Thousands of people and boats are expected to crowd the Burlington waterfront Saturday and Sunday for the Wings over Vermont air show. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and vintage aircraft will wow crowds.
But you won’t see the Vermont Flight Academy among the list of sponsors.
The local pilot training school, based at Burlington International Airport, paid to have a table with promotional material on the waterfront during the aviation extravaganza.
“At the last minute we got notified that they said they had a contractual arrangement that prohibited us from participating in the show,” said Ed Antczak, executive director of the academy.
It turned out the air show producers had sold an exclusive training school sponsorship to Milton-based Mansfield Heliflight, a helicopter sales, tour and pilot-training company. The Vermont Flight Academy was initially not seen as a competitor, but was subsequently informed by 2016 Wings Over Vermont chair Phil Murdock that it was being viewed as a competitor and couldn’t be a sponsor. Murdock apologized to the academy.
“I am sorry for any misunderstanding or inconvenience and understand that it was not the intent of Mansfield Heliflight or anyone else to exclude any particular group from the airshow,” Murdock wrote in a letter to Antczak. “This rests solely on my shoulders.”
While disappointing, the disinvitation was essentially a mix up, said Antczak, who added that he understands why Mansfield Helifight did not want to give up an exclusive sponsorship after paying for it.
As a consolation, the Burlington International Airport offered Vermont Flight Academy table space outside the South Burlington terminal where flight show spectators are expected to gather as they board buses for the waterfront. (The airport is offering free parking for the show.)
“We’ll give it a go and see how it turns out,” Antczak said. “It’s the best we can do, given what has transpired.”
Meanwhile, Burlingtonians can expect lots of loud jet engines and large crowds as the U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet Tactical Demonstration Team and other aircraft do their exploits over Waterfront Park and the Burlington harbor.
Related Stories
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
Hopefully the thunderstorms will cancel this ridiculous, wasteful showcase of “defense” muscle.
You probably know by now, your photo of a Super Hornet is a Blue Angels plane rather than USAF.
We’ve swapped in a photo of the actual U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.
As a Board Member of the Vermont Flight Academy, i am very proud of our staff and management team, on the ground and in the air. our team has achieved amazing things to benefit the general aviation community. we provide all of the aviation programming for Vermont Technical College 4 year aviation and professional pilot program as well as the development of a flight training program for our veterans. This is all done with a volunteer board and endless help from our community and the entire team at Burlington International Airport. Gean Richards and his team truly support and uphold the meaning of General aviation and community support. Thank you all.
Douglas White
Board Member VFA
Thunderbirds fly F-16s, not F-18s as the article states.
Air shows belong at the airport, not disturbing the peace and tranquility of the waterfront. I am not looking forward to being subjected to this spectacle without a choice since it is in my neighborhood! I would be happy to support a charitable cause at another venue.
The Burlington police force are aware of the noise problem and have dispatched Officers Jetson and Astro with their jetpacks to diminish the noise and curb these miscreants. Please do not disturb.
So happy to see and hear all the supportive townsfolk who really appreciate our military men and women. I for one think this is a great way to spend our tax dollars and it is an honor to be chosen to be host city of the Thunderbirds. Too bad the weather hasn’t cooperated.