catsplanewatcher wrote:
hi JDK - thanks for the feedback. You have certainly seen more shows than me. - Actually I have tried to communicate with the show organizers prior to the show, but got no reply. So I have not attempted to since the show. I would be glad to offer comments to them. - My basic disappointment is the fact that none of the invited planes showed & neither did the confirmed F-18. This simply looks dishonest & makes it easy to find other problems with the show. Had we seen a B-2 , B-52, F-18 or other invited planes , it would make the other problems easier to overlook. I could call up my friends to come over this afternoon to meet Mitt Romney & Paul Ryan because I invited them over , but I know they are not likely to show up. To their credit, they did actually have a show, no easy task in this ecomony. And frankly I may have been spoiled by not being marketed to so much at previous shows. -- The one piece of advice I would offer to the folks at WS is be painfully honest about what they really expect to show up & promptly remove from the website planes they learn are not going to show. - take care
I think your claim/feeling that the airshow is being dishonest about the invited planes and those not showing, is a bit naive and somewhat insulting. <Disclaimer - I have nothing to do with this particular show> This happens all the time due to weather and mechanical issues beyond the control of the show or the pilots involved. I can give a story as evidence. I experienced a grounding situation during run-up going to my first show this year. I had to notify the airshow people 3.5 hours before my arrival time that I had a serious mechanical and would not be there. This was also 5.5 hours before my first scheduled appearance at that show. What would you propose the airshow coordinators do with posters already on display all over town and publicity already in the media. Was is dishonest on their part that they could not inform people that this particular aicraft couldn't come. There were two other aircraft for the same show that had similar situations and if I remember correctly there were some weather issues later in the day. Excuse the expression - S^%T Happens! Nobody was DISHONEST!!!