Arlington lays some eggs

wrote in message
oups.com...
You are more than welcome to come volunteer and help out in the setup,
running and teardown of the Fly-In. The only way this even happens is
buy the good graces of 300 volunteers. People who give up free time to
hopefully make your weekend fun and pleasurable.

I volunteer at several fly-ins already, Arlington would be a little
problematical for me, but I'll see what I can do. I will be donating to the
new building, FWIW. Your volunteer efforts are much appreciated.


1. Your comments on the signs will be sure to be forwarded to the
appropriate organizers. They should have been by the freeway. That
being said, in the 12 months between events, holes have a tendancy to
get filled or destroyed by road work. Property owners change and
suddenly we can't use a spot we've used for years. I've done sign
setup, it's not an easy task to get every single one put up.


I do sign setup as well (and have a sign making business). Since the Fly-In
folks are on such good terms (I think?) with the City of Arlington, maybe
the city could provide permanent sign locations/tiedowns. Maybe the city
would even be willing to store and put up the signs. Can't hurt to ask.


2. No comment, I never made it to the parking lot this year.

3. I'd suggest directing your comments to the Warbirds. No other EAA
division gets money to attend a Fly-In, why should they? If they want
to buy a million dollar airplane, they should be able to afford the
gas. Otherwise you, the attendee, will end up footing that fuel bill.
The organizers are trying their best to fill in that particular gap.

I see both sides of the issue, and I may kick myself for suggesting this,
but the cost of admission could be raised. I burned about $36 worth of gas
to drive in, and an extra $1 per ticket, if it would help with the Warbirds
and the airshow, wouldn't hurt that much.


4. People come and go all the time during the Fly-In, constantly
changing what the overall parking aisles look like. When a group comes
and goes together, that will often leave gaps in the parking areas. We
try to fill those as quickly as possible. Or perhaps they were in the
flyby pattern? I know when all the amphibians went up it made that one
row look very empty. And they were gone for a while over to Lake
Goodwin for the Splash In.


I think the lack of the CAP hurt here. If they were there, they could have
help move the planes around.

5. Ah... the CAP kids. I suggest talking to the Canadian Air Cadets
legal department. They made a determination that the cadets should not
be around spinning propellers. Brilliant, eh? Well we did have some
Boy Scouts this year to help fill the gap, but yes, there were not
enough kids to help out. The CAP needs to grow their membership in
order to fill that gap left by the Air Cadets. We are also open to
suggestions to other youth groups that show a level of responsibility
and can help out.

I plan on joining CAP this year. Another poster mentioned aviation programs
at colleges (good idea) and I'll mention Seattle's aviation high school.
I'll be writing a letter to the Canadian consulate and Mr. Harper as well.


6. Who did you ask for information? (As in which department, not
which person) Where did we have a break in communication?

Again, I think this was a "lack of CAP" problem. The volunteers on "the
promenade" were the ones people were asking and who didn't know.


7. I thought, foot traffic was up. But last year I was in a totally
different area. So until I see gate numbers, I really can't say.

8. That's the trouble with those tents and the reason for the new
building you mention later.

9. Thanks.

10. Good comments, and they will be forwarded.

snip

Another poster mentioned the forum schedule signs, excellent point. The
display board is already there, making the sign as big as the board, putting
them on both sides, and probably limiting the info to that day's forums only
would be a big improvement.

Again, if you have time, volunteer. That is the ONLY why this Fly-In
happens. Offer up your ideas to the organizers, not just in forums
like this.


I kind of figured if I posted them here, they would make their way back to
the organizers! ;^)

Montblack wrote:

Church groups and Girl Scouts. Ask them now - for next season! For the
Church groups: Men's clubs, Ladies clubs, Youth groups, Neighborhood
Outreach programs, etc.


I belive the Girl Scouts have the same legal restrictions the Air
Cadets do, but not sure anymore. Worth taking a look at. I was
thinking Boys & Girls Club too, but the one thing that CAP and Air
Cadets brought to the table was a command structure and some
discipline, something that has been exhibited to be missing from many
groups.

Senior condos and/or Senior apartments are another great source of willing
people. Bus them over and back, give them a pancake breakfast (and/or
lunch), give them a t-shirt, and they'll give you many hours of enthusiastic
service. Take care of the Seniors and they'll take care of you! :-)

Don't forget the bathroom breaks and "refreshment wagon" for your
volunteers. Bottled Water is the drink of choice for many on a hot day.
ALWAYS have lots of COLD bottled water in the cooler.


Good ideas. All volunteers get a free lunch every day, all the water
they can drink and a t-shirt. They have staff and golf carts dedicated
to just provide water and food.

Also, some Aviation programs "require" this type of civic
service/volunteering - credits toward graduation. A few years ago we had a
group of 20(?) students from a college aviation program get credit for
working our Airport Open House.


Which college? The Aviation High School idea someone mentioned is
good, if we can get them to organize something during summer vacation.

Volunteers that are there for setup and/or teardown should get a
camping spot for free. If he was there during that time, he was given
wrong information. He should contact NWEAA for a full explination.

Being a volunteer doesn't mean you get a complete free ride. I've been
going there for years. Even though I can now get in for free, I still
pay for the days I'm there. If everyone got freebies, then where will
the money come from to put on the show?


Dan Youngquist wrote:

A friend of mine went with the intention of volunteering all week, but
came home few days early. He was a little put out at having to pay $10 a
day to camp, when he was there to work for free. It does seem reasonable
that, if someone is helping out, he should be able to pitch a tent for
free.

-Dan

Ken Finney wrote:
This will be a negative post,



Gee .. my brother was just telling me last nite about his trip up
there and said he and his wife had a fun time and it was a good
show.

Ken Finney wrote:
I do sign setup as well (and have a sign making business). Since the Fly-In
folks are on such good terms (I think?) with the City of Arlington, maybe
the city could provide permanent sign locations/tiedowns. Maybe the city
would even be willing to store and put up the signs. Can't hurt to ask.


Storage isn't an issue. And lack of freeway signs is a dropped ball on
NWEAA's part. It's just a matter of life that causes some holes to
disappear. Construction is a big part of it.


I see both sides of the issue, and I may kick myself for suggesting this,
but the cost of admission could be raised. I burned about $36 worth of gas
to drive in, and an extra $1 per ticket, if it would help with the Warbirds
and the airshow, wouldn't hurt that much.


It's also a matter of principle. The last requested amoutn of money I
heard about had seven figures in it. Come on, that's just stupid. They
already get free gas, which no one else gets besides the performers.
They would be paid hundreds of times more than the airshow performers
if they got that kind of money just to show up! They need a goddamned
reality check. We had T-6's, CJ-6 Nachangs, Alpha Jets, Donier Do-27,
and a Yak-52 in the Warbird area. There was a F-8 Crusader on the
ramp. On Saturday we had the Storch and P-47 doing flybys. The only
thing that was missing was an Avenger and a gaggle of Navions, maybe a
P-51. It was their idea and choice to create the "AWO Atoll" with
rented palm trees (!), now they want someone else to foot the bill?
Get real.


I think the lack of the CAP hurt here. If they were there, they could have
help move the planes around.


Once they're parked, they try not to move them. However, parking in
and of itself isn't smooth. The parking guys rely on pilots to tell
them where they want to go, if the pilot doesn't do a little research,
then they end up in the wrong place. Now this is something that could
be shown better on the NWEAA website and I'll send up that suggestion.
But for those folks that want to park together, I suggest taking
ownership of a row. Appoint a lead person, contact NWEAA long prior to
the show requesting a parking area, inform all your pilots to request
that area upon arrival

Hopefully the changes that are coming to the grounds will bring parking
back in closer to the exhibits.


I plan on joining CAP this year. Another poster mentioned aviation programs
at colleges (good idea) and I'll mention Seattle's aviation high school.
I'll be writing a letter to the Canadian consulate and Mr. Harper as well.


Excellent!


Again, I think this was a "lack of CAP" problem. The volunteers on "the
promenade" were the ones people were asking and who didn't know.


Thanks.


Another poster mentioned the forum schedule signs, excellent point. The
display board is already there, making the sign as big as the board, putting
them on both sides, and probably limiting the info to that day's forums only
would be a big improvement.


Good points.


I kind of figured if I posted them here, they would make their way back to
the organizers! ;^)

Well, it would be best to contact them directly. A simple letter would
suffice and be appreciated.

I agree Jerry, I think it was one of the best I've seen in the last 10
years.


Jerry springer wrote:
I have been going since 1972 and found this to be one of the best ever.
I guess some people will always find something to complain about.

Jerry

Again, I think this was a "lack of CAP" problem. The volunteers on "the
promenade" were the ones people were asking and who didn't know.


Thanks.


Whoops, didn't finish my thought... Thanks for the info, obviously
since they are a public point of contact they need to get information
better. Something NWEAA should consider.

wrote)
Which college? The Aviation High School idea someone mentioned is good,
if we can get them to organize something during summer vacation.


http://www.stcloudstate.edu/aviation/
St Cloud State - University
Central Minnesota. 75 miles (NW) of the Twin Cities.

Some still call it St Cloud Teacher's College, years later it became
SC-"State", recently they added University for: SCS"U".

In the 70's and 80's it had the reputation as "party school".


Montblack

("Otis Winslow" wrote)
Gee .. my brother was just telling me last nite about his trip up there
and said he and his wife had a fun time and it was a good show.


I read the OP'er as a person with a critical eye - which, in management
(ownership), is not such a bad thing. He's "taking ownership" of the event -
another good thing, even if it is a cliche.

His comments were those of a restaurant manager/owner walking through the
kitchen. Always moving. Always thinking. Always looking for ways to improve
the dining experience, etc.

Hopefully the good far outweigh the bad, so you concentrate on the bad.

I have no problem understanding where he's coming from.


Montblack
Sundance Kid: "You just keep thinkin' Butch. That's what you're good at."

"Otis Winslow" wrote in message
...
Ken Finney wrote:
This will be a negative post,

Gee .. my brother was just telling me last nite about his trip up
there and said he and his wife had a fun time and it was a good
show.

It was a good show. I had a fun time. But some things weren't as good as
past years (and I'm sure some were even better).

The environment I'm trained in has us ask ourselves everyday "Can you do
your work better today than you did yesterday? If not, what needs to
change? Is there something you can do that would make someone else's work
easier? If so, when can you get it done? Do you need any help making it
happen?" That's all I was trying to present.