Red Barons to fly no more...

Schwan's Corp. (parent company of Red Baron pizza) announced today
that the Red Barons are permanently grounded. After 28 years of
sponsorship they are redirecting their marketing efforts away from air
shows.

RED BARON SQUADRON GROUNDED
The Red Baron Squadron, a team of four vintage Stearman biplanes that
has flown formation aerobatics at air shows for 28 years, will fly no
more, the team's sponsor, the Schwan Food Company, said this week.
"The Red Baron Squadron has been an incredible asset to our company
and we are very proud of its long, successful history," said Bill
McCormack, executive vice president. "The retail grocery industry has
experienced considerable change over the past few years. And, as a
result, we have decided to refocus our Red Baron marketing program and
to discontinue the Red Baron Squadron." The team flew at more than
2,000 airshows and gave rides to more than 80,000 passengers. They won
the Art Scholl Award in 1995 and the Bill Barber Award in 1993.

See www.AvWeb.com for more info.

It's always sad to see something like this come to an end. The Red
Barons and their big, loud Stearman biplanes were always fun to watch,
and my kids have grown up with them at airshows every summer. I'm
sure they were very expensive to sponsor, though, and I, for one,
would like to thank Schwans for a lifetime of great memories.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

It's always sad to see something like this come to an end. The Red
Barons and their big, loud Stearman biplanes were always fun to watch,
and my kids have grown up with them at airshows every summer. I'm
sure they were very expensive to sponsor, though, and I, for one,
would like to thank Schwans for a lifetime of great memories.

Yes it is. You know, they could become the Alexis Park Inn squadron.

Yes it is. You know, they could become the Alexis Park Inn squadron.

Ha! I'll bet their annual budget is more than our annual revenue....

What's it cost to feed and clothe four Stearman biplanes (plus a
spare), plus four pilots, plus support staff?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I met th e head pilot of the team during a flight to Denver in 2005. I
have his card around here somewhere. He was a nice fellow that just
loved flying in the airshows. I had remembered reading something about
the Red Barons in the paper a few years ago, but couldn't remember
what it was I had read. I asked him and he told me that it was hard to
watch your friends die. I hadn't know it was that tragic, or I would
have not brought it up. I have seen them do a few airshows and They
will be missed.


Tom

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
...
Schwan's Corp. (parent company of Red Baron pizza) announced today
that the Red Barons are permanently grounded. After 28 years of
sponsorship they are redirecting their marketing efforts away from air
shows.

RED BARON SQUADRON GROUNDED
The Red Baron Squadron, a team of four vintage Stearman biplanes that
has flown formation aerobatics at air shows for 28 years, will fly no
more, the team's sponsor, the Schwan Food Company, said this week.
"The Red Baron Squadron has been an incredible asset to our company
and we are very proud of its long, successful history," said Bill
McCormack, executive vice president. "The retail grocery industry has
experienced considerable change over the past few years. And, as a
result, we have decided to refocus our Red Baron marketing program and
to discontinue the Red Baron Squadron." The team flew at more than
2,000 airshows and gave rides to more than 80,000 passengers. They won
the Art Scholl Award in 1995 and the Bill Barber Award in 1993.

See www.AvWeb.com for more info.

It's always sad to see something like this come to an end. The Red
Barons and their big, loud Stearman biplanes were always fun to watch,
and my kids have grown up with them at airshows every summer. I'm
sure they were very expensive to sponsor, though, and I, for one,
would like to thank Schwans for a lifetime of great memories.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I got to fly with them once, it was a thrill getting to do formation loops
and rolls with nothing holding you in but a wide lap belt.

--

*H. Allen Smith*
WACO - We are all here, because we are not all there.

On Thu, 6 Dec 2007 07:51:18 -0800 (PST), Tom wrote in
:

... he told me that it was hard to
watch your friends die. I hadn't know it was that tragic, or I would
have not brought it up. ...

I've talked with one former aerobatic pilot.

He said much the same thing about watching
friends die. He told me about a couple of his
close calls when he used up pretty much all of
the adrenaline his body could produce.

Reminds me of Ernest K. Gann and his book,
Fate is the Hunter.

Marty

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Jay Honeck wrote:
Yes it is. You know, they could become the Alexis Park Inn squadron.

Ha! I'll bet their annual budget is more than our annual revenue....

What's it cost to feed and clothe four Stearman biplanes (plus a
spare), plus four pilots, plus support staff?

I wouldn't want to even try to pay for their beer (:

Jay Honeck wrote:
Schwan's Corp. (parent company of Red Baron pizza) announced today
that the Red Barons are permanently grounded. After 28 years of
sponsorship they are redirecting their marketing efforts away from air
shows.

We spent two days following those guys around when we were weathered
in coming back from Oshkosh. Nice guys. One of them lives near our
property in NC.

It's their own loss. The only reason I ever bought Red Baron pizzas
was because of the squadron. I'll go back to another brand now.

"Ron Natalie" wrote in message
m...
Jay Honeck wrote:
Schwan's Corp. (parent company of Red Baron pizza) announced today
that the Red Barons are permanently grounded. After 28 years of
sponsorship they are redirecting their marketing efforts away from air
shows.

We spent two days following those guys around when we were weathered
in coming back from Oshkosh. Nice guys. One of them lives near our
property in NC.

It's their own loss. The only reason I ever bought Red Baron pizzas
was because of the squadron. I'll go back to another brand now.

A decision that probably was made by some twenty-something marketing genius who wants
the money to post kewl video ads on YouTube and send young hotties to grocery store
parking lots to hand out free samples to teenage boys.

"John Mazor" wrote in news:Eue6j.81$bW.26@trnddc07:


"Ron Natalie" wrote in message
m...
Jay Honeck wrote:
Schwan's Corp. (parent company of Red Baron pizza) announced today
that the Red Barons are permanently grounded. After 28 years of
sponsorship they are redirecting their marketing efforts away from
air shows.

We spent two days following those guys around when we were weathered
in coming back from Oshkosh. Nice guys. One of them lives near our
property in NC.

It's their own loss. The only reason I ever bought Red Baron pizzas
was because of the squadron. I'll go back to another brand now.

A decision that probably was made by some twenty-something marketing
genius who wants the money to post kewl video ads on YouTube and send
young hotties to grocery store parking lots to hand out free samples
to teenage boys.



I like te hotties idea..


Free samples of what, though?


Bertie