Return of the Rally?

ivanmanley · Post by **ivanmanley** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 8:11 am

I'd love to see a single rally return.

I like the regional fly-ins, but they lack the clout of the big rally. Perhaps a good way to spread the risk would be to make it a biennial event, with a big rally one year, followed by regionals the next, and so on?

The things I really miss about the single rally are (in no particular order) ...

1. Homebuilders tent.
2. Flea market.
3. Conference tent and interesting speakers.
4. Attractiveness of the event to foriegn visitors.
5. The incentive it creates to "get finished for the rally".
6. Meeting distant members.

These are things that the regionals just cannot do effectively. As a builder/flyer, the rally always acted as an incentive to try and get the project finished. Failing that, after I'd get home, it would "kick start" me to get on, having seen the results of others. Regionals do not seem to attract the numbers of foreign visitors, or members from areas far afield from your own. I loved the fact that you could strike up conversations in the beer tent with complete strangers speaking broken English (you Scot's, Welsh and Irish really could try harder ... most European's are easier to understand!

). The builders tent, conference tent and flea market are all difficult to do at the regional scale, but are a great attraction and must also be good for promoting the cause?

These things add up to the "need" for a focused large event, even if it's not annual. I don't profess to having much idea on what's involved in organising a large rally, and I'm sure it's ahuge undertaking. However, surely if the costs are more closely controlled as Brian suggests, and a good venue can be found, it MUST be worth the effort?

Ivan

Dave Hall · Post by **Dave Hall** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 1:56 pm

Last year Splash was in about 1/3 of a large hall at NEC. Plenty of room left for any amount of practical workshops, forums etc, but not the most friendly or economical place to use, and not easy to get complete aircraft there.

However, the £40,000 net cost of an annual rally wasn't very economical either.

There really isn't anything quite like the 3 day rally in terms of opportunities to meet, see completed projects and make international contacts, provided the weather is reasonable.

Things have moved on with trade stands, and they are more to do with PR than buying useful things these days, with so much online commerce.

I would support a homebuilders activity zone at Splash. We had a significant presence there last year, and it could usefully expand if there was support. I'm sure we could regard some of the cost as advertising.

ivanmanley · Post by **ivanmanley** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:26 am

I flew into the G-VFWE last year at Hullavington .... Now THAT would make a geat venue!

Ivan

Nick Allen · Post by **Nick Allen** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:29 am

And I went to the G-VFWE at Keevil the year before. If these guys can get access to such a place, fly in large numbers of aircraft, have trade stands, public throng, etc., why can't we?

Mark A · Post by **Mark A** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:09 am

Now here's an idea:

Kemble Air Services have announced that they are hosting next year's G-VFWE at Kemble.
Any chance of the LAA co-hosting it, sharing all the site and infrastructure costs and making it a grand joint event.

Maybe call it the G-FWE

JohnMead · Post by **JohnMead** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:30 pm

Mark A wrote:Now here's an idea:

Kemble Air Services have announced that they are hosting next year's G-VFWE at Kemble.
Any chance of the LAA co-hosting it, sharing all the site and infrastructure costs and making it a grand joint event.

Maybe call it the G-FWE

I would like to point out that GVFWE is a totally differnt type of event from the Rally; it is a limited entry , pre-booked event staged at a (temporaryly) licenced aerodrome. This has significant constraints both financial , and in relation to airside access. A good event, but not a substitute for the Rally.

John Mead

dnuop · Post by **dnuop** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:05 pm

Can any one please explain to me how events like aero expo and splash can seem to pay there way when our rally makes such a loss even on good years when 90% or more of the work is free (well almost we do get a breakfast and free entry to the rally), I would willingly go back to six magazines per year if this would help fund a rally even if they were held every other year.
surely we could keep costs down by not supplying so many tented areas and let the traders supply there own stands and coverings most other rallys I have been to IE: vintage machinery ETC seem to follow this route and on reasonable years seem to brake even or make a small profit.
I know elf and safty adds a lot to the overall costs but all public events have to fall in line with this.
So can someone help please. VERY

Brian Hope · Post by **Brian Hope** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:32 pm

duop de doo dah, you're not exactly comparing eggs with eggs. Both Splash and Aero Expo are ostensibly exhibitions, the former with no fly-in involvement, and the latter with relatively low numbers of air arrivals. You turn up, look around, and go home the same day. Our rally is a huge fly-in with an exhibition and many people stay for two or three days, the logistical requirements are thus considerably different.
I've mentioned some of the utterly ridiculous overspends on this forum before. Costs were not controlled effectively, budgets were unrealistic, and too many people were simply not prepared to cut their suits to fit the available cloth. All the time the rally committee refused to grasp the severity of the situation it could only ever end in tears, and that it did. Will it return? I hope so and I do believe it is possible to run a low risk event. Will it happen for 2009? I am beginning to seriously doubt it.

dnuop · Post by **dnuop** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 9:01 pm

Hello Brian
Well I accept I am not compairing eggs with eggs there fixed costs involved with any type of event from a village flower show to the moter show each has a budget to stick to and as a lot of them have been running for many years they must do it some even make a profit.
You mentioned the over spends ETC does this mean that the majority of us who want to see a return of the rally have to do with out one because we can not get a team togeather who can run it.
Also I can not see why people staying over for the two or three days has to do with the costs dont they pay for the camping.
without a rally I like so many others can not see what the LAA has to offer.
Dnuop

Brian Hope · Post by **Brian Hope** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 9:22 pm

Dnuop, first off I am a supporter of the annual rally concept, I do want to see it return. But.. it has to make financial sense.
Overnight stays entail additional toilet facilities, particularly showers. Plus somewhere for them to eat, possibly entertainment, additional security for the exhibition, lighting so that people can walk about safely, a campsite infrastructure that includes fire equipment, additional rubbish and sewage collection and disposal - the list goes on. Yes campers pay but it is a moot point whether it wholly pays for the additional requirements.
There is a group looking at the possibility of the return to an annual rally and I even think they have finally accepted that it can no longer be a financial risk to the association. That means setting a cost budget that reasonably equates to a worst case scenario income budget. As I said before, I think it is possible, and if a sensible proposal is put to the EC I will certainly support it.

mike newall · Post by **mike newall** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:26 am

Why not team up with Steam/Car/Flower/Budgie enthusiasts to share costs and have a joint event.

I am sure every specialist pastime is finding it hard to put events on these days due to the pinko, lefty namby pamby do gooders who want to control our every movement

If we shared a venue, which was mooted a while ago wth Steam people at Kemble I believe. We could have a great combined show which appealled to many more folks and ensured a profit.

I mention Steam because I also drive a 1903 16 ton Foden road locomotive