I don't mind the music, what I detest is them trying to do commentary OVER music. It's nearly unintelligible in the Oshkosh environment. Pick one: music or commentary.
I don't mind the music, what I detest is them trying to do commentary OVER music. It's nearly unintelligible in the Oshkosh environment. Pick one: music or commentary.
You must be more of a music lover than I am. I enjoy music, but the real music to my ears is the purr of a Rolls Royce engine passing by. :-)
I wouldn't mind the commentary too much... if they knew what they were talking about half the time. While I'm no aviation expert, I'm not a complete idiot, either. But some of the things I've heard these "airshow" announcers make really make me wonder if they've ever even been up in an airplane.
What I've come to understand, over the last few years, is that airshow announcing is less about aviation "education" and is more about commerical marketing. In fact, EVERYTHING revolves around marketing, these days. And, if you ask me, marketing people should directly follow lawyers in the march to the firing line.
Okay... rant over.
The same ones that used to be about show center, next to IAC??!Originally Posted by FlyingRon
Good- most all that's been previously mentioned, plus: Greatly expanded exhibitor space, better geographic organization in general, more shower and hygiene facilities, radically improved food on site, and the museum.
Bad- A radically increased emphasis on revenue. Not only has the cost of attending skyrocketed, but with exhibitor costs up, the little guy with the great idea can no longer test the waters there. Having lots of money is great, but this organization is supposed to be about people, not cash. The focus used to be about the members, but increasingly it seems to be about power. Like a previous poster, I also woke up to the sound of a Mustang cranking up on the other side of the snow fence, and that left an indelible mark on a young mind. 37 conventions and a career in aviation later, I try to go to sleep to the sound of truck tires on 41. Not quite the same ambiance.
From my perspective, Jack Pelton is truly a breath of fresh air and about the best thing that's happened to the organisation in a long time. I sincerely hope he doesn't re-retire any time soon-
No, that was a Zaugs operation. Tall Pines is operated by a group of Vintage Volunteers.
Oshkosh isn't particularly less friendly than it was before. It used to be you couldn't even get INSIDE the exhibit buildings until you had been coming for years. The combination of the four new exhibit hangars and the decline in the industry has greatly opened that up.
Even if there are glitches now and then (and why won't there be with an event this large) it's still the premier aviation event as far as I'm concerned. I look forward to it every year and I'm glad I only live less than 200 miles away so I can pick and choose my days........ fly or not fly. I wouldn't miss it. I tell everyone it's 'holy week' for me and don't bother me with other concerns.
If God had intended man to fly He would have given us more money!
I too get 'booked up' for some time at Airventure, just about everything else can wait a few days. Yes, if you want feel free to join me. One of the constants in life is change. I try to accept at least some of it.
One thing I've learned over the 23 years is that if you ask around you can always find someone who you can make suggestions to. These boards are a pretty good place as not only EAA staff but many of the various volunteer chairman, etc... lurk here. As far as I am concerned, other than some regression in the Hightower era (probably not all ascribable to him), Oshkosh has been trending upwards.
Still it's the people: the volunteers, the attendees, the year-round residents of Oshkosh and its surroundings, and many of the performers and exhibitors and not the actions of the EAA/Airventure management that draws me back every year.
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