Lack of participants

[casper]

I know this is an on going gripe with a lot of members here, but I was wondering how a small country (island) like Malta (POP 412,000) can produce a 'small' airshow that out shines anything that we have here.

This is  the participants list for this years show.
http://www.maltairshow.com/Participants/tabid/240/language/en-GB/Default.aspx

[Steve7]

I know what you mean....the link below should take you to another (photo) site that has some stunning shots from the Malta show!

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=937313

[iCardboardRobot]

I think there is a number of issues here,
Firstly Malta has alot of international air force bases stationed nearby that these aircraft can easily get to the show.
I get the impression the show is at an airport which would help no end !
Also every airshow period here, you can hear people on the radio saying warplanes shoudln't fly over N.Ireland,agree or not this is someting the orgnaisers have to be wary of.

Long story short, its extremely frustrating, im sure Council feel the exact same we we do !

[greglloyd]

..those people should remember that they would be appreciative of the warplanes flying over NI should we ever be in a situation where we have to defend ourselves.

Regarding the Malta airshow, I think the most hilarious thing is the amount of UK aircraft attending the show. Much more than here it seems.

[Merlin]

I think there is a number of issues here,
Firstly Malta has alot of international air force bases stationed nearby that these aircraft can easily get to the show.
I get the impression the show is at an airport which would help no end !
Also every airshow period here, you can hear people on the radio saying warplanes shoudln't fly over N.Ireland,agree or not this is someting the orgnaisers have to be wary of.

I agree that for the likes of the Italians, Greeks and French, Malta is a short hop away but that wouldn't apply to the Germans, Dutch and Belgians. The RAF aircraft probably come from their base on Cyprus or Gibraltar. The Yanks have bases in Italy and Germany.

I think the show is held at Valetta airport which I'm assuming is shut down during the show.

A question that could be asked as far as the Portrush show goes, and one which TTF might be able to answer, is who are we actually asking to come? Is it the same groups each year or do we rotate them? During RIAT the B-52 that was on display took off during the Sunday show to go do a fly-by at a show in Spain!!

How difficult would it be to get an F-15 to come over do a short display and then fly back?

I realise that cost is usually the deciding the factor for any aircraft that attend but if we don't ask then we don't get.

Would it be viable to spend the money on fewer displays, but which are more high profile, then spend it on multiple aircraft that people are not fussed about? The Red Arrows are the classic case, people come to see them and then leave after they've finished.

[Angry Turnip]

I think there are many in the UK that wish we would just drift off into the Atlantic!
 
So many times in TV programmes where they are discussing some UK wide topic, and they show a map,Northern Ireland and often all of Ireland aren`t included 
 
I hope that isn`t the case in the MOD,but we do seem to very much just get the left overs when it comes to airshow participation.
True,the Red Arrows are always worth a look,but they tend to draw a non-airshow crowd who just come to see them and then leave,even if it is at a venue where you have to pay in.
 
Airshow organisers here need to try and use a bit more imagination-if you don`t ask you dont get;there are plenty of  airshow acts out there.
 
http://www.airshows.org.uk/ukmilitary/index.html
 
http://www.airshows.org.uk/directory/sports.html
 
http://www.airshows.org.uk/directory/historic.html
 
http://www.airshows.org.uk/directory/military.html