WIX Archives
Re: How big is the airshow and ride market?
Posted by mustang pilot on Thu Mar 11, 2004 11:23:29 AM
In reply top How big is the airshow and ride market? posted by Brad on Thu Mar 11, 2004 12:55:51 AM
: I know it's not always a money making business, but when d
: oes it no longer pay to operate warbirds? Take the Confed
: erate Air Force for example. For all these years, they ha
: ve been the only group with an operating B-29. With "Doc"
: taking to the air in a few more years, what will be the e
: ffect on the CAF? Is there enough public support for two
: flying B-29's? I know that some of the CAF B-29 guys were
: worried when it looked like the "Kee Bird" might actually
: make it to the states.
:
: How about the B-17's? It seems like the EAA and Collings
: Foundation B-17's have sold rides at nearly the same loca
: tions, within a couple of weeks of each other. Is there go
: ing to be a market for the "Liberty Bell" when it starts f
: lying in a few months? I can't think of a flyable B-17 th
: at doesn't sell rides. Is there enough passengers to go a
: round? In addition to the Collings Foundation, I can thin
: k of a couple of other places you can buy rides on a B-25.
: Same thing with the B-24, you can fly with the CAF and C
: ollings foundation.
:
: It doesn't look like as much of a problem with the fighter
: s and trainers, probably because they don't tour the count
: ry like the bomebers do. There are quite a few places to
: get rides in P-51's, a couple of Corsairs, several jets an
: d lots of T-6's and Stearmans. As far as I know, the only
: place you can ride in a Skyraider, TBM or Cobra Helicopte
: r is at the Olympic Flight Museum. Chino has the SBD, P-3
: 8, Corsair and P-47 that you can ride in (I think they all
: are still on the list).
:
: I don't doubt that it's just a matter of time until the la
: ck of insurance stops 99% of the rides anyhow.
The FAA NPRM is going to hurt it too if it passes. I emailed you the site. Make a comment and tell everyone else to also.