The airshow season is upon us! Sun N Fun in Lakeland, Florida is my favorite show to kick off the year. If you haven’t made plans yet, you still have time. The show is form April 5th to the 10th. Get more details at their website. http://www.sun-n-fun.org/
And this year I’m also planning to attend a new show, Modaero – Aviation Festival in Conroe, Texas. That event is March 16th to the 18th. Get more details at thier website. http://www.modaero.net/
Whichever show is your favorite there are a few things i like to share about attending an airshow. this is from my years of attending airshows and comments from many friends and customers.
Here are a few of my personal tips for spectators and airshow producers:
- If you are flying commercial, don’t buy your plane ticket too far in advance. You can always get a last minute flight if you need to via Priceline or Orbitz. It’s also good to be flexible in the schedule. I usually buy about 30 days out. But that just me.
- If you are flying in, check the “prog” charts and call someone locally before you leave. If it is a small show it might or might not be cancelled. It’s a rare occurrence that a large event is cancelled. But you never know, I remember one year the Virginia Fly-in had hurricane damage and one year it was cancelled.
- Rent at least a mid-size or even a full-size car. Sleeping comfort is critical for a long day at the airshow. Sounds like a joke, but I had to sleep in my rental car because the hotel (and the city) had lost its power during a hurricane. The hotels were unable to let us in for a night. But the show went on.
- If you decide to camp, make sure your tent is big enough to spend time in during the rainy evenings. I know we all like to pack lightly, I ride motorcycles too and packing light is critical. But when the rain won’t stop and you have nowhere but your tent to hang out (or your aircraft cabin) make sure it is as comfortable as possible.
- Also make sure you pack rain gear. Garbage sacks work, but it’s just not the same as a decent quality light weight rain suit. Well worth the money.
- Keep extra disposable plastic bags like you get from the grocery store to line your shoes with. I don’t mind walking in water and mud, but I hate wet socks and feet. At least the plastic bags can protect my feet, even if my shoes are wet. And I can use them for garbage if it stays dry. If it rains overnight parking area and camp grounds are usually very wet.
- Before you arrive (or before you land, if you are flying your own aircraft) buy a few bottles of water and snack food. If the weather is bad and it’s hard to get to the camp store or into town (or the town and water system is shut down because of a hurricane) a small supply of food and water can get you through the night. Remember, chocolate does melt in the car. Personal experience tip based on a bag of Almond Joy Bites.
- Include lots of flashlight batteries. If you have room a small generator is nice.
- Sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat are essential.
- Now as a show producer, have airshow acts that can perform at low altitudes even if there are clouds. You might have to use models. But if I have went all the way to your event I would like to at least see something in the air if at all possible.
- Have a few ground activities to keep the people entertained. If the weather is bad, I flew or drove in and I am camping I still need something to do. Nothing to do, nothing to watch…the people leave and the vendors suffer.