EAC Convention 2006
Over 90 delegates from 21 nations enjoyed an outstandingly successful Convention in Hasselt!

It was announced that the Paul Bowen Airshow Trophy Award winner was the Zeltweg Air Show which was jointly organised by the Austrian Air Force, Red Bull and the county of Styria. 

The Chairman of the EAC presented a special Lifetime Award Trophy to the Director of the Royal International Air Tattoo, Tim Prince, at the Convention Airshow Dinner.  The trophy is a beautiful crystal glass Eagle made in the local area.   

The awards for the Best Publicity material by a Display Performer were presented to:  

1st Prize: Russian Airshows - MiG-29 flights

 2nd Prize: Sally B - the preservation of the B-17

 3rd Prize: Breitling Jet Team

The awards for the Best Publicity  by an Airshow Organiser were presented to:

1st Prize: Al Ain Aerobatics Show

2nd Prize: Malta International Airshow

3rd Prize: Flugtag 05 - Oppenheim Airshow

The 1st prize winners were each given a superb model aircraft kindly donated by Dassault.

The European Airshow Council (EAC) held its 11th annual Convention in Hasselt, Belgium, from February 23th to 25th, 2006. 

A record number of 92 delegates from 21 nations all gathered in the Holiday Inn, Hasselt, to take part in this, now well established, annual meeting. Delegates were leading figures in the Airshow Industry, including airshow organisers, Air Forces, Civil Aviation Authorities, display pilots, national aerobatics team leaders, and website specialists.

 The EAC welcomed the Al Ain Aerobatics Show delegation

During the Convention, delegates exchanged their experiences, demonstrated their knowledge and skills and also marketed their expertise in informal social meetings that took place in the friendly and enthusiastic atmosphere that has become the hallmark of the event. Experienced speakers briefed on a wide variety of subjects from ‘Airshow safety performance’ to ‘How to plan a flying display’ and ‘Airshows from a historical viewpoint’ to ‘Partnership and the Media’ and ‘Flying the Apache Helicopter solo display’. Discussions were lively, whether questioning the costs of insurance or offering views on the practicality of combining competitive air racing with normal Airshow flying displays.’

An innovation for Convention 2006 was the introduction of a special 3 hour seminar on ‘Crisis Management and Risk Analysis’, applicable to all types of airshows, which gave advice, illustrated by examples, to help organisers and military and civil authorities to assess the risks involved in Airshows and how to take practical steps to minimise them. .

 Many secrets behind the organisation of several airshows in 2005, including the events in Marville (France), and the huge AirPower 05 Airshow in Zeltweg (Austria), were revealed. The EAC announced that their prestigious ‘Paul Bowen Trophy’, awarded for the best Airshow of the year, would go to to AirPower 05 and the EAC Chairman will take the Trophy to Austria to present it to the joint organisers in the near future.

 Working groups studied specific subjects that needed to be tackled to meet the challenges faced by the airshow business. They were ‘A proposed revision of Joint Aviation Authority guidelines to assist the new European Aviation Authorities’, ‘The provision of competitive and simplified aviation insurance to Airshow organisers’, and ‘The development of a code of practice and a contract between organisers and display performers’.

 A separate workshop for organisers and military authorities reviewed what was needed to obtain military aircraft participation in airshows throughout 2006 and future seasons and how to apply to have aircraft to fly at their Airshows. Details about new display aircraft that would become available were briefed by the United States, Hellenic and and Croatian Air Forces.

 The experience of large Warbirds operators in 2005 threatened their future because of new EU legislation that led to insurance costs skyrocketing and making display flying uneconomic. Having learned about the problems faced by ‘Sally-B’, the B-17 Preservation Group, delegates agreed that a warning system would be a useful way of alerting each other of new legislation or other threats to the Airshow Industry. A ‘hot-line’ e-mail address has been set up (alert@european-airshow.com) and members in the UK and the Netherlands will take on the tasks needed to ensure that the Airshow industry’s voice is heard. 

Bob Dixon (EAC Board Executive) said : "For anyone joining Airshow events and activities, whether to organise, participate or regulate them, the European Airshow Council offers the best door into the Airshow world and a wealth of practical experience and advice. We all want to have exciting, high quality events that are also safe for the participants and the spectators.’

 UAE (United Arab Emirates) representatives from their 2006 Al Ain Airshow  were attending for their first Convention. Other new members at the 2006 Convention included representatives from Spain, Greece, Croatia, Luxemburg and Hungary. The EAC is succeeding in its ambition to expand its activities throughout central Europe and into the Middle East countries, especially important because the coming display season will see new, exciting large events which are being prepared in those countries.

PROGRAMME FOR THE EAC CONVENTION 23-25 FEBRUARY 2006

“New Challenges for Airshows: Youth, Excitement and Safety”

How will Airshows excite the media and the spectators and where are the young organisers, directors and performers?

Note that Speakers will be from many nations including Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, UK, USA, France, Spain and Hungary

Thursday 23 February

1000	Reception – arrivals - registration
1400	Pre-Convention Seminar opens – “Crisis Management and Risk Analysis” see the Home Page of EAC website for more details
1530	Coffee
1600	Seminar continues
1700	Seminar ends
1715	Meeting of Delegates volunteering their assistance to the EAC
1930	Official Reception

          

Friday 24 February           

	Briefing on Convention Arrangements
0900	Welcome from EAC Chairman, Gilbert Buekenberghs, Belgium   Opening Address  - Keynote Speaker - Mr Ivo Belet MEP, Belgium
0930	Youth, excitement and safety at Airshows - from a historical viewpoint
1015	The Zeltweg Airshow - the biggest display of 2005?
1100	Coffee
1130	Airshow Insurance from the Underwriter's Viewpoint
1200	Working Groups – see separate programme below
	(Delegates free to move between Groups during the day)
1300	Lunch – included in the Convention Fee.
1415	Working Groups – see separate programme below
1530	Coffee
1600	“The Airshow Flight Safety Accident Record of the past 10 Years" - A French perspective
1630	From West to East – Airshow plans for 2006 in Spain, Italy and Hungary
1715	Airshows with a Theme - 'essential to their success' - France
1735	EAC Chairman closes session.
1900	Transport leaves Holiday Inn for Sanicole Aero Club- Delegates and spouses/partners assemble for drinks and the traditional, gourmet, Airshow Dinner at 1930 hours in the Sanicole Aero Club - Dress for the Airshow Dinner is “Airshow Dress”- whatever you would wear at an Airshow, from flying suit to T-shirt! - transport, drinks and dinner included in the Convention Fee.

Working Groups	1.  Organisers and Military Authorities: Co-operation of Air Forces and Procedures Chaired by Gilbert Buekenberghs, Belgium, EAC Board Chairman
	2.  Performers: Developing a Guideline Contract between Organisers and Performers Chaired by Jacques Bothelin, France, EAC Board Member
	3.  Aviation Authorities: Development of revised Joint Guidelines. Chaired by James Black, UK, EAC Board Member
	4.  Warbird Operations Chaired by Coert Munk
	5.  Aviation Insurance for Organisers Chaired by Joe Ciliberti, Malta, EAC Board Member

Saturday 25 February 

0900	“Flying the Apache Helicopter solo display” - a Netherlands viewpoint
0930	“How to plan a Flying Display” - UK contribution
1000	Insurance costs for warbirds and large aircraft - multinational concern and action
1030	Coffee
1100	Feedback from Working Groups
1130	Aerobatics and Competitions at Airshows - working together - Open Forum discussion
1200	Partnership and the Media - a multinational view
1245	Close - EAC Chairman
	Lunch – at delegates own choice of location and expense

 Note that Speakers will be from many nations including Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, UK, USA, France, Spain and Hungary