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Most people have seen a drone flying above a field or taking photos at an event, but just imagine 500 of them all orchestrated in perfect aerial harmony to tease the audience about what formation they're making before magically turning into a dazzling design.
That's just one of the treats that await visitors to this year's Wings Over Batavia Air Show, Herb Gillen says. The drones are an addition to the second annual event happening during Labor Day weekend at Genesee County Airport.
“There will be 500 individual drones flying along with our on the ground pyro, and fireworks and our performers. It’s really one of those things that you have to experience. Nathan Hammond does an amazing job, and it looks like he’s flying right through the middle of the fireworks. It’s a bit of an optical illusion, but he’s got fireworks shooting off of his aircraft while there’s fireworks going on just behind him. It’s pretty amazing,” Gillen said during an interview with The Batavian. “Some people may have seen drone shows before, but they’re one dimensional. These are, because of the amount and type of drones, three-dimensional objects that can replicate things. And you’re going to see aircraft recreations. You are going to see different things that relate to patriotism and country. I don’t want to give it all away, it will be very moving.
“If you’ve seen these things before, they sort of slowly come together, and you’re sort of guessing what’s this going to be, and then it forms, and then they kind of disappear, and then all of a sudden there’s something else before your eyes,” he said. “So, I think it’s going to be a big highlight and a really nice addition to the night show.”
Gillen is no ordinary air show organizer. He manages 12 to 15 air shows a year, so he is quite familiar with what makes these events a ticket-seller and big entertainment. Batavia’s show — which happens on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 — is no exception.
“It's been very, very popular, and ticket sales have been very strong. They've really picked up since the beginning of August, especially, and in fact, Saturday we are pretty close to selling out of the Mustang Club, it's about 85% sold out, and the Pilots Club is more than half sold out. So we fully expect both those areas on Saturday to sell out before the show Sunday,” he said. “This is a very family friendly event, so all kids 12 and under are free when they’re accompanied by an adult ticket holder. That’s how we try to encourage families to make it affordable. Mustang Club and Pilots Lounge give you a little higher amenities and general admission you bring your chair or blanket to sit on and watch the show.”
So onto the show. Another new element is the Jack Aces P51 demo team, an iconic World War II fighter aircraft with two P51s, he said. They come together as a “very majestic, very aggressive” display, appealing especially to fans of vintage military aircraft.
“It’s the hottest demo out there right now,” he said. “And then there’s the Red Bull helicopter that Aaron Fitzgerald flies, people are going to freak out when they see a helicopter do stuff they’ve never seen a helicopter do. It’s specially built that allows it to fly upside down, do flips, loops and hover upside down, and do things that don’t look natural.”
While you’re there, wish the U.S. Air Force F16 Viper — the show’s headline performer — happy anniversary, because it’s celebrating 50 years of existence. The original YF16 that was created half a century ago was gray, and this Viper has been given a special gift of red, white and blue paint in a “very brilliant design,” Gillen said.
While people may have seen the more drab version, they’re going to be awed by this new anniversary coat that has “proven to be very popular across the country this summer from air show to air show,” he said.
Overall, Gillen believes that organizers have finessed this particular show, compared to others that take place mostly in the heat of the day.
“What this show has done is really redefined how guests experience an air show. The typical air show, you get out there at nine or 10 a.m. and, you know, sit out in the blazing sun and watch shows, and it's done by four o'clock. Well, at four o'clock, we're really just getting started. The gates open for the show at two o'clock. Flying starts at five. And so, we're into the cooler part of the day, which is nice, and it's just, the whole vibe of the show is, I think, a little more relaxed than what people experience at other events like this,” he said. ”And then the twilight and the night flying is something completely different that you don't see at a lot of shows.”
Airythmia Paramotors is one of those late day acts. They strap fans to their backs and parachute overhead.
"They’re part of our twilight show. They’ve become very popular,” Gillen said. “They fly in formation, and they’re silhouetted in the setting sun, it’s pretty brilliant.”
For more information or to buy tickets, go to wingsoverbatavia.com
