When Will This Industry Learn That Attacking Our Own Has No Upside?
News/Analysis/Opinion by Jim Campbell, ANN CEO/Editor-In-Chief
Over the last few days, information has been disseminated about a lawsuit served on the Planes OF Fame Museum and Airshow operation located in Chino California.
Fighting back, with limited public disclosure (probably to avoid even further legal repercussions), the Planes of Fame crew has established a petition operation using change.org to seek support and numbers as they prepare for a legal hearing on April 20th.
The petition efforts states, "A lawsuit has been brought against the Planes of Fame Air Museum by the Yanks Air Museum, Flying Tigers Aviation, SOCAL MRO, and Zangeneh Aeronautics with the sole intent to stop the 25th Annual Planes of Fame Air Show at Chino Airport slated for May 6 & 7, 2017.
The annual Air Show is one of the few remaining events in Southern California where visitors from around the world can enjoy the sights and sounds of aircraft from the Golden Age of Aviation flying overhead. Each year the Air Show attracts thousands of families, aviation enthusiasts, and others who come together to witness rare and historic aircraft, as well as some of the most talented aviators take to the skies. The Planes of Fame Air Show at Chino Airport is considered one of the top five air shows in the country.
As a non-profit, 501c.3 organization, the annual Air Show serves as the primary fundraising effort for the Planes of Fame Air Museum. Revenue from the annual Air Show helps us to carry on our mission to preserve aviation history, inspire an interest in aviation, education of the public, and honor aviation pioneers and veterans. And as this year’s Air Show marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of Planes of Fame Air Museum, we have seen how our mission has impacted multiple generations of families, and is introducing aviation to entirely new generations.
For the local community, the annual Air Show provides an economic stimulus to local businesses and entrepreneurs both on and nearby the airport. For the City of Chino and the County of San Bernardino, the Air Show provides increased visibility as thousands of visitors flock to the Chino Airport for the show.
In response to the inquires regarding the nature of the lawsuit, the allegations involve the experience of economic hardship over Air Show weekend and an inconvenience to operations."
Aviation community reaction has been swift, voluminous and decisive... nearly unanimously excoriating those opposing Planes of Fame and in support of their annual Air show, with many noting a highly pejorative opinion of those named in filing the suit against PoF. The comments represent a solid and significant effort to support an aviation activity deemed valuable and of great public interest and some serious displeasure and disillusionment over the fact that the entities attacking/suing PoF are members of the aviation community. Many are curious as to why such steps have been taken for an event that only affects the suing parties a couple of days out of the year but also bring year-round attention and activity to the airport and its neighbors as a result... and we have many of the same questions.
Efforts to contact the suing parties have been unsuccessful, but if that changes, we'll update accordingly.
The International Council of Air Shows has noted, "This is an enormous threat to the air show community. If a couple of small businesses are allowed to perpetrate this kind of legal intimidation, it will only be a matter of time before other extremists in other communities adopt the same tactics and put the entire air show industry in jeopardy. We urge you to sign this petition. And we urge you to urge other people who enjoy air shows to also sign the petition."
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