A Day at RIAT 2025: Aviation Legends in Flight
It’s lovely to be reminded now and then just how breathtaking aircraft can be. While most of our work is done from the comfort of desks and meeting rooms, there’s something truly humbling about standing beneath the roar of engines and watching aviation brilliance unfold just metres away.
Being up close to these machines, each one a blend of human ingenuity, power and grace, is awe-inspiring. It renews a sense of appreciation not only for the aircraft themselves, but for the teams and history behind every flight.
On Sunday 20 July 2025, Phill Rawlins and Mark Byrne, joined Gulfstream’s Gavin Thompson and Scott Butcher at RAF Fairford for this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo. Mark commented: ‘As always, Gavin, Scott and their colleagues welcomed guests with warmth and thoughtfulness, helping ensure the weather held just long enough for a breathtaking day of aviation’.
RIAT delivered on every front, from rare fly pasts to expansive static displays. Among the airborne stars was the Lockheed Martin U-2S Dragon Lady, a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft still in active service with the US Air Force. This particular U-2S was delivered in 1980, making its graceful pass even more meaningful.
The skies continued to impress as the Avro Lancaster from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight took off, later joined by a Hurricane and Spitfire. Together, they offered a moving tribute that was unmissable.
On the ground, visitors explored aircraft both huge and rare. From walking around the Rockwell B-1 Lancer to stepping through the cargo deck of the mighty Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, which is capable of carrying more than 127 tonnes of cargo. The static display was a paradise for aviation enthusiasts.
With over 180,000 attendees across three days, RIAT 2025 proved once again why it remains the go-to event for anyone passionate about military aviation.
A huge thank you to Gulfstream for hosting an unforgettable day filled with spectacle and history in motion.
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