According to FAA officials, the multi-organizational effort to extend the repack cycle for emergency parachutes from 120 days 180 days will be finalized before the end of February, 2009. ICAS member Allen Silver, who has been spearheading this initiative for the last two years, notes that – when implemented -- the new 180-day repack cycle will only take effect after the next repack that is performed by a certificated parachute rigger.

 

Commander Greg McWherter has been named team lead for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels for the 2009 and 2010 air show seasons. He is currently commanding officer of the Golden Dragons (VFA-192) where he also served as Executive Officer. Commander McWherter’s previous assignments include Joint Close Air Support (JCAS) Branch Chief of the United States Joint Forces Command, VFA-34 at NAS Oceana, Virginia and Top Gun instructor. Commander McWherter has over 3,300 flight hours and 800 arrested landings.

An eight-member committee, including Rear Adm. Mark Guadagnini, chief of naval air training, selected the Blues' new boss. A pool of seven candidates was cut to five before McWherter was named Boss. "It's a very difficult choice," Guadagnini said after announcing the committee's choice at the National Naval Aviation Museum. "They are all very good officers, all very good pilots and they all love the Navy."

The ICAS Foundation is seeking nominations for the prestigious ICAS Foundation Air Show Hall of Fame. Deadline for nominating one of our industry’s unrecognized legends is June 30, 2008. More information on the nomination process can be found on the ICAS Foundation website at www.icasfoundation.org/halloffame.htm.

The ICAS Foundation is now accepting applications for a number of scholarships that it offers to assist pilots, performers and flight instructors of the future to complete the necessary training to reach their goals. There are seven scholarships available and information can be found online at www.icasfoundation.org/scholarships.htm.

The ICAS Foundation Scholarship application deadline is ongoing, therefore interested applicants may email their inquiries anytime, but to be considered for any of the 2008 Scholarships, applications must be received by the Foundation not later than July 1, 2008.  Scholarship application forms may be found online at: www.icasfoundation.org.

Recently, the Foundation sent an e-mail message to all air show announcers requesting they mention the availability of these scholarships during their daily announcements at air shows, with the permission of the event organizers. The Foundation respectfully requests the assistance of all ICAS members in helping to publicize and promote the availability of these scholarship opportunities.

At approximately 2:00 p.m. PDT on Saturday, May 10, air show performer Rob Harrison was involved in an accident while performing in his Zlin 50 aerobatic monoplane at the Modesto (CA) Airport Appreciation Day in Modesto, California. Details on the accident are not yet available, but we have confirmed that Harrison’s injuries are not life-threatening and he will likely make a full recovery. 

According to his wife, Harrison was conscious, talkative and coherent after the accident. Immediately following the accident, Harrison underwent surgery to repair injuries he sustained to his feet and ankles in the accident. Rob is also recovering from injuries to his ribs and wrist.

 

Last week, a small working group of ICAS members met for two days in Dallas to begin work on a new Safety Management System for the air show industry that will serve as an important tool in improving air show safety.

Using existing safety management systems as models, ICAS members Ralph Royce, Dick Hanusa, Doug Rozendaal, Rob Harrison, Jill Long, Chuck Long, Gary Rower, and Bob Stenevik discussed the changes and accommodations needed to effectively adapt the work already done in other segments of the aviation industry to the particular needs and circumstances of the air show community.

Conceived as part of the larger ICAS initiative to change the culture of air show safety, the product of this effort is intended to document processes and procedures that our industry can use to manage risk, report incidents and accidents, participate more actively in accident investigations, identify trends, communicate the results of these investigations to members, and reduce the number of accidents in the air show community.

 

 

Exhibitors who reserved booths for the 2008 ICAS Convention during the space draw session on Thursday, December 13 of last year have now had their booth selections confirmed. In keeping with ICAS policy, the remaining booths are now available for other members to reserve.

We currently have less than 90 booths available, and – based on reservations made during the convention and interest expressed thus far this year – we expect the remaining booths to be reserved earlier and at a faster pace than in previous years. ICAS encourages all of our members to make the decision now to reserve their booths for the 2008 ICAS Convention, December 8 through 11 this year at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas. The current floor plan is available on our website at www.icashq.org.

ICAS members interested in reserving a booth should contact Karen Connors at the ICAS office (phone: 703-779-8510, e-mail: connors@airshows.org).

 

For the first time since 1996, ICAS presented two Swords of Excellence in a single year to recognize superior achievement in and contributions to the air show business.

In an awards presentation on December 13 during the annual ICAS Convention in Las Vegas, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels became the first organization to receive the Sword of Excellence. (Previously, the award had only been presented to individual air show professionals). The oldest and most well known of the world’s military jet teams, the Blue Angels were recognized for sixty-one years of air show excellence. Commander Kevin Mannix, the current team lead, accepted the Sword on behalf of the hundreds of current and former members of the team.

On the same evening, ICAS presented a second Sword of Excellence to air show announcer Rob Reider of Cincinnati, Ohio, who has been involved with air shows at some level since 1978. An ICAS member since 1994 and full-time air show announcer since 2006, Reider has also been the “on-camera” host of Sporty’s Pilot Shops’ aviation training videos. Reider is the 34^th recipient and the fourth air show announcer to be presented with the air show industry’s most prestigious award.

 

The twenty-first recipient of the Art Scholl Showmanship Award is Kent Pietsch. He was recognized during an award presentation at the 2007 Chairman’s Banquet during the ICAS Convention on December 13. A North Dakota native with more than 25 years of air show experience, Pietsch was singled out for his airmanship, showmanship and crowd appeal.

As the newest recipient of the Scholl Award, Pietsch joins the air show community’s most exclusive fraternity, a group that includes Bob Hoover, Sean Tucker, Jimmy Franklin, Tora Tora Tora, Leo Loudenslager, and John Mohr.

In October of 2006, ICAS requested that air show performers be exempted from the FAA requirement that they have their current pilot certificate, medical certificate and photo identification on their person while performing in air shows. The FAA published the ICAS petition in the Federal Register along with a request for comment. They received none. On November 9 of this year, James Balough, Director of Flight Standards Service for the FAA, granted the ICAS exemption request with the following conditions and limitations: the flight must be non-stop and take place within a 25 statute mile radius of the departure airport; each pilot performing must have his pilot certificate, medical certificate and photo ID available for inspection upon request before or after the performance; and each ICAS pilot operating under this exemption must be given a briefing by an ICAS representative on the provisions of this exemption.  This exemption will terminate on November 30, 2009 and is available only to members of the International Council of Air Shows.

 

The Canadian Forces have developed a new website that should simplify just about everything related to requesting flying or static display support from the Canadian Air Force. The new site, www.cfairshow.ca, contains an online request form that eliminates the need to submit paper requests for the Snowbirds, SkyHawks, and the CF-18 demonstration team. The site also enables users to track the support being provided to their events as well as other air shows. Membership is required to access the form and to view aircraft supporting an event. This membership is free and easy to obtain using the "request a new account" under "Login" on the left menu. There are also links to the Snowbirds and CF-18 Demo web sites.

Roger Buis, pilot of Otto the Helicopter, announced earlier this month that he will be retiring from the air show business. 

“It’s bittersweet.  It’s been a fun ride, the air show business, with its ups and downs, no pun intended there,” said Buis, adding:  “There have been more ups than downs.”

Since purchasing Otto from Bob and Annette Hoskings in 1999, Roger and Pauline Buis have been active and visible members of the air show family. With their retirement from air shows, Roger and Pauline will spend more time in their home town of Pensacola, where Pauline is a teacher and Roger will continue his work as chief pilot for Heliworks.

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar was named recipient of the 2007 Dick Schram Memorial Community Relations Award, becoming the first three-time recipient of the award in its 20-year history.  In addition to being named the 2007 recipient of the award, Miramar also took home the award in 1993 and 1996.

Miramar was recognized for their deep commitment to their local community and the manner in which they have integrated the air show into their community relations program.

Sean D. Tucker, Danny Clisham, Jim Driskell and Jimmy Franklin were inducted into the ICAS Foundation Air Show Hall of Fame on the evening of Thursday, December 13 during a ceremony at the Rio All-Suites Hotel in Las Vegas. 

Tucker was recognized for his trailblazing work in performer sponsorship during the last 15 years, as well as his talent as an air show pilot, his dedication as a mentor to younger performers, and his tireless work as an advocate for air show safety.

Driskell, who served as the announcer and ferry pilot for air show legend Bob Hoover for more than 25 years, was recognized for his ground breaking work as an announcer and for his unique ability to explain the difficult maneuvers performed by Hoover.

Franklin was a living legend throughout an air show career that spanned four decades. One of the most natural and talented “stick and rudder” pilots of his generation, Franklin was recognized for his showmanship, creativity and professionalism.

Widely regarded to be the dean of North American air show announcers, Clisham recognized the need to inject some of the glamour of Hollywood into the air show business.  And during his 40+ year career behind the microphone, he has done just that.  He was inducted into the Air Show Hall of Fame based largely on his skill and professionalism as an announcer and his long-time commitment to the air show business.

By unanimous vote of the ICAS Board of Directors, Tom and Caroline Trinkwalder were presented with the ICAS Special Recognition Award at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the Chairman’s Banquet on Thursday, December 13.  The Trinkwalders were recognized for their years of service to both ICAS and the ICAS Foundation, as well as their unique roles as long-time members of the air show family.

During the ICAS Convention, ICAS Board Chairman Jim Peitz was re-elected to a second three-year term on the ICAS Board of Directors. He will be joined by Karen Curtis from the California International Air Show in Salinas, California and air show and aviation consultant Dick Hanusa from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, who were both elected to their first three-year terms. Larry Strain of AirPros will serve the one remaining year of a Board member who resigned his position on the Board last year.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the Salute to Veterans Corporation’s appeal of a ruling that allowed protesters to hand out leaflets and carry signs during the annual air show. In 2004, Salute to Veterans asked police to remove several anti-war protesters. The American Civil Liberties Union sued the air show and the city, claiming that the protesters’ First Amendment rights had been violated. Salute to Veterans had argued that it should be able to determine who participated in their event.

In 2006, a district court judge ruled that the public had a right to protest at the show because the involvement of the local government in the coordination of certain aspects of the show had made the air show event organizers “state actors.” Salute to Veterans sought to overturn that decision earlier this year in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals and lost. That left the U.S. Supreme Court as the final option for Salute to Veterans.

“The situation is still somewhat unsettled, but air show event organizers should be aware that the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion in this case could have a long-term negative impact on an air show’s ability to control its ramp and limit disruptions,” said ICAS President John Cudahy. “As things stand right now, by involving local police, crash/fire/rescue or even the FAA, an air show may change its legal status in unanticipated ways.”                                    (photo by Franz Jantzen)

 

The ICAS Nominations Committee has nominated Jim Peitz of Jim Peitz Aerosports in Pierre, South Dakota; Karen Curtis of the California International Air Show in Salinas, California, Dick Hanusa of DH Aviation Safety Consulting in Oshkosh, Wisconsin; and Larry Strain of AirPros in The Woodlands, Texas, to run for positions on the ICAS Board of Directors in December.

Peitz will run for his second three-year term. Curtis and Hanusa have been nominated to their first three-year term on the Board. And Strain will serve the last year of three-year term for a Board member who resigned from the Board last year.

Nominating Committee Pete Bunce identified this year’s group of candidates as one of the strongest in ICAS history.  Nominating Committee members Karen Geldner, April Zalesky, Fred Buckingham and Ed Hamill carefully considered the current and future needs of both the organization and the Board before making its final recommendations on nominees.

CASE-LLC is currently seeking applications for possible openings in the Heritage Flight program.  The Heritage Flight consists of vintage World War II, Korean, and Vietnam-era aircraft flying in close formation with the Air Combat Command single-ship, modern-day fighter demonstration teams at air shows.  The Heritage Flight’s mission is to safely and proudly display the evolution of U.S. Air Force air power and to support the Air Force’s recruiting and retention efforts. 

Applications are being accepted from civilian pilots with extensive experience flying warbirds, flying formation, and flying in the air show environment. Applications are due to CASE no later than October 26, 2007. 

For more details and to obtain the application, visit the CASE website at
www.case-llc.com/hfpilots/.

ICAS recently submitted an amicus curiae brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of an appeal by the Salute to Veterans Celebration in Columbia, Missouri, of an Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals decision that could have an impact on all air show event organizers.

The Eighth Circuit Court had ruled that air shows become “state actors” when they involve federal or state agencies in the planning of those events or when they rely on public services (police, fire department) during the event. And, the Eight Circuit Court further found, when an air show becomes a “state actor,” it must accommodate protesters and other individuals and organizations with a contrary or opposing view to the organization organizing and conducting the event.

In its amicus brief, ICAS argued that simply making use of government services does not and should not turn an air show into a “state actor.” ICAS observed that this would obligate nearly every civilian air show in the United States to accommodate nearly every group or individual that wanted to use the air show as an opportunity to protest. Moreover, this ruling would affect not just air shows, but bicycle races, parades, county fairs, cub scout picnics and any other event that makes use of federal or state agencies to plan or conduct the event.

“The Salute to Veterans Celebration has done everything in their power to keep this verdict from becoming precedent. And, for that, the entire air show community owes them our gratitude,” said ICAS President John Cudahy. “We offered our opinion on this very important issue on behalf of the entire ICAS membership, many of which will be impacted if this decision is allowed to stand.”

The International Council of Air Shows sent the following letter to CNN on September 4 to protest the shoddy journalism and sensationalistic reporting demonstrated in a September "news" segment that aired on that network.

Dear Mr. Davis:
My name is John Cudahy. I am president of the International Council of Air Shows, a trade association based in Leesburg, Virginia that represents air show pilots and air show event organizers.

I’m addressing this note to you in your capacity as executive vice president of news standards and practices for CNN. Specifically, I wanted to pass along my perspective on the air show story that was broadcast on CNN’s “Out in the Open” program on September 3. (Incidentally, although there is a link to the segment on your website, this version has been heavily edited and does not include much of the material that originally aired.)

As an industry, we understand that air show accidents are compelling material for television news programs. There is almost always dramatic video to illustrate the story. Nationwide, air shows attract more than 10 million spectators every year, so there is broad interest in our events among the general population. And accidents typically occur over the weekend when “hard news” is a bit more difficult to come by.

But we believe that the occasional availability of dramatic and sometimes disturbing video footage comes with a responsibility for news organizations to deal with that footage responsibly, fairly and accurately. By almost any measure, CNN failed to live up to that obligation on September 3. In the hope that we can avoid misunderstandings of this type in the future, I’d like to summarize what we consider to be several serious problems with the story and how it developed.

1. Several air show pilots received calls from CNN personnel on the morning of Monday, September 3 asking if the pilots would consider participating in a live interview to be aired on “Out in the Open” at approximately 8:30 p.m. EDT that same night. They were told that the interview would focus on what those pilots do to train and prepare for their aerobatic performances. The producers making the phone calls asked good, specific questions that would have supported this line of questioning during the interview. Nonetheless, most of the pilots sensed that things were not as they seemed and declined the invitation to participate. One of the pilots agreed to be interviewed that evening. During the live interview, none of the issues that were discussed in the pre-interview were discussed on air. Instead, the show’s host rolled accident footage, asked the pilot to comment on it, and then rolled more accident footage before the pilot could complete his commentary. The pilot being interviewed was in a studio that did not have playback capabilities, so the show’s host (Rick Sanchez) was asking the pilot questions about accident footage that he could not see. Understandably, he spent the first half of the interview looking surprised and confused as a result of this sudden change in subject matter and his inability to see the footage that he was being asked about.

2. Footage from a 1988 accident involving the Italian military jet demonstration team at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany was shown eight times during a four- or five-minute segment. Though Sanchez mentioned initially that it was footage from an accident in 1988, that footage was juxtaposed with more recent footage and repeated almost non-stop through the middle portion of the interview. Sanchez commented at least once that, “This is the kind of thing that can happen at these air shows.” Even a very attentive viewer would have been left with the impression that attending an air show is very dangerous for both the pilot and the audience.

In fact, the opposite is true. Air show flying can be dangerous and every one of our pilots is fully aware of that risk before they take off. But no air show spectator has been killed at a North American air show in more than 55 years. From NASCAR to IRL to hydroplane races, our safety record is the envy of the entire motor sports industry. This safety record is a direct result of this country’s air show safety regulations and our industry’s cooperative relationship with the FAA on spectator-related safety issues. We have worked very hard during the last half-century and with considerable sacrifice to absolutely safeguard the safety of our audiences. Protecting the audience is a moral imperative to the people who work in our business and a point of considerable pride in our industry. But CNN’s story suggested the opposite to your viewers. The juxtaposition of the Ramstein footage with the footage from more recent accidents suggested that air shows are dangerous to spectators. Demonstrably, quantifiably, and historically, this is simply not true.

CNN is under no obligation to promote or support the U.S. air show industry. Nonetheless, it would seem to us that the real is story is that U.S. audiences have been so well protected during the last 50+ years. Indeed, just three months before that 1988 accident in Germany, that same Italian team was flying in the United States. They were prohibited from performing the maneuver that they were flying when they had the accident in Germany because the FAA deemed it to be unsafe. More recently, the air show community has suffered through four different, highly publicized accidents. In every single case, our system worked as designed and nobody in the audience was hurt. In any case, there is absolutely nothing about these recent accidents that should have prompted CNN to terrify the American public into believing that their well-being was a risk if they were silly enough to get anywhere near an air show. When it comes to spectators, our safety record is impeccable.

Mr. Davis, the public was not well served by this segment. At the very least, the producers and host of this segment did not do their homework and failed to understand the true nature and risk of air show accidents in the United States before airing a segment that suggested very strongly that air shows are dangerous to the spectators who attend them. Information on air show safety and accident history is very easy to come by. Indeed, just this spring, Miles O’Brien developed a CNN segment that accurately and fairly describes air shows, the risks that they present to pilots and the risks that they DO NOT present to the audience. The truth is not as exciting, sensationalistic or dramatic as this fictional portrayal of the danger of air shows. But it is the truth.

But worse than the inaccuracies and missed opportunities is the nagging perception within our organization and among our members that this segment was deliberately misleading and alarmist. The ambush tactics with the interviewee, the repeated use of largely irrelevant 19 year-old video footage, and the inattention to easily accessible facts that would have contradicted the central premise of the segment together suggest a deliberate effort to direct the story in a specific and inaccurate direction.

We would like to create and maintain a strong relationship with all of the news media and, in particular, with CNN. And we recognize that air show accident footage will continue to be broadcast on CNN and other networks. But we’d like the accompanying reporting and subsequent analysis to be accurate. If we deserve criticism, we’re more than willing to take it. Indeed, we welcome it. But there was no greater purpose served by that September 3 report. For no reason, the public was left with an inaccurate and unfair perspective on air show safety. It was very surprising to see that kind of sensationalistic approach from CNN.

I am not familiar with the internal review mechanisms used at CNN. But I would suggest that they be employed now to figure out what happened. We have come to expect this kind of “gotcha” journalism from some of your competitors, but CNN is the gold standard. It should not be participating in this kind of silliness.

John Cudahy
President
International Council of Air Shows

The results of the preliminary investigation into the fatal accident involving Snowbird #2 Captain Sean McCaughey on Friday, May 18 in Great Falls, Montana, indicate that his seatbelt came unbuckled as he rolled inverted in his CT-114 Tutor trainer. He then fell out of his seat, lost control of the aircraft and crashed.  Even as the Canadian military continues its investigation into how the seatbelt became unbuckled, the team has taken preventive measures to ensure that the problem does not occur again.

ICAS recently joined forces with 17 other aviation associations to urge that the next FAA administrator be confirmed by Congress, not appointed using a recess appointment. In an August 20 letter to President Bush that was also signed by virtually every major general aviation association in the country, ICAS urged the President to nominate the strongest possible candidate for the position. 

In part, the letter said, “We are united in our belief that modernization is absolutely necessary and that critical decisions impacting the entire aviation infrastructure will need to be made in the next two years. If confirmed for a five-year term, the next administrator can provide the necessary continuity and strong leadership of the interagency process to ensure that critical decisions are made in a timely manner to begin the urgent task of modernizing our aviation infrastructure.

After flying for MOPAR for nearly two decades, Julie Clark will now be sponsored by Chevron Global Aviation, a subsidiary of Chevron Products Company.

“I’m very excited to join Chevron and to become a member of the Chevron family of brands,” said Julie.

“I am so proud to be associated with this fine American company.” Julie’s first show for Chevron was the California Capital Air Show in Sacramento, June 9 and 10.

In April of 1967, Major Leo Thorsness was flying a U.S. Air Force F-105G Wild Weasel on a surface-to-air suppression mission over Vietnam when he became involved in a solo air battle against a significant portion of the North Vietnamese Air Force. His courage and air combat skills during that battle would later earn him the Congressional Medal of Honor. But, before he could be awarded the CMH, Thorsness and his back-seater were shot down, captured and held as prisoners of war for six years.

ICAS is pleased to announce that Major Thorsness will kick off the 2007 ICAS Convention with a riveting keynote address describing his time in Vietnam. Thorsness will invite you into the cockpit for one of the epic air battles of the Vietnamese War. He’ll share with you the brutality of his years as a POW, what he learned about himself, and what he learned about the meaning of patriotism. You’ll leave with a new appreciation of what it means to be a combat aviator and a new understanding of personal sacrifice.

The Blue Angels recently announced the names of new officers who will join the team for the 2008 air show season. The squadron selected three F/A-18 Hornet pilots, a C-130 pilot, a maintenance officer, a public affairs officer and a supply officer to join the team in September. 

New Hornet pilots are Lieutenant Paul Brantuas, currently assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 125 at NAS Lemoore; Lieutenant Mark Swinger, currently assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 106 at NAS Oceana; and Lieutenant Frank Weisser, currently assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 87 at NAS Oceana.

The team’s newest C-130 pilot is Captain Brendan Burks, currently assigned to Expeditionary Warfare School in Quantico, Virginia.  The team’s new maintenance officer is Lieutenant Manuel Sanchez, currently assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 27 in Atsugi, Japan. Captain Tyson Dunkelberger will be the team’s new Public Affairs Officer. Lieutenant (JG) Anthony Robinson will be the new supply officer.

The Canadian Forces recently released its report on the accident that resulted in the death of Snowbird #8 Captain Miles Selby on December 10, 2004.

On the day of the accident, Selby was practicing an opposing looping maneuver with Captain Chuck Mallet, Snowbird #9, when the two were involved in a mid-air collision near Mossbank, Saskatchewan. Captain Chuck Mallet, the other pilot involved in the accident, was ejected from his damaged Tutor and survived with only minor injuries.

The investigation found no mechanical problems with either aircraft. The report found that Selby’s training on the maneuver being performed at the time of the accident was deficient, in that he did not have either the dual training or experience to develop the appropriate sight-picture for a 30-foot miss at the top of the maneuver. The Snowbirds have already implemented the recommendations made by investigators.

The ICAS Foundation has announced that they will induct four air show legends into the prestigious ICAS Foundation Air Show Hall of Fame. Jimmy Franklin, Jim Driskell, Danny Clisham and Sean D. Tucker join the ranks of other aviation greats who have been inducted into the Air Show Hall of Fame since its inception in 1995.

For many, Jim Franklin personified the innovation, daring and excitement of the air show business. On several different occasions, Franklin “reinvented” himself and his air show act to bring fresh ideas to the world of air shows.

Jim Driskell is best known as the “voice” of the world’s greatest pilot, Robert H. “Bob” Hoover. Driskell set the standard in air show announcing professionalism from the early 1970s through the late 1990s.

Danny Clisham is one of America’s most popular air show announcers. His encyclopedic knowledge of performers, sponsors, maneuvers and aircraft has made him one of the most successful and most popular announcers in air show history.

In addition to his hard-charging solo aerobatic performances, Sean D. Tucker has been an advocate for aviation safety, an accomplished speaker, a pioneer in air show corporate sponsorship, and a teacher and mentor for many of his colleagues in the air show business.

The induction ceremony will be held on Thursday, December 13 during the annual ICAS convention in December at the Rio All-Suites Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Organizers of the 2007 Nova Scotia International Air Show (NSIAS) recently announced that the September 8-9 event has been cancelled. Runway resurfacing and airport construction issues at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport had complicated the organizers’ ability to position a safe and practical aerobatic box. NSIAS organizers have already pledged to return the air show to Halifax in September of 2008.

The United States Air Force announced on Friday that Lieutenant Colonel Gregory Thomas will assume command of the Thunderbirds early next year. The fourth consecutive F-15 Eagle pilot to lead the team, Thomas is currently stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska.  He begins F-16 training at Luke Air Force Base next month.

The International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) announced today that John B. Cudahy has been appointed as president and chief staff officer. Cudahy, who brings nearly 25 years of association management experience to the position, served as ICAS president from 1997 to 2006.

"John brings a unique combination of association management and air show expertise to ICAS," says Jim Peitz, Chairman of the ICAS Board of Directors. “ICAS, already a powerful voice and strong advocate for air show professionals, will benefit tremendously from John’s leadership experience, enthusiasm and vision."

Cudahy was most recently executive director of the American Medical Student Association, an independent association of 65,000 physicians-in-training based in Reston, Virginia. Before joining ICAS in 1997, Cudahy worked at the National Pest Management Association as the director of marketing and as vice president at the William C. Pflaum Company, an association management company with several clients in the packaging industry.

“It’s an exciting and challenging time for the air show industry,” said Cudahy. “I’m eager to tackle both the challenges that our industry faces and the opportunities that we have to improve this wonderful business. It’s great to be back.”

Cudahy succeeds Bruce Wilson, who served as ICAS president since May of 2006.

After months of working through the details, ICAS is now pleased to announce a new system governing the expiration dates for aerobatic cards. The new language allows pilots to renew their SAC cards throughout the year of expiration. The official new language that is now in the ACE Manual and on the ICASHQ website states:
“All Statement of Aerobatic Competency (SAC) cards due to expire in 2007, will expire December 31, 2007. Renewals accomplished in 2007 will expire December 31, 2008; subsequent renewals accomplished while the card is still valid and newly issued cards will expire on December 31 of the following year (e.g. a renewal done with a valid card in 2008 will expire December 31, 2009).

If the card has expired, it must be reinstated and will expire December 31 in the year it was reinstated. For example, if a card was valid until December 31, 2007 and the reevaluation wasn’t accomplished until January of 2008, that card will expire December 31, 2008. The card holder must accomplish another evaluation in 2008 which will have an expiration date of December 31, 2009. If the card holder waits to get an evaluation in January 2009, that card will expire on December 31, 2009.”

ICAS thanks both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transport Canada Aviation (TCA) for working with us to bring about this change. Letters from both the FAA and TCA recognizing and accepting this change to the ACE Manual can be found under the ACE Program section of www.icashq.org at
http://www.icashq.org/ace-program/TCAAmend2007.doc and
http://www.icashq.org/ace-program/FAA%20Amend%2007.tif.

FAA National Air Show Coordinator, Jeff Weller, has briefed regional representatives on the change during his official teleconference calls and ICAS representatives briefed 45 regional representatives at the Air/Ground Operations Seminar for FAA IICs two weeks ago. Wayne Harper, TCA Air Show Coordinator, has sent out an official notice of the change to his regional representatives. We hope that ICAS’s SAC card holders appreciate this change. To help ICAS meet the administrative requirements of the ACE program we must make two adjustments. First, effective immediately, applicants who are NOT current ICAS members will be charged ($300) instead of the member rate of ($200). Second, all applications received after September 30th will be required to pay an additional $50. Your ICAS staff is small and all efforts during the final quarter are dedicated to putting on an outstanding convention each December. We simply do not have the resources to process a large number of SAC card applications at the end of the year. We trust that SAC card holders will have several opportunities to re-evaluate during the first nine months of the year.

A document with answers to frequently asked questions about this change can be found on http://www.icashq.org/ace-program/expdatefaqs.doc.

Aerobatic performer and ICAS member, Julie Clark, was named “Woman of the Year” for California’s 1st Senate District by Senator Dave Cox on Monday, March 5, 2007. Julie and 39 other notable women were honored as “Women of the Year” representing each of the 40 California Senate Districts. “Being recognized as “Woman of the Year” by Senator Cox is very special. As a life-long resident and native of Northern California, I am honored to be acknowledged for my contributions to my community and to the field of aviation,” said Julie Clark. “Julie’s leadership and patriotism exemplifies the American Spirit,” said Senator Cox. 2007 begins Julie’s 28th year as a solo aerobatic performer. Ms. Clark and her T-34 “Smokin Mentor” will be appearing in numerous air shows throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico this year. For more information on American Aerobatics, go to www.americanaerobatics.com.