One way to convert $$ into flying dirt...

[flyingheritage]

Something i suspect as found on the internet we wont be seeing much of flying and more ground pouding...instead

One way to convert $$$ into flying dirt...

[flyingheritage]

With virtually every country in recession, MASSIVE redundanices in US announced today and Germany and Europe hit hard by recessionary factors... i can see airshows in 2009 will come to a grinding halt in the Northern Hemisphere.

So the poms should ship their sole remaining Vulcan downunder where it can fly as we are beating recessions for now

[JDK]

No thanks.

[mlenoch]

Ironically, with last summer's high fuel prices, almost every airshow I visited had record public attendance. (From 14 show sites).
VL

[T J Johansen]

Ironically, with last summer's high fuel prices, almost every airshow I visited had record public attendance. (From 14 show sites).
VL

How much lower is the fuel price now, if at all?

T J

[k5083]

On average, auto fuel prices (which affect spectator attendance) today in the US are about half what they were last July. However, what matters is where they will be this coming July, and they are trending upward. They may reach 60-70% of last summer's levels this summer.

August

[wacoykc]

100LL AVGAS in our area is about $4.00/gal. 89 Octane car gas is about $1.85

[Airplanejunkie]

Ironically, with last summer's high fuel prices, almost every airshow I visited had record public attendance. (From 14 show sites).
VL

Not totally surprising. People still want diversion and entertainment, and during a recession I think certain low/no cost activities tend to draw more people than during "good times." A local airshow is certainly less expensive than, say, a weekend getaway or a day at an amusement park. I'll bet that airshow attendance is good this year, also. (At least at the shows that can happen at all!)

I have had involvement with other low cost activities and organizations that actually benefit from recessions for exacly that reason.

[k5083]

Yes, airshows are a good "staycation" thing. But as you say, costs are up and they have to happen. Presumably, those airshows that had record attendance last year therefore earned record revenue. The question is, will they apply that record revenue toward booking more acts for this year? Or will they blow it on crap that will not make the airshow any more attractive? If they say that costs are up and they can't afford to bring in many planes even though they cashed in last year and figure, depending on weather, to cash in this year, their shows deserve to die.

August

[Kyleb]

Yes, airshows are a good "staycation" thing. But as you say, costs are up and they have to happen. Presumably, those airshows that had record attendance last year therefore earned record revenue. The question is, will they apply that record revenue toward booking more acts for this year? Or will they blow it on crap that will not make the airshow any more attractive? If they say that costs are up and they can't afford to bring in many planes even though they cashed in last year and figure, depending on weather, to cash in this year, their shows deserve to die.

August

I think it is a good thing if airshows are profitable. Without an opportunity to make money, what is the incentive for a municipality or organization to put on an airshow? Besides, I don't see a whole lot of folks getting fabulously wealthy organizing airshows.

[Jollygreenslugg]

So the poms should ship their sole remaining Vulcan downunder where it can fly as we are beating recessions for now

So, Australia with 21 million people, spread over a large area, will be better able to support the operations of the Vulcan than the UK, with 60 million people, living in a far smaller area than Australia?

Australian population density - 2.6 people per square kilometre.
UK population density - 246 people per square kilometre.

Good thing you put a smiley in your quote, as it is a huge joke.

Cheers,
Matt

[Mark_Pilkington]

So the poms should ship their sole remaining Vulcan downunder where it can fly as we are beating recessions for now

So, Australia with 21 million people, spread over a large area, will be better able to support the operations of the Vulcan than the UK, with 60 million people, living in a far smaller area than Australia?

Australian population density - 2.6 people per square kilometre.
UK population density - 246 people per square kilometre.

Good thing you put a smiley in your quote, as it is a huge joke.

Cheers,
Matt

Matt, we dont have the population or money for it, but we do have plenty of space to park it.

What we need is a Doomsday warbird store, just like the doomsday plant seed store in Iceland?

I suggest you all send us at least 2 of each major sub-type of warbird in each country,

and of course the best and rarest examples of each,

and will store them safely for you downunder

-all at no cost! - honest!

smiles
Mark Pilkington

[Nathan]

So the poms should ship their sole remaining Vulcan downunder where it can fly as we are beating recessions for now

So, Australia with 21 million people, spread over a large area, will be better able to support the operations of the Vulcan than the UK, with 60 million people, living in a far smaller area than Australia?

Australian population density - 2.6 people per square kilometre.
UK population density - 246 people per square kilometre.

Good thing you put a smiley in your quote, as it is a huge joke.

Cheers,
Matt

Matt, we dont have the population or money for it, but we do have plenty of space to park it.

What we need is a Doomsday warbird store, just like the doomsday plant seed store in Iceland?

I suggest you all send us at least 2 of each major sub-type of warbird in each country,

and of course the best and rarest examples of each,

and will store them safely for you downunder

-all at no cost! - honest!

smiles
Mark Pilkington

I think someone should just come up with the equivalent of Disney world with warbirds!

Warbirds world?

[RyanShort1]

I think someone should just come up with the equivalent of Disney world with warbirds!

Warbirds world?

Isn't that what Fantasy of Flight is supposed to be?

Ryan

[CAPFlyer]

Well, according to the TVOC chairman, they've had serious interest from the US, so who knows....

I for one would love to see XH558 back in North American skies and think it'd be a great draw for airshows here.