Vol. 4, No. 9, September 2007
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Behind the Scenes
Many of the most remarkable feats of the annual airshow take place on the ground
As you read this, the city no doubt will be basking in the afterglow of another successful edition of the Atlantic City Airshow.
The stars of the show, as always, are the military performers brought in by the 177th Fighter Wing of the New Jersey Air National Guard, main sponsor Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, and the Atlantic City Mainland Regional Chamber of Commerce.
But those of you who think that’s the end of the story should know that there is a committee made up of approximately 30 people who work year-round to make sure each airshow is better than the year before. Multiple agencies, businesses and people put in their own time, materials and money to ensure the airshow takes place, and for many of those, the only return on investment they receive is that the show does take place for everyone’s enjoyment.
Did you know that more than 700 volunteers work to make sure the airshow is a memorable event for everyone? Organized by Lisa Spengler from the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, volunteers include the Atlantic County Women’s Center, who along with committee member Susan Schneider handles the merchandise sales; the Absecon VFW, which monitors the drop zone area for the show; volunteers from various businesses and organizations throughout the area who provide assistance for the chalet areas located on the beach; the vendors along the Boardwalk; and the Flight Line Club. Volunteers also include Boy Scouts from the Jersey Shore Council, Boys Scouts of America. The organization, led by Ethan Drady, also produces the official souvenir program, and sells it the day of the show.
Also during the show, Exceptional Medical Transportation makes its services available. EMT provides command planning, operations, organization and logistics for all EMS resources. They work with the A.C. Office of Emergency Management, Atlantic County Office of Emergency Management, the Atlantic County EMS Coordinators, Absecon EMS, Mutual Aid Emergency Services and others to obtain EMS resources for the airshow.
Looking out for everyone’s wellbeing during the airshow is the Atlantic City Police. Their primary responsibility is providing security and crowd control on the streets, beach and Boardwalk before, during and after the show. Can you imagine trying to control the amount of traffic in the city during the show? They work with the numerous municipal, state and federal law enforcement authorities and military contingents to coordinate appropriate operational and tactical plans. They are assisted by the New Jersey State Police, Casino Gaming Bureau.
While the police take to the streets, the U.S. Coast Guard and the State Police Marine Services Bureau take to the sea. They establish a safety zone in the ocean and monitor the large number of spectators who arrive by boat to enjoy the show. Also contributing each year is Towboat U.S. They act as the center boat and the mark for the planes.
Helping to organize and set up the airshow is the A.C. Special Improvement District. Led by Director of Landscaping Jon Bitzer, SID lays out the chalet and the Flightline Club, installs fencing and electrical setup at show center, and organizes deliveries for chalet caterers and vendors. And after the show, they help the Public Works staff with post-show cleanup. Those of you who stick around will see an amazingly clean beach and Boardwalk soon after the end of the show.
We’ve covered land and sea, but what about air? The FAA Atlantic City Tower provides air traffic control services for all the aircraft participating in the airshow by handling the aircraft movements between the A.C. International Airport and the show. In addition, they maintain all normal air traffic already operating at the airport.
Along with owning and operating the A.C. International Airport, the South Jersey Transportation Authority provides operations and logistical support to the airshow as well as assistance in marketing the event with the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority.
The ACCVA partnered with the Chamber of Commerce to help promote the show. Under the guidance of Larry Sieg, senior director of marketing, the ACCVA produces all the collateral for the show including sales merchandise, fliers, sponsorship material including brochures, a PowerPoint presentation, posters and advertisements. Our website also advertises the airshow, and we use e-mail blasts to publicize the event. Media Relations Manager Michael Bruckler promotes the airshow through press releases and media alerts, editorials, public service announcements and by arranging interviews with key members of the show. He also pitches the show to the media and organizes any media events leading up to and during the airshow.
There’s more—too much to list here. Just remember, next year when you come out to see the Thunderbirds, Golden Knights, and all the other performers, there’s a whole show going on behind the airshow that you’ll never see.
