TruckTent wrote:This will probably be my last trip in a plane to burning man until a new team runs the airport. The airport is no longer representative of the event and is now run primarily as a commercial portal. Don't let that discourage you from going if you are thinking about it. It's still an interesting week unlike anything you are likely to experience.

I follow the email list pretty closely. It does seem to be getting a lot more bureaucratic. What the entire BM organization doesn't realize is that they are turning into "the man". It won't take long before only charters will be allowed to fly in. The org has been asked to reduce surface traffic and this is the only way to do. Or move it.

svanarts wrote:

TruckTent wrote:This will probably be my last trip in a plane to burning man until a new team runs the airport. The airport is no longer representative of the event ...

I follow the email list pretty closely. It does seem to be getting a lot more bureaucratic. What the entire BM organization doesn't realize is that they are turning into "the man". It won't take long before only charters will be allowed to fly in. The org has been asked to reduce surface traffic and this is the only way to do. Or move it.

The vibe at the airport is way off from what it was. Becoming "the man" is right. Not welcoming at all like it was even when you flew in just two short years ago. I see trouble ahead that nothing short of a wholesale management shakeup will fix. The airport email list reflects pretty closely what it was like on the ground, a bit dysfunctional and bitter.

Even though it is now a crap factory it is still an awesome crap factory. The event can fall a long ways and still be worthwhile. Just don't expect the airport to be a reflection of the event anymore. Or is that a reflection of what it once was? Maybe my expectations are too high after 8 years.

It's dusty. Did you see all that dust!

Pardon my ignorance. But it is flat, and it is BLM. Why is Blackrock the only place you can land?

lesuther wrote:Pardon my ignorance. But it is flat, and it is BLM. Why is Blackrock the only place you can land?

The BLM publishes a closure order for the area surrounding the event. It's a pretty good sized area at least 10 miles around the event. In the closure area it's only legal to land at the airport. Additionally, there is an even larger area that participants of burning man are prohibited from visiting around the time of the event like most area hot springs and at least one Indian reservation. The closure area is actively patrolled in force by BLM.

The black rock desert is vast and lots of areas available outside the closure area remain with the normal access. They just don't want you crashing the party.

The creativity evident in the posted video makes me smile. I would enjoy seeing some of that, but I'm not very tolerant of dust or crowds so I'm not a likely attendee. I'll have to content myself with the kinetic sculpture race here in Port Townsend for my dose of avant-garde mobile art. Maybe I can get my burning effigy fix from Zozobra in Santa Fe when I visit my daughter in New Mexico.

blackrock wrote:Looks to be a pretty interesting experience:

That's a GREAT Burning Man video!

Scolopax wrote:That's a GREAT Burning Man video!

Yeah, looks like a great time.

Pierre_R wrote:http://sfist.com/2015/09/11/this_corporate_ad_mocking_burning_m.php

Oh that's hilarious. Did you notice that 'pilot's license' was on the bucket list?