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Post by vs on Jul 28, 2009 12:31:57 GMT 12
With what I think are massive prices expected for airshows in New Zealand with often very similar flying programmes....Who are some commentators you would like to see?
I think the following would be great:
James May and Jeremy Clarkson (topgear)
Bruce Dickinson (757 Captain, Lead singer of Iron Maiden, presenter of Flying Heavy Metal and all round top joker)
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Post by phil82 on Jul 28, 2009 13:07:15 GMT 12
With what I think are massive prices expected for airshows in New Zealand with often very similar flying programmes....Who are some commentators you would like to see? I think the following would be great: James May and Jeremy Clarkson (topgear) Bruce Dickinson (757 Captain, Lead singer of Iron Maiden, presenter of Flying Heavy Metal and all round top joker) James May knows very little about aircraft, but more than Clarkson! Jim Hickey does a pretty good job, and his Dad was a Spitfire pilot! I'll do it for a reasonable supply of Single Malt! |
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Post by vs on Jul 28, 2009 14:14:02 GMT 12
James May knows a reasonable amount, plus banter with Clarkson would be very good....Clarkson would know enough to make it amusing.
I think Bruce Dickinsons enthusiasm plus knowledge would be fantastic!
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Post by Bruce on Jul 28, 2009 15:48:52 GMT 12
A lot of NZ airshows have used aircraft enthusiast radio DJs as commentators, and I'm sure the general public thought they were OK. For many enthusiasts some of these "personalities" were truely cringe - inducing!. Bill Mudgeways performances at Matamata a few years back really had me at the point of "accidentally" unplugging some speaker cables! some however, like Peter Mack the DJ from Christchurch, are really good. Having been on airshow planning teams however, the quality of commentary relies on good info being passed to the commentator by the pilots and owners. they dont need screeds of boring specs and stats, but they still need enough info to "fill in the gaps" in an appropriate manner - otherwise they start making stuff up! (like "High visibility strobes...") If the performer has provided a good info sheet with useful and interesting stuff, you tend to get a good commentary no matter who does it.
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Post by vs on Jul 28, 2009 17:14:04 GMT 12
I think with the prices expected, good comentators are a must. If there is ever an avenger back flying in nz and I have to hear the rugby team story, I think I will throw up!
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jul 28, 2009 19:00:01 GMT 12
. . . they still need enough info to "fill in the gaps" in an appropriate manner Surely there are times where, if there is nothing to say, it's time to say nothing. |
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Post by phil on Jul 28, 2009 21:41:15 GMT 12
Jim Hickey does a pretty good job, Have you got a job working for Tui Breweries?? Having put up with his drivel at Masterton this year I'd have to disagree. His endless remarks about the female pilots were pretty embarrassing. Unfortunately Kate was too polite to tell him to STFU. |
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Post by Bruce on Jul 28, 2009 22:50:56 GMT 12
. . . they still need enough info to "fill in the gaps" in an appropriate manner Surely there are times where, if there is nothing to say, it's time to say nothing. absolutely, but you do need to say something to keep attention when the aircraft are not in clear view, e.g Catalina repositioning for a "high speed" run, when it gets a long way away, and takes a long time to come back and do something. I think Airshow radio stations cause a lot of the problems with "too much talking" as the presenters feel they need to say something for those listening who cant see what is going on. I've seen both sides of the issue, there is a point of balance somewhere in the middle! |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2009 7:48:30 GMT 12
I'd love to do the job! I have some radio experience so why not?! Interesting discussion on this very topic at the Key Publishing forum. Personally I like to hear interesting stories I've never heard before, the stats do nothing for me, mainly I want to hear more of the history of the aircraft in front of me. Not design history, how many served with whatever force, how many were built.....but when THIS one was built, WHO flew it etc. What we have to keep in mind is of course that commentators can't be there solely for the enthusiast's benefit - they must also cater to the families who may be at their first show and would like to know what they're seeing. Peter Mac at Omaka this year was great, and combined with Graham Orphan I think the commentary was pretty darned good. Jim Hopkins was good last time, but I cringed when he misidentified aircraft....the L-39 Bird Dog  ! |
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Post by phil82 on Jul 29, 2009 8:29:11 GMT 12
I*'ll do it! I reckon I've flown in over 40 different types, and watched hundreds more and been to about a zillion or so air displays. I could also play Dire Straits all day.........
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 29, 2009 9:16:18 GMT 12
I think the point of the original post is for the huge price of an airshow ticket the current commentators are not up to the job.
Well personally I think the commentators at Omaka this year were very good indeed, lead by Graham Orphan and Peter Mac, with excellent guest speakers sitting in from the RNZAF, from Graham Bethell's Mustang display (that was a really neat commentary with the Empire of the Sun music), and other displays.
The Thunder Mustang team also have their own excellent commentators who know what they're talking about, sometimes if Bryan is flying, Simon will commentate, or sometimes Rob does it, etc.
I also think the commentary given at this year's Whenuapai Open Day was excellent, very professional, inobtrusive, totally not annoying like some can be) and well worth the entry price ($5.00!!).
But to go back to the main question, regarding celebrities as commentators, I think James May would be ok, he is a pilot and does know his stuff, and having Jeremy alongside would be good too. But could you stand them doing it from 9am till 4pm for three days? I don't think they would want to either.
Bruce Dickinson on the other hand would be a great choice, and he could even provide some music for the "heavy metal" aircraft displays. And he could do a handling display in his Boeing 747 I guess.
Perhaps Julian Tutt, ex-military pilot and former presenter of the excellent BBC aviation programme The Airshow would be good in the role. Does he do airshows in the UK?
So long as it's not wannabe celbrities like Matthew Ridge and Marc Ellis, or Paul Holmes...
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Post by mumbles on Jul 29, 2009 10:52:27 GMT 12
Well personally I think the commentators at Omaka this year were very good indeed, lead by Graham Orphan and Peter Mac, with excellent guest speakers sitting in from the RNZAF, from Graham Bethell's Mustang display (that was a really neat commentary with the Empire of the Sun music), and other displays. Agreed the Mustang commentary is good, but it needs some editing or fact checking. Claiming the P-51D was the fastest and most heavily armed piston fighter of World War two when it was neither isn't a good look. Heard that commentary three times this season and that point stuck out for me like a sore thumb. |
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Post by mumbles on Jul 29, 2009 10:56:38 GMT 12
Jim Hickey does a pretty good job, Have you got a job working for Tui Breweries?? Having put up with his drivel at Masterton this year I'd have to disagree. His endless remarks about the female pilots were pretty embarrassing. Unfortunately Kate was too polite to tell him to STFU. I usually don't mind Jim Hickey, but after the third or fourth gender related pun I agree it got a bit old. He should know better as a professional broadcaster. My suggestion from out of left field: Paul Henry. Period in the box would probably be short, but entertaining |
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Post by phil82 on Jul 29, 2009 13:40:02 GMT 12
I agree that Jim Hickey could be a bit sexist, and his jokes a bit tired. I am the most un-PC guy I know, but I thought he was a bit over the top. God only knows what Kate thought of him, but she's far too well brought up to say! Besides , he hasn't got a "Dire Straits" CD.  |
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Post by vs on Jul 29, 2009 14:30:37 GMT 12
I just find I hear the same old thing. I dont goto that many airshows anymore....but same commentary every time.
I think mock airfield attacks should be banned as well!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 29, 2009 15:17:24 GMT 12
I think Wanaka is the only place in NZ doing mock airfield attacks now isn't it? I haven't seen one in a long time. They can be quite impressive but if they held all the fireworks they could probably pay for a few more flying acts.
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Post by yak2 on Jul 29, 2009 18:40:22 GMT 12
Interesting thread. I was asked to step in as guest commentator at a country airshow a couple of years ago. The gold pass area was next to the commentry position, and after I had been describing several acts in some detail.....history of the type, pilot background etc., an old duck who was seated near the front said 'he doesn't know much does he' loud enough for me to hear. Being a bit slow, I just ignored her and carried on. Thinking about it after, I should have sprung an interview on her and tested her knowledge. ;D An 'interesting' airshow commentry at Wanaka. (1998 from memory) A local guy who may have been a radio station 'personality', and a visiting English commentator. During a pause in flying, the local bloke started to rip into Aussies...'we don't like 'em, we don't want 'em here, etc. ! The English guy was a bit taken aback by this, and tried to change the subject. But the kiwi guy wouldn't let it rest. Bit different  |
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Post by phil on Jul 29, 2009 21:38:36 GMT 12
Masterton had an airfield attack.
Not as good as Avalon's one though. Hard to beat Hornets 'bombing' when they use a fair bit of HE, and the SF guys fast roping from the Blackhawks looked better than the Dad's army lookalikes doing the re-enacting at Masterton.
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Post by bazzaboeing on Jul 29, 2009 22:28:34 GMT 12
Bruce Dickinson actually flies a 757 for Astraeus Airlines and he is a Captain for said airline. Met him at Christchurch this year while touring with the band and he was a really nice guy who would make a great commentator.  Cheers Bazza |
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Post by sopwitht1 on Jul 29, 2009 23:07:07 GMT 12
In my dim and distant past I used to frequent airshows in the UK and like here, the commentary varied - from excellent to drivel - RAF Leuchars for example, the teacher from the Peanuts comics... One great one, whom I worked with once was Ken Ellis, editor of Flypast magazine - he really knows his stuff and is a great public speaker. He also threw in music as a fill in and to support the displays, appropriate music to the displays, of course. He did have an adventurous side; Where I used to work - some time ago - we ran airshows and had a local lad fly a Stolp Starduster Too; a homebuilt aerobatic biplane - it was silver, so one show Ken played Silver Machine by Hawkwind, and to another show he played Shine on you crazy diamond (the first two parts - for those Floyd fans) to the display - really worked well. Another one who'd be quite interesting to hear at an airshow is Dave Gilmour - he used to own Intepid Aviation, a company that supplied vintage and classic aircraft for different uses, such as airshows and the like. He had his own P-51 at one stage, as well as a Stearman, Yak-50 and other things. They're a bit grainy - photos of photos, no scanner. www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqU2Lt0www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqU3bUADefinitely Bruce! Bazza, you met him? Have you not washed your hand in true rock god frenzied fan style? |
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