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seafire Certificates/Ratings/Crew Stations: "Commentators..." 12-27-05, 02:55z  Hi guys 'n' gals, I'm one of those "faceless" but heard (i hope)commentators who tell the general public a whole pile of porkies to make the display look better... I've done commentary not only for the local aero club display, but also for the World Offshore Powerboat Championships (both crowd and TV) and for the air displays that complement the event. As a PPL (with aerobatic experience) I can read aresti, and plan my commentary on that basis, but am very aware that the plan can change VERY suddenly according to conditions! I've done a number of commentaries for Will Curtis in the "Honda Power of Dreams" SU 26, and for Bill Giles in the Pitts S2A. No complaints so far, I'm glad to say! I'm the guy that shouts on the PA system how GREAT the pilot is... How do you airshow pilots feel about the importance of a professional commentary? How much difference does a commentator make to your display? For example, is it important to you that the crowd hears "Patty is turning the airplane upside down..." rather than "Patty is now pulling 9 G in a hard pull - up to start an extremely critical triple vertical snap roll - only the VERY best aerobatic pilots can attempt this manouvre!" I usually only receive a cryptic message fro the display pilot that they'll be arriving at 1330 hrs (ish) to do an advanced or unlimited display, and I have to bullsh%t from there! This obviously makes ME personally feel very disadvantaged, and my commentary is therefore limited to what I SEE going on and what I SHOULD KNOW about in advance! Perhaps to the detriment of both the crowd and the pilot... Just curious as to how you pro's feel about this topic ! Patty, I've never seen you strutt your stuff live, only on DVD so far, but you ROCK ! I travel to the USA a lot, and if I get near a display venue, then I'll look forward to seeing in the flesh what I've seen on DVD as an absolutely AWESOME display ! You're the best of the best (in my humble opinion) and up there with my personal hero, Brian Lecomber! As a PPL who gets in a tangle at the THOUGHTS of pushing negative G (I fly a Stampe SV4C), you are a person whom I would feel inferior to speak to in the flesh ! Keep it rollin' Patty ! Big Fan, Pete ! Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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Subject      Author      Message Date     ID      RE: Commentators... Patty_Wagstaff 01-16-06 1

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Patty_Wagstaff Certificates/Ratings/Crew Stations: 1. "RE: Commentators..." 01-16-06, 14:48z  Hi Pete Thanks for your post and your kind words! I, and most airshow pilots, would agree that a good narrator/commentator is very important to making us look good. A bad narrator can make things pretty boring as well. So, it's very important. We each have our favorites and there are a a few excellent narrators out there in the airshow world. I don't know how they do it = they talk all day in the sun, and it's got to be a very hard job. All the more power to you and them! Best regards and see you on the circuit Patty Wagstaff Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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