In Plane View

Join the Flightline Club!

2008-09-07T01:20:32Z

Hello from the Chico AirFest 2008 Cockpit! The show, scheduled for September 26-27th is just around the corner! Now that tickets are on sale (click and print your own at www.chicoairfest.com), we're getting lots of questions about the Flightline Club.

The Flightline Club offers premier, shaded seating along the flightline. Leave the lawn chairs at home, and watch the show in style. During our Friday night Preview event, the Flightline Club is open to the public at no additional charge. You can purchase food from our vendors, then head on out under the tent for great viewing of the Preview Show!

For Saturday's show, Flightline Club tickets are $30 (plus general admission), and includes premier, shade seating and food prepared by the Sons of Italy ALL DAY! A bar will be available inside the Flightline Club.

More In-air Entertainment!
Word just in that Eddie Andreini will once again take to the skies in his Super Stearman... and YAK!
Eddie thrilled the crowd last year in the Stearman, and we can't wait to see what he has up his sleeve this year.
Eddit joins the Canadian Forces Snowbirds Jet Team, Tim Decker Air Shows and the ACC A-10 Demo Team!

Don't delay... get your tickets now by logging on to chicoairfest.com.
Until next time...

It's About to Snow

2008-08-23T03:04:24Z

Hello, friends! With just more than five weeks left 'til Chico AirFest 2008, things are getting crazy. In a good way. On September 26-27, 2008, the Chico Municipal Airport will be the location for a show Chico has never seen before. As one of only 11 U.S. cities chosen to host the Canadian Forces Snowbirds Jet Team, Chico is extremely lucky to have the team visit and entertain our community. We are excited!! For an overview, visit our ever-evolving website at www.chicoairfest.com.

Our tv commercial is done (thank you, Mike Wilhelm and everyone at Charter Media for producing the spot and getting in rolling!).
Check it out here on You Tube, and starting next week it'll air on our partner stations: KHSL TV 12, KNVN TV 24, local Comcast Cable Stations, Fox 30 and Univision 21! Thank you!

For anyone who has ever planned an event, this is the time things REALLY start moving. It's a mixture of excitement, nerves and hey, even a little bit of (healthy) panic. Who's manning the gates? How are we controlling parking? Do we have enough... port-a-potties? Is the SWAT Team doing a demo? What about the AirForce? Who's flying in when? When's the C-17 arriving? And when they get here, who's greeting them and making sure they find their hotel rooms and know their way around Chico? The details are ENDLESS for a show of this magnitude.

Our AirFest Director, Gayle Womack is amazing.... and SO much fun to work with. With years of airshow management experience, she brings talent to Chico that any community would envy. We are lucky to have her.

Tickets for the show are on sale now at www.chicoairfest.com. Next week they'll be available at the Chico Chamber of Commerce, Northern California National Bank, Chico Raleys Supermarkets and (on Saturdays) the Chico Air Museum. Buy 'em early... the price will go up if you buy at the gate.

Until next time...
Alice

Tickets On Sale Now!

2008-08-20T03:27:52Z

Hello, AirFest Fans!
I've just returned from another volunteer meeting for Chico AirFest 2008 (Sept. 26-27, 2008)... and what energy this team brings! FIRST, the world needs to know that Tickets are on sale now for the show. I'm telling you, this is one you don't want to miss. THE CANADIAN SNOWBIRD FORCES JET TEAM IS COMING TO CHICO! If you have never been to an airshow, this is the one to see.

Show Overview
Friday, September 26, 2008
$10 advance, $12 at the gate
Gates Open at 2:00 p.m.
"Evening on the Flightline" Preview Show
Enjoy walking the airfield, visiting exhibitors and vendors and get complementary access to seating in the Flightline Club, where you'll watch a preview of Saturday's Big Show! Food and beverages available for purchase until approximately 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 27, 2008
$13 Advance, $15 at the Gate
Gates open at 9:00 a.m.
Full day of FUN for the entire family. Canadian Snowbirds Forces Jet Team, Tim Decker Air Shows, Air Force Demo teams and much, much more.
Flightline Club Access available for additional fee, and includes shade seating along the flightline and food and beverages from the Sons of Italy ALL DAY! Click here for more information.

That's all for tonight!
P.S. Did I mention you DON'T want to miss this show?
P.P.S. If you don't want to buy your tickets online, they'll be available at the Chico Chamber of Commerce, 300 Salem Street in Chico and at Chico Raleys Supermarkets within a few days.

Tim Decker Joins AirFest Line Up!

2008-08-16T17:04:24Z

Good morning from the Chico AirFest 2008 Cockpit! Excitement continues to grow each and every day as we move closer to the BIG show, September 26-27, 2008 at the Chico Airport!! Tickets go on sale THIS WEEK at www.chicoairfest.com, the Chico Chamber of Commerce and Chico Raley's stores. Keep checking www.chicoairfest.com for links to purchase. Remember... buy early and SAVE!

This just in: Tim Decker Airshows will be performing at AirFest! Decker is a professional pilot who has logged over 5000 hours in both military and civil aircraft. He gained most of his flying experience in the U-2, F-117, T-38, RV-4, and the Pitts S-2B. Tim has instructed in aerobatic and formation flying since 1990. 2008 marks Tim Decker's fourth season of air shows after taking a one-season break to serve in the Persian Gulf. Tim spent 12 months as a U-2 squadron commander where he and his squadron flew daily combat missions over Iraq and Afghanistan. Welcome, Tim!

That's it for this morning....
Until next time.
Alice

AirFest: Giving Back to the Community

2008-08-10T23:25:49Z

Hello, friends! As mid-August approaches, get ready for AirFest promotion to take flight! Tickets will go on sale around August 18th online at www.chicoairfest.com, and will be available for purchase at the Chico Chamber of Commerce (downtown at 300 Salem Street) and at Chico Raley's stores!

Giving Back.
Did you know that nearly $25,000 is donated to local non-profit organizations and charities through Chico AirFest via in-kind and monetary support? That's right! Our sponsors help us make this happen. If you are interested in sponsoring Chico AirFest 2008, a number of on-site opportunities are still available. Contact our Sponsorship Manager, Amy Orr, at 530-345-1109 or email her at amy@orrganizedevents.com.

Host Hotel Announced
It's just been confirmed that Holiday Inn, Chico is the host hotel for Chico AirFest. They'll be offering a special AirFest rate to attendees from out of town, along with complimentary breakfast and free shuttles to and from the Air show. Thank you, Holiday Inn!

So much to do, so little time!
Chico AirFest is a group effort. If you're interested in volunteering your time at one of Chico's premier events, contact Linda Patrick, AirFest Administration, at 530-230-1284.

Until next time...
Alice

Air Force A-10 Demo Team Joins Line-Up!

2008-08-03T17:11:47Z

Good morning from the Chico AirFest 2008 Cockpit!
On September 26-27, 2008, attendees of the AirFest will get a chance to check out the ACC West Coast Demo Team. To learn more about the Team, click here. Be sure to bring out the ENTIRE family for two days of fun at the Chico Municipal Airport.

Bits and Pieces:
Our FlightZone for Kids will allow children to test out a flight simulator, do hands on aviation projects and gain a better understanding of the world of aviation.

The Flightline Club: Want to watch the show in style? When tickets go on sale in mid-August, consider purchasing an upgrade ticket into the Flightline Club. The Flightline Club gets you premier shade seating along the flightline, with food and beverages provided by the Sons of Italy.

AeroNews: To subscribe to the official electronic newsletter of Chico AirFest, email me by clicking here!

Until next time...
Alice
www.chicoairfest.com

C-17 AirFest News

2008-07-29T02:57:47Z

My learning curve continues to bend as I dive head-on into the marketing of Chico AirFest. First, don't forget the date: Friday and Saturday September 26 & 27, 2008 out at the Chico Municipal Airport. We've moved it off of Labor Day weekend, which means those of you who were vacationing last year can attend this year's show!

It's been confirmed that the 452nd Air Mobility Wing (AMW) from March Air Force Base in Riverside will support the show with a demo and display of a Boeing C-17 military-transport aircraft. As you might have heard already, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds Jet Team has already been confirmed to perform at the show, making Chico only one of 11 U.S. cities to host the Team.

About the C-17....
The C-17s have set 33 world aviation records -- more than any other airlifter in history. It accomplished the longest paratrooper airdrop mission in history and received numerous awards, including the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which was presented to The Boeing Company by President Bill Clinton. A high-wing, 4-engine, T-tailed military-transport aircraft, the multi-service C-17 can carry large equipment, supplies and troops directly to small airfields in harsh terrain anywhere in the world day or night. The massive, sturdy, long-haul aircraft tackles distance, destination and heavy, oversized payloads in unpredictable conditions. It has delivered cargo in every worldwide operation since the 1990s.

Tickets for AirFest will go on sale soon... around mid-August. Keep watching here, and at our website, www.chicoairfest.com for information!
Until next time...
Alice

AirFest: A Team Effort!

2008-07-23T03:51:52Z

Tonight's Volunteer Meeting for AirFest was, as usual, overflowing with energy and enthusiasm from a group of people dedicated to putting on a great show on September 26-27! We all wear different hats... some of us handle the marketing, others are entrenched in logistics of bringing in military and civilian air acts and demonstrations. We've got people dedicated to ice, and food, and Public Relations. We've got people in charge of working with the FAA to make sure all of our "i's" are dotted and "t's" are crossed. The list of tasks associated with bringing an airshow of this magnitude to the community is looonnnggg. Everyone's job is important because, in the end, if one piece is out of place, the whole show suffers.

]]> There's plenty of room for more volunteers to make this event a success. If you'd like more information about how you can get plugged into the show, call our AirFest office at 530-230-1284. We still need the support of the local business community, as well. If you'd like to promote your business at Chico AirFest, contact our Sponsorship Manager, Amy Orr, at amy@orrganizedevents.com.

Until Next Time...
Alice

The SnowBirds Are Coming!

2008-07-21T17:52:52Z

Mark your calendars for September 26-27, 2008!

Welcome to In Plane View! Here I'll be chronicling the latest developments for Chico AirFest! Check Back Often.

Three years ago I worked at, and saw, my very first Air Show. I cried, right there on the tarmac. Not big ugly tears caused by pain, but sentimental ones that come after you’ve witnessed an act of patriotism or your kid’s first play. The kind of tears that come with a big lump in your throat and goosebumps up your arms and legs. I was surprised by my reaction to the performances, and excited to be part of the action.

I am a new lover of aviation, and a marketing girl who happens to be lucky enough to work again as part of this year’s AirFest, scheduled for September 26-27, 2008 at the Chico Municipal Airport. Brought to you by Victor Treatment Centers, and presented by Northern California National Bank, the show is unfolding day by day.
At the show, the stunning, 9-jet team of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds will take to the skies… This is a FIRST for Chico, as the Snowbirds picked our community as one of only 11 U.S. cities to make their appearance in 2008. This is big. Real big. For a taste of what to expect from the Snowbirds, check out their website here.

The community is rallying behind the show. A Main Hobbies and Stott Outdoor Advertising have signed on as Title Sponsors, and others have followed suit. Additional sponsorships and vendor opportunities are now available! Log on to our website at chicoairfest.com for information. Or, if you’re interested in sponsoring the show contact Amy Orr at amy@orrganizedevents.com. Want to volunteer? Contact our main office at 530-230-1284. We welcome your participation!

I welcome your feedback and would love to hear your comments about the show.
Until next time…
Alice
P.S. Tickets go on sale August 15!