WIDESPREAD ENTHUSIASM, OPTIMISM CHARACTERIZE 2009 ICAS CONVENTION
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 highest expectations."
Highlights 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.
INITIAL 2010 AIR SHOW SCHEDULE NOW AVAILABLE ON ICAS WEBSITE; WE NEED YOUR DATES
Using the jet team schedules of the Thunderbirds, Snowbirds and Blue Angels as a base, ICAS has developed an initial draft of the 2010 air show schedule. (Click here to review the initial 2010 air show schedule.)
But the initial schedule is far from complete. To make this document as accurate and comprehensive as possible, we need to hear from you. If you are a support service provider or performer, please send us a note with the list of dates and locations of air shows where you will appear this year. If you are an event organizer and we have not yet included your show dates on our initial schedule, please send us an e-mail reply with the name of your show, its dates, location and the names of performers who will be performing at your event.
SANBORN MAKES OPENING KEYNOTE ADDRESS AVAILABLE TO CONVENTION DELEGATES, ICAS MEMBERS
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.
REMINDER: NEW SAC PROCESS BEGINS JANUARY 1, 2010
During the pilot safety de-brief portion of the 2009 ICAS Convention, ICAS unveiled a new process that will automate and significantly simplify the process by which air show pilots apply for or renew their Statement of Aerobatic Competency. ICAS will begin using the new process on January 1, 2010.
"We've been working on this for the last several months and we're now ready to put it to practical use for all Statement of Aerobatic Competency cardholders," said Dan Hollowell, ICAS Director of Operations.
The traditional process of faxing paper forms will be replaced entirely with an online application. Pilots wishing to obtain or renew their SAC card will simply need to click on SAC Application on the ICAS website and fill in the required information.
If you have questions about the new process, please contact Dan Hollowell in the ICAS office at 703-779-8510 or at hollowell@airshows.aero.
BUNCE IS 2009 ICAS SWORD OF EXCELLENCE RECIPIENT
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.
AARON NAMED 2009 SCHOLL RECIPIENT
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.
NAS OCEANA TAKES HOME 2009 SCHRAM AWARD
For their groundbreaking community relations effort using their 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.
NAS Oceana becomes just the second air show to win the Schram Award in three different years, having previously taken home the award in 1998 and 2000.
KULP, POBEREZNY, YOUNKIN INDUCTED INTO AIR SHOW HALL OF FAME
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 both 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.
REGIONS PLAN ANNUAL CONFERENCES
The SWAN conference has been scheduled for February 5-6, 2010 at MCAS Miramar in San Diego. For more information, visit the SWAN website at www.swansafety.com.
The Northeast Council of Airshows conference has been scheduled for February 19-21, 2010 at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station in Niagara Falls, New York. For more information, please visit the NECAS website at http://www.necas.org/conference/index.asp.
The Northwest Council of Airshows conference has been scheduled for March 5-6, 2010 at the SeaTac Marriott Hotel in Seattle, Washington. For more information please visit: www.nwcas.org.
GOULIAN, REIDER SIGN ON WITH ASB.tv
Air show performer and Red Bull Air Race competitor Michael Goulian and air show announcer Rob Reider will be sponsored by ASB.tv during the 2010 air show season. According to a press release issued by ASB.tv, Goulian and Reider will be ambassadors for the ASB.tv lifestyle and brand at air shows throughout the world. ASB.tv also plans for Goulian and Reider to interact with fans and participate in special events during 2010.
Goulian's Extra 330 SC will be re-branded with the ASB.tv logo and its maroon, black and gold colors.
ROSS CONVICTED OF AIR SHOW SCAM
New Zealand confidence man Ken Ross was convicted late last month of twelve separate charges related to an air show that had been scheduled for Waikato, New Zealand in March of 2008. In his 40-page decision, the judge in the case found that Ross had fabricated documentation and intentionally misled representatives from the host airport, sponsors and the general public. Among many other things, Ross (who was never a member of ICAS) was charged with inappropriately using the ICAS logo to bolster and substantiate his claim of being an experienced air show professional. Ross will be sentenced by the New Zealand court next month.
ICAS THANKS SPONSORS ONE LAST TIME
The individuals and organizations who sponsor the ICAS Convention have distinguished themselves as leaders in our industry. We would like to once again thank: ASB.tv; Air Boss & Consulting International, Inc.; American Aerobatics, Inc., Julie Clark's Chevron Mentor T-34; Stallion 51 and The Gathering Foundation; Aerostars Formation Aerobatic Team; AirBoss, Inc. - George Cline; Air National Guard & John Klatt Airshows; Team Chaos Extreme Airshows; Insurance Technologies & Programs; Eddie Andreini Airshows; Commemorative Air Force/Tora Tora Tora; AirSupport, LLC; Shannon & Luchs Insurance Agency; Jim Peitz Aerosports; Nalls Aviation; Greg Poe Airshows; Mach 1 Productions; Jacquie 'B' Airshows; Mohr Barnstorming; Team Rocket; Gordon Bowman-Jones; Chuck Vincent's Eagle Air, LLC; Airshow Aces; Rob Reider, Air Show Announcer; OnBoard Images; and ValleyWide Communications.
© International Council of Air Shows, Inc.
750 Miller Drive SE, Suite F-3
Leesburg, Virginia 20175
Phone: 703-779-8510
Fax: 703-779-8511
Website: www.airshows.aero
E-mail: icas@airshows.aero
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