Pageant - 4/9/11

[st24]

Suprised no one has flagged this one up. Now I love Old Warden, always have, and God strike me down for asking; but is this really worth the asking price??

de Havilland Chipmunk
Percival Piston Provost
SG38 Glider & Piper Cub
Westland Lysander
Avro Anson
Hawker Sea Hurricane
Blackburn B2
Hawker Tomtit
Avro Tutor
de Havilland DH82 Tiger Moth
Miles Magister
Gloster Gladiator
Hawker Hind
Hawker Demon
SCUD Glider & Piper Cub
Desoutter
Parnall Elf
Comper Swift
Polikarpov Po2
Kirby Kite Glider & Piper Cub
de Havilland DH51 Miss Kenya
de Havilland DH60 Moth
de Havilland DH60X Moth
Southern Martlet
Chilton
Sopwith Pup
Bristol F2b Fighter
Sopwith Triplane
SE5a Fighter
Deperdussin
Bleriot
Blackburn Monoplane Type - D
Bristol Boxkite
Avro Triplane

Admission on the day £25 first person £20 per person thereafter.
Admission includes the Swiss Garden and Bird of Prey Centre
Accompanied children up to 16yrs FREE

[Thoughtful_Flyer]

Suprised no one has flagged this one up. Now I love Old Warden, always have, and God strike me down for asking; but is this really worth the asking price??

..............

Admission on the day £25 first person £20 per person thereafter.
Admission includes the Swiss Garden and Bird of Prey Centre
Accompanied children up to 16yrs FREE

I totally agree.

Despite also loving Old Warden, being a member of the SVAS and only living about 40 min drive away I now only go a couple of times a year.

The evening shows (of which I have attended far more) are getting noticeably thinner and thinner. In the past there were always one or two visiting acts which I feel is most important. These provide a reason to go to a particular show rather than than thinking "Oh I won't bother I can see the same thing another time in better weather".

I persuaded some friends to come to a Sunday show a couple of months back and they were bitterly disappointed. The weather was borderline (obviously not Old Warden's fault) and this curtailed some of the flying - and not just the Edwardians. My friends did not find it a value for money experience and it will be hard to get them to go again.

I also note they list three or four Edwardians on every program but it is very rare for them to actually fly in the afternoons. Obviously the chances are higher at twilight but would it not be fairer for them to be a bonus on a magically still afternoon rather than a regular no-show?

It is obvious that attendances are dropping so costs are being cut - or is it the other way round.

Chicken and egg me thinks!

[AlexC]

When we visited last month for the Military Pageant my wife thought that the entrance charge was a bit steep until she realised that it included access to the Swiss Garden and the Birds of Prey Centre.

[Thoughtful_Flyer]

When we visited last month for the Military Pageant my wife thought that the entrance charge was a bit steep until she realised that it included access to the Swiss Garden and the Birds of Prey Centre.

I agree these improve the value but only if they appeal to the same cliental as the airshow.

Even then I think my point about "can always wait for next time" still applies. It desperately needs an attractive unique feature at each show to augment the superb collection.

[st24]

. It desperately needs an attractive unique feature at each show to augment the superb collection.

Indeed. I must admit I only went to last years pageant to see the Lanc - and it certainly delivered! Given that the big Duxford show is on the same weekend, it does beg the question why a certain amount of mutual "lending" can't go on? BBMF, Nimrod(s), Buchon/P-40 even (say) King Air, Apache would look great at OW, and perhaps the Hind, Demon, Sea Hurri, Lizzie, Glad going the other way?? Given a better forecast I dare say I'd be sitting at OW now as I do like to get there at least once a year, but not with that list at that cost in dodgy wx...

[AlexC]

I agree these improve the value but only if they appeal to the same cliental as the airshow.

The birds of prey appealed to us, didn't have time to do the garden as well this time! Also as someone said before there's not quite the necessity to get to the fence that early as there is at other events such as Duxford.