A waste of time?
I guess that comes down to your viewpoint of what is important to you.
For me it was a relaxing day away from my workshop (went saturday) staring at and talking aeroplanes.............i see nothing bad there.
I guess a like or dislike starts with you pre-emptive ideas on what you expect to see. I expected more of the same, so wasn't dissapointed. I still managed a few highlights, and if i go with the same or a similar crew again i'll remember to 'get lost' earlier...that was the fastest i have ever been through the exhibition halls! missed a lot i would have normally taken time to look at/listen to/enquire about.
Sunfish might be onto something about GA/home builders tho...maybe if they allowed registration as a trade person for home builders, one could get access on a trade day, and least the stall holders would recognise some credibility as a potential customer.
Food...its crap where most people buy. I missed the last show, but i learnt on the first one, the best food is down the south end.....WAAAAY down the south end. Better quality, shorter lines, and actually more variety. Got myself the seafood pack for $8, was very good. Fish, chips, a scallop, 2 calamari rings and a short crab stick. Gave the scallop and calamari away...i don't eat bait... Rest was good.
Raptor was good
Caribou!!! wow, the speed HARS got a display approval on it has me dumbfounded....there IS someone in the regulator with a brain.
B-52 on the ground! FECKING GOLD...had to touch it!
Our own C-17's on the ground for a change...grand!
Lowlight....The c-27 Spartan. Would have liked to seen it fly, but they couldn't have sent a worse example. Spent some time talking to the french crew. I made a comment about being possibly being the worst example flying. Crew was like no no no best one squadron owns, the other didn't make it. ROFL! Squadron was supposedly leaving the mid east back to france, and two were diverted to come here. The one as displayed, was delivered new to the squadron in the mid east and has just over 11k hours on it with no refurb done. Credit to the frogs for flying it here.
Highlight.
The comment of a small boy. 4-5 years old...6 MAX!
C-17 gets airborne, banks away from the crowd.
and i quote!
"dad thats humungous!, much bigger than yours"
Guy looks at me and blushes...he owns an archer LOL
I'd go again.
YAVE marshalling...at least they have learnt to move away from propellors and stand where you can actually see them. That was a defo improvement.