What should a soaring club do at an airshow

Our club tried this several times at local events.

It required high time investment and a glider out of
use for several days loss of flying time/income. Lots
of poeple sat in gliders, loss of photocalls and brochures
handed out

The returns were very small if anything and for a small
club I would suggest the input return/comparison made
it impracticable.

Dave Martin


At 12:00 13 January 2005, Ray Lovinggood wrote:
The one time we did it, nothing came of it.

Back in the early 90's, the Raleigh-Durham Intl. Airport
(RDU) held a 'static display' airshow. It included
military, air carrier, and GA aircraft. Plus one LS-4,
'J7.'

We roped it off and manned it with, I think, four people,
including one young, pretty, blonde lady.

I had a poster made with all the specifications for
the glider and supported it on an easle.

We had informational packages to hand out to tell about
learning to fly and where they could learn to fly.

I think we would let small groups of people into the
roped off area for a closer look. We might have let
some sit in it, but I don't remember.

We also gave them a chance to enter their name into
a drawing that would give the winner a free flight
in a glider (a 2-33, because that was the only two-seater
the commercial operation had. The 2-33 was not at
the show nor were photos of it.)

While hundreds came by, the commercial gliding business
who set this up realized no new customers.

I still wonder what we did wrong.

Ray Lovinggood
Carrboro, North Carolina, USA




At 06:30 13 January 2005, Dnewill wrote:
OK Gang - the airshow season is about to start - so
what are the 'ten things
to do / not to do' if our club gets involved in a summer
airshow?
What is the best thing your club or commercial operation
did? Worst?

Thanks
dave newill