2016 Performers List

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.

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.

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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 :-)

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.

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.

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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.;)

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......

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.

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.

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Originally Posted by 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

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+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. :(

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Originally Posted by 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......

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I'm willing to donate 50 bucks on my next visit.