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If there are any pilots on the forum from the 81st FS at Spangdahlem, could they say why it is so difficult to see a A-10 at airshows in the UK.

Thanks in anticipation.

showground

I'm a maintainer, not a pilot, but there are a LOT of factors that go into it. That is a bit above my head, though, so I can't help with many specifics.

--Raven

"'When it comes to my turn, will you want me to go?' 'For democracy, any man would give his only begotten son.'"

I wish we could see them downunder...although, I can imagine how big a deal it would be to make this happen.

Still, it would be great though...

"During the Iranian Embassy Siege, the only way the terrorists were going to leave the building, was either to prison or in a box!"

Soldier 'I' from British SAS (1980)

ya'll shouldn't feel bad...I work/live at/near a base in the US and the last air show the Hog was a "no" show, and the one the base is having this year, with my luck, won't have a Hog either...I just love playing with pilots and see what kind of "bs" they try to tell me <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> j/k....

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If you can't go fast...go Ugly

_________________

The reason that it is hard to see a Demo in the UK is simple. There are only 2 bases and 2 pilots allowed to do Demos, Pope AFB and Davis Monthan AFB. For us to do a demo overseas it takes a lot of coordination. We (A-10 East) are scheduled to attend the RIAT in Fairford this year. So far it is looking like we may get to go. But I have not gotten official opproval that we are going yet. I will keep you posted.

who do i need to kill in order to get u over <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Not worried about a demo, my local show can't even get a static from Spangdahlem !!

showground...I feel your pain...I'm only about 7 hours away from Pope, and the Demo team isn't gonna come here (Robins AFB) and I'll be lucky if we get a static bird...I sure hope so...but who knows...

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I am speaking purely as a person with a little insight into the European airshow situation. Nothing I am about to say is the Air Force's, Spangdahlem's, or the 81FS's position on anything. In fact, it is mostly me talking out of my a**.

Each year we get dumped a huge list of airshows that are available for our wing to go to. They range from Ireland, to Moscow, to South Africa sometimes. Our squadron volunteers to fill a few of them. We get "volun-told" to do others. We signed up, and plan on sending two of our pilots to RAF Fairford for the Tattoo. There are others in England, like the Cat-Meet that sound interesting. When these are presented to the AF, they are marketed by nothing other than a location and a name. Had the pilots making the decisions known about some of the other points of interest in other airshows, the decisions might have been made differently.

We occasionally do fly-bys, but we only do demos in very special circumstances. Most European airshows are statics.

It doesn't seem like much, but when a squadron goes to an airshow you lose several training sorties. On a typical Friday-Monday deployment you lose 2 combat-training sorties on each day that the jet is away. Knowing that European bases do the majority of their flying the good weather of the summer, it adds up to about 40-50 lost combat training sorties each summer.

Now, throw in mandatory exercises, deployments, German holidays, etc, and you are making an impact on the operational capacity of the squadron if you let it get out of control.

Pilots enjoy taking jets off-station. Maintenance and Group Commanders get nervous when a jet is too far away to drive to it.

Squadrons have to be balanced. How can you tip the balance into your favor? Market your airshow. A phone call or a letter EARLY in the planning process could make a difference in the minds of the people planning the event.

Again.....just the ramblings of a guy who is speaking only for himself.

prkiii check this site out. www.londonairshow.com
There will be 4 Hogs from PA there. I plan on going if you want any pics. There are here every yr. Think they enjoy our great Canadian Beer.

Thanks for the info Inkjet, makes alot of sense.
As I have said in other posts, with only a single Hog squadron in Europe as opposed to the six of over a decade ago, it makes airshow appearances very rare indeed these days.
Keeping my fingers crossed for Fairford, we are flying in on a charter BA 747 of all things!
Last year the security was way way over the top and it took several centuries of queueing to get in........(no way is a suicide bomber going to queue up with a bunch of aviation enthusiasts........he'd want to detonate the bomb and take himself out long before getting on base)<img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Inkjet.
Did you get the email I sent to you.

showground

RAAR!!!!!!!!!! LONDON AIRSHOW!!!!!!!!! i'm there! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>


ah 1 problem - thats not London England is it <img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>


Edited by - Yojimbo on Jun 06 2003 03:01 AM