Sky Drive 2023 (presented by Airshow London)

[Bingofuel]

ASL never seems to acknowledge cancellations besides 'disappearing' the entries from the website... The on again off again nature of the APP info doesn't help the lack of clarity.

100% agree. I think we all understand airshow operational issues by now. It's ok to post that an aircraft has cancelled due to operational reasons. As opposed to the massive amount of confusion and conjecture in their Facebook/IG comments section. I realize other airshows also aren't great at announcing cancellations, but for aircraft scheduled to perform (which is why people spend the $$) they should have better communication.

ASL's desire to categorize every aircraft arrival during the show as a "performance" is also a bit misleading. Did Vandy 1 do a performance? I'd say no. The a400 could've easily just come in and landed, they're under no obligation to put on a show. They almost need to have a third category on their site. Performers/statics/arriving during show.

It's still an excellent show and I'm definitely attending in 2024, but like any airshow its not perfect and could use some adjustments.

[mstares]

It's still an excellent show and I'm definitely attending in 2024, but like any airshow its not perfect and could use some adjustments.

^ This ^

I have been a vocal supporter of the show, and get frustrated by the constant negativity. I tried to strike the right balance in my show summary between highs and lows with minimum hypocrisy given my prior boosterism.

The 'performing' thing is a bit of a conundrum. Again I do not have the requisite knowledge to explain or critique last minute scratches or underwhelming pattern work but a number of these type of 'acts' this year fell flat. Contrast this with past Ohio, Jazz, Oregon, Swamp Fox etc arrivals which were true performances and, for me just as good, as any formal demo.

I have no idea what requests/promises are made (written, unspoken etc etc )re: antics on arrival (VFR conditions, fuel state and other traffic being huge variables) but am certainly curious ... it may well be that good faith promises and expectations exist as to 'performance on arrival' acts and that this year circumstances intervened more often than before.

I know one thing, I generally reserve my thoughts on a show until it is over. RIAT 2022 had me pessimistic after Arrivals day 1, I left departures day grinning ear to ear after a great week. At ASL 2023 I had my Cartman moments on Friday and Saturday, but overall was quite amused

Mark

[DannyFez]

Does anybody have the serial number of the spare F-22A?

[DannyFez]

Attended Saturday and Sunday this year. The Drive-In concept just works in my opinion, bit pricey if you don't have a car full but still worth the money.
Static & flying line-up was still respectable despite the missing stuff. First time seeing the Snowbirds, got to be really honest, felt underwhelmed and they didn't keep my attention. F-22 was great as always, fourth time seeing it this year and it never gets old. Sea fury was great to see and the Altus C-17/KC-135 was real nice, always great to see a B-2 also. All the flying acts were great but the best performer(s) for me were the Growlers on Sunday. Not much negative to report except somebody in the Green Zone on Saturday smoking skunk in my vicinity was gassing me out so much that I might as well have been smoking it myself, and on Sunday in Blue people cutting through my space all day, despite both of these things supposedly being a no no, probably too difficult to enforce though, and it seems you can't rely on common decency nowadays. Not as good as 2022 but it was still a good show despite the weather and cancellations, huge respect to the organisers & volunteers for making it happen, I'd certainly go again.

[mstares]

A few more of my shots.... it occurs to me that my home editing screen need a brightness adjustment.

[mstares]

Still trying to find time to go through my ASL shots... More Viper goodness