ORIGINAL: Steve Collins
.........................Since when have events been held to entertain spectators with music? Most pilots who do not like the music will not complain about it to the organizers. I, for one, simply cross that event off of next year's calendar and go to another event instead.
Our events should be first and foremost about what the participating pilots want from an event.
Spectators don't come to an event for the music, they come to watch the planes fly! Every event I go to is well attended by spectators. Spectator attendance is far more about how well the event is publicised to the public than whether there is music playing.
When the event organizers care more about entertaining spectators than what the pilots want, watch the participation in the event dwindle.
RIGHT ON! I especially agree with "Our events should be first and foremost about what the participating pilots want from an event". When the spectators become more important than the pilots, pilot participation will fall off.
It's GREAT to have spectators, and I always make a point of making myself very open to them. BUT, they are there to see our warbirds fly, and we are there to enjoy the comradity of flying with fellow warbirds enthusiests, and attempt to recreate a little bit of history.
Sorry I didn't add a third option (as stated earlier). It is too late to change it now, changing it would pretty much invalidate the votes that have already been cats.
But it seems pretty obvious to me, based on comments AND the wording in the 1st post, that the general consensus is:
1) The vast majority of us do not want LOUD music played while we are flying. ANY music being played should be BACKGROUND music, quiet enough that normal conversation can be held without resorting to yelling, and quiet enough so that we can hear our engines running.
2) Music should be appropriate for the aircraft that are flying. This includes national anthems, military hymms and theme songs, and the music that was popular during the time period that the aircraft are from. This could even include Rock & Roll IF the aircraft are Viet Nam era (or later ), but again: it should be BACKGROUND music.
To say the poll numbers and comments posted really support those statements seems more of an unstatement, as others have stated: it isn't even close by any means of imagination. The members of RCU warbird community have spoken, I sure hope the CDs are listening.
Another point brought up, but not included in the poll: flight demos. Many of us travel great distances, and spend $$ just to get for an event which lasts maybe 8 hours tops. When the event is shut down for a flight demo: IT SHOULD BE RELATED TO THE EVENT THEME (warbirds in this case). Even so, many are dis-satisfied with the special treatment alloted to others who are allowed to perform these demos, even when they are related to warbirds. CDs might be wise to carefully limit time frames for such demos, and allow ALL to get as much flying in as they can during the event timeframe.
ORIGINAL: hellcat56
......................Part of the thrill of these event is the sound of the planes (sorry about that electric guys)
Hellcat56
One more thing: some electric powered warbirds now have onboard sound systems which make them sound more realistic than fuel powered warbirds. I recently purchased one of those systems, and will install it in my electric powered Hangar 9 Corsair this coming winter, so no need to apologize to me.
Of course, if they turn the music up too loud: it'll be a complete waste of my money.