For what it's worth, I can see both sides of this story as I have been on both of them at one point or another in my life. I think, all things considered, Geneseo really does a great job to keep pilots and crews comfortable within reason. Keeping in mind that the show is held out in the middle of a hayfield without electrical power, so air conditioning isn't really possible, the ample crew tent makes keeping the sun away easy -- plus the grass, opposed to tarmac, reflects the heat instead of retaining it. Also, the lack of permanent toilets may be an inconvenience to some, but there is a dedicated pair of low-use porta potties inside the crew area for their use. The hospitality crew keeps drinks, snacks and lunch laid out in there all day long and there are plenty of golf carts, 4-wheelers, and other ground transportation staffed by happy volunteers that are willing and able to get crews out to and back from their plane... all they need to do is ask! Even the off-site accommodations are better than before... in the old days EVERY airshow pilot, crewmember and the like slept in the rather spartan college dormitories (again without air conditioning) while the more recent shows have most of the crews staying at the local Quality Inn up the street. And yeah, the chicken roast on Friday and steak roast on Saturday can be a bit long in the tooth in terms of a line, but it goes pretty fast and I can't recall ANY airshow crew dinner where I didn't have to do the same. Sure, the T-Birds and Blues might have their own "line" as required in their contract, but they really don't belong at Geneseo anyway. Compared to the old days of the show, I'd say today's pilot guests have it pretty good.
That said, there are surely circumstances that may have easily contributed to the pucker that the person in question was dishing out with his sour grapes. I know that all shows suffer from their share of hiccups and management issues as the day goes along. Perhaps this pilot had his scheduled slot scrubbed after they'd already started (this happened at least twice that day), or perhaps there were some technical hiccups with his/her airplane that chafed them enough to get an attitude. Maybe they didn't get their fuel because the truck broke down... or maybe they are still suffering from a late night at Club 41 and their lack of forethought to eat all day has made them irritable. There's a multitude of reasons why a person might have a bee in their bonnet and sometimes the cumulative effect can take a pilot who is normally honored to fly their choice mount and turn them into a first-class P.I.T.A. grump. You can't please everyone all the time and we are all only human after all.
To most of us... enthusiasts, pilots, owners, mechanics alike... we may stand back and call out "prima donna", but I know everyone has their breaking point. If you think about it, even the most potentially positive events can be ruined when you get jerked around enough. It's all a matter of frame-of-reference.
I know that I was somewhat cranky and sullen at the airshow, but that wasn't because I wasn't glad to be there... I was tickled to be there and enjoyed the time with friends and airplanes. The cranky and sullen came from what came before and in the days after the show... completely isolated from it. To a casual observer, I may have looked like an arrogant prick or an unfriendly dope... more than what I usually am (grin), but it was all the other stuff up there in my brain bucket... not the show at all!
I dunno, perhaps I was one of the curmudgeons that Mudge witnessed... thus explaining why he didn't come over and say hi!
We WERE asking if you were planning to come Mr. Mudge... and I am really surprised we didn't spot you at all! Next year, we need to distribute radio tags to WIXers so we can find them!
Ryan the Curmudgeon in Training.
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
