RIAT organisers have announced that British author and astronaut Tim Peake will feature in this year’s highly anticipated air show in Fairford.

Tim Peake will be giving a talk at the event's Inspire Stage within the Techno Zone which is hosted by the air show's parent charity  Royal Air Force Charitable Trust.  

The stage was introduced last year and hosts talks and Q&A sessions with people from across STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) industries with an aim of inspiring young people to pursue careers in engineering, aviation and aerospace.

Tim Peake, who has spent almost 183 days in space, will be giving a talk on Friday, July 14 and Saturday, July 15. 

Speaking ahead of his attendance, he said: “I am excited to be attending RIAT again this year and what a show they put on - some of the very best in aviation from around the world. 

“On Friday over 9,000 school children will be able to enjoy the brilliant Techno Zone, which offers so much to inspire young and old alike.” 

In addition to the Inspire Stage, the Techno Zone houses around 30 interactive tech exhibits from companies across the engineering and aviation industries. 

These include Lockheed Martin, who are returning with their F-35 replica while Skyfly Axe will be giving people the opportunity to look into the future of flight and discover what it will be like to fly their two-seat personal electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. 

Justine Morton, Royal Air Force Charitable Trust director, said: “We are thrilled with the line-up for this year’s Inspire Stage and Techno Zone and hope to see as many people visit as possible. 

“The Inspire Stage and Techno Zone are both really fun parts of RIAT and I’d encourage parents to bring their children along and see what captures their imagination. 

“As a charity we are focussed on inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders, and there is no better place to whet their appetite than RIAT.” 

To buy tickets for this year's show visit www.airtattoo.com