick one from Biggin Hill to tide you over in the meantime

^^Gord^^ · 1 Jul 2009 at 20:39

Gog said:
Quite new to it myself. Shutter priority and keep the speed below 1/500 for the prop craft so you get blurring seems to be a general rule. Oh, and use IS mode 2 on the 70-300 (cracking lens btw).

Here's a quick primer I found: http://airfoto.photosite.pl/

That site has some good advice but you won't want IS on for airshow action.

Tim said:
Yep, i'm blind, seen it now thanks.

Does Waddington often sell out? Last year there were hundreds of people outside, are these people just being tight or did it sell out? It's too late to buy tickets online but it's only a 40 min drive.

Often? No. Last year was the first year of the Vulcan so it saw record level of ticket sales. This year isn't as busy as last year but it's still up on usual levels. I reckon if you get there early you will be fine.

Balb0wa · 3 Jul 2009 at 15:31

hmmm may goto waddington myself

loltim · 4 Jul 2009 at 21:12

bobbyboy uk said:
hmmm may goto waddington myself

Just heard the vulcan isn't flying tomorrow :/

Trifid · 4 Jul 2009 at 21:17

It better be flying at RIAT!

All booked. Hotel is a bit far away - 40min ish drive away, unfortunately north of it.

^^Gord^^ · 4 Jul 2009 at 21:20

The Vulcan to the Sky Trust seem to think it will have it's permit to fly back in a few days but events are pretty much out of there hands (for a change!).

JBuk · 4 Jul 2009 at 21:27

I thought it had a permit?

^^Gord^^ · 4 Jul 2009 at 21:35

JBuk said:
I thought it had a permit?

It did, it should have been renewed on the 3rd July. Here is the statement released....

The Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VTST) and Marshall Aerospace are deeply disappointed and saddened to have to announce that the planned displays of the Vulcan at the RAF Waddington International Airshow on 4th and 5th July have had to be cancelled.

As part of the 2005-7 Major servicing, a number of structural inspections had to be deferred, because it was not feasible to complete them on XH558’s airframe. It was planned by VTST and Marshal Aerospace, in agreement with BAE Systems and the Civil Aviation Authority, that these inspections would be carried out before the renewal of XH558’s Permit to Fly on 3rd July 2009, using the airframe of BAE Systems-owned Vulcan XM603 at Woodford, as part of the scrapping process of this aircraft. Unfortunately, despite best intentions, it has not yet proved possible to complete or establish mitigations for all these inspections. Consequently, we have currently not fully met the conditions that would enable the issue of XH558’s Permit to Fly renewal.

XH558 is however is fully serviceable and ready for flight, and Marshall Aerospace together with VTST and BAE Systems are doing all they can as quickly as they can to resolve this unexpected, one-off issue within the next few days. We are very sad that it is not going to be possible for the Vulcan to display at Waddington over the weekend of 4th/5th July.

Ali195 · 4 Jul 2009 at 22:07

The weather was great but i got sun burnt soo bad...now im stuck at work till 02:00 tonight (morning even) ...sucks

Raider · 16 Jul 2009 at 12:58

Not long now people!

Weather not looking too bad.. Friday looks awful, but should mostly clear for Saturday and Sunday. Atm I'm thinking of going on Saturday (have the either day tickets).

My friend saw the B1-B flying over yesterday morning towards Fairford. Sadly it's static only this year