We should have more airshows

[Doggeh1]

I think we should have more airshows in YS. They're a great way to bring in new people to YS and the forums as well as keeping the community alive and are of course a lot of fun. I understand that a lot of time and effort must go into the planning and execution, but maybe now that there have been staff changes and the forums are supposed to be more active, YSFHQ should aim to host 1 airshow a month?

[MD5Ray01]

The problem with that is planning. Oftentimes, hosts have to plot the airshows around their own schedule. It takes a lot longer than 1 month to plot an airshow. IRL, airshows are often planned many months in advance, and I believe the same applies in YS airshows.

[Neocon]

Every 3 months is the maximum I think works for each kind of event. We've had civilian flight events every month this year and it is getting to the point that hardly anybody shows up. I think air shows happen just often enough right now.

[Kujo]

I think air shows happen just often enough right now.

That fact won't be true anymore after this Saturday

[VNAF ONE]

Maybe it seems air shows don't happen enough because no one new is willing to step up and make it happen. Crow and I have run quite a lot but to be honest, we're adults and have a lot more going on than YS. That means that for us to run a show in YS, we have to set aside time in our real lives that could be used for many more responsible things.

I would really encourage any of you to do the inquiring and figure out how you can run a show. I would love to support it when I can, but please don't expect us to pick up a bunch of slack either . . . I've had that asked of me and it's not quite fair.

[NeurAxaL]

how about more of a community run airshow instead of putting all the pressure on one/two people? that way everyone would have a managebale amount (if they choose to take part) and would gain knowledge and experience in making their own.

[Doggeh1]

how about more of a community run airshow instead of putting all the pressure on one/two people? that way everyone would have a managebale amount (if they choose to take part) and would gain knowledge and experience in making their own.

Things like that sound good in writing but NEVER work out

[NeurAxaL]

how about more of a community run airshow instead of putting all the pressure on one/two people? that way everyone would have a managebale amount (if they choose to take part) and would gain knowledge and experience in making their own.

Things like that sound good in writing but NEVER work out

we've never tried it.

[Gunny]

Maybe not airshow but we have tried other community based efforts at about this time of the year and the results where less than stellar.About the only thing that ever got any play at all where the screenshot contests and since they have been restricted to server shots only even that has suffered.My point is this is the wrong time of the academic year for a major effort for events or recruitment.Most of our members are trying to keep there heads above water to keep a decent GPA for next semester.And the adult here are working lots of hours to sock up money for Christmas or just to keep the wolf away from the door.

[VNAF ONE]

While that is mostly true, it's still concerning that Crow and I are trying to step back but there's a lot of pressure on us since we're the only ones who run air shows presently (actually now it's basically just me...for now). No one is willing to step up and take a legitimate attempt to do it. Yes, it does require a bit of set-up but it can be done on one computer and a good internet connection, which some people here do have. It's also possible to use a VPS which I've also done before to relieve pressure off my internet bandwidth.

There are several ways to do it, but the fact is, I'm tired. I've been in YS for almost a decade fully active and doing a bit of everything from civilian to military but see little effort to maintain the momentum from others. All I've been wanting is to see someone else step up so I can guide them on the path to replace me. Right now, it looks like I'm it.

So, you want more air shows, do it. Don't wait on someone else to do it for you. There's a lot to gain from doing it yourself, especially if you're not yet in college. I started hosting when I got to college, so it's always been a challenge, but if I had done it in high school, it would've been a no-brainer.

To help with things a bit, Kujo and I are trying to get momentum in the YS Air Racing which requires a lot less setup than a show and we split the work nicely. It's also super easy to run and doesn't require all the hassle with downloads, catering to everyone's needs, etc. which gets totally annoying. I'm hoping that Kujo and I can host this once in a while between air shows since I think the air shows are only gonna be around maybe 2 or 3 times a year now.

Don't ask me about AirFest by the way. That's annoying too.

[NightRaven]

The thing is, however, those who actually post about having airshows apart from the main people are usually newbs who have barely joined or contributed anything. As such, there are lapses in their organisation of the event which are easy to pick at. Eventually it descends into flaming, which leads to the event being cancelled. While this does allow sub-par airshows to not happen, it also discourages others from organising such events as it appears that airshows not hosted by VNAF or Crow would fail right from the start.

I've also noticed that those who are experienced in airshows and how they work are the performers themselves. However through many airshows they become used to just performing. So I think a push in the right direction is to encourage the performers, rather than the entire community to host their own airshows, so as to allow greater success.

[Flake]

we've never tried it.

Well I sort of tried a community run thing with the Philly Island show and it was mostly my work but it fell apart a bit when I tried to use the expertise of others and we had no idea how to co-ordinate.

It really is a one guy in command sort of thing.

[Doggeh1]

Maybe a post with a checklist or a kind-of tutorial should be made about airshows? That way more people would feel confident in putting one on and entering the YS aerobatic circuit.

[Dan]

I would totally agree about the flaming. The thing is though we are trying to to the same with YS Air Traffic Control, though it appears only a few people in the community have the interest to learn from us. Maybe we could make some sort of info-graphic or tutorial into how to organise an event which I would happily contribute to. I would agree that VNAF and YSAS have been doing airshows for the majority now and it would be nice to see possibly a new start up show (with the guidance of a tutorial) Even if the event has a few teething problems just sit back and relax as it's all about the fun right?

[Scarecrow]

The thing is, however, those who actually post about having airshows apart from the main people are usually newbs who have barely joined or contributed anything. As such, there are lapses in their organisation of the event which are easy to pick at. Eventually it descends into flaming, which leads to the event being cancelled. While this does allow sub-par airshows to not happen, it also discourages others from organising such events as it appears that airshows not hosted by VNAF or Crow would fail right from the start.

I've also noticed that those who are experienced in airshows and how they work are the performers themselves. However through many airshows they become used to just performing. So I think a push in the right direction is to encourage the performers, rather than the entire community to host their own airshows, so as to allow greater success.

This hit the nail right on the head.

As VNAF has made apparent, I've been quite busy lately with real-life air show items and have had little motivation to put on an event this year. Don't get me wrong - it's a fact, that air shows in this community do boost involvement and activity. It makes for an avenue for people to get online to actually do something, and know that it will be enjoyable and hands on. This goes far beyond the event day itself, as many teams (i.e. Blue Dolphins) practice for days coming up to the show date.

If anyone is truly interested in hosting a show, please let me know and CC VNAF as well. I will be more than happy to walk you through everything that is needed to run a successful event. I have been in need to put together a tutorial and I may look into doing that soon, so that the reigns can be passed along. Unfortunately, as noted above; new members seemed to get thrown to the curb because they have never attended an actual virtual air show. While I can understand some of it, it's also good to bring new ideas and let them create the avenue to get activity going.

I am glad that VNAF and myself have set a standard, and hope others can work towards that standard - however not all can do that, and we cannot get so upset when things aren't perfectly set up to those standards. An old-fashioned get online at this time air show without narration and music can still be fun in YS.

I think the biggest issue is something that underlies the entire community - no one wants to step up and do anything about it. I am thrilled to see interest in this and to be honest, I totally agree. There should be more shows. Don't VNAF and myself your only options. If I'm free, I'll fly in your show, and I'm sure a lot of people will, too.