I know that many airshows are quite expensive to attend, and that freeloading may be the only way some people can get to see them. But what I don’t understand is why the vast majority of the cars that are parked up outside venues such as Shuttleworth during an airshow, appear to be fairly new “less than 6 years old” and in some cases, quite expensive looking. Is it perhaps that the purchase of these vehicles has left the owners somewhat brassic, or are the owners just too tight to buy a ticket and support the venue/museum ?. :dev2:
Bob T.
By: paul178 - 10th July 2015 at 12:26
Well all I can say is if the airshow was sold out I don’t blame any one for getting a free view. If it was not then I would consider it a different matter.
By: charliehunt - 9th July 2015 at 21:20
Well tried but you haven’t removed the impasse. Some still endorse freeloading and others don’t. Although of course it’s not black and white but a general principle applies.
By: Meddle - 9th July 2015 at 20:26
This thread had reached a bit of an impasse. To summarise then, if everybody watched airshows from the perimeter fence then there would be no money flowing into such events, and they would cease to exist. However not everybody freeloads now, or ever will, so this seems more like an issue of morality and ethics, rather than the imminent demise of all airshows in the UK. Some people cannot afford to stump up the exorbitant cost of airshows, especially if they have a lot of family in tow. However, a good number of airshow freeloaders can clearly afford high quality camera equipment, and seem emotionally invested enough in historic aviation that you would expect them to financially contribute to the events they photograph at length. Furthermore such freeloaders are not factored into the planning and safety precautions rolled out at airshows, and therefore put themselves in a position of slight risk as a result. There is always the chance, as well, that a casual observer may be drawn into a lifetime of paid-up airshow attendance, and therefore we should not frown on each and every freeloader with the same degree of furrowed brow.
I fully plan to attend both Scottish airshows this year, with my partner in tow. I’m taking four people along to East Fortune on the 25th. My Grandparents took me to East Fortune when I was a small boy, and it clearly left a lasting impression.
By: AlanR - 9th July 2015 at 08:50
That is a very good point of view. Though I have never stood outside an airshow I am happy to say that my interest in aviation was started by attending an airshow and I’ve never looked back. My late parents never realised how grateful I was, and still am, to them for taking me to that first one.
Same here, although the experienced was enhanced when being a cadet in the ATC.
By: charliehunt - 9th July 2015 at 07:28
It flowed easily from the preceding post!;)
By: mike currill - 9th July 2015 at 06:38
Oh, best close the M23 (Gatwick), M25 (Heathrow), M11 (Stansted), A45 (Coventry) etc etc as they all have more traffic than Duxford… 😀
Now we’re getting silly but carry on, I’m enjoying this discussion.
By: mike currill - 9th July 2015 at 06:35
If a person stands outside an airshow venue and watches a display that’s a positive for historic aviation.
One more person that has enjoyed the day, enjoyed the aircraft and taken away something positive. At a later date if only a small percentage
of these people are encouraged to attend or support their local airfield then that’s got to be a good thing.
The day we should worry is when no one stands outside, no one takes interest, no one cares.
That is a very good point of view. Though I have never stood outside an airshow I am happy to say that my interest in aviation was started by attending an airshow and I’ve never looked back. My late parents never realised how gratefull I was, and still am, to them for taking me to that first one.
By: Bob - 8th July 2015 at 23:18
Oh, best close the M23 (Gatwick), M25 (Heathrow), M11 (Stansted), A45 (Coventry) etc etc as they all have more traffic than Duxford… 😀
By: AlanR - 8th July 2015 at 22:47
If Big Beautiful Doll had gone in, a few hundred feet to the left, maybe the question of members of the public viewing from outside the fence would be a thing of the past?…
Although an accident is more likely to take place within an airfield boundary. Perhaps they should also close the M11 during
the course of an airshow, just in case ?
By: Bob - 8th July 2015 at 22:01
If Big Beautiful Doll had gone in, a few hundred feet to the left, maybe the question of members of the public viewing from outside the fence would be a thing of the past?…
By: Creaking Door - 8th July 2015 at 20:13
One more person that has enjoyed the day, enjoyed the aircraft and taken…
…lots of photographs with their camera and their big expensive lenses! :rolleyes:
Yes, I can understand a fairly local novice to the airshow scene ‘happening’ upon an airshow but you can’t expect those that routinely cross the country, with hundreds of pounds worth of camera equipment, to suddenly develop more of an interest in historic aviation (and more of a social conscience) and start paying to photograph the aircraft from inside the airshow (or at least make a donation of equivalent value).
By: hampden98 - 8th July 2015 at 19:23
If a person stands outside an airshow venue and watches a display that’s a positive for historic aviation.
One more person that has enjoyed the day, enjoyed the aircraft and taken away something positive. At a later date if only a small percentage
of these people are encouraged to attend or support their local airfield then that’s got to be a good thing.
The day we should worry is when no one stands outside, no one takes interest, no one cares.
By: John Green - 8th July 2015 at 17:15
Spot on ! But, also as a matter of general principle. You could include the euro of current renown !
By: Meddle - 8th July 2015 at 16:53
Bit like the EU and its members ?
What is the common resource in this scenario? I can see it applying to fish stocks in the North Sea, to give one example.
By: AlanR - 8th July 2015 at 16:46
…somebody asked the question, others have given their views.
Quite 🙂
By: Creaking Door - 8th July 2015 at 16:29
I don’t think anybody’s getting ‘steamed up’ over it; this is a discussion forum…
…somebody asked the question, others have given their views.
By: charliehunt - 8th July 2015 at 16:13
That very concise summary is rather a simplification of a complex theory.
By: John Green - 8th July 2015 at 16:00
From Google:
The tragedy of the commons is a term, originally used by Garrett Hardin, to denote a situation where individuals acting independently and rationally according to each’s self-interest behave contrary to the best interests of the whole group by depleting some common resource.
Bit like the EU and its members ?
By: Mike meteor - 8th July 2015 at 15:31
Agree with you, Charlie.
It’s still, (mostly), a free country, so I live and let live, but to a degree there is in me a sense of resentment that I have coughed up the hard earned to see the show while others haven’t. I know my own views but life’s too short to get steamed up over it. End of the day, I have the small satisfaction of knowing that my funds have made a tiny contribution to what I enjoy seeing.
By: Agent K - 8th July 2015 at 15:30
From Google:
The tragedy of the commons is a term, originally used by Garrett Hardin, to denote a situation where individuals acting independently and rationally according to each’s self-interest behave contrary to the best interests of the whole group by depleting some common resource.
How very nicely and succinctly put.
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July 4, 2015 at 1:07 pm