Warbird Information Exchange

I don't understand... Were they flying in the show? I don't understand the connection with Oshkosh. The show has always been very handicapped friendly, even before the war.

Well Chris;
the show was produced by a group of local pilots and had built up from a 1991, 60th Anniversary of the airport, static display. Every year we got bigger untill we had a full blown show. We had some money from the previous year to start off with, but in the end, we lost some, so no one wanted to stick their necks out agian. There wer some other factors that helped to hurt us like having to pay for twice as many police officers as we needed because the City of New Haven owned the airport, but the side we had the show on was accessible only through the Town of East Haven. Most of the traffic came though via New Haven, but East Haven insisted that they have as many overtime officers on duty as New Haven’s PD. That bill was almost 20K, when our entire budget for aircraft was 32K!

Also, no one in East Haven bothered (whether intentional or not) to tell us most of the main access roads would be closed until 11:00am on Saturday due to a road race! We found out that morning! That killed attendance for Saturday along with a high cloud deck that turned some away for fear of rain. It never rained at all.

You’re close on the aircraft and didn’t miss many. “Big Beautiful Doll” was actually “Jackie C” (same paint scheme) and “Frenesi” was there the previous year. The only ones you missed were P-51 “Nervous Energy”, Jeff Clyman’s T-6, MAAM’s Martin 404. Flying acts were; Tom Rudder’s Harvard, Iron Eagles, Matt Chapman, and Stan Segalla’s Flying Farmer. We also had A-10 fly-bys, NEAM’s S-51 on Static Display, Gene Oshrin’s L-3 and a bunch of Military static including a Canadian Tudor.

As far as shows in CT, the last one was Meriden in 1999. I was the air boss for that and the FAA had been grandfathering in the take-off distance for years. It was only 200 feet. They said no more after that, so no aerobatic shows in the state since then. I’ve been working on an over-the-water show for West Haven or Hammonassett State park, but these are in the early examination stages. There aren’t too many airports in CT that can support the car traffic and crowds that an air show produces.

Also, many airports just see it as a pain in the neck and outside of normal operations. You have to find a pro-air show manager who is willing to work with you. That’s why we had the “Corsairs Over CT” show as a non-aerobatic show. No waivered airspace, hence, it was easier to talk management into having the display because the airport wasn’t “closed” for the show.

If we had a small, over-the-water show as a test, we could, in theory, later have the Blue Angels or T-Birds perform someday. CT hasn’t had a jet team display since the 1960’s! Pretty sad, considering it’s such an aviation and defense oriented state.
Plus, the Corsair is the Official Aircraft of the State of Connecticut”! What other state has an official airplane?!!!

It isn’t over yet, it just takes the right planning and lots of $$$$!
Blue skies,
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

Brandon--

I think Bill's saying that the very tangible results of the present war are getting to him...as they would to anyone. No criticism of Oshkosh per se. And that's a good point: Nostalgia becomes less pleasant when it merges with tragic present reality. Less pleasant...but most effective. Last Remembrance Day I attended the ceremonies at CWH. Miserable, rainy day; no flying was possible, but I've never seen a more effective commemoration. It centred on a video montage of the (then) 46 Canadian servicemen/women (including a trooper from Hamilton) who had been killed on duty in Afghanistan. There were many hundred people present, including veterans of many wars. All through the video it was completely silent in the hangar. Afterward, the Lancaster, unseen outside the closed doors, performed an engine runup...which sounded not like a flyby by one Lanc, but like a whole stream of them passing over, the roar of the Merlins rising and falling and reverberating. And in concert with the lost troops we had just seen in the video...what an utter dart to the heart.

S.

Jerry,

Thanks for the info! Sounds like you had a real problem with getting people to cooperate to achieve one thing. Sounds like a reoccurring problem within our beloved state. But that’s just from my standpoint. Though everywhere I turn, it seems red tape is bound to follow.

It was also nice to see that S-51 on display too. I remember seeing it with the VS-44, when they were both being restored. That leads me to wonder if the NEAM would be willing to bring some of there other aircraft out for display in the future. I mean in the event we have another show in Stratford, or elsewhere. You gotta admit, it would be cool to see that XF4U-4, sitting back on the ramp. But, by that time Bootstrap's -4 might be done by then, too.

I didn’t know Connecticut was so "Anti Airshow". Unless there is some other underlying reasons. But compared to other shows, located in other states, were way behind! I’m surprised that the FAA is that restrictive here. Or is it like that everywhere?

And you’re right! To my knowledge there is no other "Official State Aircraft" for any other State. You would think we would want to embrace something like that more.

(I wonder if funds from the State could go into the restoration of the FGD-1 on the pole, now since it’s labeled as 'State Aircraft’.)

Always trying to scheme up a way to have another flyable bird in the Nutmeg State!

Chris

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Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

The S-51 was kind of a fluke. It was ready to be transported to Windsor Locks at the time of the show, so we just set it up to spend the weekend at the air show and then go to the museum. NEAM currently takes their FM-2 Wildcat on the road, but it’s usually only to the Westover or Westfield air shows. I don’t think they’ve taken it further. I‘m pretty sure that it’s also been on their dime, so I imagine if you wanted the FM-2 for a display somewhere further, you could pay for it.

I don’t think that CT as a whole is “anti-air show”. It’s just that the constraints and needs of an air show are difficult to put together so that all the criteria are met. The FAA reg’s are pretty clear on 500 foot minimum take-off distance from the crowd to the aircraft for slower speed aircraft. (1500 for fast jets!) Also, the setbacks for safe zones during aerobatic flight can cause encroachment problems with homes and businesses. That eats up a lot of real estate quickly. The aerobatic box has to be clear of the public, so some shows actually have to “buy” people out of their homes for the weekend or during the show times! When you add that to the compactness of housing close to the airports, and having an airport that is accessible to a large population area, the choices slowly dwindle when looking for the right airport.

And of course, you have to find people who are pro-airport, both in the public sector and in the airport management and Government side. Without support and the proper blessing of the powers that be, your show isn’t going anywhere.

Then there’s the cash……..
Not insurmountable, but it is difficult.
Jerry

_________________
"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

Sure sounds like it!

Makes a lot of sense to have an over the water display then.

But, are there any airports in CT that you've seen that would be good to host a show at? Including these factors: Housing, cooperation of officials, location, runway length, etc.

_________________
Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

there are many of which any missing man with taps or Amazing grace sends me over the edge. A couple that stand out, Blackbushe England, 1976, standing on the side of the runway with my mother and sister as we welcomed my dad back in the DH Mosquito, the beat up of the field was indescribable in how it affected me ( then 6 years old).still does!
Gadsden Alabama, 1994? or '95 walking amongst the WW1 birds in the early morning mist, bagpipe band plays Amazing Grace as a group of WW1 planes takes off, the rotary engine transmitting an eerie almost ghostly sound.
Burnet Tx, late '90s when Lefty flew his last Routine in the '38, we had walked out beside the runway and when he went over our heads at 4** ahh i mean 250 mph !!, it was breathtaking!

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"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few"

Wings Over Houston 2001 when they did the 170+ Warbird flyover to end the show. Was special because they also did a tribute to the people, passengers, and Emergency Personel who were lost on Sep 11th. That was great.

I swear those bagpipes, just rip my heartout, and stomp it into the ground everytime they play amazing grace. And of course, for us american's the national anthem, when played or sung great, oh, the heart just stops and my eyes fill up, even at sporting events.

Do you remember the Saturday evening BBQ at Breckenridge and Bob Converse came the back way over everyone really low and fast

Lynn

Hi Guys,

Like many here who have presented their comments. The one thing that I see in any airshow is the missing man formation followed by or flown with Taps playing in the background. Myself never having been in the military, that simple statement, the Missing Man Formation, accompanied by Taps.....never ceases to rip out my heart and bring a tear to my eye for those who did not come home. I remove my hat and say a silent prayer for those who did not come home and for the pilots, who are flying that very special memorial formation.

Respectfully,

Paul

Oshkosh 99. EAA was planning to fly a missing man for JFK jr, who did nothing for EAA, but not one for my friend and mentor, Carl Schmieder, who was a EAA Board of Director member and T-6 lead. The Warbird members stood up and said unless there was a missing man for Carl there would not be a warbird show. We ended up fly a WWII style missing man with a whole squadron of T-6s. and we did it everyday of the show.
That is just one of the reasons I no longer support or have anything to do with EAA in general. They do not honor thier own

Matt, Carl certainly deserved to be honored and I remember that he was. I recall someone standing up in the pilot meeting and speaking about Carl, but I could be wrong. But JFK, Jr. deserved to be honored also, he was an active an enthusiatic EAA guy if not a warbird one. I did not meet him, but I rremember the day he was here and was impressed that he did it as a normal guy without some entourage of press agents or bodyguards. Wish you were back here Matt!

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Best airshow moment?

For me has to be at the closing flights of the MATS Connie, Shafter Warbirds several years ago. Sorry can't recall exact date, but I will NEVER forget what I saw or what happened.

IIRC show was to conclude at 3:30. so about 3:00 I left my friend Dana to watch the ho-hum circuits of the "airlinner" and headed for a booth I wanted to see before leaving. I was able to make my connection/purchase and headed back to the rope, with about ten minutes to finale. It was starting to rain and found my self bucking the flow. Just as I found my buddy, the Connie made a very low pass right in front of us. Now it was raining pretty good by then and Dana wanted to go, but something told me to stay.
For its final pass we were the only ones standing at the rope, getting drenched. As we watched it approach, it looked like a repeat of the previous pass, but then the aircraft climbed so very slightly and then began to bank, hard! The lumbering "airliner" arched toward our possition leaving the strick confines of the runway. His curving path brought him directly in front of our position when he reached near full knife-edge right on the deck! I swear we were looking down on both wings of that "fighter"! As he swept past I could see he had to maintain positive G's to maintain his attitude, which is why he was so much closer than usual. As we walked in, the sun broke thru to the west. Oh it was still raining hard and I was cold and wet but it was all perfect. Later I realized that if it had not begun raining and the crowd run off by the damp, we would not have seen the rather private show stopper we did.

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Charles Neely