There seems go be a hell of a lot of valid reasons why air shows cannot readily take place these days or even perhaps ought not to take place at all on RAF stations none of which I wish to take issue with as I recognise I am a civvie interested in aviation matters. As a civvie I will variously be regarded as the unwashed uninterested public or a spotter, there seems to be little in between according to many ppruners !
My interest in aviation matters began whilst I was at school in Cornwall with many boys who hailed from RAF families and were based at St.Mawgan and St.Eval and I have sought to retain an interest in military aviation ever since. These days for the first time in my life I know no one in the armed services.
I am sure if I was based at Waddington I would regard air show tasks as a real pain but how are the public expected to know anything of our forces if they never seen them. I have attended many of the RIAT shows at Fairford and before that at Greenham Common but like many here I find it seems to have lost its way.
I hope there is a way forward.
Was the mindset totally different in the days when the RAF put on scores of Battle of Britain air shows or is it all down to current RAF manning levels ?