rjtjrt and bentleg--in their own ways--have missed my point. rjtjrt, re-read my 4th paragraph (if you want to... really, it doesn't matter). I totally understand about population comparisons and the critical mass thingy. And of course, I'm not suggesting that Avalon could compete as a GA spectacle with the likes of Oshkosh. What I'm trying to articulate is [1] Avalon, as a regular public event is too much the same over time. The organisers should not be relying on the first-time attendance of excited dads and their awestruck kids to measure their public success. They need to add new displays each year--and not just whiz-bang ones for the awestruck kids--and find ways to get regional countries to participate. [2] Picking up that last comment, it may not be helpful to market yourself as the 'Australian' international Airshow. After all, what other countries that conduct internationally-known airshows jam their nationality down everyones throat? ...this being the point missed by rjtjrt. If you were the chief of the Indonesian or Malaysian Air Force might you not feel more enthusiastic about participating in--for example--an Asia-Pacific Airshow than an Australian one). Why do we not even have, at the very least, active and enthusiastic Kiwi participation? [3] Do we need more professional event organising than we seem to be getting? (Are the Olympics opening and closing ceremonies organised by a geriatric bunch of old athletic has-beens? I don't think so.) [4] Do we need to actively seek out the critiques of attendees without keeling over into a wallowing morass of self-righteous indignation? YES, we do.
Just a very few of my considered thoughts.