Crowds Smaller, But Vendors Generally Happy

Aero-Analysis By ANN Staff

The 2015 edition of the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, FL which wrapped up Saturday may be an indication of an event in transition. While the crowds seemed smaller, some vendors reported that many of those at the show were more serious about airplane ownership.

The organizers of the event rebranded the show as “the Affordable Aircraft Expo,” with light-sport aircraft, homebuilts, refurbished production aircraft, and ultralights all represented. In a news release posted to the event website Tuesday, organizers seemed to be working to manage expectations about the show's overall attendance. "The Expo isn’t all about attendance numbers … it’s about the quality of the experience for exhibitors and visitors alike," the release stated. "While every event organizer needs and wants good attendance numbers, the Sebring organizers also look beyond that."

The event's organizers said that exhibitors have confirmed that at least 12 aircraft were sold during the Expo, "with many more sales likely to close in the coming days."

Crowds were most certainly down. That may have been due in part to the weather Wednesday and Thursday; low clouds, drizzly rain, and reduced visibility hung on throughout those two days. The weather finally lifted somewhat on Friday, but that day was marred by a fatal accident during the manufacturer's showcase flights that claimed the lives of two people.

Saturday was by far the best day for the show, with lighter winds and clear skies, and many more airplanes flying. But perhaps not as many as the organizers hoped. Several times during the day Saturday, the flight line announcer said "there are not a lot of airplanes flying right now, but we expect that there will be a lot more later." And indeed later in the day there was a steady stream of aircraft taking off and landing, but the staging area of the ramp never appeared to be overcrowded, and flights, at least from our observation, were not delayed or lined up several deep.

Every show will have its up and down years. Many of the vendors we talked to spoke of a continuing softness in the economy that is keeping the more causal lookers from becoming serious buyers. Many, they said, seemed to be holding on to their disposable income and not considering the investment that an airplane represents, regardless of initial cost. And the show itself seems to be searching for its identity. Whether the greater emphasis on used certified airplanes along with home-built and LSA aircraft is a reflection of the Light Sport Industry overall or a temporary setback is still not clear.

One thing on which we can agree with the Expo's organizers is that there is more time for individual buyers to talk in-depth with the vendors about their products and services. Sometimes at much larger shows like Oshkosh it can be difficult to get the attention of a company representative.

Sebring's organizers will no doubt couch the show as a success, and by some measures they will be right. If vendors are successful in reaching qualified buyers and making sales, then something is being done correctly. But every individual has his or her own definition of "affordable" flying, and to truly be a successful event, that trend will have to be extended for several years to come.

(Images provided by the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo)

FMI: http://sportaviationexpo.com/