FASHKOSH 2014

[Alison]

Stellenbosch Flying Club will be hosting its annual Fly-In and Airshow on the 10th May, 2014.
All welcome to Fly In until 10h30. Airshow begins at 11h30 and continues until 14h00. Pilots can then take off again for their destinations or stay for a braai afterwards.
Details of the Stellenbosch Airfield can be found on the website at: www.stelfly.co.za. Should you need any other information, contact the Club at (021) 880 0294 or Alison at 082 728 7386.

[Sardine]

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[Sardine]

Not long to go!

Camping is open to pilots flying in. We are setting up a 'campsite' near the clubhouse.
Please bring your own tent. Dinner will be available. There will also be shower facilities.

[Alison]

Only 5 days to go.....! Weather looks good (so far)!
Don't miss out on this annual event!
See you there!

[Ross H]

Is a program available for the airshow yet?

List of participating aircraft??

[Sardine]

The show will go on! But maybe bring an umbrella...

Flying program has been finalised and hopefully the weather will play along. The forecast for Friday is light rain in the morning, clearing from 12h00 when validations will take place. Saturday has some cloud cover, drizzle and low temps, with a northerly wind forecast.

Given the above, planning is as follows:
Saturday kicks off with arrival of visitor aircraft i.e. Motorised Para gliders, Warbirds, classics to L39 jet. The airshow flying program runs from 10h30 to 14h00. Ideally we would like to keep the airspace allocated for show aircraft. Arrivals and departures of non-show aircraft during this slot time can expect delays.

Media briefing is 08h00 in Stellenbosch Club house.

The FASH frequency is 119.3, call “Stellenbosch Tower”.
Below is a copy of the published NOTAM.

A1453/14 NOTAMN
Q) FAJA/QFAXX/IV/BO/A/000/999/2608S02815E005
A) FAJN B) 1404111226 C) PERM
E) HAND AMEND AIP SUP S038/14, FASH AIRSHOW, HOURS OF OPERATION TO READ
09 MAY 2014 1000-1600 AND 10 MAY 2014 0800-1500 AND VERTICAL LIMITS
GND/2500 FT AMSL

What to expect on the day:
Skydivers airborne
Opening Speech
Skydivers
Tiger Moth
Tug + Glider airborne
Cessna C195 Classic
Harvard T6
Glider aeros
Model flyers
Motorised Para Glider display X2
T28 Trojan
Magni M24 Gyro
Bosbok AM3C
Chipmunk
Pipistrel Virus SW
Husky performance display
Tug + Glider airborne
Glider aeros
Model flyers
Magni M24 Gyro
L39

The sequences are subject to weather and availability of aircraft during the day.

[zswobbie1]

Weather permitting, we hope to have our Impala as well as our Shackleton simulators there as well. So, a bit of a challenge??

[Learjet]

I'm a great fan of SFC but sad to say, in addition to the rainy weather disappointment, the club dropped the ball somewhat when it came to the organization of this year's FASHKOSH;

In previous years visitor parking was adjacent to the northern hangars and just a short stroll to the main activities area at the club-house. In fact, the parking area enjoyed a great view of the runway and display area, and many folk would simply set up their camp-chairs and picnic baskets next to their cars and enjoy the show. Unfortunately, for some reason, this year the visitor's parking area was moved to a field situated over half a kilometre away from the club. On arrival it was a bit disappointing to discover a half a kilometre walk with chairs, coolboxes and kids still awaited us...

The inconsiderate hospitality didn't stop there though... this year the organisers decided to make the entire club-house off-limits to non-members. Yes, the club's (indoor) toilets too, forcing visitors to queue outside in the pouring rain to use the portaloos... Thanks - that was a real hit with the wife!
The woefully inadequate coffee-station (visitors were barred from being served coffee in the club) was the final straw for her - wet, bedraggled, and with the waiting-for-coffee queue backlogged across the hanger it was time to call it a day and take a hike (literally) back to the car and home.

Sorry SFC, this year the weather didn't play along. But neither did you.

[Tolip]

I'm a great fan of SFC but sad to say, in addition to the rainy weather disappointment, the club dropped the ball somewhat when it came to the organization of this year's FASHKOSH;

First off, let me thank you on behalf of all at Fash for braving the weather and coming out to support us.
Secondly, I'm sure I speak for many when I say we're sorry to hear your experience was not what you had anticipated..........
Thirdly, let me make it clear that my response here is as a normal Fash member who worked hard to keep things going today, and is not necessarily the response from anyone else from Fash (especially not the official view)

Bear with me while I clarify a few of your issues and maybe shed some light on how you could enjoy a better experience next time........

In previous years visitor parking was adjacent to the northern hangars and just a short stroll to the main activities area at the club-house. In fact, the parking area enjoyed a great view of the runway and display area, and many folk would simply set up their camp-chairs and picnic baskets next to their cars and enjoy the show. Unfortunately, for some reason, this year the visitor's parking area was moved to a field situated over half a kilometre away from the club. On arrival it was a bit disappointing to discover a half a kilometre walk with chairs, coolboxes and kids still awaited us...

Yep, those were the days of intimate airshows where the action was close, the parking was closer and the entire event was waaaaayyyy less regulated.
Unfortunately Fash had zero say in the parking issue you considered excessively distant - we had to stick to the rules as dictated by the authorities.

The inconsiderate hospitality didn't stop there though... this year the organisers decided to make the entire club-house off-limits to non-members. Yes, the club's (indoor) toilets too, forcing visitors to queue outside in the pouring rain to use the portaloos... Thanks - that was a real hit with the wife!

Hmmmm.....there is only 1 of each gender loos in the clubhouse and they were reserved for VIP guests and club members (join the club and enjoy a few benefits for the many thousands it costs to be a member), but your failure to read all the various loo signs pointing to many alternate loos (brick and mortar structures with really nice tiled loos that have been in existence for numerous years) appears to be one of the reasons your poor missus had to use a portaloo..........(good job one doesn't depend on husbands to go out and hunt for food for survival these days eh?)

The woefully inadequate coffee-station (visitors were barred from being served coffee in the club) was the final straw for her - wet, bedraggled, and with the waiting-for-coffee queue backlogged across the hanger it was time to call it a day and take a hike (literally) back to the car and home.

At times, the queues were a bit long, but they moved quite quickly. I used my noggin and watched for when the queues were shorter before trying to get anything.........maybe try something like that next time and avoid peak times?

Sorry SFC, this year the weather didn't play along. But neither did you.

The weather really wasn't ideal, but there's nothing we can do about that- we have to work with what we get.
Hospitality and attending to the needs of people such as yourself who, despite lousy weather, came out to support us, is something that we do have some control over - hence your crits are taken on board and we'll do what we can to make sure similar issues don't arise at the next event.

[Learjet]

Hi Tolip,
For better or for worse, it was what it was.
Thanks for your reply and clarification - it is appreciated and I promise to do a better toilet recce for the missus next year!
Dave

[Learjet]

Tolip, in his considered and considerate response to my initial post, made some very reasonable and good points. So much so, that his reply left me wondering if I had been unfairly harsh in my criticism of this year's FASHKOSH arrangements?

Why had a I felt such disappointment with the event and with SFC? Was it just the rainy weather that had unrealistically dampened my expectations or was there more to it? As the owner of an advertising agency tasked with understanding consumer insights and managing experiential brand events, this question gnawed away at me.

The disambiguation seemed to stem from the friendly SFC I have always experienced over the years, versus the SFC I experienced yesterday, and it probably all boiled down to not being able to get a cup of coffee - damn caffeine addict that I am!
Globally there is a trend away from having VIP areas and the like at functions and events. And quite rightly so, as these separate amenities alienate the majority of the invited customers / attendees who arrive at a function only to find themselves relegated to being a 2nd-class guests at the event. And this year, I feel that is exactly where SFC's went wrong. (Don't feel bad, South Africa is going to take a while to pick up on this non-VIP trend!)
So rather than FASHKOSH being a wonderful opportunity for the club to "open its doors" and showcase SFC's magnificent airfield and facilities, it inadvertently did the opposite.

It shut them.

With reserved parking, off-limits clubhouse, muddy portaloos, coffee-queues, reserved VIP areas (for those more equal than others), and members ensconced in clubhouse.
In fact, and to use greatly exaggerated license, it had all the hallmarks of a colonial manor house garden party - the masses invited to drink tea out of tin cups in the garden, while the entitled sipped from bone china looking down on the events from the comfort of cloistered balconies.

But perhaps it is simply my own expectation of FASHKOSH that is to blame. As a pilot perhaps I was expecting the friendly "fly-in" atmosphere as per what I have always experienced and enjoyed at SFC rather than the impersonality of a "public airshow" scenario - something that understandably demands a whole different level of organization and control.

So my apologies to SFC members if my criticism seems out of place. I voice it only because SFC is a club I have enjoyed visiting time and again over the years - and yesterday was the first exception of that for me.

Blame it on the coffee.

[TIBA]

I realise there there is a lot involved in organizing an airshow, and don't wish to detract from the clear effort involved and extensive safety requirements etc

I arrived with my 5 year old son and parked as required in the north (I understood the need for traffic management) and paid my R40 as required.

It's a 10 minute walk from there. As we walked to the clubhouse we got caught in a little bit of rain. At this point the club members, who were allowed access, were driving past us in empty cars. We arrived at the clubhouse to be welcomed by the sign on the door as seen in the attached picture - access only for members.

My son was a bit cold, his hair got a a little wet. The club house was clearly warm, TV's were on and people were sitting comfortably at the tables eating and drinking.

We had to walk around the club house to the open hangar which had a coffee queue to the door and about 25 chairs.

It was an incredibly unwelcoming experience. Some try and make aviation accessible to all on open days. There is no doubt that general aviation needs general public support. Every other day of the year I understand you run your club as you want, but the arrogance and exclusivity was made very apparent for all to see.

Sorry SFC, I wasn't the only one who felt this.

Not so friendly Stellenbosch, and I get the feeling you don't really care.

[Jacques Dowd]

It would've been fun seeing a few thousand people trying to get access into the clubhouse if it was not controlled!
There's probably only space for a hundred or so.

We spent (with my young daughter) 99% of our time outside the clubhouse. In fact my little one went to buy chips outside, as the "queue was too long inside, dad!"

Now, if it didn't rain, nobody would've wanted to go into the clubhouse as it made watching the airshow from there a bit difficult.

Then everybody would've lived happily ever after!

[Tolip]

Just an FYI to those who are unaware - even Fash members had to pay the gate fee of R40 so there really wasn't any other benefit of being a member.
Try complaining to Ysterplaat for not letting the public use their internal "club" facilities (officers mess maybe?)

[Stromlo]

I brought my rain jacket and rain pants, and awaited the day's flying while standing in the rain - just like at Waterkloof last year. It was enjoyable, and I think it was a good show given the crappy weather.

No complaints from my side (ok maybe just that we couldn't sit in the ditch next to the far side taxiway like last time - that was awesome! )