Wings Over Batavia

Daredevil pilots and acrobatic performers up in the air, fireworks, a love for community, beef on weck, kids and even bumpers in a bowling alley.

Committee members for the Wings Over Batavia Air Show had no problems connecting all of those things as symbols and reasons for bringing an air show back to Genesee County Airport during a presentation to potential sponsors Thursday at Pete Zeliff’s hangar on Saile Drive.

“So Pete used the word community a couple of times in there, and that’s what really these air shows are all about, community; it really is a community event,” air show veteran and consultant Dennis Dunbar said to a group of about 50 people. “When I go bowling I ask for those bumpers to go in the gutters, and I’m kinda like those bumpers because I’m just trying to help the local community keep the ball going down the alley straight. And it really is a community event put on by all the work of the volunteers and everybody here is local that’s doing it. so I’ve never really compared myself to bumpers in a bowling alley. That’s actually pretty good.”

With Dunbar’s guidance and a committee led by 14 chairpersons overseeing the various components of this event, from traffic control and concessions to security, marketing, sponsorships and performance acts, Zeliff feels good about the progress being made, he said.

He and a handful of committee members went to a series of related trainings in Las Vegas, and brought back useful details about orchestrating the event that's set for Labor Day weekend, they said.

County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens said that his primary goal was to “protect the county.” He sought out information related to security and liability issues to ensure that Genesee County would be on safe legal ground throughout the show.

He also mentioned the “three Ts,” though the committee added a fourth one, that have become a crucial and practical focus. Committee member Eve Hens, Tim’s wife, also attended the training, and spoke in more detail about the four “Ts” to make the airshow a “safe, enjoyable event.”

Traffic — it’s important to control traffic and keep it moving so that visitors are not stuck in a line waiting to park.

Trash — nobody wants it flying around mucking up the grounds.

Toilets — have plenty of them and easy to locate, but not disrupting a nice visual.

Tickets —they should be accessible and easy to purchase.

Mundane, perhaps, but all part of a successful event, per those training seminars. 

Eve Hens emphasized these details to potential sponsors being asked to consider donation levels of $1,000 to $50,000. There were brochures with perks listed for certain levels, such as free tickets, sponsor promotions, plane rides with an air show performer, and an exclusive chalet for guests.

And everyone will look up and what will they see? Matt Younkin Beech 18, P-51 Demo Team Mad Max and Little Witch, Jim Peitz One-of-a-Kind Bonanza, USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II Demo Team, to name a few. 

Dunbar described it, beginning in the daytime and going through twilight hours and into the night, the action culminating with a big pyromusical, he said. That’s a fireworks display choreographed to music.

“You're gonna see things in the show that most of you haven't seen before. We have, like Pete mentioned, some of the best performers in the business as far as entertainment goes. These are the folks that practice and make a living out of this. They're as safe as we can get in this business. And that's important to us, too. We have this show, we want to inspire folks,” Dunbar said. When I went to my first air show, I was 10 years old. I had an uncle who flew in World War Two, but he never talked about it. So I had no aviation in my family. And I went to my first air show, and I was so inspired by what I saw, that I knew right then I wanted to be a pilot and I wanted to put on air shows.”

One truth he has discovered is that, while it’s hard to find true heroes nowadays, because celebrities and sports stars “have a tendency to let us down,” the air show people are different, he said.

“The folks you are going to meet at the air show, and your kids are going to meet, the kids in the community you're going to meet here, they are true heroes that are great role models and folks that aren't going to let those kids down and they're going to set those kinds of lasting memories and maybe spark that passion in them, and that's going to take them places in the future. So maybe one day they can compare themselves to bowling alley bumpers,” he said. “I think you're gonna find yourself being more than just sponsors, you're going to take ownership in this event and you're going to feel part of something special. You're part of a team that's really bringing something back to the community. And that's something to be proud of.”

For Zeliff, his inspiration — or, rather, aspiration — to bring back the air show is “the kids,” he said. He enjoys seeing the expression on kids’ faces when they see and get to go inside of a plane, and how planes have impacted many of their lives later on after attending his youth airplane camp.

Founded several years ago, the camp takes only 10 kids a year and fills up nearly as fast as it takes to open up enrollment. This year he has added an essay portion to the application, Zeliff said. Participants have come from all over the country, and the camp has produced several military pilots.

Those lessons have proven to kids that something so seemingly out of their grasp was attainable: they can learn to fly, he said.

Zeliff wasn’t one of those kids. Although his personal experience hasn’t been one of nostalgia from his own childhood, Zeliff said that’s his primary inspiration.

He was only prompted to fly once he found himself traveling so much for work, he said. That was in the early 2000s, and he has been airborne ever since. Zeliff attended various air show-related training sessions in Las Vegas and his focus was on the big picture. He knew about air shows, but had never put one on from start to finish.

He had to learn all the ins and outs of obtaining performers, and especially — what spectators want.

“They come for one reason and one reason only,” he said. “They want to be entertained.”

In those humble beginnings when he thought,”what’s the big deal, we’ll just put on an air show,” he had much to learn, he admitted. There are several components to it, from traffic control and security to seating, restrooms, concession stands, sponsorship amenities and every possible detail in between.

There will be some varieties of typical carnival foods, such as hotdogs and hamburgers, plus local fare, perhaps beef on weck, and other concessions, plus beverages and some of them on tap.

The projected budget goal for Wings Over Batavia Air Show is $600,000, with $100,000 raised to date, Zeliff said. He believes this is going to be a huge event in the entertainment sense, and also in its impact for the community.

There are some 200 volunteers signed up to help, and the committee could use 200 more, he said. 

The two-day air extravaganza is expected to draw 10,000 to 20,000 people to Genesee County.

For more information, go to Wings Over Batavia.  

 

 

Press release:

Calling it a “star-studded event,” Director Dennis Dunbar reports that area residents are in for a real treat when the Wings Over Batavia Air Show comes to the Genesee County Airport this fall.

The show is scheduled for Sat., Sept. 2 and Sun., Sept. 3 – Labor Day weekend -- with starting times to be confirmed. Dunbar said organizers are leaning toward starting around 5 p.m. both days.

“This truly will be an air show like you’ve never seen before,” Dunbar said. “We’ve secured world champion aerobatic performers, historical warbirds and modern military demonstrations.”

Highly respected in the air show arena, Dunbar said the Batavia show will feature high-powered lights and lasers and fire coming from the aircraft wings.

“Our goal is to offer a PyroBatic display in the night skies of Batavia,” he said. “This highflying spectacle of light, in flight, culminates with not just a spectacular fireworks show but a PyroMusical with an added twist.”

Dunbar, president of Dunbar Airshows, also serves as the director of Air Shows and Attractions at SUN ‘n FUN in Lakeland, Fla., and as the chairperson of the board of the International Council of Air Shows.

Already, about a dozen performers have been lined up for the show, which is seeking volunteers and sponsors, Dunbar added.

Headlining the list of acts is the USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II Demo Team, the Air Force’s premier close air support aircraft that provides invaluable protection to the troops on the ground.

Stationed out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona, the A-10 team travels across the country to showcase the unique combat capabilities of the A-10 “Warthog.”

Also scheduled:

• Ghostwriter Airshows: With over 200 pounds of pyro and illuminating LED lights, the stars become a backdrop for our trail from sparks and aerial burst of color. Originally designed as a trainer for the Royal Canadian Air Force, the 1956 deHavilland Chipmunk has been specially modified for Airshow aerobatics and Skywriting.
• Matt Younkin in a Beech 18: One of the most unusual acts on the circuit, Younkin executes a series of Cuban eights, point-rolls and even loops. For his “Elephant Waltz,” Younkin rocks the wings of this huge transport more than 90 degrees with the landing gear and laps extended. His night performance features 17 spotlights and 13 strobes for a one-of-a-kind experience.
• Ken Rieder: His performance lights up the skies over with heart-stopping aerobatics enhanced by luminescent Lairs and showering pyrotechnics.
• Michael Goulian Aerosports: Goulian’s aggressive approach is an exercise in precision in every roll, pull and tumble of his Extra NG.
• Rob Holland Aerosports: Holland is one of the most decorated, respected and innovative aerobatic pilots and airshow performers in the world. He flies the MXS-RH, an all-carbon Ober, competition–ready, single-seat aerobatic airplane designed and built by MX Aircraft.
• Bill Stein in an Edge 540: Stein has logged more than 5,000 hours of aerobatic and formation light -- beginning when he was still a student pilot and has been dedicated to perfecting his skills ever since.
• Kevin Coleman in an Extra 300 SHP: Coleman flies an Extra 300 SHP with a roll rate of 400 degrees per second and +/-10g capabilities. He is a second-generation pilot and air show performer.
• Jim Peitz in a One-of-a-King Bonanza: Peitz’s specialized Beechcraft F33C Bonanza, one of only 118 built, performs an amazing demonstration that will leave fans completely mesmerized. It is capable of a wide range of aerobatic maneuvers (unusual for a Bonanza), including loops, point rolls, barrel rolls, snap rolls, Cuban eights, and hammerheads (yes, it goes vertical).
• Lee Lauderback in the P-51 Mustang “Crazy Horse 2”: Legendary pilot Lee Lauderback will demonstrate how the P-51 Mustang achieved its WWII fame with its high-performance maneuvering.
• High Flight Mustangs P-51 Demo Team “Mad Max & Little Witch”: Lou Horschel and Ariel Luedi form a unique P-51 acrobatic demo team. “Mad Max” is a Cavalier Mustang II that Horschel flew with El Salvador FAS 401 in 1969. “Little Witch” was originally built as a D-Model and was transferred to the RCAF Squadron 420 in 1950.
• David Martin Aerobatics: David has an amazing selection of aircraft that he performs in all over North America. He has vintage biplane routine in the Bücker Jungmeister, high-energy aerobatics in his CAP-232, and an unexpected and exciting aerobatic offering in a seemingly non-aerobatic Beech Baron.

For information on becoming a show sponsor, go to the air show website – www.wingsoverbatavia.com. Several different sponsorship levels are available.

A best-case scenario for the resurrected Wings Over Batavia air show is that a profit would be made, but Tim Hens will settle for a bit less.

“I would like it to be a break even,” the county highway superintendent and air show committee liaison said to county legislators Wednesday.

As promised last month, Hens returned to the hot seat and reported an estimated county expense for the event.

“Our best guess is around $12,705,” he said.

That total would be for county Sheriff’s Office deputies and Emergency Management Services staff to provide security, traffic and crowd control. The breakdown was estimated to be $5,400 for offsite traffic control; $2,055 for EMS presence; and $5,250 for pre-show preparations by highway and facilities maintenance staff.

Aside from whatever the show itself may take in from the admission price, Hens and the committee are hopeful that all of that traffic will eventually leave the airport on Saile Drive and go shopping, eating and/or taking in some local entertainment.

The county will also see increased sales tax because of the air show and related Wing Ding event held within the City of Batavia,” Hens said.

An estimated increase in sales tax proceeds during the three-day event would be from $20,000 to $40,000, he said.

“There actually would be no increased costs on our insurance policy, which was surprising to me,” he said. “We asked them to look at the airshow, there was a skydiving event as part of the history. And pyrotechnic fireworks are part of the event. There was no actual added costs, which was good news to hear.”

Ways & Means legislative members generally agreed to move forward with the event request, however, the approval of legislators Gary Maha and Chairwoman Shelley Stein included a caveat.

"So I would move this for approval in a second," Stein said. "At the same time, I don't want this to cost the county over that $40,000, you know, I would very much like it to break even with our sales tax because I think it's going to be a great opportunity to bring this back to Batavia.

“But I think, as Gary said, we just don't want to sign a blank check," she said. "I absolutely want to be supportive of this.”

Legislators emphasized that the county was not sponsoring this event, but lending its support via a resolution and the potential costs of labor mentioned above. Wings Over Batavia LLC is forming a non-profit entity and will be the group responsible for the air show.

The request will move on to the whole Genesee County Legislature for a vote later this month.

If given final approval, the air show is tentatively scheduled for mid-September 2023. 

To view a prior Wings Over Batavia air show, check out this Youtube.com video made in 1997 by EFP Network. This was one year before the last air show took place.

Top Photo of Tim Hens from social media. 2022 File Photo of Genesee County Legislature Chairwoman Shelley Stein. Photo by Joanne Beck.

A vote to forward the proposal for a Wings Over Batavia air show was tabled Wednesday after Legislator Gary Maha questioned how much it would cost the county.

“I’m certainly in favor of it,” Maha said during the Public Service meeting at the Old Courthouse. “My concern’s as to the cost to the county … is it $10,000, $20,000, $60,000? We don’t know.”

County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens presented a brief update about the air show, and it has been progressing towards a 2023 date. A Wings Over Batavia Committee has established an LLC to accept and manage funds for the show, Hens said. Each air act would have its own insurance policy, in addition to the LLC, which would protect the county’s liability, he said.

“It has been 25 years since the county hosted an air show,” he said. "There seems to be a lot of pent-up interest in wanting it. And the city has an interest in doing the Wing Ding again.”

A former air show that ran in conjunction with the city’s downtown Wing Ding — Main Street lined with food and craft vendors — was a popular yearly event in the 1990s. Hens came on board with the county just in time for the final one in 1998, he said.

“People have said for years, why don’t we do another air show?” he said to The Batavian after the meeting. “We’ve got the right people in place that want to do it, that are willing to spend the time to plan it, and raise the money to make sure it happens. As far as what they’re asking, the cost to the county … we have a pretty rough idea of how traffic is, going in and out of the air show. It’s different now than it was in 1998. But we can work with the Sheriff’s Office and fire training folks to figure out what the cost of providing traffic control will be pretty quickly, and have it back to the Ways & Means Committee hopefully in October.”

During the meeting, Legislator Marianne Clattenburg voted to table the matter, but voiced her disagreement with the need for it.

“I’m for this. I’d move on it right now,” she said. “I think this is something that we would fully support.”

Maha countered that by stating the group is being asked to vote on unspecified data.

“But we don’t know what we’re voting on, we’re voting on a blank check,” he said.

The costs would mostly pertain to law enforcement time for security during the event, as participants and attendees are willing to pay for the show, Hens said. In the mid-90s, nearly 40,000 people would attend. Formerly affiliated with the Wings of Eagles, the air show ceased when that group moved on to another venue after 1998.

Hens said the next air show meeting is in early October, and he expects to have more details for that month’s Ways & Means members. Aside from attendance revenue, there is also the ripple effect of drawing thousands of people from other areas, Hens said. Those people rent hotel rooms, eat in restaurants and shop locally while here. The resulting sales tax is a benefit to the county, he said.

The air show would be a self-sustaining entity, with the county incurring only incidental expenses from structural items, such as law enforcement time, he said. Organizers would set up a perpetual seed fund to carry it onward annually, he said.

“Air shows are hugely popular. I mean, if you go to the air shows in Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, there are big throngs of people,” he said. “So it’s a fun event.”

Photo: Genesee County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens, right, discusses a potential air show next year at Genesee County Airport during Wednesday's Public Services Committee meeting. Photo by Joanne Beck.

Press release:

Genesee County officials and business leaders are joining forces to once again fill the Batavia skies with the one-of-a-kind excitement generated by a professional air show.

The “Wings Over Batavia” festival -- a family-oriented event that is looking to feature awe-inspiring aerobatic jet teams such as the Blue Angels, Thunderbirds or Snowbirds and patriotic displays of F16 and F22 fighter jets -- tentatively has been scheduled for Sept. 15-17, 2023, at the Genesee County Airport on Saile Drive.

“We are in the process of putting committees together to handle the various aspects of conducting a show of this magnitude,” said County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens, who also oversees operations at the airport. “We haven’t had an air show since 1998, and it’s long overdue.”

Hens has presided over two meetings attended by county emergency services department staff members as well as municipal and agency representatives. Plans are to offer “a successful and safe event,” he said, adding that the group has enlisted the services of Doreen Hillard of Fort Worth, Texas, who has years of experience in the air show industry throughout the United States.

Batavia entrepreneur Peter Zeliff has been selected to serve as the festival’s general chair, with assistance from Hillard.

At Wednesday’s meeting at the county Fire Training Center on State Street Road, Zeliff said the committee is pursuing an agreement with Dennis Dunbar of Berlin, Wis., director of Air Show Operations for EAA AirVenture and president of Dunbar Airshows, to be the show’s promoter.

“With Doreen and Dennis on board, we know that our show will be first-rate,” Zeliff said. “And with the community’s support, we believe this is something that can take place on an annual basis.”

Zeliff said he already has been in contact with leading aviation industry operations and Genesee County business owners regarding sponsorship of the show.

“It is going to take a lot of financial and volunteer support to make this happen, and we’re counting on the people of the GLOW region to come through,” Zeliff added.

Photo: file photo of Whiskey 7 by Howard Owens

The air festival is scheduled to take place in conjunction with the renewal of the Wing Ding event on Sept. 16 in the City of Batavia.

Residents interested in volunteering in the planning and on-site operations of the air show are asked to contact Hens at tim.hens@co.genesee.ny.us.