AirVenture Changes

[Kevin O'Halloran]

Excuse me? Did you just try to politicize this post, Kevin?

I apologize for my political comment, I use to just dislike democrats--now I hate them all.
But if you think the goverment does not have a bullseye on General Aviation--its only a number of years untill the guys flying 172s and homebuilts will be lumped together with those "fat cats" flying their personal jets
Kevin

[Victor Bravo]

I'm afraid that both overly conservative governments, and overly liberal governments, have a history of suppressing personal freedoms like flying (and lots else). An Ayatollah, or Generallissimo Whoever, would not be any more willing to let me drive my 172 around freely than a bright red "People's Republic" or "Democratic Republic".

The part of the world where private flying is growing fastest is in Communist China. The part of the world where private flying is losing ground the fastest is (I'm ashamed to say) America.

You can't pin this tail on the Donkey, or the Elephant.

But if you want to save aviation by blaming a certain "type" of person, go and euthanize all the real estate developers, followed in close second place by the lawyers.

[Hal Bryan]

So... how about that $2.00 water?

In other words, now that the political comments have balanced each other out, let's get back on topic.

Just to be clear, talking about Government and GA concerns are fine - necessary, in fact - but that has nothing to do with site changes and new food vendors and all that.

[RV8505]

I'm afraid that both overly conservative governments, and overly liberal governments, have a history of suppressing personal freedoms like flying (and lots else). An Ayatollah, or Generallissimo Whoever, would not be any more willing to let me drive my 172 around freely than a bright red "People's Republic" or "Democratic Republic".

The part of the world where private flying is growing fastest is in Communist China. The part of the world where private flying is losing ground the fastest is (I'm ashamed to say) America.

You can't pin this tail on the Donkey, or the Elephant.

But if you want to save aviation by blaming a certain "type" of person, go and euthanize all the real estate developers, followed in close second place by the lawyers.

Forget all stupid political stuff! Let's help ourselves and get some more pilots out there! Didn't you say something a while back about gliders for young eagles? I have the same idea but i know very little about gliders. Maybe we can get a glider camp going? I'm down here in San Dog ( KCRQ) . Send me a PM

[Floatsflyer]

I apologize for my political comment, I use to just dislike democrats--now I hate them all.

Kevin

That's OK Kevin, we're not too enamoured with you as well. But I am looking forward to seeing your study on where to get free water. I make sure to fill up at cold water fountains at most exhibitor tents. The Cessna Pilots Association(we belong) tent is great for free ice tea, lemonade as well as water.

[falcon21]

I know the portable water tanks are painted army green but they can't be that hard to find!

[Bill Berson]

There is plenty of tepid water available at the fountains. I have suggested that this free tepid water would be more palatable and could help with the oppressive heat if ice was available to fill a small bottle or thermos to sip all day.
Chilled bottled water quickly warms, so bottled water is hardly ideal for someone living full time for a week in the heat. Is this a vacation or an ordeal?
I doubt ice will be available (in small amounts)so my plan is to carry a thermos of ice ( probably from Walmart) to mix with the free fountain water, and hope the ice lasts all day.


I found a chart here:http://www.cism-milsport.org/eng/004...-hydration.pdf
that shows 6 to 12 liters of water per day is needed, depending on temperature.

[FlyingRon]

Actually some of the water buffalos in the past few years have been painted white.

My favorite was still the HondaJet booth that had the big tank full of ice cold water bottles.

We truck in water however. The well water on the field makes crap coffee.

[Lindberg]

There is plenty of tepid water available at the fountains......................................... .......


I found a chart here:http://www.cism-milsport.org/eng/004...-hydration.pdf
that shows 6 to 12 liters of water per day is needed, depending on temperature.

Yes, there is plenty of water at the fountains. My only request is that there be a few more so that you don't have to walk so far to get it. There should be several in the area of Aeroshell Square and near the big hangars A,B,C and D. Carrying water around with all the other things that are purchased is inconvenient and I hate to backtrack to get water. When it's hot you should drink plenty of water. It becomes a health issue rather than a treat. Two or three more water fountains will not break the EAA budget. Maybe even a few water buffaloes in that area if the installation of water fountains is beyond the AirVenture budget.

As far as being able to afford to purchase water. My bet is that most of us could by water all day long and not even notice it in our budget, but that is not the point. The attitude that "they can afford it because they have the money and can afford to pay their "fair share" has a smell to it that is blown straight from Washington DC.

Who was the "rocket scientist" who came up with the idea of prohibiting vendors from giving away free water?

[Victor Bravo]

Who was the "rocket scientist" who came up with the idea of prohibiting vendors from giving away free water?

Let's say you're a food vendor who has been selling a bottle of water costing you 15-20 cents, for $3.50. 200 bottles a day means you made over $600 in profit. Another vendor, who is selling $25,000 airplane kits, wants to give away cold water as a nice gesture to potential customers. Being a rocket scientist, it takes you only a second to realize that your $600 in profit for that day just became zero. So you run screaming bloody murder across the flight line to the EAA Convention office, and demand that they prohibit anyone other than you from providing water.

Per another poster's comments, yes I can afford to buy $3.50 water. I can even afford a bad quality hot dog or bratwurst for $67.50 once or twice if I had to. The point is that it makes me angry, resentful, unhappy, and prevents me from spending money where I want to spend it at Oshkosh. It makes me feel disrespected by EAA, and gives me a bad experience as a member/visitor/customer. That affects the value of EAA's "brand" and "brand loyalty".

What if you don't buy a set of plans at the Fly Market, or an aviation product (from the aviation vendors like myself) on Saturday, because you realized you spent too much on the concessions earlier in the week? How does that make an aircraft product manufacturer feel, who came all the way from California, Texas, or Maine, knowing that they didn't make their show costs partly because of that effect?

Just because a baseball game food vendor robs and rapes me doesn't mean I want EAA to do it. EAA has asked for (and been granted) my personal loyalty, my financial and emotional support, and EAA is integral to the part of my life I really love. So I make no excuses for holding EAA to a higher standard, or for feeling more betrayed if EAA does me wrong than I would by a baseball stadium. I walk around cursing and damning baseball stadiums because of their robber-baron mentality. I would not lift a finger to help the people running the baseball stadium. For a baseball stadium, I would not go stand in a picket line to defend them, or march on Washington alongside them like I would with EAA. I truly hope EAA does not want to be thought of the same way as I feel about stadiums, traffic coutrs, the IRS, bill collectors, etc.

Speaking of rocket scientists, who was the !(#*% brain surgeon who made it so the Pepsi vendors don't give you a lid for the cup?