In the afternoon, four buses left from the south of the Netherlands and headed for the UK, stopping at several pick-up points along the way. As always with 4Aviation, everyone arrived right on time. In Jabbeke (Belgium), we took a longer break to get something to eat and drink. This was also where the initial drivers switched out for the ones who would take us safely through the rest of the journey.
In Calais we were lucky: the UK Border Force was working super efficiently, so we passed through in no time. The trip went so smoothly that we even arrived at the harbour early. No problem at all—there was still time to eat, drink, shop, or chat with fellow travellers. During the hour-and-a-half ferry crossing, most people found a quiet place to relax.
Around midnight (local time), we left Dover and made one final stop about 45 minutes before reaching Fairford. At around 06:30 we arrived at RAF Fairford. There was already a small queue at the entrance, but we got in quickly. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate: a few heavy showers passed over in the morning, though there were plenty of places to take cover. The show went on regardless, and there was more than enough to keep everyone entertained all day long—solo displays, teams showing off their skills, and aircraft flown in especially for the event, such as the RAF’s new Poseidon. There wasn’t a dull moment.
The static show also had a lot to see. Taking photos wasn’t always easy because of the background clutter, but with a bit of patience many aircraft were still worth the effort. At 19:00 we met back at the buses. Three buses started the return trip right away, while the fourth only had to drive about half an hour to a nice hotel in Swindon. After a drink and a meal, most people went straight to bed—it had been a long day.
