Thunderbirds change command for 2010, 2011 air show seasons
2010-02-25
Lieutenant Colonel Case “Basket” Cunningham (right) took command of the Thunderbirds on January 15 at the team’s Nellis AFB hangar. Cunningham replaces Lieutenant Colonel Greg Thomas who led the team through the 2008 and 2009 air show seasons. He is shown here accepting command from Brigadier General Russell J. Handy, 57th Wing Commander.
Cunningham graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1994. Before his assignment to the team, he was the Director of Operations for the 43rd Fighter Squadron at Tyndall AFB, the squadron responsible for training pilots in the F-22A Raptor. He has logged more than 2,000 hours with more than 1,800 hours in the F-15C, F-22A, and F-16C.
He becomes the 33rd leader of the Thunderbirds.
Snowbirds change leadership, wing assignment
2010-02-14
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds have altered their leadership structure for the 2010 air show season.
Former Snowbird #2, Major Maryse Carmichael, will be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and assume command of the squadron. Major Carmichael was the first female jet team pilot for the Snowbirds. She now becomes the first military jet team commanding officer. She will remain at the team’s home base of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan during the show season.
Major Chris Hope, formerly Snowbird #5 during the 2003, 2004 and 2005 air show seasons, will assume the role of Team Lead and Snowbird #1.
The Snowbirds will now also report to the commander of 4 Wing, a CF-18 fighter base in Cold Lake, Alberta. Since its inception, the team was under 15 Wing Moose Jaw, a training wing.
In this their 40th anniversary year, the Snowbirds will fly at 34 shows in 2010.
ASB Releases Banquet Video
2010-01-13
ASB.TV (Air Show Buzz) recently released this video which it created for the 2009 ICAS Chairman's Banquet held on Wednesday, December 9 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel in Las Vegas. Developed to visually summarize the just completed 2009 air show season, the video was used to set the tone for the awards presentation that many have described as the "air show industry's Oscars. ICAS members who would like to use any of ASB's professionally produced videos on their own websites are encouraged to contact Deb Mitchell at deb@asb.tv for more information.
Widespread Enthusiasm, Optimism Characterize 2009 ICAS Convention
2009-12-15
Delegates at the 2009 ICAS Convention reported brisk business, a palpable feeling of energy, and widespread optimism about the upcoming air show season.
Held December 6 through 9 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel, the 2009 Convention welcomed 1,519 delegates, two percent more than 2008 and slightly higher than the 1,504 average for the last ten years.
“Despite the struggling economy, ICAS members had a successful convention and left Las Vegas with exciting and ambitious plans for the 2010 air show season,” said ICAS President John Cudahy. “We were optimistic going into the convention, but attendance and positive reports from our members exceeded even our high expectations.”
Highlights of this year's ICAS Convention included the annual Chairman’s Banquet on Wednesday, December 9 (see details below) and a members-only concert by country music recording artist Aaron Tippin and the release of the three military jet team schedules on Monday, December 7. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels released both their 2010 and 2011 schedules, providing some event organizers with a significant jump on their planning for the 2011 air show season.
The 2010 ICAS Convention will be held December 5 through 8 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel in Las Vegas.
Sanborn Makes Opening Keynote Address Available to Convention Delegates, Members
2009-12-15
In response to the many requests ICAS received following his presentation, Mark Sanborn, the opening keynote speaker for the 2009 ICAS Convention, has agreed to make his keynote address to ICAS Convention delegates available to all ICAS members. Held on the morning of Monday, December 7, Sanborn’s presentation was among the most well-received in ICAS Convention history. To order your copy of Sanborn’s 60-minute presentation, send credit card information or your $35 check (payable to ICAS) to ICAS headquarters, 750 Miller Drive, Suite F-3, Leesburg, Virginia 20175, Fax: 703-779-8511, e-mail: icas@airshows.aero. Please also include your shipping address. You should receive your DVD within ten days to two weeks.
Aaron Named 2009 Scholl Recipient
2009-12-14
Aerobatic helicopter pilot Chuck Aaron was named 2009 recipient of the prestigious Art Scholl Showmanship Award. Presented each year to an air show performer who personifies the showmanship for which Art Scholl was known during his air show career, the Art Scholl Award had not previously been presented to a helicopter pilot.
Aaron was cited for his technically demanding, uniquely entertaining brand of air show flying, as well as his status as the only helicopter pilot in the world to hold an FAA-issued Statement of Aerobatic Competency. The 24th recipient of the award, Aaron joins air show legends Bob Hoover, Leo Loudenslager, Jim Franklin, Sean Tucker, Gene Soucy, and Michael Goulian on the list of past recipients.
Bunce Receives 2009 ICAS Sword of Excellence
2009-12-14
During an award ceremony in Las Vegas on December 9, General Aviation Manufacturers Association President Pete Bunce was presented with the ICAS Sword of Excellence, the air show industry’s most prestigious award, in recognition of more than a decade of service to the air show community.
Bunce, who retired from the Air Force in 2005, first became involved with the air show community as Air Force liaison on the ICAS Board of Directors in 1998, helping to strengthen and deepen the Air Force’s relationship with ICAS and the air show community. Now serving as an elected member of the Board, Bunce has been a forceful advocate for air shows at the highest levels of the aviation community.
Bunce becomes the 36th recipient of the Sword of Excellence and joins a list of past recipients that includes Paul Poberezny, Art Scholl, Dick Schram, Patty Wagstaff, Bob Hoover, and Tom Poberezny.
Kulp, Poberezny, Younkin Inducted into Air Show Hall of Fame
2009-12-13
During ceremonies held in conjunction with the 2009 ICAS Convention, air show legends Charlie Kulp, Tom Poberezny and Bobby Younkin were inducted into the ICAS Foundation Air Show Hall of Fame on Wednesday, December 9 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel.
Charlie Kulp was recognized as the quintessential flying farmer performer during an air show career that spanned nearly 40 years. Flying low-level, slow speed, cross-controlled aerobatics, Kulp would dupe spectators into believing that he was not a pilot and had accidently taken off in his 65 horsepower J-3 Cub. Kulp retired as an air show performer in 2008 at the age of 83.
Tom Poberezny was recognized for a career that could have easily qualified him for Air Show Hall of Fame status as either a performer or an event organizer. A member of the legendary Eagles Aerobatic Team for a quarter century, Poberezny was one-third of a formation aerobatic team that helped to define air show entertainment during the seventies, eighties and nineties. But, more recently, Poberezny is best known for his tenure as EAA president. For more than 30 years, he has overseen astounding growth in the attendance and the sophistication of EAA AirVenture. From sponsorship and programming to marketing and business management, Poberezny has been both a pioneer and industry leader in the air show business.
Bobby Younkin described himself as a “working class” air show pilot. The air show industry recognized him as the consummate showman, eager and able to entertain a crowd in anything that could fly. This Arkansas native combined natural showmanship with his well-developed skills as a pilot to entertain tens of millions of spectators throughout the United States and Canada.
NAS Oceana Takes Home 2009 Schram Award
2009-12-13
For its groundbreaking community relations effort using its air show as a breast cancer awareness initiative, NAS Oceana was named recipient of the 2009 Dick Schram Community Relations Award during the Chairman’s Banquet held in conjunction with the 2009 ICAS Convention last week in Las Vegas.
When a scheduling conflict forced the NAS Oceana Air Show to move from their traditional mid-September show dates to new dates in mid-October, the show’s leadership saw the change not as a problem or inconvenience, but as an opportunity to strengthen and extend the community relations aspects of this highly regarded air show and open house.
The October dates allowed show management to supplement all that they normally do with an additional program to support October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month with the tag line, “A Celebration of Flight, a Celebration of Life.” And with that decision, the outreach opportunities and community interest in the air show increased suddenly and dramatically.
Poe Featured on CNN
2009-11-11
Earlier this year, ICAS member and air show performer Greg Poe established a program that rewards strong students with aerobatic incentive rides in select locations around the country. Last weekend, as part of his appearance at the Randolph Air Force Base Air Show near San Antonio, Texas, Poe gave two San Antonio-area teenagers the aerobatic thrill of their lives and CNN documented the experience in this news segment.
MCAS Yuma Wall of Fire Certified by Guinness
2009-11-10
Guinness World Records recently certified the 10,178.3 foot long wall of fire at the MCAS Yuma Air Show on March 14, 2009 as the longest wall of fire, ever. Nearly two miles long, this pyro spectacular was created by the Bomb Squad of Tora Tora Tora.
Golden Knights Increase Fee for 2010
2009-11-10
In response to the increased costs of operating the team and budgetary challenges in the coming year, the U.S. Army Golden Knights recently announced that they have increased their show fee from $3,000 per day to $4,000 per day. The increase will be used to offset transportation, fuel and per diem costs. The team emphasized that all other details related to hosting the team will remain as specified in the team’s support manual.
For more information, contact SFC Paul Sachs, the team’s new show scheduler at 910-907-3205 or by e-mail at paul.sachs@usaac.army.mil.
Air Show Returns to Muskegon, Michigan
2009-10-19
The Muskegon (Michigan) Summer Celebration, a popular regional music festival, will add an air show component to its 2010 event. Scheduled for June 26 and 27, the show will be held on Muskegon’s waterfront and is expected to complement and boost interest in the long-running music festival, now entering its 18th year. The air show will be held on the first weekend of the eleven-day Summer Celebration.
From 1983 until 2006, Muskegon hosted one of the most successful and well-organized air shows in all of North America.
Private Pilots Welcome to Apply for Statement of Aerobatic Competency
2009-09-22
Prospective air show pilots wishing to apply and be evaluated for an FAA- or Transport Canada-issued Statement of Aerobatic Competency (SAC) are once again encouraged to do so. For a brief time earlier this year, ICAS had required a commercial pilot certificate, but – for a number of reasons – that requirement is no longer being made.
“As always, ICAS expects that any pilot will be not just proficient, but accomplished and deeply experienced in aerobatics before applying for a SAC card,” said ICAS Director of Operations Dan Hollowell. “But we are no longer prohibiting private pilots from applying if they are otherwise qualified.”
CBS Evening News Highlights Increased Air Show Attendance
2009-08-25
This two minute and thirteen second news segment about increased attendance at North American air shows was broadcast on the CBS Evening News on Sunday, August 23. Produced under the headline of “Alternative Vacations,” the segment was subsequently posted on the CBS News website and has been shown in syndication in many markets.
“There’s nothing quite like the third-party endorsement of the national news media,” said ICAS President John Cudahy. “As an industry and as individual air show organizations, we can promote the affordability and entertainment quality of air shows all we want, but the public listens to that message in a fundamentally different way when it is delivered by a news organization with the stature of CBS News.”
Cudahy also emphasized that the summer long public relations program on increased air show attendance that has been conducted by ICAS is one of the best examples in recent memory of how ICAS can help deliver substantive benefits to the air show community that individual members cannot produce on their own. “ICAS delivers a large number and wide variety of tangible benefits to ICAS members throughout the year, but this is a great example of the impact that we can have as a national trade association working on behalf of its members,” said Cudahy.
CAF Red Tail Flies Again
2009-08-17
Restoration is complete on the rare P-51C Mustang that was nearly destroyed in a 2004 fatal accident involving ICAS member Don Hinz. Painted in the colors of the Tuskegee Airmen squadron, the aircraft’s $1 million restoration was completed just in time for the red-tailed Mustang to make a late July trip to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for EAA AirVenture, where it appeared on static display in AeroShell Square for a full week.
Attendance at EAA AirVenture Increases 12 Percent
2009-08-06
Officials with the Experimental Aircraft Association recently reported that attendance at their 2009 air show and convention increased 12 percent as compared to 2008. The unexpectedly high attendance comes on the heels of similar reports from air shows throughout North America. With attendance in excess of 575,000 and more than 10,000 visiting aircraft, anecdotal reports from the AirVenture grounds confirmed the statistical reports from EAA, with many longtime visitors commenting that the ramp in Oshkosh seemed unusually crowded.
Air Show Attendance Continues to Defy Economic Conditions
2009-07-02
Two months into the heart of the 2009 air show season, the industry continues to witness a trend first recognized last summer when air shows collectively saw a 10-15 percent increase in spectator attendance compared with 2007. Across the board, air shows are reporting strong attendance, with many seeing all-time record attendance.
“Every week, we hear from more shows who have been challenged to deal with overflowing crowds and also from performers who have never seen such large crowds at specific venues,” said John Cudahy, president of the International Council of Air Shows. “I’ve worked at ICAS for 12 years and this is a phenomenon I’ve never seen. At this point, we’re thinking we’ll have an overall increase approaching 20 percent compared to last year. When you look at all the empty seats at baseball games or at NASCAR races, it’s quite a contrast.”
Jim Breen is president of the California-based Umbrella Entertainment Group, which works with 20 air shows each year and says he has never seen such consistent attendance increases across the board. “There are some outlier shows where the attendance is really off the charts,” he said, “but when you pull those out, it still looks like everything else is up about 13 percent on average.” Breen singled out shows at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, NAS New Orleans, and Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, DC as examples of shows that have hosted record or near-record crowds during the last several weeks.
Talk to more air show professionals and you’ll hear similar stories…
“We had the largest show we’ve had since I’ve been involved, which is since 1999,” said Rebecca March, Manager of the NAS Patuxent River Air Show, held May 23-24 in Maryland. “We had more than a 10 percent increase over 2008. We expected a good turnout, but this many people was a very pleasant surprise.”
“With total attendance in excess of 70,000, this was our largest show in the 18-year history of the event,” said Colonel Larry Gallogly with the Rhode Island National Guard Air Show in North Kingstown, Rhode Island on June 27 and 28. “We used every parking spot available to us and put more spectators on the ramp than we ever have before.”
“We were expecting lower attendance than last year because of a bad weather forecast for Saturday and Sunday,” said George Gorman, Manager of the New York Air Show at Jones Beach, held May 23-24. “Instead, we had a total of 407,000 spectators, and that even was with fog that delayed the Sunday show for 2-1/2 hours and a major traffic snarl on the east part of Long Island. We were barely off our all-time record, which is amazing considering everything that was working against us.”
“We expected between 32,000 and 34,000 spectators for the entire weekend,” said Major Doug Bodine, director of the Ellsworth Air Force Base Air Show near Rapid City, South Dakota, held May 30-31. “We had more than that by the end of Saturday and finished the show on Sunday with total attendance of 51,200…our largest air show ever.”
Cudahy and others cite the relative value of an air show compared with the cost of other entertainment options such as a trip to an amusement park or a professional sporting event. “What’s great about an air show,” he said, “is that a family of four would be hard-pressed to spend anything more than 50 or 60 dollars, whereas they’re easily dropping three or four times that amount at an amusement park or a professional baseball game. And they’re getting a product that the kids will remember forever. It only makes sense that air shows would see an attendance surge in a bad economy, but this defies even our most optimistic projections.”
Goulian to Receive Bill Barber Award
2009-06-30
ICAS member and veteran air show performer Michael Goulian has been named as the 2009 recipient of the prestigious Bill Barber Award for Showmanship. The award presentation will take place on Monday, July 27 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in conjunction with EAA AirVenture.
Goulian, who has been flying air shows and competitive aerobatics since he was a teenager, was recognized for his talent as an aerial entertainer, for his longstanding commitment to air show professionalism, and for the professional agility he has demonstrated as an air show pilot, world-class aerobatic competitor and Red Bull Air Race competitor.
The Barber Award is presented each year by the publishers of World Air Show News and the friends of air show legend Bill Barber to recognize innovation and achievement in air show showmanship. Past recipients include Danny Clisham, Pietsch Airshows, the AeroShell Aerobatic Team, John Mohr, Patty Wagstaff, Bob Hoover, Sean Tucker, Julie Clark, Jim LeRoy, Bob Hoover, Gene Soucy, Bud Granley, and Leo Loudenslager.
Indy Offers Free Tickets to Blood Donors
2009-06-19
For the third consecutive year, officials with the Indianapolis Air Show offered a free air show ticket to anybody who gave a pint of blood during a three-day period just prior to the June 6-7 event. In addition to encouraging blood donations during a particularly critical time for the Indianapolis area blood banks, the program generated additional ticket sales among those blood donors who attended the show using their free ticket and brought friends and family members who then bought their own tickets.
Each of six different blood donation centers are given a small supply of tickets and an information sheet that explains how to buy additional tickets on-line or on-site on show day. The blood center promotes the program with its own radio spots, providing additional publicity for the show. In each of the three years that the program has been run, blood donations have spiked and the air show promotion has outperformed similar promotions conducted by the blood donation center for other events with different organizations. On each day of the show, blood donors are saluted for their donation by the announcer over the public address system.
Bush 41 Jumps with Golden Knights
2009-06-17
In what has become a tradition for former President George H.W. Bush, the former World War II naval aviator celebrated his most recent birthday with a tandem parachute jump with the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. The event took place in Kennebunkport, Maine at St. Ann's Episcopal Church, which is the same location where the former president's parents were married.
Family and friends gathered to observe the jump, looking skyward as the former president and his tandem master SFC Michael Elliott, made their descent toward the target area and a near-perfect, stand-up landing. All five of his children were present, including the 43rd President, George W. Bush.
"It was a great exhilarating feeling, I don't feel a day over 84," noted the President. "It sends a message around the globe you don't have to sit around just 'cause you're an old guy drooling. Get out and do something, get out and enjoy life," he added.
Colbert Flies with Thunderbirds
2009-06-17
During the New York Air Show on Long Island over the Memorial Day weekend, comedian Stephen Colbert provided his Comedy Central television audience with a unique twist on the standard military jet team media ride.
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Operation Iraqi Stephen - Fallback Position - Air Force Thunderbirds | ||||
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Blue Angels to Move to Two-Year Schedule Cycle Effective Next Year
2009-06-17
To provide air shows with additional time to plan their events, the United States Navy Blue Angels will move to a two-year scheduling cycle beginning in 2010. Rather than the three to eleven months of advanced notice that air shows have had in the past, air shows will now know 15-23 months ahead of time that the team has committed to perform at a particular show on a particular date. The change was recently approved at the highest levels of the U.S. Navy leadership.
“Much of the feedback we had received from the air show industry was that the air shows in the early part of the season did not have time to plan for advertisements, logistics and sponsorships,” said Commander Greg McWherter, Blue Angels commanding officer and flight leader. “We hope the result of the two-year show schedule will be even higher quality shows that will draw even larger crowds.”
In the initial transition year, the Blue Angels will accept requests for support for both the 2010 and 2011 air show seasons. In December of 2009 at the annual ICAS Convention in Las Vegas, the team will announce both their 2010 and 2011 schedules. Thereafter, the team will release their newest schedule fifteen months before they fly their first show of that season. For example, the team will release their 2012 schedule at the ICAS Convention in December of 2010.
"We expect this to reduce or even eliminate some of the traditional scheduling issues that air shows have faced," said ICAS President John Cudahy. "We expect air shows to have an easier time securing corporate sponsorships. It will improve the effectiveness of each show's marketing efforts. It will even help the shows that don't get on the Blue Angels schedule because they'll now have that information much earlier so that they can pursue alternate plans."
Additional details on the administrative issues related to this new scheduling process will be released within the next few weeks. In the meantime, air shows interested in securing the Blue Angels in either 2010 or 2011 are encouraged to plan on submitting DD Form 2535 to the Navy not later than August 1 of this year.
Raptor Pilot to Lead Thunderbirds in 2010 and 2011
2009-06-11
(From Air Force Magazine) Lieutenant Colonel Case Cunningham, currently director of operations for the 43rd Fighter Squadron, an F-22 Raptor training unit at Tyndall AFB in Florida, has been selected to lead the U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds Flight Demonstration Team during the 2010 and 2011 air show seasons. Case will begin training in the F-16 Viper later this year before assuming command of the Thunderbirds from Lieutenant Colonel Greg Thomas early next year.
French, British Jet Teams Welcome First Female Pilots
2009-05-27
Both the French and British military jet teams have welcomed their first female pilots onto their teams this year.
Commandant Virginie Guyot (right) will be flight lead for the French Patrouille de France beginning next year. As is tradition with the French military jet team, she is flying the number 4 position this year in preparation for taking over as lead next year.
Flight Lieutenant Kristy Moore (left) will join the Red Arrows Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 air show seasons. She will join the team in September to begin training. Moore joined the RAF as a pilot in 1998. She is currently flying the Tornado GR4, a two-seat attack aircraft.
Despite Poor Weather, Attendance Continues to Trend Up
2009-05-26
Although much of the country has experienced unusually poor weather during the first two months of the 2009 air show season, the initial trend toward higher attendance has continued throughout the country. MCAS Beaufort (5/16-17) in South Carolina had heavy rain on Sunday, but near record crowds on Saturday. On the same weekend, the Joint Services Open House at Andrews AFB in Maryland had threatening weather all weekend, but still welcomed huge crowds. This past weekend, the New York Air Show at Jones Beach and the NAS Patuxent River Air Show in Maryland were the latest ICAS member shows to welcome record or near-record crowds.
And the media is paying attention to the increased popularity of air shows during these difficult economic times. Last Saturday, the Los Angeles Times ran a story on the front page of its business section entitled, “Air shows deliver adrenaline without bleeding family budgets” with this subhead: “Attendance soars as families seek more bang for the buck.” ( Click here to read the full story) The product of a national public relations effort initiated by ICAS last month, the story was subsequently picked up by a wide range of newspaper websites, ranging from USA Today to the Chicago Tribune and New York Times.
“Weather-wise, we’ve had bad luck during the first several weeks of the season, particularly on the east coast. But the large crowds – sometimes in spite of that poor weather – have been encouraging,” said ICAS President John Cudahy. “As an industry, the challenge that we face now is to turn these larger crowds of first-timers into dedicated air show fans who attend our events year after year.”
Early air shows continue to report large crowds
2009-05-03
Although there have now been exceptions to the larger trend, air show event organizers throughout the country continue to report very large crowds as the 2009 air show season hits full stride. From Temple, Texas to Macon, Georgia, event organizers are welcoming unusually large numbers of air show spectators to their events. Moving from the fall to the spring to accommodate a jet team, the N’Awlins Air Show at NAS New Orleans in Louisiana was forced to compete with the legendary New Orleans Jazz Festival this past weekend, but still attracted record crowds.
Air shows that had a jet team last year, but did not have one this year have had the expected drop in attendance. Air shows with poor or threatening weather were also less likely to have the large crowds that most of the other shows have welcomed. And there have even been some shows that bucked the trend despite having a jet team and decent weather.
But, generally, the trend toward much higher attendance continued through all of April and the first air show weekend of May.
As recession takes grip, air show industry takes off
2009-03-30
With each day delivering more news of economic despair, the air show industry begins its 2009 season this month under a sky of optimism, with all indicators pointing to an attendance surge as families search for low-cost, high-value, local entertainment.
Initial reports on spectator attendance at the season's earliest air shows suggest the optimism is well-founded. "The numbers are still coming in, but we think it was the largest attendance in our 29-year history," said Fred Buckingham, chairman of the Florida International Show, held March 21-22 in Punta Gorda. Buckingham estimated 2009 attendance at 65,000, a substantial increase of more than 18 percent over the previous record of 55,000.
"Families are cutting costs, but they're still looking for quality entertainment," said John Cudahy, president of the International Council of Air Shows. "That's why air show attendance spikes in a bad economy. Ticket prices are low, but the entertainment value is high." Cudahy reported a 12 to 15 percent increase in air show attendance during 2008, which followed patterns witnessed during 1980-1982 and 1990-1991 recessions.
Fueling the attendance increase are ticket prices that are a fraction of the cost of other entertainment venues, such as amusement parks and professional sporting events. "An air show ticket is closer in price to a movie ticket than to a theme park or baseball game," said Cudahy. "Now, with gasoline prices down and recessionary concerns putting other leisure options on hold, air shows are an increasingly attractive option."
Once spectators arrive at air shows, they find a level of entertainment that exceeds what they can get anywhere else, at any price: military demonstration teams such as the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, aerobatic performances by the world's most talented pilots, and a collection of museum-quality, vintage aircraft that can only be seen flying at air shows.
"What's great about air shows is they showcase all that is good about our country," said Bill Roach, who runs the Wings over Houston Airshow. "They're exciting, patriotic, and educational. The variety of jets, vintage airplanes, parachute acts, sailplanes, and ground acts ensures that there's something of interest for everyone."
The Houston show was held in late October. Organizers expected an attendance drop based both on the economy and the effects of Hurricane Ike, which had decimated Texas weeks earlier. Instead, the show saw attendance climb to record levels, a phenomenon reported across the nation, most noticeably in the fall, after news of the economic downturn became particularly grim.
Between early April and mid-November, more than 10 million spectators will attend more than 400 air shows from San Diego to New York City to British Columbia to Miami.
MEDIA NOTE-Broadcast-quality, B-roll video footage and high-resolution photos available at www.airshows.aero/Page/About-Press
Navy Launches Blue Angels Licensing Program
2009-03-27
The U.S. Navy has taken steps to trademark the Blue Angels crest, logo, script design, aircraft paint scheme, and uniform design.
According to a letter from Joel Bouve, assistant legal counsel to the Chief of Naval Air Training, “Recent legislation permits the military service to retain licensing fees from trademark licenses to support Morale, Welfare and Recreation for the benefit of Navy service members. The license program also assists the services in preventing confusing or inappropriate use of its trademarks. The Chief of Naval Aviation Training may grant permission to use the marks provided the circumstances under which the mark is used do not reflect unfavorably on the U.S. Navy or its personnel.”
If you’re interested in applying for a license or permission to use the mark, contact Joel Bouve, phone 361-961-3510 or by e-mail at joel.bouve@navy.mil.
ICAS Initiates Nation-wide Public Relations Program
2009-03-27
Seeking to take advantage of and encourage the likely spike in air show attendance throughout the 2009 air show season, ICAS will soon launch an extensive public relations campaign designed to alert the media to the cost-effective entertainment option that air shows represent during difficult economic times. The multi-faceted program is built around a multi-media news release that will be sent to nearly 6,000 media outlets throughout North America on Monday, March 30. Individual air shows will then make contact with their own local media to promote the story.
“There is precious little good news these days,” said ICAS President John Cudahy. “The media is starving for another angle to the endless, negative stories about the economic downturn. We think that air shows offer that kind of positive story, so we want to make it accessible to as many journalists as possible.”
ICAS Convention Unofficially Launches 2009 Air Show Season
2008-12-18
Although the results won't be apparent for several more weeks, the 2009 North American air show season got off to a spectacularly successful start last week as nearly 1,500 air show professionals gathered in Las Vegas for the annual convention of the International Council of Air Shows.
Widely recognized to be both the end of one air show season and the beginning of the next, the ICAS Convention has served as an industry planning and business meeting for 42 years. Event organizers, performers and support service providers gather each year during the first full week of December to make plans, sign contracts, learn from one another, and begin the process of piecing together more than 300 air shows throughout the United States and Canada.
Despite a struggling economy, the tone of this year's convention was upbeat with most shows reporting that their attendance figures did not suffer during the 2008 season and that they expect strong crowds for their 2009 events, as well.
"Air shows are always an inexpensive, family-oriented entertainment opportunity," says ICAS President John Cudahy. "And history has demonstrated that they are particularly popular during economic hard times. Many air shows set attendance records in 2008 and we expect similar trends for 2009."
The 2008 ICAS Convention got off to a particularly successful start on Tuesday, December 9, when the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and Canadian Forces Snowbirds released details on their 2009 performance schedules. Collectively, the three North American military jet teams will perform nearly 300 times in 100 different locations between March and November of 2009.
Marketing Competition Winners Announced
2008-12-10
The winners of the 2008 ICAS Marketing Competition were announced on Wednesday, December 10 during an awards presentation luncheon held in conjunction with the 2008 ICAS Convention in Las Vegas.
Four ICAS members – the Vectren Dayton Air Show, Blue Ash Airport Days, Cape Girardeau Regional Air Festival, and Franklin’s Flying Circus -- each took home two first place awards in this year’s competition.
First place winners included…
Best Newspaper Advertisement (Large Show): Vectren Dayton (OH) Air Show
Best Newspaper Advertisement (Small Show): Cape Girardeau (MO) Regional Air Festival
Best Radio Commercial (Large Show): Naval Air Station Jacksonville (FL) Air Show
Best Radio Commercial (Small Show): Dawson Creek (BC) Air Show
Best Television Commercial (Large Show): Marine Corps Air Station Yuma (AZ)
Best Television Commercial (Small Show): Blue Ash (OH) Airport Days
Best Event Brochure (Large Show): Royal International Air Tattoo (UK)
Best Event Brochure (Small Show): Faribault (MN) Airfest
Best Event Poster (Large Show): Vectren Dayton Air Show
Best Event Poster (Small Show): Thunder in the Valley (GA) Air Show
Best Event Program (Large Show): Canadian International (ON) Air Show
Best Event Program (Small Show): Chico (CA) Airfest
Best Sponsorship Package (Large Show): Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (CA) Air Show
Best Sponsorship Package (Small Show): Cape Girardeau Regional (MO) Air Festival
Best Website (Large Show): Fort Worth (TX) Alliance Air Show
Best Website (Small Show): Blue Ash (OH) Airport Days
Best Performer Magazine Ad: Franklin's Flying Circus
Best Performer Marketing Video: US Army Golden Knight Parachute Team
Best Performer Poster: Tora Tora Tora
Best Performer Press Kit: Rob Harrison, the Tumbling Bear
Best Performer Website: Paul Lopez Air Shows
Best Air Show Photograph: Marc St. Pierre
Best Exhibit, Support Service Provider, Single Booth: Lee Production Services/Live Air Show TV
Best Exhibit, Support Service Provider, Multiple Booths: FedEx Express
Best Exhibit, Performer, Single Booth: U.S. Navy Leap Frogs
Best Exhibit, Performer, Multiple Booths: Franklin’s Flying Circus
Best of Show Exhibit: Franklin’s Flying Circus
ICAS Announces Convention Dates Through 2020
2008-10-30
ICAS has contracted with two different Harrah’s hotel properties in Las Vegas to host the ICAS Convention through 2020.
“The convention business in Vegas is moving from a buyer’s market to a seller’s market,” said ICAS President John Cudahy. “Because our members have made it clear that they want to keep the ICAS Convention in Las Vegas for the foreseeable future, we negotiated the best terms possible and locked in for the next 12 years.”
Future dates are December 8-11, 2008 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel; December 6-9, 2009 at Paris Las Vegas; December 5-8, 2010 at Paris Las Vegas; December 4-7, 2011 at Paris Las Vegas; December 9-12, 2013 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel; December 8-11, 2014 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel; December 7-10, 2015 at Paris Las Vegas; December 5-8, 2016 at Paris Las Vegas; December 5-8, 2017 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel; December 3-6, 2018 at Paris Las Vegas; December 9-12, 2019 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel; and December 7-10, 2020 at Paris Las Vegas.