Is this Forum a place EAA staff come to learn?

Some things at AirVenture are pretty fluid, as in able to change a process quickly as a need changes. Other items are more in the category of "we can change that for NEXT year". Major changes can seem like trying to turn an aircraft carrier with only an outboard motor.

In reading (and contributing) to the AirVenture posts here, in the back of my mind I do hope that the various chairmen and women who are tasked with getting 2018 protocols and processes locked in drop by and read all the comments, pro and con, regarding this year.

Or at least to have those staff who do drop by forward posts of interest to the various good folks who will be responsible for the various subject areas.

I know I learn something new every AirVenture just by osmosis and many of the suggestions/critiques made on this Forum are extremely valid and do need to get heard and considered as plans are firmed up for 2018. Using shuttle signage as an example about 30 unique signs would have to be made to cover the four routes and both sides of the street at each stop. That won't happen unless that topic gets on the agenda.

Just my aging brain pondering things on a cool Friday night in Chicago.

There are definitely EAA staffers lurking here (and sometimes participating). Some of the complaints/suggestions are indeed taken directly to heart from posts here. I've gotten messages from certain people (including the former VAA executive director) with regard to my posts.

As for the chairmen, I suspect that varies highly by area. I'm not a chairman, but I talk with the vintage flight line chairs regularly (they've all become close friends over decades of working together). Believe me, that comments about our operations that are germane are passed to the people involved.

Actually, over the years, I've made suggestions and whether they listened to me or they just independently decided they were good ideas, the EAA and the show have implemented them. I've not found an EAA staffer and rarely find a volunteer chair/worker that won't listen to suggestions.

The VAA actually lists all the board members in their magazine with their contact information. So things on that level you can just drop an email or a cell call. New board chair Susan Dusenbury has gone out of her way in outreach to people with a gripe or a suggestion since taking that position. Getting the EAA board is a bit less obvious, but Pelton has an email and he responds to it very proactively. I had a nice talk with several other EAA board members over the past year (one is an old professional friend, others like Michael Goulian and Connie Bowlin I just cold called and found them quite willing to spend a few minutes listening to my issues.

It might be a neat idea if the EAA-Airventure set up a list of mail boxes for suggestions/conmplaints/contacts for the major Airventure committees.

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Originally Posted by CHICAGORANDY

Some things at AirVenture are pretty fluid, as in able to change a process quickly as a need changes. Other items are more in the category of "we can change that for NEXT year". Major changes can seem like trying to turn an aircraft carrier with only an outboard motor.

In reading (and contributing) to the AirVenture posts here, in the back of my mind I do hope that the various chairmen and women who are tasked with getting 2018 protocols and processes locked in drop by and read all the comments, pro and con, regarding this year.

Or at least to have those staff who do drop by forward posts of interest to the various good folks who will be responsible for the various subject areas.

I know I learn something new every AirVenture just by osmosis and many of the suggestions/critiques made on this Forum are extremely valid and do need to get heard and considered as plans are firmed up for 2018. Using shuttle signage as an example about 30 unique signs would have to be made to cover the four routes and both sides of the street at each stop. That won't happen unless that topic gets on the agenda.

Just my aging brain pondering things on a cool Friday night in Chicago.

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There are definitely people looking for feedback, myself included. One of the biggest venues we use for AirVenture feedback is the big survey we send out and that helps shape the prioritization of all the improvements we have in place for the following AirVenture. Hope you had a good time!

Thanks Eric for the info - as a Shuttle worker my perspective is partially limited to that area though I do traverse much of the event on foot. Shuttle stop kiosks and signs NEED to be on both sides of the street for each stop.

'Most' folks are on the grounds only during normal hours for the tractor trams- 8am-8pm - so the signs used everywhere this year that only listed on a plain white sheet info about the buses was relatively useless. I and many others suggest signs that indicate the color route, with a simple arrow pointing the direction it is going and where the next stops from that point forward will be. Yes that will require making up many unique signs but it WILL help the visitors immensely.

Most folks I see with a map in their hands have 'that' look on their face (totally lost and confused) and really do need to know that HERE is where you should stand to catch the tram going THAT way which will take you to Vintage, the Exhibit Hangers, the Tower and then to Warbirds and the North 40 bus stop. Or HERE is where to wait for the tram to the Bus Park. Or.... you get the idea.

If there are 75,000 on the grounds each day? Figure I got 75,000 of the same questions each day - lol - good signage would have eliminated half of them.

I had a GREAT time as always - an airplane nut in airplane heaven - how could I not have a GREAT time?

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Originally Posted by CHICAGORANDY

Thanks Eric for the info - as a Shuttle worker my perspective is partially limited to that area though I do traverse much of the event on foot. Shuttle stop kiosks and signs NEED to be on both sides of the street for each stop.

'Most' folks are on the grounds only during normal hours for the tractor trams- 8am-8pm - so the signs used everywhere this year that only listed on a plain white sheet info about the buses was relatively useless. I and many others suggest signs that indicate the color route, with a simple arrow pointing the direction it is going and where the next stops from that point forward will be. Yes that will require making up many unique signs but it WILL help the visitors immensely.

Most folks I see with a map in their hands have 'that' look on their face (totally lost and confused) and really do need to know that HERE is where you should stand to catch the tram going THAT way which will take you to Vintage, the Exhibit Hangers, the Tower and then to Warbirds and the North 40 bus stop. Or HERE is where to wait for the tram to the Bus Park. Or.... you get the idea.

If there are 75,000 on the grounds each day? Figure I got 75,000 of the same questions each day - lol - good signage would have eliminated half of them.

I had a GREAT time as always - an airplane nut in airplane heaven - how could I not have a GREAT time?

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Thanks for the feedback!