No PFA rally in 2007

Answering my question forwarded from a Spotting List.

5/6 May – PFA Sywell Revival Regional Rally – Sywell.
26/27 May – PFA Northern Lights Regional Rally – Wick, Scotland.
23/24 June – PFA Robin Hood Regional Rally – Hucknall.
30th June – PFA Southwest Regional Rally – Dunkeswell.
25/26 August – PFA Real Aeroplane Regional Rally – Breighton.

Any dates been quoted yet, I heard the next PFA Magazine was publishing them and as I am no longer a member i wont find out.

The PFA airshows were always been a bit boggo, with funny little homemade aeroplanes fluttering around, and sometimes the BoB Memorial Flight and a Pitts or a Laser whizzing about. The best act I ever saw there was Taff Smith flicking his Jungmeister on finals.

It is nobody’s fault, but PFA aeroplanes are not the chosen diet of airshow watchers. As for the lack of atmosphere at Kemble, the split site is a factor, and the lack of trade stands was a result of a huge fee hike, as the PFA made belated efforts to stay in profit.

The greatest advantage of the ‘mini-rallies’ format is low expectation, so when visitors do have a great time at a cracking event it will be a very pleasant surprise. Regardless of all the bull and bureaucracy, PFA people love to get together, to fly, talk, have a drink and be around aeroplanes, and they can do that whatever the nature and size of the event.

In the old days when the rally was held at Cranfield it always seemed to be a huge success. Apart from the aircraft, large numbers of people would drive in and I am sure they were not all PFA members. So what has changed with the move to Kemble?

One noticeable diffence has been the reduction in trade stands. Also the air show has disappeared. My personal feeling is that the whole ambience has changed but I can’t say exactly what has caused this.

Heard today at Popham thet the have signed up for a regional PFA Rally in 2007.

Great news looking forward to it.

Any one confirm…(Melyvn)

Until such time as someone issues a press release it is not up to me to say or speculate. Sorry.

Heard today at Popham thet the have signed up for a regional PFA Rally in 2007.

Great news looking forward to it.

Any one confirm…(Melyvn)

Hi all,
well I thought the rally was very good this year and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The difficulties in holding an event of this size what with all the ludicrous H&S nonsence and insurances are considerable. If the weather had been kinder over 2000 aircraft might have attended and the losses might not have been so large.

I don’t believe the intent is to make money by attracting layfolk into the aviation fold. More an annual celebration of homebuilt and experimental aeroplanes and to that end its very successful.
I still think the membership fee is very good value, with or without the rally. Without the PFA, quite simply, I could not afford to fly my own aeroplane and the dream would have remained just that.

The proposal to have regional meets seems a good thing, I can go to lots of PFA rallies now instead of one.

They have been there and done most of that. The problem is just as listed by Moggy in his first point.

Until such time as the PFA rally works out what it actually wants to be it cannot, by definition, succeed.

They have also been losing (my) money hand over fist.

Let us make no mistake, the PFA is a good organisation but can become too committee bound and, in my opinion, has lost the plot on the rally for at least five years. That has cost a lot of money that could have been spent on the stuff they do really well, like fighting our corner against stupid rules.

Dobbing in your subscription because the rally was crap is short-sighted and daft.

In many an article written about the PFA rally, there is always the question as to why is it not the Oshkosh of Europe.Simply it is not advertised anywhere other than dedicated aviation magazines.Joe public is not informed of the events,there appears to be nothing to draw in the day tripper or casual on looker.
If the event is meant to generate money for the PFA then all people need to be included.This would mean turning the event into more of a regular airshow but with a bias to homebuilds.If it is meant to be a gathering of like minded people then the smaller local fly ins are the way to go, just dont expect to make large proffits.

You’ll still get a letter every year stating your membership will expire soon and now is the time to renew. 4 years expired me. 🙂

they are already 1 Membership down

Mine

Sorry – Bye – All the best

Ewen has a thread running here:

http://www.pfa.org.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=000068;p=2

Rod

There are ‘plastic fantastic’ aircraft such as the MCR01M Bush aircraft, which will outperform the vintage stuff in all departments.

I could not agree more but what is your point? If any modern aeroplane could not out-perform so called vintage stuff of similar size and power – generally speaking – then there must be something wrong. (except where one needs bigger wheels :diablo: )

Wether an aeroplane is a 60 year old classic, a wood and fabric home-built or a modern over size Airfix or Meccano kit, 😮 etc. etc., they each have their devoted followers.

Personally I do not look twice at most composite or kit aeroplanes; when you’ve seen one you have seen them all; :rolleyes: but I do admire the dedication of those that build them.

Getting of subject. 😀

Ewen

Low’N’Slow

“Trouble is, since then a lot of PFA folk have built ‘plastic fantastic’ aeroplanes with teeny little wheels and the need for half a mile of tarmac – which Sywell currently lacks.”

Two of the most popular ‘plastic fantastic’ aircraft are the MCR01 and the Europa, both of which are regular visitors at Sywell. There are ‘plastic fantastic’ aircraft such as the MCR01M Bush aircraft, which will outperform the vintage stuff in all departments.

Moggy

I too have marketing expertise and have helped the PFA out on a number of occasions. I can state absolutely that no marketing plan that you or I would recognise existed for this year’s event.

Rod1

I think Moggy, you have hit the nail on the head. The trouble with the PFA Rally/FFF or whatever they may call it is the lack of “Joe Public” appeal. It is ok getting the enthusiasts in but they alone will no generate the necessary income.

The nation as a whole probably couldn’t give two figs about aeroplanes unless they are carting them off to their hols and even then they don’t care too much for them either. (Not helped by the NIMBY brigade either)

OK, marketing is what I do.

For any product I’d ask the following questions.

1) Who is / are the target audience (s) for this product?

2) What is it that would motivate the purchase of this product, rather than the product of my competitor, now, and in the future? (One answer for each audience)

If you can’t answer the question you ain’t got a marketing plan.

And don’t forget that, other than for the committed few ‘competitors’ means football, cutting the lawn, going to the retail park, staying in bed, Alton Towers…..

Moggy

I do not think it is particularly controversial to apply some guidelines regarding the attendees at these gatherings (if they ever end up happening).

What if such an event was arranged, and was then promptly over-run by a swarm of 500 PA 28’s ( georgeous though they are )? It would be a pretty lame celebration of PFA endeavours. It is not as though there is a shortage of general fly-ins throughout the season.

Do not lose sight of the cicumstances that brought this about. The PFA historically have never been aloof, discriminatory or applied any kind of aviation apartheid, and it is purely external factors which have forced them to consider limiting the numbers of visiting aeroplanes. No doubt arrangements would be made to welcome all PFA members, whatever they were flying .

Great… So, alienate the spotters/enthusiasts/photographers AND PFA members who fly standard production aeroplanes too! :rolleyes:

Andy

Andy,
You could still let PFA members in with whatever they fly. I think what is being alluded to is making the event more PFA type orientated and the other types could always be parked seperately.
We as marshallers sometimes sort the aircraft at VAC events and one or two of the others that we work. It’s not hardship.
Gary

It remains to be seen how the PFA membership will be affected… spotters/enthusiasts/photographers or whatever will no be asking themselves what actual benefit they will derive for their annual £40 subs… there is some interest in regional mini-rallies… maybe limiting the participation of non-PFA aeroplanes.

Great… So, alienate the spotters/enthusiasts/photographers AND PFA members who fly standard production aeroplanes too! :rolleyes:

Andy

The VAC had a PFA tribute line in September with a nice mix of the classic PFA types and one or two of the more modern ones.
I know the VAC are keen on keeping the older more traditional types alive.