lets improve the airshow!

[N222AB]

And just one more thing about the Thunderbirds at OSH...

I know some purists don't like the idea of the military demonstration teams being at Oshkosh. I am firmly in favor of having them and I hope the T-birds or Blues are there next year. The military demo teams do several things for an airshow. They tend to bring out the general public who may not normally go to a show and I think that's exactly what we need. People come out to see the jets, but they have to go past the GA displays and see the small airplane aerobatic performers before the zoom and boom. They get to see the military shows which hopefully will inspire at least a few to get curious about the conflicts these airplane represent. We need to infect the younger crowd and that's what the jets do.

EAA has a unique opportunity that few other organizations have. Unlike AOPA and its expo programs which are targeted at pilots, Oshkosh has turned into an event for anyone with even a passing interest in aviation. I would like to see EAA take on the challenge and responsibility to use Airventure, and especially the airshows, to show the non flying public what aviation is all about, GA, commercial, and military. I'm not claiming to know exactly how to change things to make that happen, but let's not miss the opportunity at a critical stage in the history of general aviation. We need everyone on our side we can get.

[Paul Chandler]

Having been to 9 consecutive shows I do find the aerobatic routines a bit of a turn off. Small planes that are distant and with the amount of smoke produced often hideing the aircraft does not make for good viewing / photography. If the wind blows the smoke on the crowd then that is even worse.

There are many of the vintage types that I would rather see flying, particularly as few vintage types make it down t0 27/09 to depart and the 36/18 runway is poor for photography until well into the afternoon. As sure many vintage owner groups would love to be given the opportunity to showcase their type - Cessna 195, Globe Swift, Ercoupe, Stinson etc would make a refreshing change from the drone of another aerobatic type. It would have been great to see the Electra's fly and the Vega (did get some shots of it departing but that was just by being in the right place at the right time)

There is a place for the aerobatics but having one act after the other doing similar things does not hold my interest for long.

[dbarnes612]

Variety is what does it for me after many years of attending. Would love to see a glider acro act again, if someone has taken up where Oscar Bosch and Manfred Radius left off.

[nigel hitchman]

Bill N222AB, I agree with your comments when considered in terms of a normal small airshow where there are a few aerobatic performers a few warbirds and a few aircraft on static display, but that is not Oshkosh!
Oshkosh is not just an airshow, it is so much more. the thunderbirds, blue Angles and other military teams put on many displays every year to which the public can go to if they want. The Thunderbirds were even fairly close by in Rockford in June.
Oshkosh has so much more, such a vast array of wonderful unique aircraft, we don't need the usual airshow stuff that you can see every weekend across the country. We can be different and so much better. People should come to Oshkosh to see what Oshkosh is about, the homebuilts the vintage, the warbirds, even some jets, the ultralights etc and even some aerobatics. Oshkosh attracts people from all over the world to the unique event to see all these great aircraft that the members bring and this is what we want to see. There are hundreds of other great events where we can introduce apparently uninterested kids to aviation if they need the attraction of the thunderbirds etc, but surely there is already well enough at Oshkosh to attract anyone with even just a small interest.

oh for those that are interested in photos of their aircraft landing at Oshkosh, I have quite a few, but only homebuilt.s, antiques and warbirds that happened to come past when I was near the runway, which was generally 27 lunchtime on a few days and 36 in the evenings, I've probably got more departures than arrivals too. 36 is a problem in the morning due to the sun, we need to be on the other side, but then 36R would be in the way! And the FAA aren't going to let you out there anyway!
i haven't seen those vintage plaques for a while, hopefully the quality of the photos have improved in recent years, but I did see someone driving round in a truck taking photos and into the sun, so maybe they are just as bad!

[Jim Rosenow]

Well said regarding the differences between OSH and an 'airshow', Nigel....concur! Would add that any difference that OSH has in bringing people into aviation is relatively local, while Young Eagles, etc can affect at the nation-wide, if not international level. I would rather have the convention aspect back in return for the investment we (personally and as a group of members) make in those programs.

On the subject of arrival photos...Google is your friend. After our OSH visit in 2009, I did a search on the N-number of the 172 we had (just bored one day) and found this posted this to the web....

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft...000364024.html

Don't know who you are Mark Pasqualino, but thanks!!! Being the geeks we all are, I'm sure most of you have tried that, tho!

Jim
EAA 64315

[Byron J. Covey]

I've reconciled myself to the idea the Oshkosh has devolved into a five day event for EAA'ers, and a two day event for the general public.

Hoping that the trend stops there, and it doesn't become a seven day event for the general public.

[jhausch]

The high energy show likely helps bring in that last few percent of revenue and draw the general public. I think they could compress that portion a little bit and make it even more exciting. This is my thought - put the "review flights" and stuff interesting to the real wing-nuts (like myself) at the beginning and don't advertise the start of the "airshow" until one hour in...

I imagine the program and announcements talking about, "todays review will be X, Y, and Z starting at 3pm; followed by the action packed airshow at 4pm"

Another idea would be to center the "review" portion a bit North or South of typical airshow center.

The alternative would be a totally separate time for these things. I would guess the big challenge is that its much easier to have one "field is closed for the show" time than two of such times.

[FlyingRon]

I can tell you the review is going to be pretty much as it is now for the various reviews. You can't go north or you won't be able to use 9/27 for anything while this is going on. Where it is now, is already centered pretty far south as far as the rest of the show is concerned.

[flight51]

I’ve been coming to Oshkosh on and off for about 25 years. I tend to not have time for the airshows and only see them incidental to other activities. I agree that the acro acts all seem the same. I did catch one of the night airshows and a couple of the Tbird shows. It's nice to have the Tbirds but I prefer the Blue Angels. My biggest frustration with the airshow is summed up in one word… Noise. I find myself trying to listen to a forum or talk to a vendor only to be repeatedly drowned out by too much airshow noise. I’m not looking to eliminate all noise just tone it down a bit. My vote would be to limit airshow flying in the early afternoon to those aircraft that do not have a large noise footprint.... No prop tips going supersonic ( that means no T6s, acros etc) and no jets booming around. We could keep the lid on the big noise until about 4pm when the forums and venders are closing up shop then let ’em rip and make all the noise you want. This is especially true during the week. That would allow a little more homebuilt review and other activities that others have suggested. Just my 2 bits...

I will give EAA kudos for getting rid of the hot rod dyno that was just across the street from the forums a few years ago. It just didn’t make sense to me to put that noise next to the forums and workshops where people already struggle to hear presenters.
Everett

[FlyingRon]

Noise is a perennial problem during the forums and it's not limited to the airshow. I've been in morning forums when an F16 or something makes a low pass or even a flight of four T-28's is a hell of a racket, but this whole even is about AVIATION. The speakers pause and let the plane pass and then go on.

If you don't like airplane noise, Oshkosh is not the place to go.