I have to agree. I've attended a lot of shows in the last 30-odd years and I'm always amazed at how many people do anything other than watch the aircraft. I've seen them sunbathing, playing sports, spend most of the day in the funfair etc. The sunbathers get me; you paid how much to get a tan? Why didn't you just stay in the back garden?
I like the idea of smaller events showcasing the armed forces, and would agree that they don't always have to be on an airfield. Although, as a youngster part of the appeal of going to Culdrose or St. Mawgan was that of visiting somewhere that is normally out of bounds.
Israel hold a number of open days at military airfields during the same week every year, with good static displays, plenty of armoured equipment to look at, some catering and some diversions for the kiddies. There's not always a flying display, but at least some flypasts or an aerial demo or two. I went to the open days at Haifa and Ramat David five or six years back, and was very impressed with what was on show, particularly with Israel's understandable security concerns. The events were to show the Israeli public what their taxes went towards, and that is what is really what it is all about, surely?
On that vein, whatever happened to the Exhibition Flight and the Presentation Team? And I take it town shows are a thing of the past as well?