The first in a five part series this week is also the first half of a forthright conversation with International Council of AirShows President, John Cudahy, --- which will be followed by a series of short interviews, in three parts, in which members of the airshow community answered the same three questions -- concerning safety, value and the ability of the airshow industry to keep up with the times. Produced at the ICAS Convention just before the end of the year, we were pleased to be able to tackle such important subjects as the industry made ready to start another year... but we apologize for some of the lighting, as we were stuck with some bad conditions and had to make the best of it. ICAS tells us that Airshows draw large numbers of demographically attractive spectators - a well-educated, affluent group of men, women and children of all ages. More than 70 percent of the audience at an air show has had some college education. Three quarters report household income of $35,000 or more. The average spectator is just under 39 years of age, but more than 53 percent of spectators are between 30 and 50. Safety has always been a major airshow concern but a series of unrelated accidents, this past year, to too many performers brought the topic to the forefront of discussion at the most recent ICAS get-together. ICAS notes that Airshows offer a consistently and historically safe environment for millions of spectators each year. Since current rules were implemented nearly 50 years ago, there has not been a single spectator fatality at a North American show – an enviable safety record for any business. But... they're not satisfied to leave it that. A 'small working group' of ICAS members recently met in Dallas to begin work on a new Safety Management System for the air show industry that will serve as an important tool in improving air show safety. Using existing safety management systems as models, ICAS members discussed the changes and accommodations needed to effectively adapt the work already ...