Good post.
It's hard to explain to people outside the community what actually goes
on inside an air show.
I remember one night in Elkton Maryland in 1973 having dinner with
Scotty McCray. I had spent the day working with him just a bit
critiquing his rolls in the Decathlon. This was the week just before he
left to go down to Sao Paulo in Brazil to demonstrate it.
We lost Scotty that week down in South America. One of the finest air
show pilots I have ever known as well as one of the nicest people to be
around.
Scotty of course was an absolute master of unpowered flight. He always
felt that bringing the glider and music together into the demonstration
venue was bringing a little of the beauty we as pilots all knew and
allowing the general public to share it with us.
Dudley Henriques



wright1902glider wrote:
On Jul 30, 2:56 pm, "Gattman" wrote:
"B A R R Y" wrote in messagenews:93aqa3t99ko1i7tcul5rhj73o5365esnut@4ax .com...

I contradict myself.. Joe MIGHT watch a C-130 fly over, even though
it's got propellers.
Joe likes rocket-powered Freightliner dragsters and Cessna-chomping
Truckasaurii much more than an actual airshow.


Hard to believe that Jim went in. Just as it was with Bobby. When I
was first getting started in 2003, I pulled a lot of info from the
Bulldog website. Things like show schedules and contacts, a basic
performer contract, lots of little things that don't matter unless
you're trying to break into the industry and aren't a member of ICAS
yet. I performed at at least one show that he flew and he had an
amazing performance. But IMHO, airshow pilots try to add something new
each year. Outdo the otherguy, go one step farther, maybe just a
little lower, etc. Before long, 2nd order factors become primary order
factors. Things most folks don't understand like altitude density and
humidity creep in and kill people.

In my experience, airshow organizers are looking for the most draw for
their dollar. And general public draw usually equates to "spectacular"
or "bad-ass". "Joe Sixpack" is expecting to see certain things at an
airshow and they are, in order of importance: speed, sound, size,
spins, & smoke. Your show WILL need a jet team, 2 to 5 large military
statics, at least 1 high-power and one low-power solo aerobatic act,
one gimic act such as Robo-sarus or Shockwave, and all the warbirds
you can muster. Everything else, and that includes my plane, is
filler. So goes it with the large shows.

However, many of the smaller shows without huge budgets are willing to
take a change on a non-traditional act. And its at the smaller shows
that I've seen some really interesting flying. It also illustrates an
often-missed point. That mixed in with Joe Sixpack are a lot of
educated folks, many with kids, that come to see the planes, not just
the show. And sometimes they stop for 15 minutes and listen to some
guy in a funny hat talk about a small white plane with no motor that
can barely fly. They take photos, ask questions, and maybe understand
just a little bit more.

Godspeed Jim.

S. D. Harry Frey
Wright Brothers Enterprises