Air shows. Like them? Or not?

[catzies]

Where I live we see two of them a year. The local Naval Air Station has a big one with all the requisite screaming military jets, then our small non-commercial airport has them for the rest of the aicraft types (I guess that's what it is). Anyway, the "small air show" runs today and tomorrow and while I have no plans to attend, I still feel it affects me because I live in the approach path, or whatever it's called.

It's just a feeling, and completely unfounded in fact, but this year I am just cringing at every plane that's going through maneuvers overhead, because this is kinda a small compact area, with lots of houses and the freeway underneath, and I hope to God that every plane that takes off also lands again successfully.

My teeth are just set on edge, and it's making me tense and I can't wait until it's all over for another year.

[shockandawed]

1. war propaganda and tax payer waste

[ProudGerman]

2. Know what you're going through

When I lived in Germany for five years, they would have REFORGER. Huge military games held once a year to practice what to do when the Soviets would roll in and crush us (because that is what would have happened). Anyways, for the two weeks of that exercise military jets and helicopters of all kinds would fly low over our quarters and the school I went to all hours of the day and night. As a kid I liked it, kids like noisy things. But I did grow tired of the tanks and mobile artillery and other various tracked vehicles moving past the apartment building in seemingly never ending convoys. They were loud, AND shook the ground furiously.

[Aristus]

9. As a tank-crewman and former participant in a REFORGER

exercise, I would like to thank you and the German people for the kindness and patience you showed us. The courtesy and natural curiosity displayed by the locals as we tore up the countryside was heartwarming, and made the long days and nights pass much more quickly. Thank you again, from a friend of the German people.

[Kellanved]

11. Wow- thanks

I am very happy that you had good experiences in Germany and got to know our country. I'm very impressed by your German; English is easy to learn and very difficult to master; German is never easy.
I myself would be very happy to have Americans soldiers as guests in this nation in the future - decades of protection and far more help than deserved are things we'll never be able to pay back and they always were a great addition to the society.

Whole local soccer leagues are unable to play, because the players are doing their duty in Iraq.

American Expats are the people most positive about Germany here - in fact the only people I know not constantly bitching about the situation are American Expats (to be more accurate: they only bitch about the lack of iced water and the bureaucracy, both: local and with their embassy). I wish there were more of them, especially at the University.

[LWolf]

3. Both.

We have a big local air show every fall at Edward's Airforce Base. It's ok. I went once, just to say I'd been.

When I was married to a pilot, we were regular attendees at the Reno Air Races. I always had a great time. I haven't been in few years, since I'm not married to the pilot any more. We always enjoyed seeing a local win the formula one race every year.

There's been some controversy with the Reno races; a few planes have come down close to homes. That's because they've allowed development to creep too close to the airfield. Since I haven't been in a few years, I don't know how they've decided to handle that.

[arwalden]

4. A Waste Of Taxpayer's Money...

It's dangerous not only to the yahoos who are flying... but to the people on the ground. Not only the folks who ATTEND, but to the people who live near the runway.

When I lived in Hampton, Virginia, the USAF Thunderbirds would fly LOW overhead (low enough that we could SMELL the exhaust fumes just moments after they had passed) and it would rattle pictures off the wall and plates off the shelf in the china cabinet.

When I lived in Virginia Beach, it was almost as annoying... only I lived a bit further away from the airfield.

I have to wonder if the folks who attend these shows are "secretly" hoping to see a tragic crash... the same way that folks who attend NASCAR secretly like it whenever there's a crash.

Nothing against NASCAR fans now... don't start looking for insults where there are none, okay.

-- Allen

[Logansquare]

5. Just survived Chicago's Air and Water Show

I hate it. City residents already endure a lot of noise, so why we have to listen to two days (plus additional days of practice runs) of screaming jets at low altitudes is beyond me. This is all occuring in part over one of the most densely populated areas of a city of three million people. I recently took a cab driven by an Afghani refugee who told me that the sound of the jets reminded him of when the Soviets used to attack. He said he couldn't sleep for days after the show because of all of the terrifying memories it aroused.

[HEyHEY]

6. The biggest airshow in North America

Is near my dwelling. ANd it always seems to bring the trash out of the woodwork...but other than that I like them.

[Wcross]

10. Oshkosh?

I have always wanted to get up there!

[Torgo]

7. Attended many, and I enjoy them!

The weirdest however was many years ago at Barksdale (LA) Air Force Base.

One of the events was a low-level simulated carpet bombing by B-52's.

The whole area was laced with computer-controlled explosives planted in the ground under the aircraft. As they flew over the area, the bombs were detonated. A very strange exhibition!

Have seen some great aerobatics at these shows.

[Kellanved]

8. They're practically outlawed here since Ramstein

69 dead and a chain of accidents after that made them unbearable.
This video shows why I will never attend one again (I visited one during my time in the UK):


From:
http://www.airsafetyonline.com/multimedia/videos.shtml