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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on May 7, 2018 19:38:30 GMT 12
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on May 7, 2018 19:42:01 GMT 12
Posted on 2nd April in the Warbirds Over Wanaka 2018 thread.... Hahaha....got to chat to our Minister of Defence in a bar in Wanaka last night while we were having a beer while waiting for a table for dinner (he was down here all weekend for the airshow), and we were discussing the awesome opening of the airshow with the F-16 yesterday. Ron made a comment that, “if you buggers stopped voting for those two tired old parties, Labour and National, and instead voted for a New Zealand First government, I'd make sure the RNZAF got equipped with a squadron or two of F-16 fighters!” |
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 7, 2018 22:31:09 GMT 12
About time he started doing something, six and a half months into the job.
I wonder if the need for NZDF to have more contact with the public to tell their story might mean more airshows for the RNZAF and not just once every five years at Ohakea...
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Post by ErrolC on May 8, 2018 7:17:56 GMT 12
Given the non-availability of Whenuapai, their presence at Ardmore is a good step.
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Post by phil on May 9, 2018 20:00:26 GMT 12
Ohakea is the only base capable of hosting an air show now.
And given the lead time and amount of work that was required for the last air show, it's just as well it is only every five years.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 9, 2018 20:09:33 GMT 12
Why not Woodbourne?
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Post by ErrolC on May 9, 2018 21:09:25 GMT 12
1. 20+ scheduled aircraft movements a day are a major pain to work around (Hmm, 85% of the passengers of Tauranga, but they have a lot more movements)
2. A fairly small number of people can attend as a day trip from their home. Major factor when considering the sort of people that you want to attend (having a several thousand aviation buffs visit the region doesn't actually help your objectives).
3. Not that many RNZAF people based there, lots of infrastructure required to get the required bodies on-site.
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Post by corsairarm on May 10, 2018 4:03:04 GMT 12
Given the non-availability of Whenuapai, their presence at Ardmore is a good step. Why is Whenuapai NOT available? |
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Post by ErrolC on May 10, 2018 8:19:55 GMT 12
Given the non-availability of Whenuapai, their presence at Ardmore is a good step. Why is Whenuapai NOT available? Because there is too much housing around the base, apparently. Considerably more has been added since planning for 2017 started, let alone 2012. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 10, 2018 9:25:48 GMT 12
However all those new houses in the past decade or so since their last airshow were all built with the caveat that they were building next to an active Air Force base and had to put up with it. There's actually nothing stopping an airshow being held there, and it is a better place to do so than Ohakea due to the multiple gates and routes that can be taken to the base. Plus there is a bigger population and better infrastructure around to support an airshow. It's just bollocks to brush it aside and say it is impossible.
I still see no good reason for them not to hold an Open Day air event at Woodbourne in the years between Classic Fighters. They used to have airshows there when there was just as much if not more air traffic than now coming and going.
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Post by ErrolC on May 10, 2018 10:20:53 GMT 12
However all those new houses in the past decade or so since their last airshow were all built with the caveat that they were building next to an active Air Force base and had to put up with it. There's actually nothing stopping an airshow being held there, and it is a better place to do so than Ohakea due to the multiple gates and routes that can be taken to the base. Plus there is a bigger population and better infrastructure around to support an airshow. It's just bollocks to brush it aside and say it is impossible. I still see no good reason for them not to hold an Open Day air event at Woodbourne in the years between Classic Fighters. They used to have airshows there when there was just as much if not more air traffic than now coming and going. While I don't think the Air Force has given a full justification for their decision, I can think of multiple reasons why they don't want to start an argument with various regulatory authorities and locals that aren't about noise. It certainly isn't impossible, but without knowing all the details (did Auckland Transport/NZTA tell them to get stuffed, for instance?) it's hard to say if the fight is worth it. You could do an Open Day at Woodbourne, my guess is that you would get more 'bang for your buck' by applying the same effort in supporting airshows and other recruiting/community relations activities elsewhere. It isn't as if interested people in Marlborough/Nelson aren't exposed to the RNZAF. A Black Falcon demo and recruiting caravan at Warbirds Open Days gives much more new exposure than an off-year event at Woodbourne. |
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Post by Bruce on May 10, 2018 10:31:32 GMT 12
It wont be just the noise - Air display regulations now restrict displays so they must remain clear of built up areas, and there has to be control of spectators watching from off site etc. Post Shoreham...
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 10, 2018 14:51:38 GMT 12
What? In NZ Bruce? Has the UK CAA bullshit trickled down here??
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Post by Bruce on May 10, 2018 17:13:36 GMT 12
Not entirely, but I'd hazard a guess MoD H&S Bureaucrats would like to conform to European safety standards...
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