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Post by sqwark2k on Jan 27, 2013 7:53:26 GMT 12
So, 1 deleted thread and another locked about this Airshow, are people not interested or scared of saying something that might hurt people's feelings!?!?
I'll admit to being a sceptic re: this show but I'm also keen to hear how it went.
NZ Herald reports 5000 people on day 1. Capacity: 22,000. Is this a good result for an "International" airshow?
Organisers want 60,000 to attend, that's not possible now with 55,000 required over 2 days with capacity of 44,000.
Anyone from attend? Was it a credible programme? Could you see much of the action live, or did you have to watch the TV screens?
Thoughts, reviews, pics welcome....
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Post by efliernz on Jan 27, 2013 8:18:02 GMT 12
Very interested how it went. I cant make it today but I am going to check it out on TV3's website this afternoon as they stream it. I may still go tomorrow...
Pete
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jan 27, 2013 9:01:15 GMT 12
Thanks to Our Leader's incentives, we went to this airshow yesterday (Saturday). The show website advised details of the shuttle-bus system, so we chose this option. The bus system and show entry was very well organized and ran smoothly, though it is the first time I have encountered a bag search on entry to an air event. The show seems to have been professionally organized, with most if not all staff paid employees rather than volunteers. The morning started with the departure of the entrants in the great Northern Air Race (not part of the actual event, admittedly). Then there was a stately vintage aircraft procession of Fox Moth ZK-APT and three Tigers ZK-ASM ZK-BEC and ZK-BLI doing a few circuits.     This was followed by the usual model aircraft display, and that was about it for the morning. By this time the wind was picking up to a hat-blowing off level, with medium level cloud moving in, so we retired for lunch. The afternoon session got underway at 1pm. The layout was very good, with large easy to see video screens on the non-crowd side of the airfield, and very good coverage from cameras at ground level, inside the display aircraft, and from an aerial camera mounted on Squirrel ZK-HPA  TV coverage was apparently also sourced from Squirrel ZK-HDL, which carried the TV3 logo for the event  The advertised highlight of the event was the 'Jetman' performace by Yves Rossy. He was carried aloft outside ZK-HDL  The performance was shown live on the screens from onboard cameras, and frankly would have been disappointing without that coverage. In real time, all you could pick up was a tiny black dot in the sky. Hardly riveting stuff to watch. At about 3000' he takes to a parachute, and lands under that  Rossy then did quite a good stint chatting to the audience  The other feature was the air-racing. This comprised Furio ZK-LLG leading two NSAC Robins into the race start, the Furio peeling away, and the two Robins then flying a closed course of a loop, a stall turn, another loop and a cuban back to the finish line. Even trailing smoke, Racing Robins are never going to match the sound and fury of Reno or Red Bull racing. Furio ZK-LLG (high right) pulls away while Robins ZK-TZD and ZK-TZF carry out the first loop of their race.  The RNZAF had a MH90 parked out static all day, Airtrainer NZ1995 departed toward the end of the event for parts unknown, and it was left to B757 NZ7572 to carry out the usual impressive military display  Aerobatic displays by ZK-NUT and ZK-XRA, a few parachute drops, and a fly-by by Strikemaster NZ6370/ZK-STR and that was about it. Worth it? As a fly-in or parade of visiting aircraft, no. As a show event designed for video performance for those more interested in a visual spectacle rather than in aviation of aircraft, probably. I enjoyed the day through meeting up with John King and a few others, but I sensed that the crowd was light for the scale of the event. Maybe Sunday or Monday may bring more people. In short, not a must-see. |
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Post by sputnik767 on Jan 27, 2013 9:03:01 GMT 12
Thanks for posting, great pic's
Was wondering what was happening, saw the wee bit on the news last night, nothing much on their facebook page and not a lot else anyhere out there....
I might go tomorrow depending on the streaming view, but the cost does make it doubtful, the curse of the start of the school year is draining all my money!
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Post by delticman on Jan 27, 2013 12:18:30 GMT 12
TV3 is live on the net at NorthShore (or Dairy Flat to us oldies). Air Racing in Robins, I'm overwhelmed with my indifference.
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Post by phil82 on Jan 27, 2013 12:39:39 GMT 12
I read in the Herald on Sunday today, that the organisers "were pleasantly surprised at the lack of traffic problems" but that only 5000 people had attended!
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Post by suthg on Jan 27, 2013 13:18:53 GMT 12
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Post by ngatimozart on Jan 27, 2013 14:34:15 GMT 12
Then commentator got up my nose during the blunty display. He'd got some info off wikipedia and proceded to tell the blunty taem guy he knew more than the team guy.
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Post by scrooge on Jan 27, 2013 19:44:44 GMT 12
Interesting.
As an attendee for all three days, observations so far are that Sunday was busier than Saturday (in association with this there appeared to be fewer active tills and security guards at the enterence so hopefully that cuts expenses back a bit). Food and beverage etc seem to be well catered for but little of interest on the ground for many, especially anyone in the 3-15 y/o range.
Wifey came in today and thought Jetman, 757 and blunty were cool and liked the air racing.
Jetman formating on a pair of robins was pretty cool, especially with the audio on the PA.
The wind isn't helping, but not affecting the primary aspects of the show.
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Post by sqwark2k on Jan 27, 2013 22:14:19 GMT 12
Organisers have announced 2-for-1 Internet sales or $35 gate charge for tomorrow, can't have pre-sold as many as they hoped.
Any crowd estimates for day 2?
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Post by ngatimozart on Jan 28, 2013 17:31:36 GMT 12
I saw on 3News that Jetman flew in formation with the Red Checkers. He said it was greatest number of aircraft he'd flown with at one time.
Edit not Red Checkers. Is five Robins (?) Item is on Campbell Live so will be website shortly.
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rhyno
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 90
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Post by rhyno on Jan 28, 2013 18:23:21 GMT 12
Was it me or did the red checkers not look like the red checkers? Also..Just watching Campbell live and there seems to be only a handful of "crowd". the jetman looked cool..but I cant help but think what the performers must be thinking with the lack of attendees ? Whats the go?
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Post by hardyakka on Jan 28, 2013 18:57:27 GMT 12
I went to North Shore today for the airshow.
I had been a bit worried about the programme but in the end I thought it worked well. My only gripe was that it took a while to get going (we flew in and arrived really early), but once we got to the afternoon programme proper, it was a good show.
Mind you, I had insider access to a number of the featured pilots due to my travelling compadre, so I wasn't getting just a "Joe Public" view of the goings on.
The head to head air-racing actually worked well even with the Robins. The pilots all flew them really tightly.
It would have been good to have a pair of high-performance machines but with the smoke systems installed and the blue skies, it looked good.
Yves Rossy, the Jetman was a blast. Even though he was high up, his smoke trails were a dotted line as he chased the 5-Robin formation around the sky. Being able to glance at the big screens to see the detail actually enhanced the viewing.
The Pembertons, with Melissa in NUT chasing Rex around in his wingsuit was fun to watch. The live backward facing camera on Rex's helmet showed Melissa getting real close as she spiralled around him. The other wingsuit flyers were cool as well. The aerial transfer of one skydiver to "surfing" the back of another wingsuit flyer actually worked today..
The Red Checkers were good in their 5-ship display and the high-power aeros and Strikemaster were enjoyable as well.
I must admit that if the price hadn't been halved for the final day I might not have gone, but having been I enjoyed myself (and had a very nice flight there and back as well).
The crowds would have been touching 8 to 10 thousand I would estimate. While not spectacular attendance I hope they got enough people through to convince them to try again in future.
Perhaps not calling it an airshow might help. It's not really focused on exhibiting aircraft. Aerial circus might be a better term... or aerial stunt spectacular.
Special mention must go to Brooke Howard-Smith as the MC. When historical/factual accuracy is not paramount, having an entertainer on the PA is not a bad idea. He had the crowd going like a pro.
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Post by motoxjase on Jan 28, 2013 20:09:08 GMT 12
Im personally hoping that this keeps going in the future and provides an alternative to Wanaka and Omaka with their more WW1 & WW2 focus, a lot of the public want to see an airshow that has more to do with modern aircraft and an airshow that could hopefully pull acts such as military aircraft from the States etc.
Hopefully the people who staged this airshow keep going and get another show up and running and hopefully the forces get in behind and really help promote along with Air NZ etc
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Post by bell407 on Jan 28, 2013 21:10:47 GMT 12
They'll probably need a better airfield for it to get bigger, especially if international air forces are to be involved (NZ's Avalon).
Would Whenuapai would be the best or only airfield in Auckland if that were the case?
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Post by ngatimozart on Jan 29, 2013 0:37:26 GMT 12
Whenuapai would be best bet. They can get C17s in there so foreign air forces if they came could get most there aircraft in. I think parking and access ould be a lot easier and also from RNZAF point of view free advertising for them. Coming the week after WOW I reckon it would draw an international crowd and aircraft as has been mentioned here two different types of airshow. I think for it really to work internationally would for it to be off year to Avalon. It's a month until Avalon so the foreign air forces and exhibitors wouldn't want to do an extend stay down under or two trips within a short time frame. So if it was off year to Avalon and worked in with WOW then it could be a very attractive package for foreign aviation enthusiasts, air forces and industry. They did a couple of things at this show which were world firsts so thats a good start.
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Post by corsair67 on Jan 29, 2013 13:49:59 GMT 12
The only thing I'd say at this point is that if crowds were small as has been reported - then don't get too far ahead of yourselves, as I am guessing this will be the one and only "New Zealand International Air Show".
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Post by scrooge on Jan 29, 2013 14:35:56 GMT 12
Possibly, but if this one is viewed as a proof of concept or similar I think a future show would have a reasonable chance to develop it's own identity and franchise. Many non-aviatiors liked what was available. From my point of view, it needed more for the enthusiasts and more ground activities etc.
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Post by jpschulze on Jan 29, 2013 21:11:14 GMT 12
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Post by rbwannabe on Jan 29, 2013 22:05:28 GMT 12
Corsair, you don't know that, and I am guessing because the airshow wasn't what you wanted it to be, therefore it has to be a failure!
So I ask you when was the last time an aviation event managed to attract well over an hour of prime time TV? As well as radio, social media etc etc. I have never been to a pre-show meeting where all the participating performers where presented to all the major media.
The people behind this are at the top of their game in media and technology, and despite this being their first attempt at an airshow I think they nailed it with what they had. The live camera feeds from onboard cameras, ground units and especially the helicopter cameras was fantastic. Plus the interviews and presentations, whilst a bit scratchy on the first day, worked really well in the end.
Sure the air race Robins were not ideal Aircraft for the event but they performed really well, and I think more than a few skeptics, have revised their opinion. But importantly the race format (rules by Slackie) has been proven as such an exciting concept that it has already been discussed for overseas events.
So before you write it off, as you have, think of the positives. And whilst you are doing that.......think about what you would get if you incorporated the technology, expertise and organisation that was on display this weekend with our already fantastic World class airshows?
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