2016 Performers List

[Glory Aulik]

The performers have been confirmed for Oshkosh 2016!

http://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-airventure-news-and-multimedia/eaa-airventure-news/2015-eaa-airventure-oshkosh/01-07-2016-top-air-show-performers-to-appear-at-eaa-airventure-oshkosh-2016

[Roger Janssens]

Hi Glory,
I opened your post with some trepidation all those weeks ago, thinking you were going to announce 2016 flip-flopping sports planes in the flying display. Fortunately it turned out to be only a couple of hundred!
But there have not been any updates on www.airventure.org (http://www.airventure.org) for the past 7 weeks, even though several other participants (not necessarily flying) have been announced on WIX and on Fencecheck. When will we start to see more updates concerning aircraft participation please?
Best wishes,
Roger

[MNWORD]

Hello Glory, I am not sure that we will be attending this year! It seems that once you have seen 1 extra 300 fly doing the very same maneuvers and Gene Soucy fly his by-plane again which we have seen year after year it's not really worth it. In addition taking away the pavilion and having to decide if you want to go to the Life Members dinner or spend one day in the pavilion that 2500.00 donors get the stay in...... Well it just doesn't seem to be worth it. The only thing that makes it worth to me is being there with my dearest aviation friends and fellow pilots. Maybe EAA should go back to that thought instead of providing a pavilion for 1 time cash donors.
V/r
M.N. Wordell
779745

[Jim Rosenow]

Hello Glory, I am not sure that we will be attending this year! It seems that once you have seen 1 extra 300 fly doing the very same maneuvers and Gene Soucy fly his by-plane again which we have seen year after year it's not really worth it. In addition taking away the pavilion and having to decide if you want to go to the Life Members dinner or spend one day in the pavilion that 2500.00 donors get the stay in...... Well it just doesn't seem to be worth it. The only thing that makes it worth to me is being there with my dearest aviation friends and fellow pilots. Maybe EAA should go back to that thought instead of providing a pavilion for 1 time cash donors.
V/r
M.N. Wordell
779745


Well said! Am I the only one who saw the irony that a thread wondering who was going to be giving a concert at AV was started prior to a thread regarding the actual airshow? Has anyone ever considered having a closed convention and an open airshow as separate events? Pandering to the actual membership base might be a good thing to try.

Jim Rosenow
EAA 64315 1971-2015 (the membership, not me)

[mcmurphy]

Same old, same old...

[FlyingRon]

Can't gripe about the pavillion. Frankly, if it were up to me, such things wouldn't exist. They'd just put general admission grandstands in at show center and be done with it.

Some nice airshow additions each year, and you can whine but some people don't mind seeing Mike or Sean or Patty or Gene for the hundredth time. If you're bored the rest of the convention still operates during the airshow (showers are pretty empty during that, I've been known to take a nap if I'm not working crowd control). Frankly, I'd rather watch Goohlian again then things like the jet truck or jet powered biplanes or the completely stupid masters of destruction type acts.

Oshkosh is more than three hours in the afternoon for me anyhow.

[wyoranch]

I hate to be negative but I must poo poo the afternoon airshow. I would rather see interesting EAA aircraft than Gene Soucy for the 1000th time. Warbirds are great, minus the theatrics and reanactments. Jet trucks unless you are going to drop a bomb from the fore-mentioned warbirds, I could care less if I ever see them.
And yes Ron I completely agree OSH is 99% cool stuff and should not be lost in the 3 hours of daily same old same old airshow.
(1% that is not that great IS the 3 hours of airshow)

[Glory Aulik]

Hi Glory,
I opened your post with some trepidation all those weeks ago, thinking you were going to announce 2016 flip-flopping sports planes in the flying display. Fortunately it turned out to be only a couple of hundred!
But there have not been any updates on www.airventure.org (http://www.airventure.org/) for the past 7 weeks, even though several other participants (not necessarily flying) have been announced on WIX and on Fencecheck. When will we start to see more updates concerning aircraft participation please?
Best wishes,
Roger

Hi Roger - I reached out to our director of air shows. He as assured me we will be announcing some new themes shortly, other than that, we will be sending out updates as new performers are added. In the mean time, if you are not already signed up to receive our email newsletter I suggest you do so! This is a great way to get updates on a regular basis: http://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/eaa-news-and-aviation-news/eaa-aviation-newsletters/eaa-e-hotline-newsletter




Hello Glory, I am not sure that we will be attending this year! It seems that once you have seen 1 extra 300 fly doing the very same maneuvers and Gene Soucy fly his by-plane again which we have seen year after year it's not really worth it. In addition taking away the pavilion and having to decide if you want to go to the Life Members dinner or spend one day in the pavilion that 2500.00 donors get the stay in...... Well it just doesn't seem to be worth it. The only thing that makes it worth to me is being there with my dearest aviation friends and fellow pilots. Maybe EAA should go back to that thought instead of providing a pavilion for 1 time cash donors.
V/r
M.N. Wordell
779745

M.N. Wordell - I'm sorry to hear you feel that way! Of course there are those staple crowd favorites that we keep bringing back, but I'm hoping we add something to the performer list that will interest you! Even so, I would have to agree with you at the best part about AirVenture is reconnecting with aviation friends and pilots. There's no point in missing out on that!:)

[Byron J. Covey]

M.N. Wordell - I'm sorry to hear you feel that way! Of course there are those staple crowd favorites that we keep bringing back, but I'm hoping we add something to the performer list that will interest you!

Glory:

I encourage you (EAA employees) to find a way to poll the membership. I think that you would be surprised at the number of members who would like a major overhaul in the use of the airspace. Those "staple crowd favorites" may be liked by the off-the-street attendees on Saturday and Sunday, but they are not an attraction for many of us. To the contrary, they are a detriment.

Give us organized fly-bys all day long during the week; save the hoopla for the general public that comes after we leave.


BJC

[Kyle Boatright]

Glory:

I encourage you (EAA employees) to find a way to poll the membership. I think that you would be surprised at the number of members who would like a major overhaul in the use of the airspace. Those "staple crowd favorites" may be liked by the off-the-street attendees on Saturday and Sunday, but they are not an attraction for many of us. To the contrary, they are a detriment.

Give us organized fly-bys all day long during the week; save the hoopla for the general public that comes after we leave.


BJC

This is the absolute truth. I've hung around on Sunday before to catch the Antique Fly-by's, since that may be my only chance ever to see some of those types in the air. I'd much rather see that type of display take up a half hour three days a week, than watch any of the gyroscopic monoplane acts <again>.

That said, I believe EAA knows people like us will attend regardless of who appears in the airshow. EAA designs the airshow to draw attendance from the general public in Milwaukee, Madison, etc...

[FlyingRon]

That is true, it seems to me (may not be true) that there is less of the showcase fly bys of experimental and vintage. Frankly, I'd rather see a few more of these.

Our antique boat show has an interesting thing. You attend what is the equivalent of the OSH flyby briefing, get in line and cruise by the crowd. You've already submitted a card with info on your boat to the announcer (we hold up numbers as we approach but airplanes already have these nice numbers on them for identification).

[Glory Aulik]

I appreciate the input from everyone! I'll bubble up these suggestions.

Thanks!
Glory

[Tom Steber]

Every year we see so many wonderful and rare planes and I always hope to see the plane in the afternoon flybys. 7 out of 10 times it never happens. Or if it does, it's 1-2 passes. I really think a lot of people would enjoy this. Extended fly-bys. Good example of this type of thing was the STOL flying demos. Not a lot of people left. I know I enjoyed that as much as any other part of the airshow. Don't get me wrong, I like the aerobatics too. But after awhile, even I've had enough. But, I'm still sitting there every afternoon soaking it all up. And I look forward to this year as much as ever.

[L16 Pilot]

I don't know if I've ever missed from the first one where we could park along the road now in front of the front gate to Oshkosh and you had to have a pilot license to get in and no drinks etc. on the grounds. Guess that makes me an old timer (I am). I'm sure I'll keep coming as long as my legs hold up and hopefully can fly in on occasion (I'm weather chicken). While I can appreciate the skill of aerobatics it does get old after a couple of hours of samo--samo. In fact, I usually find something else to do, maybe take a shower as someone else has mentioned or take a nap in my tent or take a stick and beat people leaning on my plane. I do like talking to those who might be interested though. Also, I have been known to slip on over to Friar Tucks for something cold and refreshing rather than watch the air show. Actually the best part is watching the big iron take off with lots of noise, flybys of antique aircraft and checking out interesting homebuilts which I cant afford and visiting with fellow pilots is the best part.

[FlyingRon]

You've always been able to get on the grounds by paying admission. What you didn't get to do unless you were a pilot, EAA Member, or member of some other flying group like AOPA get access to was the flight line. This was essentially the entire homebuilt and warbird parking area and then every south of the red barn. It got to be a pretty silly distinction, I'm not unhappy the EAA did away with it.

[MEdwards]

I don't know if I've ever missed from the first one where we could park along the road now in front of the front gate to Oshkosh and you had to have a pilot license to get in and no drinks etc. on the grounds. Guess that makes me an old timer (I am). I'm sure I'll keep coming as long as my legs hold up and hopefully can fly in on occasion (I'm weather chicken). While I can appreciate the skill of aerobatics it does get old after a couple of hours of samo--samo. In fact, I usually find something else to do, maybe take a shower as someone else has mentioned or take a nap in my tent or take a stick and beat people leaning on my plane. I do like talking to those who might be interested though. Also, I have been known to slip on over to Friar Tucks for something cold and refreshing rather than watch the air show. Actually the best part is watching the big iron take off with lots of noise, flybys of antique aircraft and checking out interesting homebuilts which I cant afford and visiting with fellow pilots is the best part.Perfect! Thanks, L16 Pilot, your post was the beginning of Can't-Wait-Til-Oshkosh season for me.
Mike E

[L16 Pilot]

I stand corrected on 'getting into the airshow'. I should have said flight line as Ron mentioned. That being said, Oshkosh is now kind of a free for all or a flea market with airplanes. On the other hand what can be better than waking up in the morning and watching the heavy iron take off for practice or sitting in the evening and watching airplanes take off and land. As long as I'm typing away: I dislike the announcers blabbering away often about nothing, golf carts and 4 wheelers running up and down the road, taking a shower with a bunch of strangers (I had plenty of that in my air force days) but hey! as mentioned before I'll keep going as long as my legs hold out.

[FlyingRon]

Yep, one thing I noticed when attending a party in the North 40 that I've forgotten about since I've been camping in Vintage for the past decade plus, is that there's no PA there. It was neat watching the night airshow without the inane commentary.

While there are still a lot of vehicles on the grounds, the EAA has greatly improved the situation over the past. Oddly, I've found most people pretty courteous. I've been offered rides on a number of occasions. Had an interesting talk with Hal Sheevers from Sportys while he drove me back from the Hilton one day.

[Byron J. Covey]

.... In fact, I usually find something else to do, maybe take a shower as someone else has mentioned ......

Just be certain that, if there are any youth in the shower, you have submitted to the requisite background check and training .....


BJC

[Larry Lyons]

My vote is for more unusual or unique aircraft on fly by or real aerobatics not the wham bam thank you mam stuff. I get so tire of the flip flop, one is ok but 4 or more everyday gets to be a drag! We make it a point to park down south beyond row 90 just to get away from the speakers!

[deftone]

My vote is for more unusual or unique aircraft on fly by or real aerobatics not the wham bam thank you mam stuff. I get so tire of the flip flop, one is ok but 4 or more everyday gets to be a drag! We make it a point to park down south beyond row 90 just to get away from the speakers!

I could live with the speakers if they would just stop reminding us that every ex-soviet aircraft is a "Cold War Trophy". It was driving me nuts last year!

[Byron J. Covey]

According to the "EAA Airventure Schedule of Events" search function, there are no airshows scheduled, so it may be that the EAA has listened to us. Or not.


BJC

[Tom Steber]

I could live with the speakers if they would just stop reminding us that every ex-soviet aircraft is a "Cold War Trophy". It was driving me nuts last year!
Oh great! Now that's gonna bug me all week. Thanks!

[jasstech]

So is it true that EAA cancelled Melissa Andrzejewski (formerly Pemperton) 3 weeks before the show because she is going through a divorce? If so that is the biggest bunch of bull! I hope EAA is also cancelling Rex. I really hope there is more to this story, and I think EAA should tell the full story. Let the membership and the public see the explanation for why one of the greatest female aerobatic pilots will not be performing at Oshkosh this year. If other girls are anything like my daughter I'm sure they will be anxiously awaiting the explanation.

[FlyingRon]

Sounds bogus to me: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaSportsgal (https://www.facebook.com/MelissaSportsgal/)

This is quite disturbing. They let male performers who are adulterously cheating on their spouses perform, that should not only be stressful but gives strong question as to the character of the performer.

[Tom Steber]

That's too bad. I'm sure there's more to the story...from all involved.

[MV031161]

Wow!!!!!!!!

[deftone]

That's too bad. I'm sure there's more to the story...from all involved.

Well EAA is a members organization and as such the board has to answer to the members. EAA is now having their good name dragged through the mud, so those on the safety committee should stand up and tell us why they think she cannot safely perform, especially if Rex is still booked.

[wyoranch]

39 minutes into the first airshow, and I hear "They are Cold War trophies" . Danny Clisham, please come up with something else, you are killing me

[NAA551WB]

Well EAA is a members organization and as such the board has to answer to the members. EAA is now having their good name dragged through the mud, so those on the safety committee should stand up and tell us why they think she cannot safely perform, especially if Rex is still booked.

http://www.aero-news.net/bannertransfer.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=a2d64c52-7a0a-42ff-bc52-a3e6d861c15c

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=a5eaef72-4958-436d-a5b8-db8a5d91b64a

[spongebobiwan]

It saddens me to see all this chaos and contentiousness coming to EAA and especially AirVenture. It always felt like that ONE week during the year for so many years past, that we could escape the world as it is now days, and turn the calendar back to an earlier time, a time where little of this sort of stuff existed. It seemed as if it was actually a different world during that one week. It still is, of course, perhaps just to a lesser degree. But if current trends in the world continue, I really wonder for how much longer it will be.

[Paul Chandler]

wyoranch - that 'cold war trophies' is just wrong - the Yaks were available long before the cold war ended and the CJ6 is Chinese not Russian.

[wyoranch]

wyoranch - that 'cold war trophies' is just wrong - the Yaks were available long before the cold war ended and the CJ6 is Chinese not Russian.
Paul,
i agree, it just rubs me the wrong way all around. I am generally not a not picker, but that whole progression that Danny Clisham goes through just irritates me beyond belief, and I do have to say that I am not a big fan of the airshow in its present format. I get that the announcers are for the general public. Maybe it is the fact that I have been hearing the SAME thing for years and years. I in my own simple mind have latched onto the 'Cold War trophy' statement as what I would like to se changed. I want to see what all of you have poured you sweat into. The rare, the innovative. Not eliminate all of the show, but let's give a fair shake to the people that this organization represents.
Rick
p.s. Last statement, get rid of jet powered ground vehicles completely. This year the VW race with a plane was a joke. It appeared to me to not top 80 mph. That is the speed limit here and I do that in my piece of crap ranch car :-)

[Paul Chandler]

Wyoranch - agree 100% - I would love to see some of the vintage aircraft / homebuilts do more during the airshow. Every year there is some anniversary of a type so why not give it some show time or maybe reintroduce the showcase before the main 'flip flop' acts which do get very repetative during the week. Also some of the aircraft flown are just not representative of the period being shown. Have been attending for the past 11 years (not bad for a Brit i hope) and have seen some wonderful and rare aircraft just sit on the ground all week which has been a shame.

[NAA551WB]

I agree with the cold war trophies being annoying.

The only real pet peeve I had this year was that I've waited my entire life to see a Spitfire in flight. I didn't even know that the Texas Flying Legends was going to fly their Spitfire on Wednesday so I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that Mk IX in the air. What almost killed it for me was that the announcer blabbering on and on instead of letting us all hear that beautiful Merlin purr. When something that sounds that cool or is that monumental, please, for the love of all that is holy, let the subject breathe. Airplanes are not just visual stimulation but also auditory, let the audience listen to what a Supermarine Spitfire would have sounded and looked like as it flew over the beaches of Normandy on D-Day +9.

[mazdaP5]

I agree with the cold war trophies being annoying.

The only real pet peeve I had this year was that I've waited my entire life to see a Spitfire in flight. I didn't even know that the Texas Flying Legends was going to fly their Spitfire on Wednesday so I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that Mk IX in the air. What almost killed it for me was that the announcer blabbering on and on instead of letting us all hear that beautiful Merlin purr. When something that sounds that cool or is that monumental, please, for the love of all that is holy, let the subject breathe. Airplanes are not just visual stimulation but also auditory, let the audience listen to what a Supermarine Spitfire would have sounded and looked like as it flew over the beaches of Normandy on D-Day +9.

I watched the Flying Legends and Heritage Flight portions of the airshow from the Warbirds area, and it is awesome! They did all of their banks and dives from right overhead, and the announcer speakers were far enough away that you could not hear them. That's going to be my new go to in the future, keep it super top secret though.;)

[martymayes]

Since the announcer gets paid to talk (is it based on number of words?) has anyone tried to go by and slip 'em a $20 to NOT talk? Just wondering......

[Paul Chandler]

NAA551WB the same thing happened last year with the DH Mosquito - as a Brit i am used to hearing the sweet sound of a single Merlin in a Spitfire and 4 in the Avro Lancaster but the twin Merlin sound of the Mosquito has not been heard for many years yet all i heard was the announcer talking over the magical sound only twin Merlins and produce.

[L16 Pilot]

The announcers at EAA remind me of the NASCAR 'commentators' " Oh wow, look contact" .....etc. etc......that was Cuban eight...blah, blah blah". Please folks I want to hear the engine, watch fly bys in peace and I could still do with less flip/flops.

[GeorgeP]

39 minutes into the first airshow, and I hear "They are Cold War trophies" . Danny Clisham, please come up with something else, you are killing me

+1

I didn't attend this year, but if he's the bloke with the nickname "Hollywood" then I understand where you're comin' from. He ruined it for us last year and, from memory, also in 2013. :(


Since the announcer gets paid to talk (is it based on number of words?) has anyone tried to go by and slip 'em a $20 to NOT talk? Just wondering......I'm willing to donate 50 bucks on my next visit.

[BeagleOne]

I usually watch the airshow from beyond the speaker line, at one end or the other. Danny's waaaaay too over-caffeinated and the constant chatter is annoying...and to make things worse, after the Saturday day show, they played bad 70s music! Good grief, people, we don't need to hear "Afternoon Delight" when there are airplanes flying around. Actually, we don't need to hear it at all. Ever.

[Low Pass]

The announcers at EAA remind me of the NASCAR 'commentators' " Oh wow, look contact" .....etc. etc......that was Cuban eight...blah, blah blah". Please folks I want to hear the engine, watch fly bys in peace and I could still do with less flip/flops.
Seemed the show had a better balance this year of graceful, traditional aerobatics versus the flip-flop model airplane acro.

[Mayhemxpc]

I think everything has been said, but not yet by everybody, so I will chime in. (1) someone has got to get him to remove the whole Cold War trophy bit. It is wrong and a little embarrassing since I participate in the warbirds AirShow. (2) I missed the Spitfire?!?!? Some friends were working the Warbirds ground tower at that time and THEY were surprised, too. It was not on their list of participating aircraft. (3) the announcer acts like he is a radio announcer trying to avoid "dead air." He does not need to speak all of the time. The sound of airplane engines is also important. In fact, my wife says that one of the things she likes best about AirVenture, camping in Warbirds, is the 6 a.m. Merlin engine alarm clock every morning. The silence of a glider is also something to be appreciated. (4) I would also like to see more of the home builts highlighted. There are ways to do this, without eliminating other acts, but I am also open to eliminating some acts to accomplish that. (5) agree with the idea of giving more weight to daily themes. Warbirds actually does that -- one day is for everything,mine day is for jets, one day for some special anniversary event, etc. Nonetheless it could be emphasized a bit more there, too.

Now, is it possible that this thread could be read by someone who can make a difference in implementing these ideas?