Tuesday, August 25, 2015

It Has Arrived - The Point of No Return

With every outdoor event there comes a point each organizer dreads.  It has no marker, can't be sketched for identification, and arrives without warning.  It's the point of no return.  But what exactly is it?
The point of no return is that moment weeks before the event when the weather is perfect and everything is going according to schedule.  All the items are falling into place as they should be and the sky is clear.  People are making calls about attendance.  And in our case, pilots are emailing to let you know they are bringing some amazing plane to the fly-in.
Editors of magazines text to let you know they will be on hand to cover the gathering.  Local media starts to inquire about coverage, and social media buzzes with excitement.  Ahead in the distance, you see a glimmering light (name that song).  That's typically when it arrives.
When things are going well and the weather is perfect, every fly-in organizer utters these words, "What I wouldn't give to have this weather during the fly-in."   And that is the point of no return.
It's so close, you can close your eyes and see it.  A perfect day; a perfect event.   And that's when you realize you have no control over the outcome.  You've set a giant ball in motion the weather could flush into the gutter.   Everything you do from here on out may actually already be an exercise in futility.  But until the day comes you have to keep working.  People have lost their minds over lesser things.  Yet, you move forward.
If you organize such an event, you know exactly what I'm talking about.  Here's to all of you who do.  Sanity isn't for everyone.  For the rest of us, there's aviation.
The Sun-n-Fun storm of legend.
PeeEss:  Over the next month there is a string of aviation events scheduled.  We sincerely wish all of you clear skies, cool temperatures, and zero wind.

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