The Maestro

The Maestro

By Jim Roberts

While enjoying the aerial ballet and symphony of sound during the daily air show, have you ever wondered who the conductor is? That would be the air boss. According to the FAA, an air boss is “the individual who has the primary responsibility for air show operations on the active taxiways, runways and the surrounding airshow demonstration area.” Because of the complexity involved, EAA relies on multiple air bosses, and their leader is Wayne Boggs, marking his 40th year at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

Wayne is a retired FAA controller and pilot of more than 50 years. He and his wife enjoy flying their Piper Comanche, but Wayne is especially fond of their Fairchild PT-19. It was restored in honor of his mother, a flight instructor who trained military pilots in the PT-19 during WWII.

His introduction to the air show world came in the 1980s when, as a controller at O’Hare Airport, he was assigned as the ATC liaison to the Chicago Air and Sea Show. That led to a job working with EAA Warbirds of America at Oshkosh, and, as they say, the rest is history.

The air boss qualification process has changed throughout the years. Wayne said in the early days most folks learned by watching others, and there was little standardization or oversight. “Back then all you needed was a business card,” he said. But with the proliferation of air shows and FAA concerns about safety, Wayne and his colleagues came together under the auspices of the International Council of Airshows (ICAS) to develop an air boss training program that’s become the industry standard.

Much like the different types of pilot certificates, air boss qualifications fall into a tiered structure, ranging from “Basic Air Boss” up to “Recognized Air Boss/Multiple Venues.” Of nearly 60 air bosses nationwide, approximately 10, including Wayne, hold the highest level of FAA authorization.

Wayne’s typical day at AirVenture begins before 7 a.m., and may last until 10 p.m. if a night show is scheduled. First he joins AirVenture Airshow Operations Director Tim Fitzgerald for a briefing on the day’s flying schedule … airshow aircraft arrivals and departures, military flights and other significant events. Next there’s the “new guy” briefing for performers making their debut. Finally, Wayne delivers the “air boss briefing” covering details of the upcoming show. Attendees include performers, ATC and airport staff, emergency responders and FAA operations inspectors. Picture a locker room before the Super Bowl.

When the national anthem begins and Old Glory drops, check out the air boss platform located along the show line east of Boeing Plaza. There you’ll find Wayne joined by his teammates. Each “boss” has a role to play; one may work the Warbirds, while another handles the solo acts, and yet another deals with military demonstrations. This year’s cadre includes Brad Cline, Jim “Cookie” Crumb, Kellie Hudson, Tim Fitzgerald and Boyd Martin.

It takes a dedicated crew to safely pull off a production this size, and, as volunteers, each air boss has their own motivation for being here. “My term at Oshkosh has been a way of giving back to the industry…being a volunteer all these years, because the whole industry itself has been very good to me,” Wayne says. “I’ve been blessed.”

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