Jim Leroy went in today...

I'm just an enthusiast here not a full blown pilot but just my "two bits
"
here.
Most organizers of airshows in this day and age are well aware of the
fact
that there are not enough pilots and enthusiasts to make an airshow pay,
you
have to engage the nonflying public too if your show is going to survive.
That means Joe sixpack folks, the NASCAR fans and we all are well aware
what they go to a show to see.
If they don't have at least a hint of the possibility of crumpled sheet
metal they are going to stand there and watch all those pretty aerobatics
and go home and say HO HUM that wasn't worth my admission fee , I won't go
again and I will tell all my buddies don't bother.
I'm not saying that I think it is the way things should be, I too wish
that we could do things safe enough that several of my heros also could
still be alive.
Its just that I beleive that is what is behind all the (pardon the
language) Balls to the Wall flying we see .
Pilots trying to find one more trick to make a plane to dso to WOW! Joe
Sixpack so he will bring his family out to support the local airshow.
Remeber this is the generation whos favorite slogan is NO FEAR! ( I
usually add no brains either when I hear this but thats just me).



No, it is not just you.

NASCAR annoys me for a because the cars, as currently furmulated, have
nothing to do with the models they are supposed to represent--other than
making some production models less practical in order to let the race cars
fit within the side profile rules. I do not watch that crap, and still
might not if they ran stock cars; but then, at least, I might consider it.

OTOH, the X-Games and a lot of the crazy stunts, illusions, and pyrotechnics
for TV and Movies create an apparent demand for ever creater spectacles.
However, there may still be a question as to whether that demand is real, in
order to please Joe Sixpack, or purely in the minds of the promoters.

Peter
Just my $0.02, and worth what you paid.

On Sun, 29 Jul 2007 15:16:08 -0400, "Peter Dohm"
wrote:

I'm just an enthusiast here not a full blown pilot but just my "two bits
"
here.
Most organizers of airshows in this day and age are well aware of the
fact
that there are not enough pilots and enthusiasts to make an airshow pay,
you
have to engage the nonflying public too if your show is going to survive.
That means Joe sixpack folks, the NASCAR fans and we all are well aware
what they go to a show to see.
If they don't have at least a hint of the possibility of crumpled sheet
metal they are going to stand there and watch all those pretty aerobatics
and go home and say HO HUM that wasn't worth my admission fee , I won't go
again and I will tell all my buddies don't bother.
I'm not saying that I think it is the way things should be, I too wish
that we could do things safe enough that several of my heros also could
still be alive.
Its just that I beleive that is what is behind all the (pardon the
language) Balls to the Wall flying we see .
Pilots trying to find one more trick to make a plane to dso to WOW! Joe
Sixpack so he will bring his family out to support the local airshow.
Remeber this is the generation whos favorite slogan is NO FEAR! ( I
usually add no brains either when I hear this but thats just me).



No, it is not just you.

NASCAR annoys me for a because the cars, as currently furmulated, have
nothing to do with the models they are supposed to represent--other than
making some production models less practical in order to let the race cars
fit within the side profile rules. I do not watch that crap, and still
might not if they ran stock cars; but then, at least, I might consider it.

OTOH, the X-Games and a lot of the crazy stunts, illusions, and pyrotechnics
for TV and Movies create an apparent demand for ever creater spectacles.
However, there may still be a question as to whether that demand is real, in
order to please Joe Sixpack, or purely in the minds of the promoters.

Joe Sixpack, the promoters, or the flyers' egos? Dudley?

Don

Don Tuite wrote:

Joe Sixpack, the promoters, or the flyers' egos? Dudley?

Don

It's an extremely complicated answer Don. A good friend of mine, Gen Des
Barker of the South African Air Force and ex member of the Silver
Falcons Jet Demonstration Team has written an entire book on just this
subject. I was pleased to have my own input included in this work. The
book is perhaps the most extensive volume ever written on airshow safety
and demonstration flying.
If interested, the book is "Zero Error Margin". I can dig you up a link
if you want a copy.
Other than that, the ultimate answer to this issue is that everybody
gets a piece of the responsibility. I don't believe the blame can be
laid on any one factor, as all factors are in play on any given day at
any air show.
Dudley Henriques

"Dudley Henriques" wrote in message
...


Don Tuite wrote:

Joe Sixpack, the promoters, or the flyers' egos? Dudley?

Don

It's an extremely complicated answer Don. A good friend of mine, Gen Des
Barker of the South African Air Force and ex member of the Silver
Falcons Jet Demonstration Team has written an entire book on just this
subject. I was pleased to have my own input included in this work. The
book is perhaps the most extensive volume ever written on airshow safety
and demonstration flying.
If interested, the book is "Zero Error Margin". I can dig you up a link
if you want a copy.
Other than that, the ultimate answer to this issue is that everybody
gets a piece of the responsibility. I don't believe the blame can be
laid on any one factor, as all factors are in play on any given day at
any air show.
Dudley Henriques

By all means, Dudley, go ahead and post the link.

Peter

Pete;
Somebody just posted and said the book was unavailable at Amazon. I
haven't talked to Des recently and don't know if the book went into a
second printing.
What I can do is this; email me back channel using my email address here
on the group and I'll send you a review on the book done by Aeroplane
Monthly. The review has the address of the publisher. If you write to
the publisher, I'm sure they will send you a copy, but the postage from
SA might be a killer!! Anyway, the PDF file with the review and
information is yours if you want it.
Dudley Henriques

Peter Dohm wrote:
"Dudley Henriques" wrote in message
...

Don Tuite wrote:

Joe Sixpack, the promoters, or the flyers' egos? Dudley?

Don
It's an extremely complicated answer Don. A good friend of mine, Gen Des
Barker of the South African Air Force and ex member of the Silver
Falcons Jet Demonstration Team has written an entire book on just this
subject. I was pleased to have my own input included in this work. The
book is perhaps the most extensive volume ever written on airshow safety
and demonstration flying.
If interested, the book is "Zero Error Margin". I can dig you up a link
if you want a copy.
Other than that, the ultimate answer to this issue is that everybody
gets a piece of the responsibility. I don't believe the blame can be
laid on any one factor, as all factors are in play on any given day at
any air show.
Dudley Henriques

By all means, Dudley, go ahead and post the link.

Peter

alas amazon says

Availability: Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will
be back in stock.

"Dudley Henriques" wrote in message
...
[snip]
If interested, the book is "Zero Error Margin". I can dig you up a link if
you want a copy.
[snip]
Dudley Henriques