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The Elkhart Airshow Board of Directors has voted to take a break and cancel the show's 21st consecutive year, planned to take place this July 2007.
Lack of funding and airport changes have caused for the need to regroup.
Planning and maintaining a midsized airshow is becoming harder and harder each year; with act performance fees, aviation and auto fuel, lodging and
meals for performers, and advertising costs a show such as Elkhart's can quickly exceed $150,000.
Although Elkhart Airshow was awarded $15,000 in city funding through the Genesis Grant, great expenses remain that would need covered.
"We are grateful to the city for the last 20 years of support and especially for this year's grant. The problem is we're just not
currently finding the corporate funding and donations we need to make a show happen in 2007," said Elkhart Airshow Committee President Robin Rigsby.
"If we're going to do this, we want to do it right and continue to bring the best to Elkhart, both in the air and on the ground."
Area construction can mean great and exciting growth for the future of Elkhart Municipal Airport; however, it will come with growing pains.
This year's growth has called for the need to reorganize field layouts for a future show. FAA regulations require a clear "high speed box" for
certain performers, such as military jets, and recent construction has placed new building in the middle of Elkhart Airshow's approved performance box.
Also, with construction on the airfield, parking for show spectators will need to be reevaluated.
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