There are few more complex "organisms" than an airshow in full
operation. The amount of detail, coordination and expertise needed
to pull off the modern American airshow is beyond the abilities of
any one human being... though it does rely on one to try to
coordinate the aerial operations... the much respected and (at some
times) much feared AIR BOSS.
At an inaugural East Coast airshow in 2008, ANN and Aero-TV had
the chance to see one of the best at work. Ralph Royce -- Aviation
Legend, Pilot, Warbird Jock and Airshow Expert, was at work this
time keeping everything safe, entertaining and ON TIME. Following
the completion of the show, ANN's Editor-In-Chief Jim Campbell sat
down with Royce to talk airshows, safety and how to help all
involved to (according to one of Ralph's favorite sayings) "don't
do nuthin' dumb."
Royce has an amazing history in the aviation world. Royce served
for 15 years as President and Chief Executive Officer of the The
Lone Star Flight Museum and Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, having
taken on that post in 1991. His emphasis on team-building and his
plans for the future were evident in the statement he gave ANN upon
his departure, "I cannot thank the volunteers and staff enough, for
they have helped make this organization into the world recognized
collection of aircraft and aviation memorabilia that it is..." said
Royce. "I have had a wonderful ride but I have been planning this
for some time. There are a couple of things I want to try in the
aviation and air show worlds, and now is a good time to try
them."
A commercially rated pilot with extensive warbird and airshow
credentials, and a descendent of two generations of aviators, Royce
has been involved in some aspect of aviation his entire life. His
grandfather was a career Army Air Corps officer earning Military
Aviator License # 44. In 1917, he led the 1st Aero Squadron in
France and became commander of all U.S. Forces in the Middle East
during WWII. Ralph’s father was also a career Air Force
officer learning to fly in 1935 and he taught Ralph to fly gliders
and small aircraft when he was a teenager. Two generations later,
Ralph flew as a command pilot on a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and
many of the high performance fighters and aircraft of WWII.
After selling his business, Ralph was named the Executive
Director of the Confederate Air Force in Harlingen, Texas in early
1983. During his tenure he oversaw a doubling in size of the CAF,
the restructuring of the CAF’s maintenance programs and a
total reorganization of the financial structure of the CAF. Opting
not to make the move to Midland, Ralph joined the Lone Star Flight
Museum where he was President until 2006.
In 1995 Royce recognized the need for an “aviation”
Hall of Fame in Texas. He successfully petitioned to have the Lone
Star Flight Museum named as the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame and
helped raise the necessary funds to build a facility that is today
recognized as one of the finest Aviation Halls of Fame in the
US.
Royce is known through out the aviation and air show industries
as the premier Air Boss for his unique ability to design and
control complex or difficult air shows -- safely. He is the
principal instructor for “Air Show 101” which teaches
air show flying and ground operations basics to new air show
committees or staff members. He coordinates instructors for the Air
Show Advanced Course, the Air Boss seminar, serves on several
committees for aviation safety, and spends time teaching seminars
to the FAA and Military on the finer points of managing and
operating air shows in the waivered airspace environment.
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (04.20.24): Light Gun
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