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AirVenture 2014 Temporary crowd line for Thunderbird performances August 1-3

RV6_flyer

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Just a reminder that AirVenture is going to have a DIFFERENT crowd line for when the Thunderbirds perform.

http://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/ea...rce-thunderbirds-flight-times-set-for-oshkosh

The Thunderbirds crowd line will run the entire length of the flightline, in line with the existing speaker poles, about 120 feet west of the regular crowd burn line. This line will be clearly marked.


For air show spectators

Visitors will have access to this area until 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and until noon on Sunday. At those times, visitors must move back to behind the Thunderbirds crowd line. AirVenture guests will not be allowed to leave chairs, blankets, coolers, or other items past the Thunderbirds crowd line at any time prior to the end of the afternoon air show on those days.

AV14_TbirdsCrowdLine.jpg
 
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Shades of SnF - its no fun to not be able to get to your airplane at Lakeland from noon until six(ish) when parked in HBP. This makes the "front line" at OSH even less desirable - at least after Thursday....
 
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"Most" of us will be long gone by then unfortunately. I hope the locals enjoy it though. I tried to negotiate but apparently we have a wedding to attend on Friday in Minnesnowda :).
 
Oshkosh

Sometime after their appearance at Oshkosh the Frecce Tricolor Team crashed into the crowd at Ramstein, Germany. 67 fatalities, 346 serious injuries. Jet airshows were subsequently banned in Germany and I believe that ban remains in effect.
Formation Jet Airshows cannot be safely conducted at Oshkosh.
Significant spectator deaths or injuries at Oshkosh could be the end of EAA. The risk is simply not worth it.
The Frecce Tricolor flies relatively low performance jet trainers. The Thunderbird F16 are said to operate at 400 kts in formation and near supersonic for the solo.
 
Oshkosh

July Sport Aviation states that Thunderbird formation operates up to 400 knots and solo "near supersonic".
Category I airshow aircraft require a spectator deadline of 1500'. (aircraft speed over 245 kts)
My understanding is that this deadline cannot be achieved at Oshkosh. This does not even consider turnaround maneuvers which will likely take place over the city.
 
We parked on an end slot in classic parking the last time. It was great to sit under the wing and have an adult beverage while watching airplanes do their thing. I see this is now well inside the danger zone, so I would be "evicted" this time.

Not that I have any interest in the Thunderbirds, Blues, or any other jet demo team, but I'd hate to be forced out of my "home" for the show.

...Jet demo time is always the best time to be indoors visiting vendors anyway, so perhaps that would work.
 
Just a reminder that AirVenture is going to have a DIFFERENT crowd line for when the Thunderbirds perform.
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AirVenture guests will not be allowed to leave chairs, blankets, coolers, or other items past the Thunderbirds crowd line at any time prior to the end of the afternoon air show on those days.

There used to be a time when you were not allowed to leave anything unattended along the show line due to possibility of wind blowing them into an airplane or taxing airplane needing to get through. I guess that has all changed with letting people crawl over the planes. Do not even see or hear of the volunteers that used to patrol. Makes me glad RV parking is not on the front line.
 
It was so nice last year without the military teams assaulting our ears!

Even better, without the military teams taking up valuable flight time, we got to see some acts that would normally never perform at OSH.

I say, ban the jets!

(No, I'm not anti-military but the military demo teams have about as much to do with the EAA as a cow. Oh wait, the show is in Wisconsin.)
 
This is why I wish we could leave out the military jet teams out of OSH and SNF.

They are not compatible with our sport aviation convention. I can go see them at a military base airshow, if I want to be in that kind of crowd for that kind of show.
 
Lighten Up A Little...

The Blues brought record crowds to SNF this year and as our leader stated in Sport Aviation, kids love the WOW factor. As a 74 YO Navy Vet, you can't have too much noise at an airport, that's why you wear ear protection!:cool:
 
It's the new conflict: EAA management wants an income generating airshow and (many of) the actual membership wants their convention back.
 
Holy Doom and Gloom Batman. I have to agree with Jerry on this one....lighten up a little. Everyone got addicted to this sport a little bit differently. Who are we to say what the "kid at the fence" wants to see....we were all a "kid at the fence" at one point...and they are the future of this sport. If it takes flight.....I say let it come. Disneyland shouldn't remove a ride because a few doesn't like it. Oshkosh is over a week long with TONS to see, so fill the Thunderbird's airshow time with something else.....since there won't be a line at ANY ride during the Thunderbird's airshow time! :D
 
It's the new conflict: EAA management wants an income generating airshow and (many of) the actual membership wants their convention back.
Bingo. You almost nailed it except that it's not new, it started in the 90s.

I'll stop here so as not to turn this into an EAA thread.
 
Hey...ain't those T-Bird F-16's at least 40 to 45 years old...that makes them antiques...thus deserving a space in the show.

Now, if our adversaries bring in any of their jets...those fighters would not qualify for antique status.:D
 
Thunderbirds

The Freece Tricolori performed at Oshkosh in 1986. I believe the Canadian Snowbirds also performed there at least once.
The Thunderbirds have never performed at Oshkosh.
 
The reality (for me at least) is that I rarely go up front for the "Airshow" anyway, so the altered crowd line doesn't matter. It is much more fun to sit in HBC under some sort of shade, drinking a cold beverage, and talking with fellow homebuilders without all of the crowds and noise up front.
 
Holy Doom and Gloom Batman. I have to agree with Jerry on this one....lighten up a little. Everyone got addicted to this sport a little bit differently. Who are we to say what the "kid at the fence" wants to see....we were all a "kid at the fence" at one point...and they are the future of this sport. If it takes flight.....I say let it come. Disneyland shouldn't remove a ride because a few doesn't like it. Oshkosh is over a week long with TONS to see, so fill the Thunderbird's airshow time with something else.....since there won't be a line at ANY ride during the Thunderbird's airshow time! :D

I agree completely. Particularly the part about the kids being the future of our sport.
 
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