PROUD SPONSOR
OF THE
VICKY BENZING//PILOT
Born and raised in California, Vicky Benzing is an accomplished pilot, skydiver, aerobatic performer, and air racer. With nearly 10,000 hours of flight time and over 1300 parachute jumps, Vicky has a passion for everything airborne. Her flying career has spanned over forty years and she currently holds an Airline Transport Pilot rating as well as a commercial rating in helicopters, seaplanes, and gliders.
Vicky still remembers her first flight in her uncle’s airplane when she was just a small child. Inspired by that flight at a very young age, Vicky learned to fly in a family friend’s antique Taylorcraft in her hometown of Watsonville, on the California coast. She was thrilled by the spins, loops, and rolls that her ex-military instructor taught her and subsequently took aerobatic instruction from legendary pilot Amelia Reid.
Vicky’s aerobatic flying took a brief back seat while she earned her PhD in Chemistry from UC Berkeley and began working in the Silicon Valley high tech industry. But her passion for spins, loops, and rolls soon returned when she took an aerobatic flight with air show legend, Wayne Handley.
In 2005, Vicky began her aerobatic training in earnest. She began competing in aerobatic contests throughout the US, working her way up through the many categories. In between contests, Vicky also began performing in local air shows. Today Vicky holds a surface level aerobatic waiver and has flown hundreds of air show performances at venues across the United States, including as an invited performer at the greatest airshow in the world, EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI.
In addition to aerobatics, Vicky got the racing bug when a friend invited her to “come play in my sandbox” at
the National Championship Air Races in Reno, NV. In her first year of racing, Vicky was chosen as “Rookie of the Year” after having won her first race ever, and in 2015 Vicky became the “Fastest Woman Racer” ever in the history of the Reno Air Races when she qualified an Aero Vodochody jet on the race course at 469.831 mph. Last September, Vicky flew her historic
P-51D, “Plum Crazy”, to a 4th place finish among the Gold racers in the Unlimited Class. She is only the second woman ever to race in the Unlimited Class in the 59-year history of the Reno Air Races and the only woman to have raced in three classes- Sport, Jet, and Unlimited.
Vicky has had the opportunity to fly in a number of film, television, and other media projects. Vicky can be seen flying her beautiful Boeing Stearman in the documentary film “Mercury 13” which is currently airing on Netflix. Other film and television projects include episodes of “Ice Pilot,” “NCIS LA,” “Walker Texas Ranger,” and
extensive stunt work in her Stearman for the short film “Niner Echo Foxtrot.”
Vicky is sponsored by California Aeronautical University, an aeronautical training center offering aviation-related degree programs to prepare students for exciting careers in aviation. The University’s campus is a purpose-built flight training facility located at the Bakersfield International Airport. The on-airport campus hosts ideal flying conditions year-round, student housing, and FAA Part 141 approved training. Visit the California Aeronautical University website at CALAERO.EDU to tour the campus and learn more about their aviation-related degree programs.
Vicky’s other sponsors include: APECS Aerospace Corporation, Concorde Batteries, Tempest, Gleim Aviation, Oregon Aero, Lift Aviation, Best Tugs, and Method 7 Performance Optics.
Vicky will be flying her newest aircraft, the iconic P-51 Plum Crazy in the 2024 Fargo AirSho.
N64CL ”PLUM CRAZY” //P-51 MUSTANG
Built in 1944 shortly before the end of WWII, this beautiful P-51 Mustang fighter never left the US before the end of the war. It was transferred as part
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HEI is proud to suppor t the 2024 Fargo Airsho.
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of a block of surplus fighters to Sea Island (Vancouver) Canada in 1950 where it served in the RCAF until 1958 when it was sold out of the Crown Assets Disposal Corporation. The airplane was converted from a military fighter to a civilian airplane, an “Executive (or Cavalier)
Mustang,” by Trans-Florida Aviation in Florida in 1960.
Al Paulson (the founder of Gulfstream) purchased the airplane in 1964 for his friend Clay Lacy to race in the inaugural Reno Air Races. Al painted the Mustang in purple colors after he was accidentally shipped 1500 gallons of custom purple paint by mistake. Clay campaigned the airplane
at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, NV from 1964 to 1972, winning the National Championship in 1970.
Clay purchased the airplane in 1967 from Al and flew in many air races across the US and attended many airshows with it. The great Bob Hoover once flew this airplane in an airshow when his own Mustang was inoperative, and the airplane has
carried a number of other famous people as passengers. This famous Mustang has also starred in an episode of Magnum PI, “Two Birds of a Feather,” and is one of three vintage air racers featured in the children’s Revell game “Air Racers!”. After having owned the airplane for 55 years, Clay sold his beloved Mustang to his friend Vicky Benzing
in 2019. Vicky flew it to Reno that same year to be exhibited as a static display. After the air races, she flew it down to Chino, CA for restoration under the careful guidance of Steve Hinton Jr and his team at Fighter Rebuilders. Repainted in its original purple racing livery and with a freshly overhauled engine, Vicky campaigned it to a 4th-place finish
in the Unlimited Class at the final National Championship Air Race in Reno, NV last September.
A favorite among youngsters in the early years when Clay was flying the airplane, Vicky plans to again share this iconic purple air racer with airshow fans across the country.
U.S. Navy
The goal of this United States Navy Blue Angels’ team is to inspire a culture of excellence and service to country. We are representatives from the fleet, showcasing the pride and professionalism of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. We are thrilled to perform demonstrations across the
country, sharing our Navy and Marine Corps experiences with our fellow Americans, bringing Naval aviation to communities across the country that may not have a large military presence.
2024 marks the 78th year of the Blue Angels. Since 1946, it has been our honor to represent the hundreds of
thousends of men and women who serve in the United States Navy and Marine Corps to audiences both at home and abroad, showcasing the excitement, precision, and power of Naval aviation.
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Our 158 active duty Sailors and Marines uphold the rich tradition of excellence instituted by those who have served before us. Our goal for 2024 is to continue to inspire young men and women, not just to pursue a career in Naval aviation or the military, but to excel in all areas of their lives.
Each performance provides the American public an opportunity to view the incredible capabilities of our service members serving aboard every ship, squadron, and unit in the United States Navy and Marine Corps.
It is our goal to see that tomorrow’s leaders will be inspired and motivated by what they see our men and women accomplishing today.
//THE AIRCRAFT
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels Demonstration Squadron fleet consists
of seven Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets and a Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, affectionately known as “Fat Albert”.
#1 | CDR ALEXANDER ARMATAS | USN // FLIGHT LEADER / COMMANDING OFFICER
Commander Alexander P. Armatas is a native of Skaneateles, New York. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering.
Alexander joined the Blue Angels in August 2022. He has accumulated more than 4,100 flight hours and 911 carrierarrested landings. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, four Strike/Flight Air Medals, five Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, one Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various personal, unit and service awards.
The United States Air Force F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team performs precision aerial maneuvers at airshows across the world to demonstrate the unique capabilities of the world’s premier 5th generation fighter aircraft. The team also performs with the Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation to showcase modern day fighter jets flying in formation with World War II, Korean, and Vietnam era aircraft.
The F-22 Raptor is the Air Force’s premier 5th generation fighter aircraft. Its combination of stealth, supercruise, extreme maneuverability, and integrated avionics represents an exponential leap in warfighting capabilities. The Raptor performs both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions that are vital to the 21st century Air Force. The F-22, a critical component of the Global Strike Task Force, is designed to rapidly project
air dominance at great distances while defeating threats attempting to deny access to our nation’s Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps. The F-22 cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft.
The 2024 season will be the F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team’s first appearance at the Fargo AirSho.
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Captain Samuel “RaZZ” Larson //DEMONSTRATION COMMANDER/PILOT
Captain Samuel Larson is the Commander, F-22 Demonstration Team, 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. The mission of the F-22 Demonstration Team is to showcase the unmatched maneuverability of the Air Force’s
5th generation air dominance stealth fighter, highlight the history of the Air Force’s service though heritage formation flights, and interact with local communities through outreach events. Capt. Larson is an experienced combat fighter pilot with more than 750 hours flying the F-22A Raptor. Capt. Larson leads the 14-member F-22 Demonstration Team, oversees maintenance actions performed on
the most advanced fighter jets ever built, and showcases the F-22 Raptor for more than 10 million spectators around the world each year. He is an operational F-22 pilot assigned to the 1st Operations Group within the 1st Fighter Wing.
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
The Jet Waco
Starting life as a classic 1929 Taperwing Waco, this was once the aircraft of choice for barnstormers in the 1930’s and
1940’s. Our Jet Waco has been completely redesigned and structurally reinforced using modern day engineering and materials, along with stateof-the art technology to allow the addition of a jet engine to the aircraft.
The Jet Waco is powered by dual power plants: a Pratt & Whitney 985 radial engine and a General
Electric CJ610 (J85) jet engine with 3,000 lbs. of thrust. Total thrust of the combined engines is rated at 4,500 lbs. A three bladed Hartzell propeller is used to harness the power of the 985 radial.
This system allows the plane to achieve feats most other aircraft are unable to do, along with reaching speeds up to 250-mph. Snap rolls, spins, barrel rolls and the hover are among the list of maneuvers this aircraft can perform. The plane has a thrust ratio of greater than 1 to 1, which allows it to accelerate going straight up.
Jarrod has realized a lifetime ambition of his to serve as an inspiration to young aviators everywhere.
JARROD LINDEMANN //PILOT
Valley City native Jarrod Lindemann knew he would become a part of airshow history after seeing his first airshow and doing his first aerobatic performance. To date, Jarrod has logged thousands of hours in everything from training aircraft to private jets.
In 2020 Jarrod acquired the Jet Waco, a Taperwing Waco modified with the addition of a Learjet engine! With the Jet-Waco, Jarrod has realized a lifetime ambition of his to serve as an inspiration to young aviators everywhere.
The mission of Team RAD is to inspire and excite individuals of all ages to take up flying. RAD is on the search for compatible partners to collaborate with in order to build our unique and engaging brand further.
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