Sun N Fun '07 Redux

I think everyone was disappointed by their absence. I wonder who peed
in the warbird's Wheaties, to make them stay home with their toys?

My guess is the cost of getting to SNF and back home.
Those are the costs they themselves have to bear.
Once they get to SNF, all the fuel and oil they can burn is free.
If you don't have a sponsor to pay your bills, you have to budget for
the events you are really committed to attending.
When you are looking at 30 gallons per hour for fuel and 1/2 gallon per
hour of oil through a radial engine, todays costs are high.

I understand costs are high, but SNF needs to take the "long view" of
this thing. If, as some have stated, SNF attendance has been
dropping, the organizers need to understand two simple things about
airshow crowds:

1. They want warbirds.
2. They won't come back if there aren't warbirds present.

When we organized our local show, in '06, we classified warbird
attendance as our top priority. We were able to get a P-51, several
Stearmans, and several T-28s, and they made the show a success.
(Note: Ours was NOT an "air" show, but the static displays and fly-
overs ensured a large local turnout...)

I know SNF isn't a local show in the same sense -- but the same
principles apply. They need to attract the warbirds, in order to
ensure the crowd. If that means extra costs, they're just going to
have to build that in to their budget.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"