All Hail The Aero-Heroes of 2009!

Final Compilations by ANN Editor-In-Chief/Trouble-Maker, Jim Campbell

It is both the most "fun," and most difficult, task facing the ANN staff at the end of every year -- determining who, or what, did the most to promote the cause of aviation in the past 365 days... while also chastising those people or entities that did all they could to undermine the many successes the aviation/aerospace community has managed to accomplish.
 
Thankfully, 2009 was a year in which we saw the best and brightest among us step forward and work tirelessly on behalf of us all. No doubt about it... the challenges we faced in 2009 were numerous, and ongoing... so was the quality of expertise and passion brought to our defense by those who heroically demonstrated to the world the very best side of aviation... via their deeds, words and actions.
 
It is ANN's honor to recognize Ten persons/organizations or groups that qualify as our Aero-Heroes for 2009... in something of an informal order, starting from the 10th to the 1st. Let us know what you think of our selections... whom YOU would have liked be included or omitted from such a list. In the meantime, we thank the folks who made this year's list. Thank you, folks... we really needed you this year, and you didn't let us down.

ANN will list our Top Ten choices over the next few day's, but in order to kick off the New Year right, let's enjoy another selection from our Heroes List for 2009...

Aero-Heroes #5: ICAS and Airshow Professionals

Jog my mind as much as I dare (for fear of doing lasting damage -- grin) and I have to admit that I have a hard time coming up with a more positive and professional image by which I would want the world to judge aviation by, then what we see within the professional airshow community. At a time when many of the aero-alphabet associations are not as effective or cohesive as they once were (and who have forgotten who their friends are in their drive for one-upsmanshp), the International Council of AirShows is the real deal... an organization that understands the needs of its members, their collective mission, and then works in those best interests with drive, passion, and talent.

And the results are spectacular!

Even with only a few months under their belt, the industry was able to report, before the end of the summer season, that the news regarding air show attendance was a stark contrast to what other industries were experiencing amid a recession of historic proportions. The air show industry saw record attendance during the 2009 season. In fact, the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) projected that 2009 attendance in the United States was up 20 percent or more compared with 2008.

The attendance surge that air shows have experienced in 2009 - on top of an attendance jump of 12-15 percent the industry saw in 2008 compared with 2007 - has brought an industry that just two years ago estimated overall North American attendance at 10 to 12 million to the 14 to 16 million range.

And with all those people coming to airshows... what do they see? They see aviation at its best... solid professionals, in the air and on the ground, producing safe, tightly orchestrated performances and events that prove to one and all that the aviation world is something very special, indeed.

That's a heck of an image to live up to... but thankfully, the professionalism of the airshow industry, in particular, proves that we're up to it... especially with examples like ICAS (under the able leadership of John Cudahy) and their hundreds of performers, organizers, staff and support personnel. 

In 2009, as they have in decades before, the men and women of the airshow industry showed aviation off in its best light... and inspired millions as to what we're all about. Outstanding!

FMI: Comments/Criticism????