Washout at Aerofair

[t'aint natural]

I was at Aerofair at North Weald this weekend, despite the crappy weather - everybody I met had ditched plans to fly in and had driven instead. It was very different this year - they've taken over the whole airfield, and there must have been 60 or 70 companies exhibiting there. The flying was excellent, especially Dennis Kenyon's helicopter display, amazing. The whole thing was obviously a major effort on somebody's part, and it's a crying shame that it was pretty much washed out. I hope they don't get disheartened, because given good weather it could be a fantastic event.

[poetpilot]

Is May a good time to hold Aerofair? I have to ask, because the weather is always unpredictable in May. I tried a couple of years to run events at Barton back in the 90s, but we were fighting the weather every time.

Having said that, when IS the wx predictable in the uk? :sad:

[QDMQDMQDM]

Is May a good time to hold Aerofair?

More like, is Britain a good place to hold Aerofair (or live, for that matter)?

[ozplane]

Like many others I drove to North Weald but I couldn't help comparing it with AERO 2003 3 weeks previously. Obviously the weather helped but the German event was vibrant in a way that Aerofair didn't quite manage. Part of the success of the AERO event is that it covers all forms of GA including gliders, microlights and even model flying. The more relaxed Continental approach to VLAs must help to encourage potential flyers in to the sport and I wonder if the PFA/BMAA/CAA should start to get off their high horse and get some flexibility into the UK approach to these aircraft. Anthony Hutton and his team deserve credit for their show but perhaps it should become a biennial in association with AERO in Friedrichshafen in the way Paris and Farnborough alternate.

[Mariner9]

It was nice to see the market was closed on saturday, last year I queued for ages with the shoppers for entry into the airfield.

However I was a little disappointed with the show- there seemed to be less aircraft on display this year, and although crowds were light, I invariably had to wait to get a seat in the various cockpits.

[Hilico]

It was an excellent business opportunity. I visited every day and went round all the stands. A wonderful chance to make contact with a large proportion of the UK industry, including T'aint Natural himself (just about the first chap I came across) and Dantruck, obviously tiring of the rigours of Spanish living.

It didn't matter whether the people I spoke to were potential customers or not; it simply isn't possible to know too much about the industry, and they were all willing to talk.

From the fun point of view, the best stand was easily Frasca's, with a virtual Seminole set up for practising your twin rating. I've never flown anything bigger than a 172, but I still managed to get it round the circuit. It was just a bit alarming on final when the 737 holding short was allowed to proceed. I looked up from a last scan and saw his beacon in front of my eyes. After only five minutes in the seat I emerged sweating and weak-kneed and asked 'who let the airliner go?!?' With the kind of smile you normally see on a Mako shark, the Frasca rep said 'I did!'.

But better even that that was going back the next morning and sitting next to Rudi Frasca himself while he did a beat-up of the field - barrel rolls seemed to figure quite heavily. I emerged from that trip feeling rather ill, but I'd do it again!

[formationfoto]

Was there all three days and weather certainly a pain. Despite this I suspect the exhibitors would have been happy with the volume of interested people (after all how many people are interested in spsnding almost £2m on a TBM700?).

Not a great show for photographs as the light was generally poor.

The flight sim on the Garmin stand was worth practicing some instrument flying on (Thanks Steve) but the Frasca was a bonus. Did a few Instrument approaches than sat next to Nick Bloom (deputy ed of P***T mag) who insisted on showing off his aero routine in the Seminole. Felt very sick with the visual cues not matching the physical sensation so decided to pull the power on him on one engine during take off!.

The layout and exhibitor space this year was much better and I agree that I can't tire of seeing Dennis Kenyon demonstrate the things you cant do in a helicopter. Not as exciting but still a draw for me was Tracey Martin in the Bell 47. Great machine.

[t'aint natural]

Ozplane: I think Friedrichshafen already alternates with a French GA event, to be held next year in Lyon.
It's somewhat ironic that a German show should be so well attended, given their even more restrictive attitude to GA.

[DBChopper]

I agree with the favorable comments about Dennis Kenyon and Tracy Martin, but I also have to agree with a couple of posters who thought there wasn't as much there as last year. Was it the weather? Was it fact that I, too, had to drive rather than fly this time? Was it that everything was more spread out? Was it that there was only one burger van on the whole site? Or was there just not as much to do or look at as before?

I can't put my finger on it. I know that it really is a show to sell people aircraft and I am never going to be in that market, but something seemed lacking...

A bemused DBChopper
:hmm:

[Kolibear]

Several of the exhibitors I spoke to pointed out that because the site was bigger, everything was far more spread out this year, so although there were the same number of exhibitors, it all appeared a lot 'thinner'.

The weather and maybe the Cup Final certainly kept the visitors away but on the stand I was helping, we had a constant trickle of people stopping to look at the aircraft on display.

[formationfoto]

DBChopper

If you only found one burger van on the whole site you missed the excellent Squadron tent decamped from the Squadron building on the active side. Excellent burgers compared to the warmed up carpet fayre from the van(s).

I guess it is realy difficult to make an event such as this a HUGE success given the lack of indoor facilities and the British weather. It isn't meant to be a PFA Rally or GVFWE so success has to be meaured in what the manufacturers thought of the level of interest in their exhibits. Their satisfaction will be measured in their willingness to exhibit again next year. Meridian what did you think?

[DBChopper]

Formationfoto,

You're right! I did miss it! What a daft burger I am! :\

But I'll know for next time... Thanks!

DBChopper
:ok: