Airshow Announcer Herb Hunter

Airshow fans who have attended Midwest Airshows have learned to appreciate announcer Herb Hunter as probably the smoothest "microphone jockey" in the business. To those hearing Herb for the first time, his quintessential ability to keep an audience informed and entertained at the same time will be obvious from word one. Millions know him as "the voice" of the Chicago Air and Water Show that dazzles hundreds of thousands every year along the lakefront.  He has become a household name among Chicago fans and the air show industry nationwide. And his reputation as a consummate professional who talks the talk and walks the walk continues to grow today.

Watching Herb in action on the announcer's stand, it becomes obvious that reading notes while performers dazzle spellbound fans zooming through the sky is only part of what makes Herb's announcing so impressive.

Calling on his extensive experience as a professional pilot, Herb maintains constant contact with airshow officials and the airboss to ensure maximum safety for all.  If the wind is a problem, when a regularly scheduled airline flight must land or depart, when other minor glitches occur, Herb's mission is to maintain the pace of his informative patter on the microphone while unexpected developments are resolved behind the scenes. And he does it so well that most of the time, the rhythm of a well-coordinated air show never skips a beat.

As a member of the Illinois Air National Guard, based in the Windy City, Herb logged more than 5,000 hours in Boeing KC-135s alone. Today, as a Boeing 747-400 pilot for a major US airline, he has logged more than 18,000 hours in the air, mostly in Boeing aircraft. Yet, surprisingly, the veteran pilot does not fly small general aviation or air show airplanes. "I fly airplanes for money. I play golf for fun," he says with a wink in his eye.

As a veteran of many years behind the microphone, Herb Hunter knows air show "top dogs" and "rising stars" the way most people know their neighbors next door. That easy repartee gives the pilots and stunt teams additional confidence when their performances begin. They know the announcer is not going to make them look bad because he doesn't know their stories. That makes for not only better performances; it makes for happier performers, sponsors and happier fans.