RIAT 2017

We had quite a bit of fun at last year’s Duxford air show. So much so that my buddy James dropped a list of 2017 air shows to the gang and asked if anyone was up for a few shows. I don’t think he knew what he was getting us into. He had the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford (UK) on his list. That would have not been a big deal if it wasn’t for the USAF Thunderbirds coming to that show.

I had not seen the USAF Thunderbirds in 25 years! We had not seen the USAF Thunderbirds in 25 years!

Plans were drawn. Luc, James and I got together, booked a hotel in London and the Eurostar to get to London. Oh wait… We also needed tickets to the air show. And it was sold out! It took us a couple of dozen of emails and some help from friends to get a hold of tickets: “Thunderbirds are GO!”

And not even a little grey skies would keep us away. It was touch-and-go with the weather though. With a cloud base as low as 600ft at some point, some displays got cancelled, but not the USAF Thunderbirds.

Adding to my excitement were displays by the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey and the Airbus A400M Atlas. I had never seen them displayed before. Both planes have amazing capabilities. It don’t always have to be fast moving jets to be impressive.