................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
1.The Airshow Management Committee is pleased and excited to launch the new look Web Site for the Barossa Airshow. We are also keen let everyone know about the committee’s work that underlies this very public face of the Airshow
And in doing so, we hope everyone in the Club will also join in the excitement and feel included in what is shaping up to be a great event for the Club and the Barossa Community.
Once the decision was made to accept Steve Ahrens’ proposal for the Club to host the event, a Management Committee was formed and has been meeting roughly once a month since July.
There’s been a couple of minor changes along the way but the current Committee comprises:
- Keith M: Chair & Manager Landside
- Steve: Manager Airside
- Sandie: Secretary
- Sue: Deputy Chair
- Keith A
- Bill
- Bryce
- Mark
- Marie
- Julie (BV District Club)
- Peter P
- John L
- John T
- Catherine
As Chair and Manager: Landside, Keith M undertook a lot of the “heavy lifting” in identifying how the Club might undertake this project and the work involved. And it is worth remembering he took on this role in addition to an extended period as Club President.
He keeps the committee on track, both during and after meetings, reminds us of timelines and major outstanding tasks, and pitches in where there is a gap and a need. He is, quite simply, the general overseer of the project.
Steve Ahrens brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Committee that sits alongside his primary role of Manager: Airside. However, looking after all things flying is not as glamorous as it might seem. In addition to liaising with and organising participants in the Flying Display, he has a host of logistical and administrative tasks. Some of these are applications to CASA and ensuring compliance with safety requirements, the organising of a commentator, and MC for the day, gathering volunteers to act as run way air marshalls and staffing the control tower. There is an enormous amount of work involved in organising up to 20 or more flying participants and keeping them and the spectators safe. Steve’s passion for the event is inspiring and energising, and he is dedicated to bringing quality and adrenaline to the aerial display.
As secretary, Sandie has the unenviable task of recording the often lengthy and wide ranging discussions which occur at the meetings, and identifying the decisions that are then made.
This is is a HUGE job, which is crucial to the ongoing work of the Committee.
Other members of the Committee have been delegated “portfolios” of responsibility according to tasks that need to be undertaken.
Display Exhibits and Market Stalls
In addition to the Flying Display there will also be display exhibits and market stalls, and Marie has taken on the job of arranging these. She has been working hard to organise a fantastic range of exhibits and stalls from a variety of groups to be part of the entertainment on the ground. A significant coup is a commitment by the RFDS to be there with their flying simulator. She has also sorted some fair ground fun, with a jumping castle, side shows, face painting already booked in.
Catering
Of course, what kind of show would it be without food, food, more food and drinks? Peter P is in charge of organising food and drink vendors. The agreed focus for these vendors will be to offer places to local community groups, service and sporting clubs and so on, as a means of facilitating fund raising for them, while providing amenities to the Airshow. However, some commercial operators will need to be included, for crucial items like coffee.
Logistics
The logistics of staging an event this size, where there may be anywhere between 3000 to 5000 people in attendance are enormous. With this in mind, organising operations on the ground has been broken into a number of parts
Bill and Bryce are in charge of Front Gates and Grounds. This involves organising all the amenities that will be needed on site. These amenities include things such as toilets, power and water, fences, flags, signage, seating areas, entry gates, information points, internet coverage, control tower, commentary booth and so on. They are responsible for ensuring all the equipment and infrastructure needed to provide these amenities will be in place and operational on the day, and then making sure everything is dismantled and the site cleaned up afterwards.
In addition, there are legalities, such as preparing and submitting a Planning Application to Barossa Council, and monitoring Occupational Health and Safety matters.
An adjunct to Gates and Grounds is the matter of Traffic Management, as the task of getting 2-3 thousand people and their vehicles on site is HUGE. Bill and Mark have been liaising with SA Police to create and lodge a Traffic Management plan, and will then develop strategies for how that plan will be implemented on the day.
The key requirement from SA Police will be to minimise disruption to other traffic on Barossa Valley Way
Airshow grounds.. How it will look on April 11th 2021...Yes!
COVID Safety
A major aspect of the logistics consideration, which is new to management of the event, is the need to meet SA Government requirements in relation to COVID Safety.
The size of the event requires a formal COVID Management Plan. This adds another layer of logistics to Airshow operations, as it will require:
COVID Marshalls
Contact tracing registration
Social distancing requirements
Necessary signage
Mark, Keith A, Bill, Sandie and Steve have taken on this task, as a special COVID sub-committee.
Volunteer Work force
The sole aim of hosting the Airshow is to RAISE FUNDS. The goal is to maximise this by having as much of the work done by volunteers as possible.
Keith A and Sue are in charge of gathering together our Airshow Support Crew. They will be drumming up support from close by Rotary Clubs and also looking to other local clubs and non-profit organisations to assist.
These volunteers will be responsible for setting up, cleaning up, acting as COVID Marshalls, information officers, parking attendants, gate keepers and so on.
Support from members of this Club is also crucial. We can all pitch in and help out before, during and after the event. And this doesn’t necessarily have to be in ways that require physical work. For example, as mentioned above, we will need people to be information attendants, or gate keepers.
Finances
At the end of the day, this entire project is about FUND RAISING and in order to raise as many funds as possible we need to keep an eye on the finances. This is where John T brings his skills to bear. His focus is on budgets and accountability; income and expenses; and estimated profits
He is dedicated to monitoring costs so the event can maximise income.
Sponsors
A key component of fund raising will be to garner support from Sponsors to help minimise production costs. John L is in charge of this, and he will be assisted by Peter Thomas.
We have developed a prospectus document, which provides information about the Airshow and the levels of sponsorship available. There are four levels of sponsorship: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze. The prospectus document, and a separate Sponsor’s Agreement sets out the benefits available for each level of sponsorship. Basically, the deal is the more dollars a sponsor contributes the more “goodies” they will receive from us.
John and Peter will be focussing their sales pitch on the premise that the Barossa Airshow is “for the Barossa by the Barossa”
Promotions
And of course at the end of the day, it’s that old saying of getting “bums on seats” and selling tickets. So we will be promoting the Airshow in as many ways as possible.
Catherine is responsible for developing the promotions and public relations program. This will use the traditional means of radio, television, newspapers; signs and posters; word of mouth. However, a strong on-line presence (Facebook, Instagram, Web Site) will also be an important promotional tool.
New Look Web Site
Catherine has now finalised the bulk of the work required to get the new look web site up and running. There are a few areas that are not quite complete, and the layout needs some tweaking, but for the most part it WORKS!
Most importantly, the information is up to date, and we are now rebranded with the current Airshow and Barossa Valley Rotary logos. It is easily accessible via PC, tablet and smart phone.
It reflects all the hard work the committee has undertaken so far in that it encapsulates and articulates the shared vision for the 2021 Barossa Airshow.
Its incredible visual impact would not be possible without the fantastic portfolio of images provided by photographers at previous events.
Catherine specifically acknowledged input from two people. Keith Millington –who has been right beside her, joining in on some hair tearing sessions about how to effect the change from the old pages, and undertaking back end programming tasks once the content was in place.
The other is Keith Adams, whose firm and steadfast request for a photograph on the Volunteer Brochure, forced her into moving beyond a “That’s enough” kind of pamphlet, to produce the visual imagery that leads the way on the web page and all of our other documents.
So, please take a look through the Web Site. Read more about this incredible event, and our Club’s hard work in bringing it to fruition.
More importantly, SHARE IT AROUND, make sure your family, friends, work colleagues, casual acquaintances, hair dresser, butcher, favourite barista, and anyone else you can think of, knows about it.
Article written & provided by Catherine Lawler.
Steve Ahrens and Sophie
Family and Community Event
The Barossa Airshow is an event with a strong focus on families and community.
It aims to be an affordable day out with non-stop aerial entertainment, market stalls, special display exhibits, and a good selection of tasty food and refreshing drinks.
Service Clubs, Not-for-Profit organisations and businesses from the Barossa and surrounding areas will be key players in providing the land based stalls, exhibits and catering outlets.
Other Benefits
Members of the community can enjoy a fun filled family day out, held within the surrounds of the beautiful Barossa Valley.
By attracting visitors from across the country, additional tourism revenue is brought in to the local economy.
The Barossa region also benefits by hosting another pleasurable event, that show cases its cultural diversity.
Local aviation enthusiasts are given the opportunity to promote their sport, their clubs, and indulge their passion.
..................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................
