ICAS members will have the opportunity to tour AirCommand I, AirSupport’s state-of-the-art, mobile airshow support system, at the ICAS Convention in Las Vegas December 9-12th. AirCommand I will be on display in the exhit hall for the duration of the convention.
For the second year in a row, AirSupport had the opportunity to direct air operations for the Kennedy Space Center Space and Air Show. Held on the NASA Causeway where KSC visitors typically view space shuttle launches, the show drew approximately 73,000 spectators over three days. It featured the US Navy Blue Angels, demonstrations from the 920th rescue wing and the Screaming Eagles parachute team, the F-16 Viper Demo, Ed Hamil, Mike Goulian, a B-25 fly-by and a Heritage Flight.
Planning a show at America’s gateway to space is both a complex and exhilarating task. It is not every day that, when planning a show, we have to deconflict with the space shuttle launch and landing schedule. This is the Kennedy Space Center – home of America’s space program. Yeah…it’s pretty cool.
If driving past the dated 1960’s style architecture that makes up the Center doesn’t take you back to the days of Apollo Saturn V, a glance at the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building will. The fourth largest building in the world by volume. A building so large that NASA employees have reported it has its own weather, including rain clouds forming below the ceiling on very humid days. Built originally for the Apollo program and now used for the Space Shuttle program, it stands as an emblem of America’s achievements in space both past and present. This is the first thing we see as we drive to our office each morning. Yeah…it’s pretty cool.
And let’s also talk about the animals. Kennedy Space Center is 34 miles long and about 6 miles wide. However, only about 9 percent of the land is developed. The remainder is a wild life refuge. So on a daily basis, one is not surprised to find a family of wild hogs rooting along side the road, a well-fed rattle snake slithering across the highway or — should one make a wrong turn down a less-traveled limerock road — a very, very large Florida Aligator soaking up the sunshine. And I should mention the dolphins and manitee that one can spot frolicking in the waters on the shores of the causeway. This is how we are welcomed on site each day. Yeah…it’s pretty cool.
Not to be overlooked is the Shuttle Landing Facility. It’s where the aircraft are staged for the show and where the space shuttle lands on the 15,000 foot runway. The operations building, holds framed and signed memorabilia from decades of shuttle landings. Surrounded by these artifacts, one is struck by the feeling that one is standing upon nearly-hallowed ground. Yeah…it’s pretty cool.
We already look forward to the next show in October of 2009!
To view photos check out our Photo Gallery.
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