This year’s Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) returned in force, making use of two TPA systems for the first time – heavy duty aluminium panels as portable roadways and TerraGuard as pedestrian walkways.

TPA Portable Roadways has a three-year contract with RIAT, and this was the second year. The systems are usually installed at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire in June, about a month before the world-leading airshow in July. This is to prevent the ground from vehicle movements prior to the event and not just during it.

A particular challenge this year was the heat, being the hottest British summer on record. The event organiser, the RAF Charitable Trust Enterprises, were keen to cater more for disabled people by helping them negotiate the terrain between marquees. TPA suggested the TerraGuard panels as a solution to this.

The Trax panels provided covered more than 7.5k kilometres of temporary access roads in multiple locations, including around the main grandstand, car park access lanes, and three off-site campsites.

In addition, the anti-slip plastic, TerraGuard, totalled almost 800 metres of pedestrian walkway, which were used to protect the ground in between marquees.

Both systems took the TPA site team three weeks to install and two weeks to recover. They were delivered daily and laid, mostly single panel wide, to a schedule agreed in advance with the Trust.

Paul Sayer, head of ground operations for the RAF Charitable Trust Enterprises, said: “The delivery schedule with TPA worked well. It doesn’t take long to put the panels together. We were quite enthused at the prospect of using the TerraGuard panels which did as they said on the tin.

“The heat was a particular challenge this year but the TPA team were well prepared for it as they are professionals. It came as a bit of a shock to us office dwellers though.”

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