This Is Where Aviation Makes A Great Impression On The Public

ANN has just received a note from the International Council of Airshows, confirming something that we had started to hear over the past few weeks... that airshow attendance was not only holding up... but trending dramatically and demonstrably upwards. ICAS's Jim Cudahy noted that a few weeks ago, "...a handful of shows had taken place and provided anecdotal evidence that a trend witnessed in 2008 -- a 12-15 percent increase of air show attendance despite a lagging economy -- was continuing. We've subsequently heard from seven additional shows, from all across the country (Alabama, Arizona, California, Mississippi), and all have reported RECORD attendance."

The reports are impressive... "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.

The International Council of Air Shows is a 501 (c)(6) not-for-profit trade association composed of professionals working in the air show community. Approximately 40 percent of the organization's members are air show event organizers from the United States, Canada, and the rest of the world. Another 40 percent of the organization's members are individuals or organizations that perform at air shows. And the remaining 20 percent are support service providers who offer ancillary services (concessions, insurance, photography, etc.) to the air show community.

FMI: www.airshows.aero/