Rtfm (Read the Freakin' Manual!)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
RTFM (READ THE FREAKIN’ MANUAL!): HOSTING MILITARY PERFORMERS IN A POST- SEQUESTRA- TION ENVI- RONMENT air shows 1Q 2015 52 www.airshows.aero By Mike Berriochoa the future. And, with fewer military assets to Air Force personnel do and to get young men ir shows across North America go around, the pressure is on organizers to and women excited about doing something will soon be pushing throttles step up and do what they must to make sure bigger than themselves by joining us, and to full afterburner as we pre - that the teams’ needs are being met well in shows have to help us do that,” Fisher said. pare for the 2015 air show advance. When it comes to planning public affairs season. And, for those shows activities for the team, he said shows need to fAortunate enough to have secured a military start by reading the manual and contacting demonstration team, the teams are saying Air Shows as Public the appropriate team members to discuss op - one thing loud and clear: “READ THE Outreach Opportunities tions, including media interviews, school vis - FREAKIN’ MANUAL!” for the Military its, hospital visits, receptions, hangar parties, Well, they aren’t saying it in quite those Whether it’s the Blue Angels, the F-22 demo, etc. “We also expect shows to work closely terms, but that is clearly the message they the Snowbirds or a CF-18 demo, they all have with local Air Force recruiters. The recruiters want to get out, because too many shows are support manuals that spell out the minimum already have contacts with the schools and either not reading or no t following the man - requirements for a safe and entertaining per - youth organizations that we want to reach and ual. And that, in turn, is creating additional is - formance. Indeed, the organizational charts will know what will work best for us,” he said. sues that should never arise in the first place. of many air shows have been developed, in Fisher said the public’s interaction with the It all boils down to expectations, and the part, to ensure that the logistical needs of per - team is the return on the government’s invest - expectations are that the shows will give the formers – both military and civilian – are reli - ment. “The Air Force is investing a lot of time military the support it needs if those shows ably met. and money for us to come to a show. We need want the teams to come back. Huh? Or duh? But often overlooked are the public affairs to see a return. The logistics ensure a safe “If the 2013 air show season taught us requirements…the need for the teams to gain show, but our real reason for being there is to nothing else, it demonstrated that contempo - maximum interaction with the public. With inspire young men and women to join the Air rary military aircraft are our industry’s biggest an all-volunteer force, shrinking budgets, and Force. If we can’t engage the public, we really draw,” said ICAS President John Cudahy . a decreased percentage of the public with fam - have to ask what we accomplish by going “The air show business would do well to di - ily members in the military, air shows are one there,” said Fisher. versify, but – until we do – it’s important that of the few places where our military can inter - The Navy has an even greater public affairs we recognize the unique drawing power of the face with the public, and shows must do all challenge. Most communities have airports, military and do everything we can to help mil - they can to accommodate that mission. but there is more to the Navy than airplanes. itary leadership continue to see air shows as a Major Mike Fisher just completed three “We can’t bring an aircraft carrier to Vidalia, strong investment of their time, money and years as the advance pilot and narrator for the Georgia, but we still need to be able to spread resources.” U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. Part of his job the Navy and Marine story,” said Blue Angel When shows accept a military demonstra - was to arrive at a show site a couple of days #6, Lieutenant Ryan Chamberlain . Now the tion team, be it a multi-ship, solo demo, or early and make sure that it was prepared be - team’s opposing solo pilot, Chamberlain was parachute team, they are – in effect – signing a fore the team launched. If he didn’t like what the team’s 2014 narrator and part of last year’s contract that includes an obligation to live up he saw, he would go to work with the show or - advance team. to the letter of the requirements spelled out in ganizers to make things right. “The vast majority of shows are stuck in the team’s support manual. “Most shows do a good job in meeting the the mode of holding a reception that is exclu - So far, none of the teams has refused to per - requirements spelled out in the support man - sively for sponsors, performers, and a few in - form due to lack of adequate support, since ual, but we do so much more than fly an air vited guests. I understand that shows must say they were able to overcome the problems they show. The show is a tool to get face time with thanks to the people who donate money; it’s encountered, but they all say such issues will the public and to share the Air Force story. an industry standard and I get it. But we in the impact their decisions on whether to return in Our goal is to get people excited about what military are heavily scrutinized on how we www.airshows.aero 53 1Q 2015 air shows RTFM (READ THE FREAKIN’ MANUAL!) John Cudahy Mike Fisher Ryan Chamberlain Kathy White spend our time and money, and we have to get At U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command Outreach. “It is a disservice to the pilot, the the maximum exposure possible for our (ACC), where they schedule the Air Force crew and the Air Force to just use the single- branch of the service. We have a job to do. We solo demos, they, too, take their public affairs ship demonstrations to fly in the show. Our like and want events that are open to the pub - commitment seriously. Not only do they spell officers and enlisted personnel are trained to lic,” Chamberlain said. out their expectations clearly in their support meet the public, and to do interviews with the As examples, Chamberlain said one of the manual, but the expectations come with a di - media. We are ready to visit hospitals and shows where the team appeared last year held rect warning. schools and we expect show organizers to a reception at a museum that was open to the 1. The mission of the ACC Aerial Events work with recruiters to set those things up,” public. Another held a reception at a baseball Team is to recruit and retain personnel, she said. stadium where the public was invited at no display USAF airpower to the public, and White said shows are expected to have re - cost. “We prefer events like the baseball sta - act as ambassadors for the United States of cruiting booths on the ramp and demo pilots dium and the museum. It’s a more valuable America. Your assistance is vital for mission will visit those booths if at all possible. She use of our time when we can attend an event accomplishment. said they also want the pilots at the crowd line where people don’t need a ticket to get in and Our support for your air show/open house or in an autograph tent shaking hands and have open access to us,” he said. is directly related to how effective we are in signing autographs. “It’s not to our advantage “It’s sometimes difficult to see and feel accomplishing our mission. Public outreach, to do shows where the entire crowd line is change when you’re right in the middle of it,” specifically, firm interviews and community sold to the highest bidder because the crowd says Cudahy. “But this is one of those times. events, as well as children’s hospital visits, gets pushed back,” she said. The military’s expectations of what air shows school visits, etc., is central to our mission ac - In 2011, ACC had two F-16 teams, two A- will do to support them in their public out - complishment. We appreciate your diligent ef - 10 teams, one F-22 team and an F-15E Strike reach initiatives are changing. Individual forts in supporting our team and its mission. Eagle team doing air shows. Now they are shows will either embrace that change or find Lack of this support will be weighed when down to two teams… the F-16 and the F-22. themselves wondering why they no longer get generating future schedules. That is a significant change and the ACC is military support.” Kathy White is the ACC Chief of Civic giving each event more scrutiny in deciding where these limited assets will go. The decision on where ACC assets go rests with Mark “TBO” Thibeault , Chief of Aerial Events at ACC headquarters, and his staff. He said some shows put in extra effort to help get the Air Force message out. They aggressively reach out to local media, and work well with recruiters to give them a strong presence at shows.