Luchtmachtdagen from 2024 on? Considerations.

[Alpha Kilo One]

Beginning to start thinking.....
Will there EVER again be Luchtmachtdagen?

[SquAdmin]

Wouldn't count on it. It costs a lot money and effort for an organization that is already stretched. On top of that I can recall a thread on this board in which someone wrote that the KLu does not consider the open day to be one of the primary recruitment tools anymore.

[dennisblade1979]

Beginning to start thinking.....
Will there EVER again be Luchtmachtdagen?

2038, 125 jaar Klu

[CBR]

Wouldn't count on it. It costs a lot money and effort for an organization that is already stretched. On top of that I can recall a thread on this board in which someone wrote that the KLu does not consider the open day to be one of the primary recruitment tools anymore.

I do understand the policy choices but these reasons are outdated since money and materials are flowing again (NATO's 2% norm) and primary recruitment tool does not seem to be an argument for many other countries to organise airshows. Public support is obviously not valued by the RNLAF

[Stratofreighter]

...as mentioned at
https://scramble.nl/community/messageboard/18/160802 :

Ed and John are no longer really involved.
Not sure who is carrying the torch, now....

[Alpha Kilo One]

They could of course call some of us!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, they could call me as well......

[Stafsels]

Didn't the Belgian Air Force wrestled with the same problem, and finaly tried to outsource the event?

To discover it did not work and delevering splendid baf dagen since 2018...

Kind regards,

Stafsels

[Reaper]

Probably not, why you ask?:

1. Money (costs about three million) with too little return from a personnel point of view
2. Intolerance of the surrounding communities
3. Nitrogen crisis
4. Environmental crisis
5. Infrastructural crisis
6. Probably a 'left' cabinet by than run by Frans Timmermans
etc, etc.

[Fishbed_9307]

Probably not, why you ask?:

1. Money (costs about three million) with too little return from a personnel point of view
2. Intolerance of the surrounding communities
3. Nitrogen crisis
4. Environmental crisis
5. Infrastructural crisis
6. Probably a 'left' cabinet by than run by Frans Timmermans
etc, etc.

All true and you forget an important one; they don’t really care about the airshow. All the above are very welcome excuses to not have to organize the Luchtmachtdagen.

And about the costs; returning the taxpayer a favor for PR purposes could also be a good reason.

[nilsko]

6. Probably a 'left' cabinet by than run by Frans Timmermans
etc, etc.

Wait, what! He's elected yet?

[frank kramer]

Although I don’t want to make too much of a political point, it definetely were NOT left-wing governments that cancelled the last few Luchtmachtdagen… so there’s not much hope on that side of the politcal spectrum either

[pjotrtje]

Instead of jotting down points on ‘why the Luchtmachdagen will never return’, perhaps we should try and write to politicians. Not the lefties of course (although most have woken up and deleted their ‘minimize our army and airforce’ program item) but all others are fair game in my opinion.
And by the way: € 3mio is nothing when it comes to our government’s budget, it’s 1/2000th of the annual defence budget.

[aviodromefriend]

On top of that I can recall a thread on this board in which someone wrote that the KLu does not consider the open day to be one of the primary recruitment tools anymore.

Seems it never was, from an interview with an RNLAF recruiting officer published after a Navy days/Sail event: The services get their new recruits more from the events from the other services then their own event. It is a nightmare to get the very few really interested people from the bulk that forgot about their talk about joining before they turned away from the recruiter. On the other hand, those that show some interest at other service's events appear to be very motivated. The interview ended with mentioning he felt very sorry for the navy recruiters having to contact all the people that wouldn't understand why they would be approached.