Ability To Adapt To Weather A Prerequisite
by ANN Correspondent Matt Russell
When ANN last reported on Air Boss
activities at AirVenture 2007, Warbirds Air Boss Wayne
Boggs had just finished briefing the pilots who will fly in the
day’s air show.
Boggs, George Cline, and Mark Ringham have carefully planned the
Warbirds show as a unique showcase of fighter planes.
"Today’s show is Fighter Day," Boggs says, and proceeds to
explain how emphasis will be placed on the needs of the
participating fighters.
"We have always tried to showcase different parts of the
Warbirds community on different days," says Boggs. "Some days we
focus on bombers, other days it’s recon or utility airplanes,
and today [Wednesday at AirVenture] has traditionally been Fighter
Day." Having been around different types of aircraft for most of
his life, Boggs says he finds every Warbirds show interesting, no
matter which models are the center of attention. At AirVenture, he
says, "I think the crowd is so large that each day’s show
will appeal to plenty of people."
So it’s Fighter Day, and the Warbirds show will take place
between the "flying showcase" and aerobatic portions of the
afternoon. During the showcase, Boggs, Cline, and Ringham head for
the trailer at Show Center. Show Center is so-called both for its
geographic location on the flight line, and because it serves as
the operational authority for the entire show. Show Center would be
the "brain" of the airshow’s central nervous system, if it
had one. In addition to a massive crowd of showgowers hoping to get
a closer look, the performers, Operations officials ("redshirts"),
and relatives of both are found here.
This year, National Geographic is filming a documentary on the
airshow, and today their crew remains in the shadow of Joe
Schumacher, Aircraft Operations Director.
The Air Bosses, among others, report to Schumacher, so his
interactions with Boggs and team are recorded by the frightfully
quick-moving National Geographic film crew. In addition to FAA
representation, Air Bosses, and safety spotters on top of the
Operations trailer (from where the show is actually controlled),
one would expect the NG crew to add clutter and distraction, but
professionalism shines through. As the Air Bosses get plugged into
the communication system and take in their surroundings, it is as
if they see right through the scurrying film crew.
The Air Bosses remain focused on preparations to launch the
Warbirds... but things are about to change.
Don’t like the weather in Oshkosh? "Wait," one resident
told me with a grin. "Just wait. The current weather never lasts
long here," he said. Schumacher and the Air Bosses know this too,
but with tens of thousands of fans watching, it’s a tough
decision to cancel an airshow simply because ominous-looking clouds
appear. As the day’s showcase wraps up, Boggs and team cue an
on-time launch of the first aircraft for the Warbirds show, the
T-28s and the "Duggy" DC-3 which carries the Liberty Parachute Team
for opening ceremonies.
As soon as the aircraft depart Runway 27 and have gained
altitude, the first large drops begin to fall on Wittman Field. The
controlled chaos on the trailer ratchets up a notch as performer
Sean Tucker, with film crew in tow, pays the Air Bosses a visit to
discuss the conditions.
Boggs, Ringham, and Cline focus their attention away from the
distractions, and discuss the best way to recover the T-28s, which
are orbiting northwest of Wittman Field.
Conditions continue to worsen, and in gusting winds and heavy
rain the airshow crowd, volunteers, and most of the Redshirts run
for cover. Hiding underneath ponchos, wings, and tents... they
prove adept at finding shelter. But shelter is not in the cards for
the Air Boss and his backups. Warbirds are circling in the dark
sky, so they stay on the trailer and continue working with the
aircraft.
"We don’t get to come down until they get down," a soaked
Wayne Boggs later says.
Boggs, Cline, and Ringham get the T-28s and DC-3 down safely on
Runway 9, and then retreat from the trailer rooftop. The storm
stays at Wittman Field longer than expected, and the Warbirds show,
Heritage Flight, and opening ceremonies are washed out for the
day.
After the storm, Joe Schumacher clears an abbreviated aerobatic
airshow to launch. It doesn’t appear hardly any of the
AirVenture fans chose to go home, and they are hoping for some
entertainment. Long since dried off, the Air Bosses spring into
action, using their experience to accelerate operations as quickly
as possible. "Cue the National Anthem," aerobatic show boss Jim
Mynning says into his headset as the Liberty Parachute Team
displays the flag from the back of a parade car. The fans respond
with enthusiastic applause as the first performer gets airborne. As
the tarmac dries and water is mopped from the seats, it’s
business as usual on the Operations trailer.
Fast-forward to the AirVenture weekend show. Boggs and his team
plan a large Warbirds display to make up for time lost to the
storm. Topping the show is a tremendous amount of "pyro," which is
exploding gasoline used to simulate the guns and bombs of the
aircraft being shown. Two B-25s, a B-17, and a B-24 depart Runway
18 in front of the crowd, and announcer Danny Clisham gets the
crowd excited for a tremendous show.
Warbirds of all different eras, shapes, and sizes are included,
as is a re-enactment of WWII ground combat.
The show runs smoothly despite the huge number of aircraft in
the sky. The Liberty Parachute Team and National Anthem closely
follow the missing man formation of the Bombers, which comes right
after the Wall of Fire pyro display. The Warbirds show is so large
it’s difficult to pick out the finale.
During it all, the Air Bosses and their colleagues have eyes on
the skies and fingers on the mic buttons as the show is
coordinated. The planning, writing, briefing, and brainstorming all
pay off in these moments.
The Air Bosses proudly wave and applaud as their bombers and
fighters roll past on landing... and you can tell days like these
make the tougher days worth enduring.