The Personality of Your Airshow

AIRSHOW ANNOUNCER - Airshow announcers are the voice and personality of your event. Hire the wrong one, and your entire show suffers. Hire the right one, and your fans will leave with smiles, your sponsors will feel valued, and your audience will stay safe and engaged from start to finish.

A great announcer doesn’t just talk into a microphone—they shape the entire fan experience. They set the tone, keep the pace, and provide the glue that ties the flying, the music, and the stories together. Long security lines, parking frustrations, or other hiccups are easier for guests to forgive when the atmosphere is engaging and fun. Sponsors notice too, because the announcer is the person giving their brand a voice.

From Commodity to Performer

For years, announcers weren’t recognized as performers. In fact, until 2025, the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) listed announcers right alongside fencing, portable toilets, and tent rentals in the Industry Guide. That placement reflected how announcers were often treated—as a commodity instead of a personality.

But times have changed. Today, the industry has begun to recognize what audiences always knew: the announcer is a performer. And not just any performer—the one who’s in front of your crowd from the first airplane to the last. The voice that carries your sponsors’ messages, interprets the action, and creates the emotional throughline of your show.

Great announcers don’t just narrate—they score the show. They make deliberate music choices that frame each performance, underscore the drama, and elevate the flying into something unforgettable. In many ways, the announcer is part broadcaster, part storyteller, and part music director, orchestrating the pace of the entire day.

Tools of the Trade

What separates a true professional from an amateur is not only style, but also equipment. Great announcers travel with broadcast-quality software and state-of-the-art playback systems. They carry air-to-ground radios paired with audio processing that delivers crystal-clear in-cockpit sound, so the audience can literally experience the drama from inside the airplane with the pilot.

They also use discrete producer talk-back systems—closed channels that allow direct communication with the audio production team. That way, announcers can make on-the-fly changes, pass along critical information, and keep the entire show running smoothly without the audience ever noticing.

The best announcers have the technology to connect directly with the crowd—even taking questions in real time. That kind of interaction makes them more than just a voice on a PA system. It turns them into a friend who talks with the audience, not at them, creating a personal bond that makes the entire show more memorable.

In a world where fewer than one percent of citizens have the credentials to fly, a great announcer makes aerospace accessible. They don’t drown the crowd in facts and figures that can actually intimidate or confuse. Instead, they make it simple, fascinating, and too good not to want to learn more. Aerospace is America’s coolest export—right up there with rock-and-roll—and it’s our job as announcers to be aviation evangelists. To get people excited about aerospace—even if they don’t pursue it, they’ll at least walk away with a greater appreciation for it. To show them that aerospace is more than just airplanes—it’s freedom in its purest form.

Safety Comes First

Beyond storytelling and atmosphere, great announcers are also prepared to keep the audience safe. Many travel with access to real-time weather radar and maintain automated messaging that can be deployed instantly in the event of an emergency. They are fully briefed before the show ever starts, with plans in place for unplanned events.

That preparation matters, because an announcer isn’t just there to entertain. They’re always at the ready to protect our industry’s most precious asset—the audience—and to keep them safe and out of harm’s way.

Evolution of the Role

Modern announcers are only one generation removed from shouting over the crowd with a megaphone. Two decades ago, the “new thing” was playing music during performances, and many veterans hated it. Back then, announcers filled every moment with patter—nonstop narration from opening flyby to closing act.

Today, audiences are different. According to the American Physiological Society, the average attention span hovers around eight seconds. Fans want storytelling, but they also appreciate space to feel the drama of the show. Professional announcers know when to talk, when to let the jets roar, when to let the music carry the emotion, and how to deliver moments of poetry or humor without being overbearing. The very best can still weave words together with a rhythm that feels effortless, unscripted, and unforgettable.

The Takeaway

Think of airshow announcers like ice cream—there’s a flavor for every taste. If you’re a producer, ask yourself: what personality best represents your show? Do you want plain vanilla? It’s out there. Do you want something more distinctive? That’s available too.

The key is finding someone who connects with your audience. Someone who talks with the crowd, not at them. Someone who understands your event’s personality and can become its authentic voice. Someone who can set the pace with words and music, turn the flying into a full experience, use the best tools in the business to put fans right in the airplane, and—above all—keep your audience safe.

Your announcer is no longer “just support.” They are a performer—your most visible, most constant performer. The personality your fans will remember, the evangelist who will inspire future aviators, and the voice your sponsors will thank you for choosing wisely.

Matt Jolley is an American airshow announcer and Edward R. Murrow award-winning aviation journalist. His voice is heard by millions of fans every year at the top aviation events across the USA, and on SHOW CENTER, The Airshow Podcast. Learn more at airshowannouncer.com