Backstage Events - Flying High With Airbus - August 2008
Airbus Event
The First UK A380 Display
Backstage Events were approached by Airbus UK to project manage the build and installation of the Airbus site for the Wirral Show, taking place on the 12th-13th July 2008. This was to include a hospitality marquee as the hub of the site for Airbus guests to be hosted in, an Airbus corporate marquee containing models of the full Airbus fleet of aircraft and a comfort break area. The big draw of the day was the fly over and display of the new Gentle giant of the skies, the Airbus A380.
The main hospitality marquee required lighting, executive toilet facilities, generator, security, tables, chairs, perimeter fencing, and catering facilities. In the corporate marquee we installed new aluminium five bar tread plate flooring, covering the entrance to the marquee, and at the back of the marquee a stage platform on which to raise the models.
Along the back wall ran a vinyl backdrop from floor to ceiling. We used LED pixel battens and PAR16 lanterns to pick out the models in the stand.
In the centre of the back wall was a 50” plasma screen, built into the wall itself, showing a loop of Airbus VT with the audio played through a Bose PA.
After bad weather on both of the set up days, when we arrived on site the morning of the display we were greeted with bright sunshine, perfect weather for the main event. The corporate stand was the most popular stand on the show ground all day, with the Airbus team raising money for the local St Johns hospice with a special edition picture of the A380. The display itself was a remarkable thing to witness, with the aircraft approaching the show ground via a Fly past at Manchester and Liverpool, John Lennon Airports and then a flight up the river Mersey, past the historic Three Graces on Liverpool’s waterfront. As the A380 came into view you could hear the collective mass intake of breath from the excited crowd. The plane is amazingly quiet for such a large aircraft. The pilots put on a fantastic display; the highlight of which was a slow fly past in which the plane seemed to just be hanging in mid air, flying at what looked like a walking pace! It was a truly fantastic sight and a very successful day.
The Backstage Events team would like to say a big thanks to Airbus for getting us involved in such an exciting and jaw dropping event.
“I would like to thank the team at Backstage events for their professional support, and dedication during difficult weather conditions during the set up days. From concept to event, the team have helped to deliver a truly memorable event”.
