ICAS Confirms 2016 Convention Keynote Speakers

LEESBURG, Va. - The International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) today released details on the two keynote presentations that will bookend the 2016 ICAS Convention as part of the most comprehensive and diverse education program ever offered at an air show industry gathering.

Capt. Robert Gusentine (U.S. Navy, retired) will open the convention Tuesday morning, December 6, with a presentation entitled, “New Thinking: Why Your Ability to Understand Your World in New Ways is Critical to Success.” Gusentine will draw on his 28 years of leading high-performance teams worldwide to explore the increasing complexity of today’s challenges and how new thinking is required to overcome them. He will relate the lessons learned by the U.S. military during a decade and a half of irregular warfare in Afghanistan and Iraq to the challenges faced by air show professionals who face a constantly changing environment in which they conduct their business.

Former space shuttle astronaut and retired U.S. Air Force Col. Charlie Precourt will discuss, “The Normalization of Deviation” Thursday morning, December 8. Drawing on his familiarity with the Challenger and Columbia space shuttle accidents, Precourt will explain how organizations often grow to accept and normalize situations or problems that they know to be hazardous or abnormal. His presentation will discuss how the normalization of deviation impacts many different kinds of organizations, how to recognize when the phenomenon impacts your operation and what you can do to combat the potentially tragic impact of this very common safety problem.

Immediately following Precourt’s presentation ICAS will hold a town hall meeting and discussion regarding air show safety which will provide convention delegates with an opportunity to ask questions, offer opinions and, generally, participate in a dialogue on this very important issue.

The 2016 ICAS Convention taking place at Paris Las Vegas December 5-8 marks the 49^th annual gathering of air show professionals. Since 1967, the air show community has gathered every year to exchange ideas, conduct business and begin the process of planning the upcoming air show season.

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