The AllianceTexas Aviation Expo is canceled this year. Organizers of the show are citing “unavoidable conflicts in scheduling and logistics,” according to a statement released June 7. Last year, the show was held in October.
The show has been hosted at Hillwood’s Alliance Airport for 32 years. Last year, it displayed a variety of aircraft on its runways such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon and hosted performances from the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.
“We completely understand and are sensitive to the disappointment of the many loyal and dedicated sponsors, volunteers, and fans,” a statement from the Alliance Air Productions said.
The nonprofit that organizes the expo, Alliance Air Productions, is a subsidiary of Hillwood. The developer leads the 27,000-acre AllianceTexas project, including the Alliance Airport. FedEx, Amazon and other companies operate distribution and air cargo centers at the airport.
Plans for future expos are also up in the air, with the organization evaluating future plans.
The impact of the cancellation extends beyond the attendance at the event, said Jim Hodgson, executive director of the Fort Worth Aviation Museum. It also affects the aviation industry in the area as a whole, he said.
“For us, one of the goals of our participation there is to get people interested in careers in aviation and aerospace and educate the community on the history and future of aviation in the area,” he said.
The Aviation Museum has had a Kids Discovery Zone at the annual air show for many years and attracted more than 10,000 to their exhibit during the Air Show.
“It’s important to us and it’s important to the aviation industry here in North Texas,” he said.
Hodgson estimates that 20% of the Dallas-Fort Worth labor force works in aviation or aviation-related industries.
“It’s too bad we can’t find a way to showcase that part of the community and to attract others to the industry,” he said.
Hodgson noted that the aviation industry is currently working hard to recruit pilots and air traffic controllers.
“The air show is one way to do that,” he said.
Business editor Bob Francis contributed to this report.
Seth Bodine is a business and economic development reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at seth.bodine@fortworthreport.org and follow on Twitter at @sbodine120.
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