Coordination with airport management and ATC happens before show day.Notify airport operations of the show schedule, runway closures, andASDA activation times. Confirm that emergency vehicle pre-positioningand access routes are set. Identify any planned maintenance,construction, or regular airport activity that overlaps with the showwindow.

And you want the airport manager’s direct contact for show-day use.

A name and a direct radio or phone number — not the operations centerdesk. If something changes on show day, you need a direct line, not arouting system. Get that established during pre-show coordination.

ATC coordination at a towered airport is its own set of tasks.

Coordinate the show window, TFR activation and deactivation times, andNOTAM references. Confirm the procedure for non-participating trafficduring the TFR — how ATC is handling arrivals and departures, whetherthey’re holding traffic, and what the coordination looks like if an incursiondoes occur. Know who to call and on what frequency.

Basic Air Show sites can share an airport with active general aviationtraffic. That creates real sequencing challenges.

Non-participating aircraft cannot operate in the ASDA duringperformance. That’s a CoW requirement. ATC needs to hold or redirectregular traffic for the show window. You also need a plan for aircraft thatlegitimately need to depart or arrive during the show — brief thatprocedure explicitly so it doesn’t become an improvised problem on showday.

The Air Boss doesn’t control general aviation traffic, but has to accountfor it.

Correct. Your authority covers the ASDA and participating aircraft. Thecoordination with ATC ensures the environment outside that boundary ismanaged. Don’t assume it’s handled — confirm it during pre-showcoordination and know who owns each piece of it.