An F-4 takes off. Photo by Phil Weston

"Okay, it’s 12 o’clock—do you know where you are?" Jim Mynning asked from the podium before answering his own question. "At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the world’s greatest air show!"

More precisely, the location was the new Charlie R. Hillard Air Operations Center, just east of AeroShell Square. And the applause and cheers that greeted Mynning’s pronouncement came from more than a score of the world’s greatest air show pilots. Every day during the fly-in the air show performers—Mike Goulian, Patty Wagstaff, Matt Chapman, and any other pilot on the program—gather here for a noon briefing.

"It’s all about safety," Bob Schumacher, director of AirVenture Flight Operations, explained after the briefing. "We don’t let just anyone fly here. You’ve got to be at the top of the class to be able to demonstrate at Oshkosh, and we’re very protective of keeping this place safe."

The camaraderie and high spirits among this group of elite pilots is evident. Shortly before yesterday’s briefing began, Sean Tucker spied F-22 pilot Maj. Paul Moga across the room and dragged him up to the podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen—Raptor in the house!" he announced to cheers and applause.

The briefings cover all aspects of the day’s show. It begins with a roll call to assure representatives from the FAA, fueling operations, and other critical ground support personnel are in attendance. The current and forecast weather is presented. At yesterday’s briefing, special attention was given to the gusty winds and possibility of showers forecast for show time.

After the weather briefing, Dick Hanusa, former air traffic controller and longtime EAA volunteer, took the podium to review the waivers in effect—that is, the FAA rules that pilots usually have to observe that would be suspended during their performances.

Turning to the subject of safety, Hanusa reminded the pilots to simply cancel their performance if any of them weren’t feeling well or experienced any problem with their aircraft. Canceling before the air show begins helps ensure there will be no disruptions.

Next, a series of aerial photographs of Wittman Field overlaid with the area in which the pilots perform their routines was projected at the front of the room. Potential emergencies on the ground and in-flight were discussed in detail—even what to do in the event a performer had to put his airplane down in the area beside the runway where the pyrotechnics that would be ignited at the end of the show were set up.

Finally the schedule of the day’s show was projected on the screen. As Hanusa went down the list, the performers applauded each other enthusiastically as their names were called out, and endured some good-natured ribbing.

"How come you get to be the leader?" someone asked Sean Tucker about his group, The Collaborators, which also features his son Eric Tucker, Ben Freelove, and Bill Stein.

"Because they’re all better looking and have faster planes," Tucker laughed. "They put the old guy in the front."

The briefing concluded with a question period, giving pilots a chance to ask about any aspects of the show that needed clarification. After that, the briefing was adjourned, and the room quickly emptied.

"I don’t think the public has any idea what it takes" to keep the air show running smoothly and safely, Schumacher said. "The coordination goes on all year long. There’s a lot of effort that goes into it, working with the FAA and the air traffic control people."

And the work doesn’t stop when AirVenture does.

"The minute this show ends on Monday, we’re going to start again for next year," Schumacher said. "While things are fresh in our minds, we can debrief and see what we need to change or fix."