ICAS FAST FACTS August, 2010

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ICAS ACADEMY AT HILLSBORO DELIVERS ABUNDANT INFORMATION, INSIGHT

A dozen representatives from military and civilian air shows throughout the United States converged on Hillsboro, Oregon last weekend for the ICAS Air Show Academy, held in conjunction with the Oregon International Air Show on August 19, 20 and 21.

The eleventh in a series dating back to 2000, the ICAS Air Show Academy in Oregon last week provided participants with an up-close and extremely detailed look at one of the most well-managed and successful air shows in North America. From finance, administrative and staffing issues to marketing, sponsorship and media relations to air operations, ground operations and logistics, representatives from the Oregon International Air Show shared virtually all of their hard-earned lessons, successful tactics and useful insights.

“The ICAS Air Show Academy continues to be both an incredible value and the most useful learning opportunity that ICAS offers each year,” said ICAS President John Cudahy. “And the folks from Hillsboro were extraordinarily helpful and incredibly hospitable. It was definitely one of our best Academy programs ever.”

The ICAS Air Boss Academy program is scheduled to be held on October 28, 29 and 30 in Fort Worth, Texas, in conjunction with the Fort Worth Alliance Air Show. Details on this program are available on the ICAS website or from ICAS headquarters.

CAF UNVEILS PLANS FOR RED, WHITE AND LOUD TOUR

Late last month, the Commemorative Air Force released details on an ambitious new program to celebrate America’s freedom using country music, air shows and one of the rarest and most extraordinary warbirds flying in the world today.

After a massive engine-rebuild, the B-29 Superfortress FIFI will return to the skies early this fall. Country music recording artist Aaron Tippin will be “checked out” in the aircraft and will fly it all over the United States. At each stop, he will hold a special Red, White and Loud concert in front of the world’s only flying B-29. FIFI will also be available for guided tours and a lucky few will have the opportunity to purchase a ride in this unique and recently restored warbird.

Click here to see a short video of the first flight of the CAF’s B-29 Superfortress after its engine rebuild. Click here for additional details on the CAF’s Red, White and Loud tour.

PETITION DEADLINE APPROACHES

The deadline for ICAS members to place their names on the ballot for election to the Board of Directors as a petition candidate is Thursday, September 9, 2010. In accordance with Section 9, Paragraph B(2) of the ICAS Bylaws, candidates making use of this process must submit a petition signed by ten (10) voting members that arrives at ICAS headquarters by 5:00 p.m. EDT on September 9.

For those interested, Section 9 of the ICAS Bylaws (which can also be found on page 16 and 17 of the 2010-2011 ICAS Industry Guide) provide specific direction on the nomination and election process. The Board of Directors selects a Nominating Committee Chairman from among those directors not eligible for re-election that year. The Chairman, in turn, identifies members for the Nominating Committee, at least two of who must be former members of the Board. The Nominating Committee then solicits potential nominees from among the membership. It considers a number of issues and criteria.

For instance, the overall ICAS membership is comprised (roughly) of 40 percent event organizers, 40 percent performers and 20 percent support service providers (air bosses, concessionaires, photographers, etc.). Typically, the Nominating Committee seeks to ensure that the make-up of the Board reflects the general make-up of the larger organization with an appropriate and proportional number of event organizer, performer and support service provider members sitting on the Board. The Nominating Committee also considers things like previous business or board experience, reputation and experience within the air show community, specific expertise or experience that might be useful to ICAS and the air show community, and the ability of prospective Board members to put aside their own personal or organizational concerns to work for the greater good of the entire air show industry.

This presents the Nominating Committee with both a difficult assignment and a great deal of responsibility. Juggling dozens of considerations to come up with a qualified slate of candidates that will be elected to help lead the organization is a considerable challenge. In 2009, the committee included four past chairmen of the ICAS Board of Directors and one past Board member. The 2010 Nominating Committee is chaired by current ICAS Board member Judy Willey from the Oregon International Air Show. Serving with her are past Board Chairmen Harry Wardwell and Charles Hutchins and former Board members Mike Berriochoa and Sean Tucker.

When it concludes its review of potential candidates and in accordance with specific direction in the Bylaws that obligate it to, “…evaluate and recommend a slate of qualified director candidates to the voting membership for the annual election of Directors,” the Nominating Committee makes recommendations on whose names should be included on the ballot to be voted on by the general membership. Typically, the committee recommends three candidates to appear on the election ballot to fill three vacancies. There will be four vacancies to fill in December of this year.

Importantly, the Bylaws also provide direction on how a member who is not recommended by the Nominating Committee may have his or her name added to the Board of Directors election ballot. This process requires the prospective nominee to submit a petition with signatures from ten (10) dues-paying members to endorse the nomination. Introduced into the ICAS Bylaws in December of 1993 as a mechanism to ensure that every member had an opportunity to stand for election to the ICAS Board if he/she was interested, this process has subsequently worked as intended. Without exception, on every occasion that a member has made use of the petition process, his name has been included on the election ballot to run against those nominees recommended by the Nominating Committee.

Each year, at the ICAS Convention and in accordance with the ICAS Bylaws, an election is held to determine which members will fill vacancies on the Board. The names on the ballot include the slate recommended by the Nominating Committee and any candidates who are nominated using the petition process.

The ICAS Board periodically reviews the Bylaws and election process to affirm that it remains current and accurate. Recognizing this, the ICAS Board has authorized the creation of an ad hoc committee of ICAS members and has asked that group to review both the election-related verbiage in the ICAS Bylaws and the manner in which this direction has been executed by the organization during the last several years. Importantly, the new committee will be asked to recommend changes to the Bylaws that allow for electronic voting by e-mail and/or the internet. Generally, the group will be tasked with making any and all recommendations on changes it may have for improving the process.

MACLEAN KILLED IN TRAINING ACCIDENT

Red Bull Air Race pilot Alex Maclean died on Tuesday, August 17 near his home in Spain while practicing aerobatics for an upcoming air show. The former captain of the Spanish national aerobatic team, Maclean had been competing in the Red Bull Air Race series since 2003. Spanish regulatory authorities are investigating the cause of the accident.

ROY DAVIS: NEW ICAS MEMBER

Gyrocopter pilot Roy Davis of Roy Davis Gyrocopter Demonstrations is one of our newest ICAS members.  Davis flies a high energy gyrocopter agility demonstration that demonstrates the unique capabilities of the gyrocopter while entertaining the audience and providing a new and different flying act for air show spectators. You can reach Roy at 9975 SW Green Ridge Lane, Palm City, Florida 34990, office phone 772-486-1005, e-mail: gyronautical@bellsouth.net.

CONVENTION REGISTRATIONS COMING IN AT NEAR ALL-TIME HIGH RATE

With three and a half months to go before the 2010 ICAS Convention, registrations are at a near record level for this time of year, exceeded at this point only by the pace of registrations for the 2004 ICAS Convention.

“Segments of the air show community continue to suffer from the economic downturn,” says ICAS President John Cudahy. “But convention registrations so far this summer suggest that the air show industry is already preparing for a very successful 2011 air show season.”

To use the quick and easy ICAS on-line convention registration process, click here.

MAKE YOUR HOTEL RESERVATION NOW TO GET LOWEST RATE

The 2010 ICAS Convention will once again be held at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and, if this is your first convention or your twenty-first, staying at the headquarter hotel enhances your convention experience. As it did last year, the hotel is once again offering an early bird discount rate, but this rate won’t be good for long. To learn more about the host hotel for the 2010 ICAS Convention, click here.. To make your hotel room reservation at this discounted rate, click here.

GOOD BOOTHS STILL AVAILABLE

Fifteen weeks out from the air show industry’s big event, there are still nearly 50 booths on the ICAS Convention exhibit hall floor still available. This year’s exhibit hall will include a total of 323 booths.

“We are a bit ahead of last year and on pace to sell out by early or mid-October,” said Exhibit Hall Manager Karen Connors.

To reserve your booth or to learn more about the ICAS Convention exhibit hall as a marketing tool for your air show organization, contact Karen Connors at 703-779-8510 or by e-mail at connors@airshows.aero.

ICAS RELEASES MARKETING COMPETITION INFO

Detailed information on the 2010 ICAS Marketing Competition is now available through ICAS headquarters or by clicking here.

This year’s ICAS Marketing Competition will include a number of changes, including the addition of a new category for “Best Overall Air Show Marketing Plan.” Judging for this award will be based on a number of criteria, including the type and effectiveness of marketing tools and tactics used by the show, cross promotions, trading/bartering to increase marketing reach/visibility, the impact of media and retail partnerships, and data/statistics that indicate effectiveness of marketing programs and improvement from one year to the next.

Other changes: The dividing line between small shows and large shows has been moved to 50,000 spectators to better balance out the categories. The following competition categories have been eliminated: event brochure, performer press kit, souvenir programs, and sponsor solicitation package.

RED BULL AIR RACES ANNOUNCE ONE-YEAR HIATUS

Organizers of the Red Bull Air Races announced earlier this month that the race series will not be held in 2011. Two of the last three races in the 2010 series were cancelled abruptly earlier this summer. And the race suffered its first accident (non-fatal involving Brazilian pilot Adilson Kindlemann during a race in Perth, Australia) and a near accident (Australian pilot Matt Hall in Windsor, Ontario). Race organizers were also known to be concerned about a number of planning and venue issues.

"Following 10 years of rapid growth, the organization had decided that it needed to make the tough decision to take a break for 2011 in order to implement the changes required with regard to the restructuring of the organization and, importantly, to develop the various commercial areas of the business," said Red Bull spokeswoman Barbara Proske.

THANK YOU SPONSORS

Air show organizations that have already signed on as sponsors of the 2010 ICAS Convention include: Air Boss & Consulting International; ASB.tv; Mike Goulian Airshows; Julie Clark's Chevron Mentor T-34; John Klatt Airshows; Team Chaos Extreme Airshows; FedEx Express; AirSupport, LLC; Jim Peitz Aerosports; Insurance Technologies and Programs; Mach 1 Productions; Commemorative Air Force/Tora, Tora, Tora; Air Boss, Inc. – George Cline; Shannon & Luchs Insurance Agency; Jacquie 'B' Airshows; Team Rocket; Nalls Aviation; Mohr Barnstorming; Geico Skytypers; Gordon Bowman-Jones; Aerostars Aerobatic Team; Tim Weber Airshows, Inc.; Greg Poe Airshows; Rob Reider, Air Show Announcer; and OnBoard Images.

If your organization would like more information on the many benefits of sponsoring the ICAS Convention, please contact ICAS headquarters.

© International Council of Air Shows, Inc.

750 Miller Drive, Suite F-3

Leesburg, Virginia 20175

Phone: 703-779-8510

Website: www.airshows.aero

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