In defence of Newark.
Hi all
The last few posts are troubling me personaly. Howard is quite correctly telling it the way it is from the inside, and others will have there view’s from other perspectives.
So here is how it is from a Cockpiteer’s view point. Max and I are a father / son team (now!), but that’s not how it started. Max was about 13 years old, and had a motley collection of instrument panels, this had grown from a seed planted by Nev Martin at Bruntingthore, someone many of us owe a lot to.
Max was a shy kid who had read about Cockpitfest in Flypast, he badgered me to take him along, which I did. and he won an award, which stands out as one of the proudest days of his parents lives. I will never forget Ken Ellis interviewing him, and he talks about it to this day.
The next year we stayed over, and that was when we realised what Cockpitfest was realy all about. The friendship, help and all round comeradery of all at Newark and the fellow Cockpiteer’s was unbelivable. And that is the esscence of Cockpitfest.
However, real life goes on around us, and inevitably that influences participation. The logistics of getting a display, be it a cockpit or an instrument panel should not be underestimated. Most of us spend all year driving around in a small family car, which sudenly has to become a lorry!
The costs also take there toll, nothing is free in this world, and it is not the cheapest hobby in the world (mind you we tell the Mr’s that it is!!). So sometimes people have to miss events, or scale things down.
However, you will almost inveriably see the guy’s who are missing out walking around as general public over the weekend, probably having sheared costs to come over in one car, and all will be sorry they are not participating.
My message is this, Cockpitfest has the most loyal and brilliant group of both organisers and followers of any event in any disciplin I have ever known, and the numbers in atendance don’t nessesarily reflect the success of the event, but probably more the situation of the individuals attending.
But no matter what, Howard, Bill and everyone else who helps make it such a special event, deserve nothing but praise and our thanks.
Max id older, bigger and uglier, and I am fatter, greyer and older, but we love the event no matter what.
And I am willing to sign this off with my name!
Ritch and Max Blood, proud to be Cockpiteer’s.
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