Air Expo
- Thread starter Bavarian
- Start date
SoMDMama82
New Member
Bavarian said:
per 2007 Airshow Schedule
I think pretty much all of the ones for Pax River have been cancelled since 2005. Not sure why though.
SoMDMama82
New Member
beerlover said:
That's a shame...I loved going to those shows. I missed the one at Andrews earlier this year. Maybe next year
Bavarian said:
From what i understand, the Blue Angles have refused to fly at PAX anymore. Two reasons: (1) the new air traffic control tower is too high (2) the new hangar that was built for the Presidential Helicopter test program is right next to the runway and in the Blue Angles' "Acrobatic Box". They said they'd fly here, but the presidential program refuses to vacate the building. So we shouldn't be expecting them anytime soon.
Apparently public works told the building decision team that this was a bad site, but they didn't listen. Idiots!
Bavarian
New Member
The Air Expo used to be a fundraising activity for Navy Relief. Always had to buy chances.
Plus it was a good way for the public to get to know what was going on.
When every year, Blue Angels were not at every show. US Air Force team flew at least once, along with Canadien Snowbirds. One year the headline a ct was sfrom Holiday Inn. ADM Calvert put a stop to Navy planes flying when he was the Admiral of NATC.
Plus it was a good way for the public to get to know what was going on.
When every year, Blue Angels were not at every show. US Air Force team flew at least once, along with Canadien Snowbirds. One year the headline a ct was sfrom Holiday Inn. ADM Calvert put a stop to Navy planes flying when he was the Admiral of NATC.
Rael
Supper's Ready
Interesting subject to me, pardon thebeerlover said:
. If this is true for the Navy (which I don't disagree with, but don't know, either), that tells where recruitment falls in the $$$ pecking order, doesn't it? Pushing funding down to the base turns it into a base fund raiser rather than a recruiting event with the added benefit of being a fund raiser. And running a show takes overhead. To the base, more risk for less profits (if any), or even a loss. Cancel. Makes sense...If this is true, that puts more angles to it. Again, don't know. I do know the feature air show acts have countless more restrictions, and likely grew more of them over the years resulting from from air show incidents (them and others). But some of the restrictions (IMO) appear ridiculous from the outside. One year, the featured act (will not say which one) refused to fly if the visual reference busses were not painted white on the top. Now they claim a refusal to vacate a building prevents a show? And the tower too high? Puh-lease. It's called day visual flight rules, see-and-avoid. Figure out a way, but just do the show.slomo said:
BUT...No feature act, too many resources thrown at too little crowd, no revenue, no air show. Cancel.
Air shows are excellent recruiting events and fund raisers. At the DoD show just up the river a ways from Pax, the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds alternate each year as the feature act. There is only one year I recall when they were both there at the same time in the late 90s. I don't think they fancy that dual-feature act air show gig very much. Too much competition maybe? Who knows? But they never did it since or before (to my knowledge).Bavarian said:
Shame it didn't happen at Pax these past few years. I only learned about that reading this thread, too.
Yep, I noticed a lot of misinformation, from ADM Calvert of NATC to who funds the air show. Pax River was realigned into the Washington Naval District a few years ago - a lot of things changed here, the most visible changes have been MWR (who operates the food service). NDW has cut the MWR budget so I'm not suprised that the airshow is off the budget picture as well.bresamil said:
As for ADM Calvert.... well NATC and the other labs were commanded by Captains, not Admirals. After the consolidation from BRAC, NAWC was put under the command of an admiral.
The tower is what it is, it is no different then any other airfield.
As for the new VH hanger. There are a lot of buildings close by. The only places I remember being "cleared" were the roads. Certain sections of road were closed - that section leading to the hanger being one of them.
But I think the only reason there is no airshow is the money, it's just not a priority for NDW to hold an airshow at Patuxant River. The admiral at the Washington Navy Yard has little interest in the So.MD community outside of the cost of running his base there.
beerlover
New Member
BernieP said:
Actually, the MWR funding for NDW has been held steady-state with adjustments for inflation, not cut.
The air show funding changed again this year because VADM Conway fought for NDW (and other CNIC) Commands, telling FMB that they could not afford to fund air shows and fleet weeks out of hide. So FMB gave him $2.791Million to fund them. To date, only about $800K of that money has been spent, probably because bases didn't plan the events because of the lack of funding over the last few years. So since there was no requirement identified by Pax River, no funding was sent down. Who knows if FMB will pony up the funding next year or not... I guess it's kind of hard to plan a big event like an open house/air show when the funding stream keeps changing. But VADM Conway does seem to care a little about the community down here, even though it's outside the beltway. He also opened up the MWR facilities to all DOD contractors and spouses, not just those at Pax.... He's not all bad.
itsbob
I bowl overhand
Talk about being full of misinformation...BernieP said:
Our building was cleared EVERy airshow.. Security would come by about 1/2 hour before the Angels show and ensure everyone was out of the building. That was shortly after getting my haircut by the F-86..
I THOUGHT the only portion of the base that fell under NDW was the Solomons Rec Center.. that happened about 3 years ago, and has since been returned to Pax River MWR.. but I may be wrong.
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I don't know what building you're in but the south engineering campus was not closed (2187, 2109 etc) and the planes flew right overhead. All I recall being closed were certain sections of road.itsbob said:
As for the budget, since acts have to be scheduled years in advance, if the local command didn't know the money would be available they can't move forward with plans.
Comments about MWR were based on people I know who work there - particularly the food service side (Officer's Club and Pax Landing). They have fewer staff and the offerings have been scaled back as prices have increased.
Mikeinsmd said:You're trying to give forestool & slappy a run for the most retarded poster aren't you?
People in a building have NOTHING to do with an aerial show. Nor does the height of the tower.
Mike, I just say what I heard. My friend works in base PW and deals with the Blues directly. I've seen the signed photo on her wall from the Blues. I tend to believe her when she said that the Blues won't fly here because of those 2 reasons. She also is the same one who gave the presidential PMA a list of potential test sites to build on, she said they picked the worse one and knew the ramifications all the while. OBW- I WORK IN THE BUILDING!!!! I know what the heck Im talking about.
Now leave me the ^&%$ alone
Midnightrider
Well-Known Member
you can check and see, but i never agree with mike. However, you are obviously a tard. I work in a building that is on the opppsite side of the airfield and the blue angles have used our building as the target for their show many times. Our building is taller than the Preshelo hanger, so thats obviously not an issue. they fly around buildings all the time, and i am sure this isn't the first airfield to get a new tower.slomo said:Mike, I just say what I heard. My friend works in base PW and deals with the Blues directly. I've seen the signed photo on her wall from the Blues. I tend to believe her when she said that the Blues won't fly here because of those 2 reasons. She also is the same one who gave the presidential PMA a list of potential test sites to build on, she said they picked the worse one and knew the ramifications all the while. OBW- I WORK IN THE BUILDING!!!! I know what the heck Im talking about.
Now leave me the ^&%$ alone
This has to do more with political and funding issues.....