Golf Carts at Airventure

[mmorrison123]

I love Airventure. There is nothing like it. I go every year. The EAA and volunteers do an amazing job on this massive event and I'm very grateful to all involved. But, there are always things that could be improved upon. One of these is the use of golf carts for touring the grounds. I understand the Gators and such are needed by some of the vendors to restock booths etc. But for the great majority of us shuffling about on foot, taking in all that Airventure has to offer, dodging golf carts zipping through the grounds becomes a bit annoying, and can be dangerous. I've seen golf carts cruising the isles of the Aeromart, and parked in front of people trying to watch the air show or concerts. I'm sure that these carts are very convenient but we clearly can't all drive around in them. That being said I would really like to see them limited to only those needed for operations. Unfortunately, the EAA has again decided to auction off the use of 2 carts for personal cruising through the crowd at Airventure. Now 2 more carts will not make any noticeable difference, but it sends the wrong message, just like the fenced off "special" seating areas at air show center did. I think this is a poor decision and does not reflect on the way I would like to see things go at the worlds greatest aviation event.

Any thoughts on the subject?

Malcolm

[kwingram]

I too thought it was a rather poor idea. 2014 was my 1st trip and all of the carts, gators etc certainly make it feel like your the one doing something unusual by getting in the way with your slow walking, it should be the other way around. even more surprising since many of the negative comments that are aired on this forum and elsewhere involve this problem.
maybe they will auction some special passes for unlicensed youth to drive unlicensed vehichles in camp too....rules, rules, we don't need no stinking rules!

[skyfixer8]

Just like the fenced off "special" seating areas at air show center did. I think this is a poor decision and does not reflect on the way I would like to see things go at the worlds greatest aviation event.

Any thoughts on the subject?

Malcolm[/QUOTE]

[skyfixer8]

I hit the wrong button and didn t get my comment in with the above quote. Not too computer savy. Anyway, regarding the fenced off area for the "VIP's, if you ever got the chance to look into that area, you would find that most of them are not watching the show. Teens running around or playing games on I pads. also, golf carts and gators are a major problem there that no one in charge seems to want to address.

[FlyingRon]

Hey, you want special seating... we've got a deal for you down in vintage. You can sit right off airshow center (and in fact, the T-birds show center was actually down in our area NOT where the comm building/announcers stand is). You get all the water and gatorade you want, free mystery meat sandwiches (alas budget cuts have ended the tootsie rolls that were smushed into the wonderbread) and other snacks. You sit ten feet in front of the crowd line and all you have to do is make sure nobody else crosses over the line.

[skyfixer8]

I already have the best seat in the house, on a John Deere tractor pulling tired people around.

[keen9]

I've written almost the exact comment in past years. Apparently cash is more important than safety. Got to see a minor golf cart vs tram crash during the airshow last year. Very fortunate it was minor . . .

[FlyingRon]

It's not as bad as it has been in the past. Years ago they let just about every vendor have a vehicle pass and you had cars plowing through the busiest areas of the show. Now they even restrict a lot of the golf cart traffic from certain areas. Nice thing about the T-birds and the otherwise rediculous perimeter road is that they moved all the traffic during the T-bird show days back to the back fence and left Whitman drive completely free (at least in Vintage).

[BeagleOne]

That's ridiculous. Golf carts should only be used during the airshow hours by those with handicaps and permits to use the carts. Vendors etc. shouldn't be able to use them except during set-up and take-down, and not along the flightline or the road behind it during airshow hours.

[FlyingRon]

Just being a vendor isn't enough to get a cart. Most of the convention-style vendors (exhibit buildings and even the outside stuff) are expected to use GES to move freight (and yes it is time restricted).

Still there are a lot of logtistical stuff that needs to move around, and it's not stuff that can always be deferred during the airshow. Some of the biggest abuses are still the "VIP" traffic more than anything else. Just look at the number of carts parked around the high $$$ chalets (like the HAI one) and you'll see where some of the unnecessary traffic comes from.

I'll have to admit to driving a golf cart during the airshow, but I tend to only be where people aren't allowed to stand.