Scbriml From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2003, 11363 posts, RR: 50 Posted (5 years 10 months 2 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 1931 times:
I shall be visiting RIAT this coming weekend (hopefully the crappy weather will improve!)
Can any experienced RIATers offer a noob any advice about best locations for shooting the flying display? I have a pass that gets me a seat in the grandstand - is this a good spot or is the "hill location" better?
Any recommendations on car parking? I could only get a hotel room in Swindon, so will be driving from there each day.
My pass also gets me access on Friday and Monday. Any extra advice on shooting on those non-public days?
DerekF From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2001, 823 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (5 years 10 months 2 weeks 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 1899 times:
It depends what you want to shoot and the length of the lens. The sun (whatever that is) is behind you most of the day. The display line is so long that if you are at either end you don't see much of the display, only take-offs or landings. My 75-300 struggled last year but we were in the BAE enclosure which is close to the eastern end of the runway.
Are you in the FRIAT enclosure or the public grandstand?. The FRIAT grandstand has prime location near the middle. I think the public grandstand is close by. I've done FRIAT or FIAT a few times in the past.
Sulman From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2004, 2028 posts, RR: 35 Reply 2, posted (5 years 10 months 2 weeks 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 1893 times:
The public grandstand seems quite well placed - I'm not sure, I haven't been seated there. Generally as close to the middle of the runway as you can get is good.
400mm is ideal, but you can get by with 200 - 300 with some thought. I looked at some exif data for some numbers, these are taken from the crowdline, normal fighter-sized target, about side-on (F-16 / F-18 / Tiffie)
On the runway: Approx 160-200mm
Southern taxiway (far side): Approx 200-280mm
Low-speed pass / high speed pass (these are usually right between the runway and far taxiway): Approx 250-300mm
Anything else, you're knackered, unless you've got a longer lens. The last two years, the Dutch F-16 has stood out as coming closest and slowest. The B-1 and B-52 will seem absolutely gargantuan after you've been looking at little fighters all day.
TupolevTu154 From UK - England, joined Aug 2004, 2119 posts, RR: 31 Reply 6, posted (5 years 10 months 2 weeks 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1797 times:
Quoting Mrk25 (Reply 5): I'm going Sat, I doubt with the numbers going we will bump into each other but you never know.
I'm heading there for saturday too.
I'll just look out for someone wearing an orange Hi-Vis yes?
BmiBaby737 From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 1636 posts, RR: 10 Reply 7, posted (5 years 10 months 2 weeks 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1788 times:
DerekF From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2001, 823 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (5 years 10 months 2 weeks 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 1731 times:
I'm taking waterproofs, wellies, walking boots, suncream (although I probably won't need that) and an umbrella. If it is wetter than Fairford 1987, or Farnborough 1996 was it? or Leuchars 2005 or Woodford any year I'll be amazed - see I've said it now. Remember as they say in Russia - no such thing as bad weather only inappropriate clothing.
Sponsor Message: 
From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2003, 11363 posts, 
From Austria, joined Apr 2004, 3765 posts, 
From UK - England, joined Aug 2004, 2119 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
