Royal International Air Tattoo fundraises for next generation of aviation and STEM enthusiasts
The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) returns to Gloucestershire’s skies this weekend. UDSS Director Air Marshal (Ret’d) Phil Osborn CBE FRAeS is Chairman of the RAF Charitable Trust (RAFCT), the main non-profit beneficiary of the world-class fundraising event.
After a two-year hiatus as a result of COVID-19, the Gloucestershire-based airshow is set to welcome an estimated 170,000 people over the weekend of 15-17 July to RAF Fairford.
Acting as a fundraising event for the RAF Charitable Trust, RIAT will help the charity support even more young people with opportunities for personal development, learning, and discovering their place in the worlds of aviation and STEM.
“Our commitment to inspiring the next generation of aviation and STEM enthusiasts focuses on innovation, technology and the importance of sustainability. We recognise that improving our sustainability is essential if the young people of today are going to have the opportunity to find their place in the world of aviation tomorrow,” said RAF Charitable Trust and UDSS Director Air Marshal (Ret’d) Phil Osborn CBE FRAeS.
With more than 200 aircraft, eight-hour flying displays, and immersive activities throughout the showground, RIAT offers people the ideal place to get a taste of the cutting-edge technologies and phenomenal skills that are taking our world to new heights.
One of the partners sponsoring RIAT 2022 is innovative aviation company, 2Excel Aviation. The company’s aircraft will be on display this weekend at RAF Fairford.
Air Marshal Phil Osborn, Chair of the RAF Charitable Trust, RIAT’s organising body, visited Sywell Aerodrome to meet with Scott Loughran, 2Excel’s Commercial Director, to officially induct the company into the RIAT family.
Scott has a history with RIAT. He was the RAF’s Typhoon Display pilot in both 2009 and 2012. He won the award from the organisers for ‘Best Solo Display’ in 2012. Ten years on, he’ll be revisiting as a corporate supporter.
Scott said: “I thoroughly enjoyed being a participant at RIAT, it is an excellent showcase of military capability. 2Excel is delighted to be working with the RAF Charitable Trust team and contributing to what will be a fantastic event.”
Air Marshal Phil Osborn said: “The aviation community have watched 2Excel with great admiration over the last few years and we are therefore excited to welcome them to RIAT22. Their dynamism, drive and versatility match perfectly the spirit of RIAT. Their ethos also aligns perfectly with the RAF Charitable Trust, which seeks to inspire young people to achieve their potential in air, space and technology.”
Sywell Aerodrome is the home of 2Excel, and the base of The Blades, the world’s only aerobatic airline, and whose pilots are all former Red Arrows. The team made its debut appearance at RIAT 2019 and will be flying in on the show’s opening day, Friday 15th July.
Sustainability
The RAF Charitable Trust Enterprises is committed to making real, measurable reductions to the carbon footprint of RIAT. So much so, that the organisation is implementing ISO 20121, the International Standard on Sustainable Event Management, as a framework to help it to do this effectively.
“For us to improve our environmental impact and sustainability practices, we need to understand where we are now and what effect we are having. So, for the first time, we will be measuring the impact of everything – from the number of cars in our car parks to the number of aircraft flying hours, to the amount of food waste generated,” said Kate McKinley, who is leading sustainability activity at the event.
How will this be more sustainable?
This will allow the organisers of RIAT to analyse the environmental impact of different aspects of the event and create a strategy for future policies. Effectively targeting the biggest impacts will help to make real reductions to the event’s carbon footprint in the future.
But this is more than just policies and checklists…
This is about creating a cultural shift and being more sustainability focussed. The RAF Charitable Trust Enterprises has already started making positive changes with the support of its sponsors, suppliers, and exhibitors.
Although you won’t see recycling bins at the event, all waste will be sorted at a materials recycling plant. Anything that cannot be recycled will be taken to a waste-to-energy plant, where the energy will be recovered as electricity. Any food waste will be repurposed at an anaerobic digestion plant.
Nothing will be going to the landfill.
All generators at RIAT will be running on 100 per cent Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel and a solar and a hybrid generator will be trialled on site. All catering outlets present at the event have been asked to use recyclable and plant-based packaging materials only, and food waste from the staff and volunteer diners will be reduced through detailed planning and anticipation of demand.
Water refill points will be available site-wide, and the organisers are encouraging our volunteers and visitors to bring their own reusable water bottles. This will not only save money but also eliminate 30,000 single-use plastic bottles from waste.
As well as these behind-the-scenes changes, the RAF Charitable Trust Enterprises has engaged with their partners and exhibitors on their plans and invited them to use RIAT to highlight the innovations they are making in aviation sustainability. The organisers of the event intend that RIAT will become a platform for this in the future.
What happens next?
The RAF Charitable Trust Enterprises is excited to be making changes to their event operations and recognise this is the first stage of an important journey. Once it has monitored and measured all aspects of the event and analysed the results, it looks forward to drawing up a strategy for long-term reductions in the event’s impacts.
Those interested in an exhilarating day out should head to www.airtattoo.com/tickets to get their tickets for the greatest airshow in the world.
