The Aero-Fest Program Is Underway

I've hinted at a major announcement for a few months now, usually in reference to our many concerns about Sun 'n Fun, and I guess that it's time to let the feline out of the paper enclosure.

For the better part of several years, we've take an active interest in what it might take to fix events like these and barring the ability to fix them, what it might take to replace them... with something far better. We've been researching this aggressively, traveled the world over, and interviewed hundreds of experts on the subject... and are beginning to reach an understanding of what's wrong with today's fly-ins and what it might take to put them right.

While it may not be hard to dream up SOME concepts and augmentations that are better than what we find elsewhere, overall, the execution of a plan to actually accomplish something of that ilk is a major task... akin to brain surgery with one hand tied behind your back -- at least if you're doing it right and aiming as high as you need to. Most of all, one thing is clear... its time to start with a clean sheet of paper.

Sure; we have a number of fully proper reasons to want to see something better come about, but we feel that there is an over-riding reason to seek an alternative above and beyond all the "obvious" reasons. Mind you; the base reasons are plenty good enough... the event is clearly failing, attendance is down, the management seems (at best) incompetent and possibly corrupt, safety has deteriorated dramatically (and in some cases involving some well-reported accidents, we feel that Sun 'n Fun has been willfully negligent in not instituting safer protocols), the event continues a pattern of alienation of its supporters, the facility is clearly not up to the tasks at hand, and the event has simply lost all semblance of focus -- or credibility.

We have little doubt that without some major re-formatting, that this event is lost. Worse; it is equally obvious that the management of this event will not take constructive criticism, often seems to act outside of the law (via such acts as the admittedly fraudulent attendance figures they put out for many years) and acts aggressively and viciously against those who would hope to save/critique it. In other words, they're not interested in getting any help to fix their many, well-documented, ills. So be it. We give up. We get the message... Their egos have spoken and doomed this event to failure.

Enough. Let them bury themselves... we have far better things to do than aid those who would not be aided. You can only bang your head against a wall for so long before you realize that it will only feel good when you stop.

Besides all that... we've come to the conclusion think that it's time for a (truly) clean-sheet approach to seeking changes for the Fly-In network that used to be such a pivotal part of the American aviation landscape and to restore one of the one of the most critical aspects to the foundation of such events... it's time to make Fly-Ins "fun" again. I mean, REALLY fun.

Think about it... while some events manage to entertain their attendees in some form or fashion for a goodly part of the time (such as the annual Arlington EAA Fly-In, person for person, the best fly-in in the nation), we really don't hear all that much about how much fun our flying friends are having at these events anymore... and the memories I have of the better days of the Fly-In network (before commercialization and egomania became the over-riding concern for virtually every decision made by a number of fly-ins) are cherished indeed.

As we see it, there are three "E's" to building a proper fly-in... Entertainment, Education and Empowerment. The events have to be fun, interesting and exciting... they need to offer plenty of opportunities for learning, enrichment and insight... and they certainly must provide a sense of willingness and empowerment among those who attend to continue in this craft and even grow within the ranks of flyers the world over--both for one's personal enrichment as well as that of the industry's, at large. Most fly-ins do a little of all of the above and pay a little lip-service to these goals, but few of them are truly driven by tenets described above.

Instead; crass commercialization drives way too many decisions, attendees are rarely surveyed and consulted and the management decides what they like to see rather than what they think attendees might actually like. Nobody denies that you have to make money at these things unless you want to be a one-shot wonder, but I think that many fly-in organizers use too little of their imagination in dealing with vendors, sponsors, and supporters... and practice bloody poor customer service once they have them. It's possible to be a commercial success without being a commercial embarrassment... besides, build a positive, well-attended event and you'll find commercial support to follow in rapid order. Build VALUE and you will build support and participation - on all fronts, attendees, sponsors, vendors, community -- you name it.

We're not the only ones to think that way. In the conversations we've had with the major players of the aero-world -- vendors, organizations, attendees, airshow performers, and the like... not a single one has turned us down when we asked if they'd support this project. Not a one of them.

A New Approach

Yes... it IS time to start with a clean sheet of paper.

It's time to do something better by building a plan for future fly-in programs that will be able to keep up with a world that has ceased to be impressed with the way airshows and fly-ins have been conducted over the last few decades... and it's time to bring such events to the forefront of the aviation world, for our own sakes, as well as for those who are interested in aviation and aerospace -- but have been put off by the way that the Fly-Ins have declined and abused the public's trust. This new formula will require ingenuity, honesty and insight... and I'm pleased to tell you that for the last few years, the matter has been under serious discussion by some of the finest and most visionary folks in the industry -- and it has resulted in a plan. A new plan... a really new plan.

I'm not going to spill all the beans right now... but I will say this. There is now a firm and surprisingly mature plan for 'Aero-Fest' -- the first of a planned series of annual fly-ins and tradeshows that will be crafting a new generation of aviation events out of 'clean-sheet' plans -- starting a few years hence. It is designed to offer an alternative venue for the many folks who have become so disaffected with other events, and to pose a challenge to the entire aviation community to come together, professionally, to produce a cost-effective, highly entertaining aero-event that will educate, entertain and empower the aviation world for years to come. Hundreds of people have been consulted on this issue... and we've not taken their input lightly... this is a VERY different event plan from those you have seen in the past... and it is VERY different from the declining embarrassments we've seen elsewhere.

We'll have LOTS more to say in the future, but do know this -- we're pursuing this program -- for real. We're committed. We need your input, your support and ideas... so that the Aero-Fest program comprises the very best we, as an industry, can muster for the benefit of us all.

Wish us luck... but if you do, we hope you'll get directly involved and help us build something truly valuable and exciting for our industry to enjoy and for the world to share. We'll need ideas, volunteers, staffers, and incredible support... but if this isn't the right time to do this, no time is. We're looking forward to hearing from YOU. This is going to be an interesting program...

Jim Campbell, Editor-In-Chief, Aero-News Network
Chairman, Aero-Fest Planning Committee

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