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cptomes
08-02-2011, 07:00 AM
I noticed three interesting things.

-EAA staff were walking around trying to sell glow sticks, etc on Saturday night. They were wearing blue shirts that had unreadable (in the dark) "EAA Staff" printing on them. They also had no flashlights to assist them in making change when they sold anything. I thought they were just a couple of guys selling stuff, until after the airshow when the Kleig lights on the (insert big name sponsor here) square showed me they were EAA. If I'd known the somewhat excessive margin was going to EAA I would have bought a few for my daughter. They need glow in the dark tshirt logos, or need to be taught how to do a sales pitch that includes "We're EAA staff selling these to help raise money to fund EAA operations" or something. I'm sure they would have sold out instead of having a big pile of inventory left after the fireworks. We were short on cash since none of the ATMs on the grounds would connect properly to let me get access to the $500 in my checking account and I told her we couldn't buy any.

-Where were the EAA staff/volunteers walking the flight line and aircraft parking asking people to please stay off/away from parked aircraft? I saw many more people using wings as shelves for baby changing, camera bag rearranging, purse/schlock rests this year.

-When is EAA going to get serious about enforcing the posted speed limits in Scholler, and the rule about "licensed drivers only" on motorized equipment? There were too many children (obviously too young to have a drivers license) driving around on scooters, atv, golf carts, and motorcycles. The worst moment, though was when my daughter and I were passed by EAA staff in a Gator, on Sunday. >>30mph, passed us on the right, then another Gator zoomed by on our left, crossing the center line into oncoming traffic. We were moving close to the speed limit (15mph) so there was no need to pass. I was so mad I followed them out to the security shack at the end of Shaick and the guard there was just as furious, she tried to get a supervisor on the radio but after about 5 minutes of random radio calls no one responded. So no consequences for breaking the rules for people who could actually hurt or kill someone, but I got accosted by a "security" teenager when I tried to lock up my bicycle IN A DRAINAGE DITCH out of any walking, driving, or even any cart/atv/car/motorcycle parking area.

Janet Davidson
08-02-2011, 01:33 PM
Where were the EAA staff/volunteers walking the flight line and aircraft parking asking people to please stay off/away from parked aircraft? I saw many more people using wings as shelves for baby changing, camera bag rearranging, purse/schlock rests this year

That job is usually done by the POP - Protect Our Planes - volunteers. Or by anyone who sees someone doing that & takes it upon themselves as a responsible citizen to address the culprits, asking if it is their own plane, and if not, please would they remove their items/babies/diapers etc, etc from the aircraft. I saw that happen twice on CPP (the square formerly known as Aeroshell), once by a CAP person, another time by a POP person. Both times it was the owner, who was very pleased that someone was looking out for their plane.

I read all your points with interest, and just saw your post on the other thread. I did drive a vehicle and found it pretty alarming at times with so many people on the road, on & off the sidewalk area, on foot, on bikes and on scooters. How anyone felt there was enough space to go at any speed, I do not know. The road was very crowded, and most folks were understandably looking up at airborne vehicles, not around themselves at the boring earthbound types.

On top of that, its AirVenture, it goes on for a whole week, so whats the big rush?