"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"vaughn" wrote

Yep, me too. But that issue has nothing to do with how the EAA is
running things It just means that we are getting to be old reprobates
for whom nothing is new anymore. If the airshow gets boring, or hot, or
too crowded, I just go back to the exhibits and enjoy having the place to
myself.

I make use of seeing the homebuilts in the showplane parking area while
the airshow is taking place one day. I place most of my attention on the
showplanes, and look up to see parts of the airshow that are interesting.
For example, Shawn Tucker has learned some new tricks like his hovering
hanging on the prop, and also has put a new twist on some of his tumbling
maneuvers. I also still enjoy seeing a P-51 doing more than making
straight and level passes down past the crowd.

On the most part, I agree with what is being said, but I enjoy seeing all
of the new products that are introduced, and like to see all of the
exceptional craftmanship displayed by many of the homebuilders.

I have family commitments that kept me away from airventure this year, but
I still will continue going when I can.
--
Jim in NC

We've seen some changes in the years we have been covering shows for first
the PRA magazine, and now the Experimental Helo magazine. Some of the shows
have slipped away from the Airshow format with its "Smoke & Noise" and
strayed more to the Fly-In type. The advantages for them has been a big
reduction in insurance fees. The plus for us booth operators is that the
majority of the attendents are pilots or wanabees and often people involved
directly in experimental aviation. Also as Jim Weir pointed out, if we are
making a presentation we don't have to wait on the Harrier, the sonic prop
tips on the T-6s or an F-14 at full afterburner. The down side for the
organizers is a reduced attendance. It comes down to quality vs quantity
and of course the $ gets involved. Examples of this is Copper State, &
Golden West to which we are now committed because of the quality of the
attendance. We also attend two helicopter events in the mid west which if
Oshkosh went away we would still go to those. In fact if Oshkosh was two
weeks later, we would not go. Right now it is the week following a great
helicopter event in Ohio.
While the presentation of the new products is great at Oshkosh, the noise
and repetitive nature of watching the same "Impossible" maneuvers is tending
to reduce my experience. Now the "World's Noisiest Airplane" has just
about put a cap on it.