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Debts ground air show Too many watch for free By ALBERTO ENRIQUEZ A Medford air show won't fly. Weighted down by debt and a preponderance of nonpaying spectators, the high-octane aerobatics of recent years appear unlikely to take off again anytime soon. Air show director Ken Lindbloom confirmed Monday that a technically brilliant 1998 air show was, in fact, a financial belly-landing. The August show started about $15,000 in the hole as early bookings were used to pay off debts from the preceding year's show. By the time the show was over, the debt had swelled to $35,000. "We don't have the final figures on the debt, but $35,000 is in the ballpark," Lindbloom said. "We estimated 30,000 would show up to watch the Snowbirds (Canadian Air Force fliers). We only got 13,000. We had less than half the turnout expected." Air show performers who had a bird's-eye view estimated that there were as many outside the airport fence, or watching from the nearby Costco and Wal-Mart parking lots, as inside. Lindbloom said the nonprofit air show had set prices as low as organizers thought reasonable, hoping to lure individuals inside the fence for $6, families of four for $20. Meanwhile, Medford airport director Bern Case said Tuesday that chances for a new aerobatic show appeared nil. "My opinion is that until someone puts money up front, the full-blown, high-liability air show won't happen," Case said. Even if someone with deep pockets were willing to fund the venture, Case said it's too late for a 1999 show since air shows typically are booked a year in advance. However, he held out hope for a far less expensive "static display," fielded by volunteer airplane enthusiasts. Such shows without aerobatics cost about $15,000 for portable toilets, airport overtime costs and security. A show like last year's, which featured precision jet formation flying and prop-driven aerobatics, can easily cost $100,000. Static displays can pay off at $2 a head -- with enough surplus to help a good cause or set aside something for the next year's show, Case said. About $1,000 of the outstanding debt is owed the county for airport worker overtime, cleanup and other extra services. The rest is owed to businesses and individuals, chiefly Medford hotels that provided lodging. Case said the airport was prepared to absorb the $1,000 loss, but future shows appeared unlikely because this is the third show in a row that has ended in debt -- and not for want of trying. "The shows are good for the community, and I love them -- don't get me wrong," Case said. "But we're just not a big enough community to support them. You get air shows where they bring in the (U.S. Air Force) Thunderbirds and draw 75,000 people. Here that would be half the valley -- and that's not going to happen." Lindbloom said he felt "a little guilty" as chairman of the failed effort, but Case said it was unlikely anyone could have done better. "If they were compensated on the basis of effort, they would have a profit right now," Case said. "They had top acts. But they couldn't get a crowd out." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA