Air shows are more of a recruiting tool than training. The idea of getting to play with all those wonderful toys and getting paid to do it is a powerful incentive.
It's more of a deceptive tease for recruiting.
How many kids that join the AF ever some much as gets to park their azz in one of those planes let alone fly one?
If they are worth half a chit, they do get a ride. We've flown everyone from SERE to personalists to the Airmen running the post office.
That said, there is a whole lot more to getting airplanes in the air than just those that fly them.
And lastly, if you were ever privy to a sliver of the planning and work that goes into an airshow, demonstrations, etc, you would realize how valuable of a training op it is.
