Without a good sound system, the airshow announcer is as useless as Runway Behind You, Sky Above You, and Fuel on the Ground.
Airshow performers readily admit fully half of their
presentation is dependent on the narrator, and the narrator is fully dependent
on the airshow sound system.
It simply follows that even with a good announcer a show with an inadequate sound system loses 50% of the entertainment value of the event.
Add the spectator safety factor and the fact that most events promise their corporate sponsors X number of promotional PA announcements that must be heard the importance of a good sound system is readily apparent.
Proairshow, LLC, offers each airshow a custom designed and/or configured sound system specifically tailored for that airshow's unique spectator area configuration.
Some events have shallow spectator areas while others require the sound to be "thrown" long distances; some areas are long while others are pie shaped or have a "bent" crowd line. Each of these configurations offers the sound engineer different challenges in providing good sound coverage (see Case Study below).
Pro airSHOW does not try to make "one-size-fits-all" set-up, or simply rely on excess power to "blast" the sound at your spectators. (See Hearing is Priceless How Loud is Too Loud!?!)
What Professional airSHOW Sound does is "fly" the speakers. That's a Sound Tech term for mounting the speaker high or "flying them over the audience."
All
Pro airSHOW speakers are mounted above the spectators'
heads, a minimum of 10 feet Above Ground Level (AGL), . With the central
axis of the speakers projecting above the audience heads, the sound is not
attenuated by the very persons you're trying to reach AND those on the front row
do not have their
ears pinned back by the high
Sound Pressure Levels (SPL)
generated by modern audio speakers.
For maximum "throw" we mount the speaker arrays up to 60 feet AGL. This keeps the SPL's at acceptable levels on the crowd line while projecting the sound far back into the spectator area without exposing the public to hazardous equipment as would be necessary with a second line of speakers.
A good example of this configuration is a football stadium with the speaker array mounted atop the scoreboard.
In situations where the spectator area is not as deep, a vertical array can be utilized for increased fidelity and the speakers need not to be flown as high.
As can be seen by these photographs, construction lifts have proven effective when flying the speaker arrays. The mobility and adjustability for the lifts offers the flexibility needed in the airshow environment; the lifts are easily moved into position and can be lowered and/or moved quickly after the show to return the airport to normal operational conditions
This final pictures displays how different speaker configurations can be used to maximize the sound projection over a wide area while still offering a comfortable SPL in the VIP/Sponsor chalet area:
Note the additional flown speaker array beyond the VIP/Sponsor Chalet row with small, low volume (SPL) "fill" speaker directly in front of the chalets (marked by the orange cones). This configuration provided the chalets with PA coverage that still allowed normal conversation in the chalets.
Proairshow, LLC, can serve small to medium size audiences (50K+/-) with our in-house sound systems. For larger events or those with special needs, we contract with the leading Pro Sound contractors around the country.
Alternately, we will work with your sound contractor to ensure quality sound coverage for your event: after all, without a good sound system we're worthless!
Additional Examples of Speaker Tower Arrangement Utilizing "Scissors Lift" Construction Equipment:
Smith Reynolds Airport, at Winston-Salem NC, presented Pro airSHOW's sound engineers with a difficult sound coverage problem.
Due to the operational needs of the airport the spectator area for this airshow is "L" shaped with a long "bent" crowd line. The Crowd Line parallels the show line for only 875 ft. then bends back 24 degrees and continues another 1,400 ft., terminating at the airport terminal building.
This configuration results in a spectator area 1,800 feet deep from the forward crowd line, through the static display area, to the Helicopter ride area where Otto was hard at work.
The traditional method of stringing speakers along the crowd line was only effective in the arm of the "L" where the spectator area was fairly shallow. A secondary lines was installed to aid in covering the very deep (over 1/3 of a mile) static display area. This proved inadequate due to: 1, the distance, 2, the secondary speakers being objectionably loud and obtrusive when trying to cover the vast distance from within the spectator area, 3, the complexity of installation and danger to the spectators from the speakers and associated equipment.
The solution was to string speakers, in the traditional method, along the short arm of the "L," then locate a 60 foot tall speaker lift across the active taxiway. This "tower" utilized 15 ea. 80 watt horns (1200 watts of audio) with the axis of the speakers aimed to cover the remaining spectator area.
The speaker tower/lift was located 825 ft. from the Crowd Line. This distance, coupled with the 60 ft. height, kept the 1200 watt SPL at a tolerable level for the spectators lining the "bent" portion of the Crowd Line. While the 60 ft. height also permitted the sound to be thrown 1,744 ft. to the back of the Spectator Area and still be intelligible for those persons walking in that area.
(Note: As the speaker tower/lift was not lighted, it was lowered each evening so as not to present a hazard to night flight operations.)
This Case Study presents an innovative solution to the recurring problem of adequate sound coverage at airshows. This same approach has proven effective in Columbus GA and at the Boshears Airshow at Daniel Field in Augusta GA.
The use of construction lifts is a cost effective and safe method to project sound across long distances, providing your spectators and corporate sponsors with their money's worth.
Additional application information: contact Hugh Oldham at Mail to Hugh or 864-226-3489
Lift Mfg's Information:
Definitions:
A sound
level meter is the principal instrument for general noise
measurement. The indication on a sound level meter (aside from
weighting considerations) indicates the sound pressure, p, as a level
referenced to 0.00002 Pa.
Sound Pressure Level = 20
x lg (p/0.00002) dB
Peak levels are occasionally quoted. During any given time interval
peak levels will be numerically greater, and often much greater than
the (rms) sound pressure level. <<back
At what level does sound become
unsafe?
It is best, where possible, to avoid any unprotected exposure
to sound pressure levels above 100dB(A). Use hearing protection when
exposed to levels above 85dB(A), especially if prolonged exposure is
expected. Damage to hearing from loud noise is cumulative and is
irreversible. Exposure to high noise levels is also one of the main
causes of tinnitus. The safety aspects of ultrasound scans are the
subject of ongoing investigation.
There are other health hazards from extended exposure to vibration. An
example is "white finger", which is found amongst workers who use hand-
held machinery such as chain saws. <<back
Reference Material:
RESEARCH IN THE HEARING
SCIENCES
University of California, Berkeley
Sound Systems: Voice vs. Music
The Internet Sound Institute