JULY/AUGUST 2014
The
AeroShell Aerobatic Team
30 Years and Going Strong
A PATRIOTIC TRIBUTE IN RED, WHITE & BLUE!
Julie Clark’s
Juice Plus+® T-34
Twilight Airshow with Spectacular Fireworks! AmericAn AerobAtics, inc. 2924 Boeing Road Cameron Park, CA 95682 Phone: 530-677-0634 • Fax: 530-676-3434 www.julieclarkairshows.com
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World Airshow News 57
Features
AIRSHOW NEWS WORLD
Publisher: Sandra M. Parnau Editor: Jim Froneberger Senior Photographer: Scott Slocum Canadian Editor: Kerry J. Newstead Contributing Editors: Denise Decker, Michael J. Gallagher, Sonny Everett Airshow Evangelist: Hugh Oldham A.C.E. Columnist: Greg Koontz Air Racing: Brad Haskin Editor at Large: Jeff Parnau
JULY/AUGUST 2014
VOLUME 29, NO. 4
Covering Nothing but Airshows Since 1986 • Our 29th Year
26 30 Years of Smoke and Rumble
Recent Contributors Aldous, Skip Aro, Charlene Beckman, Jay Bell, Robert Buff, Chris Burrows, Nate Carey, John Cheung, Ken Cook, Clark Cromer, Lynn Freedman, John Glowaski, Adam Gonzalez, Manny Grace, Larry Graf, Norman A. Grantonic, Ryan Greenwell, Arnold Haskin, Brad Hong, Kevin Holzinger, Steven Houghtaling, Jon Huxman, Andrew Kolasa, Rich Kunkel, Colin Lang, Adrian Larson, Sam Leach, Greg Leininger, David Loper, Mark Lynaugh, Mike
Marechal, John Martin, Clifford McCullagh, John Meland, Greg Miller, Cari Munforti, Tommaso Osciak, Joe Parypa, Chris Pawlesh, Tom Peers, Evan Peterson, Jake Polidori, Luca Reilly, Rod Renth, Eric Rininger, Tyson V. Scaling, Craig Serdikoff, Steve Shreeve, Mike Snorteland, Scott St Pierre, Marc Thun, Don VanderMeulen, Richard Walton, Vance Ward, Kerry Wilhoff, John Wingard, Dean Yost, Shawn Zimmerman, Steve
Subscriptions: U.S. One year (6 issues), $24.95 • U.S. Two Years, $44.95 Canada One year, $54.95 • Mexico: One year, $64.95 • OnLine, $12.95 All Other Countries: One year, $94.95 Subscribe on the Web: www.airshowmag.com Editorial/Advertising Address: 2083 County Road L Hngr S3S4 P.O. Box 975 East Troy, WI 53120 (262) 642-2450 • sandyparnau@gmail.com POSTAGE: Periodical Postage Paid at East Troy, WI 53120 and additional mailing offices. Office of publication is 2083 County Road L Hngr S3S4, East Troy, WI 53120. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to: World Airshow News, P.O. Box 975, East Troy, WI 53120-0975 (ISSN: 0888-5265). World Airshow News is published 6x per year (J/F, M/A, M/J, J/A, S/O, N/D) by Richardson Ventures, LTD with offices in East Troy, WI. Copyright © 2014 by Richardson Ventures, LTD. All rights reserved. Nothing in whole or in part may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. DEADLINE: 1st of the month prior to month of publication.
4 World Airshow News
The AeroShell Aerobatic Team AeroShell’s downward bomb burst is a spectacular maneuver against a clear blue sky (photo by Jim Froneberger).
Eddie Andreini 18 He will be missed by all
Cape Girardeau’s Home Run 34 Another great small-town airshow
The Aero Show Cozumel 20 40 Captain Adam Runge You won’t believe the size of their RCs 2014 Canadian Forces CF-18
as they throw another great airshow
Barber Award: Greg Koontz 24 Another overnight success
Demo Pilot Airshow Grunts, the Series 42 Grady Lisk, Jr., Frank Atria
The Regular Stuff
6 8
Parnau at Large From Our Readers, plus Sonny Everett’s Ideas That Work
10 Jim Froneberger, Editor 12 Hugh Oldham, A.E. 14 Greg Koontz, A.C.E.
16 44 52 55 58
Airshow News Airshow Highlights Airshow Snapshots Airshow Calendar Stick Time with Jerry “Jive” Kerby
On the Cover The AeroShell Aerobatic Team has been thrilling audiences all over North America since 1985. In our feature story beginning on page 26, read how the team has overcome multiple challenges to become the longest running civilian formation act in airshow history (photo by Scott Slocum).
July/August 2014
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World Airshow News 5
Parnau at Large
10, 29, 30, 70, 75, 90, 100
I
n 2013, two major anniversaries were celebrated in the world of airshows. The Reno National Championship Air Races turned 50, and the Experimental Aircraft Association 60 years old. So what do the other numbers mean? Some notable anniversaries of 2014: • The Royal Canadian Air Force turns 90 (see page 41) • The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association turns 75 • The 70th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy • The AeroShell Aerobatic Team (formerly the North American Aerobatic Team) celebrates its 30th anniversary (see page 26) • Shockwave turns 30 (as we reported in our January issue) Here at the World Airshow News office, we are celebrating the 29th year of the magazine’s existence. A 29th anniversary is not particularly significant – it falls between the 25th (which everyone knows is “silver”) and the 30th (gifts should be made of china). But this July, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of becoming the publisher of World Airshow News. Here’s an brief summary of the road we traveled during the past decade. Our first issue was a 48-page magazine, just a few pages larger than each issue contained prior to our becoming involved. We were lucky to have a certain contributor “hang on” as we took over. That was Jim Froneberger, who soon took the title of Editor from me. A woman named Sandy Ruka, who I happened to be living with, assumed the dual roles of Circulation and Advertising Management. Sandy later took the title of Publisher from me. (And borrowed my last name.) I became Parnau at Large, which appropriately described an extra 40 pounds that I had carried around for years until I learned what BMI meant. (The title Parnau at Medium just doesn’t seem to work.) In 2006, our executive directors (Sandy and I), along with eight airshow performers, took a mutual risk along and became affiliated with the fledgling Airshow Competition Pilots Association (ACAP), which used the motto, Fly Hard. The concept had been tried in various forms over the years, but this looked too promising to overlook. It seemed well-funded, and it certainly had a lot of razzle-dazzle. Word was, it would be picked up by ESPN, and we’d all soon be rich
or famous or both. But after the first several shows, with attendance at some a virtual zero, the bottom fell out. Also down the bottom fell nearly 50,000 full-color programs featuring profiles of the competitors. We printed it as the season’s “first run” at a cost of over $30,000. Future Barber Award winner Greg Koontz (see page 24) bought a new rig for his Clem Cleaver truck-landing act, and roughly tied us for first place in most cash lost. All of the performers involved took a financial hit, some more than others. They began calling ACAP the “Association of Complimentary Airshow Performers,” and replaced the motto Fly Hard with a new one: Fly Free. In order to cover the ACAP competitions in a timely manner, we had increased our frequency of publication to nine times per year. We continued to print nine issues per year until the end of 2010, when the effects of the 2008 Great Recession meltdown began to ripple into the airshow business. Fast forward to July 2014. We survived what may have been the financially scariest five years in the history of airshows. Like many producers, performers and fund-raisers, we’ve had to get lean, and sometimes downright skinny. Would we do it again? Would we do anything different? Duh. That’s like asking an airshow pilots if they regret learning to fly, and whether they learned anything the last time they scared the hell out of themselves. Airshows get in your blood, and even if you received a complete transfusion, the condition would reappear. Ten years into this game, I can’t think of anything I’d rather do, other than make some money. We’re much like the performer who was asked, “How many shows do you fly per year? His response: “As many as I can afford.” My youthful enthusiasm (which I should have lost long ago, when I lost my youth) nearly buried me and this magazine. Then the worst recession in history seemed an even more powerful foe. The sequestration was a wake-up call, reminding me and many others of the fragility of the civilian airshow. Can another dark threat be lurking out there? Sure. But as one of my mentors used to say, “I ain’t leaving until they carry me out feet first.” They did. Whatever side of the business you’re in, I think you would agree that other than the military, the airshow world is only for those who never give up. At its core, it is one of the tiniest yet most visible industries on the planet. It’s been my pleasure to be involved with ‘yall, and our staff looks forward to surviving – or more optimistically, thriving – with you during the next decade, whatever it brings. (Oh – about that “100” in the heading? We have heard that every year you spend in the airshow business seems like ten.)
Jeff Parnau jeffparnau@gmail.com
The Association of Competition (or Complimentary) Airshow Pilots. Fly Hard. (Fly Free.) 6 World Airshow News
July/August 2014
Call INSURANCE TECHNOLOGIES AND PROGRAMS
Susan@ITPinsurance.com Karen.Moore@ITPinsurance.com Amanda.Hiser@ITPinsurance.com www.ITPInsurance.com www.airshowmag.com
World Airshow News 7
Letters, eMail, etc.
Let Women Fly Dear Editor, In reading your May/June World Airshow News, one thing that jumped out at me is that Thunderbird #3 is a woman. As a long time airshow fan, women in the cockpit have been very rare. Having a woman in a military demo team has been even more unusual. Patty Wagstaff, Melissa Pemberton and the other female aerobatic pilots have left a benchmark for women in civilian aviation – not only as women, but also as incredible pilots. As a man and an airshow fan, I am really happy to see women not only play in what was previously a man’s world, but excelling in it. A few years ago I was listening to my scanner at an airshow and I was delighted to hear a woman’s voice come across the scanner from the Thunderbirds cockpit. If I am correct, the current #3 is the second woman that has been part of the Thunderbirds’ top six. And if I am also correct, the Blue Angels have never had a woman in the top
six planes? I think it is time for the Navy to step up and let a woman play in their sandbox. Thank you. — Steve Welsh Dalton, Ohio Thank you for your letter, Steve. Actually Major Caroline Jensen (Thunderbird #3) is the third woman to fly one of the six demonstration jets for the Thunderbirds. Preceding her were Major Nicole Malachowski (now LtCol) who flew the #3 position for the 2006 and 2007 seasons and Major Samantha Weeks who flew opposing and lead solo during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. You are correct that the Blue Angels have yet to have a female demonstration pilot. – Editor.
Sonny Everett: Ideas That Work
The ‘31-Hour Club’
T
he “31 Hour Club” is one of those things that just happened. The airboss/director of the New Smyrna Beach Balloon & Skyfest, Steve Clegg, called me to discuss some of the acts and other particulars of his event which was four months down the road. As we closed the conversation Steve asked if I had any ideas for raising seed money for the event. We both chuckled and I replied “let me think about it”. A few days later I gave the fundraising ideas some serious thought. Suddenly the lightbulb lit up and I realized the answer was staring me in the face and had been for years. When we listen to radio, especially talk radio, you will notice that everything is sponsored... the time, the weather, the community bulletin board, the traffic report and so on. Everything. On top of that, various segments of an hours programming are sponsored the same way... “This segment of the Talk of the Town show is brought to you by Bob’s Pizza & Subs, open seven days a week from 11 till 11, conveniently located at the corner of East Main and Jackson Boulevard. Bob’s Pizza & Subs.” About 15 seconds long. I pondered how could we apply this to airshows? The next day I called Steve and ran the idea past him. He in turn talked to his Board of Directors and they went to work. Within a few weeks time they had scheduled a “social” of various small business owners from the New Smyrna Beach area. Keep in mind they had a Friday night show scheduled, hot air balloons in the early 8 World Airshow News
morning hours of both Saturday and Sunday, plus a night pyro show on Saturday night and an afternoon airshow on both Saturday and Sunday. That’s how they arrived at the 31 hours. Any show anywhere could do it for 16 hours or 12 hours or whatever fits. In this case they sold each hour for an average of $1,000 and traded out two or three hours for the catering and meeting room to service the social. All in all, the event raised a little over $25,000 in seed money, mostly within a few days after the social gathering. The bottom line here, while a lot of businesses want to support a charity event such as an airshow, they simply cannot justify (nor afford) the big dollar numbers that many airshows ask for sponsorship opportunities. This is true especially in small to medium-sized markets. An event may be able to get a regional grocery store chain as a main sponsor to the tune of five figures, but we should not forget the little mom-and-pop businesses who want to participate in some manner. It’s up to the show to come up with a scheme such as this to give them that opportunity. By the way, each hourly sponsor received two (2) pre-produced plugs during “their hour”, cued to the sound operator by the announcer (in this case yours truly). It doesn’t have to be sold as an hour, it could be a segment ... maybe three to four segments per hour each “brought to you by” a different sponsor. Finally, we know this is an idea that worked... it worked because the organizers saw the potential and went with it. It paid off. There’s been a lot of talk about the decrease in number of small to medium shows, and some believe it has to do with the lack of military participation or being too small an airport to host a jet team or tac demo. In my opinion it is the result of losing sight of what small and medium shows do for the industry overall. Small shows develop a fan base, some of whom will attend larger shows that come to their region, and some of those airshow fans will go to the majors. The beat goes on! July/August 2014
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World Airshow News 9
Jim Froneberger, Editor
Think Different
I
n a June 2007 editorial on this page I asked the question, “Who’s our Tiger?” It was something of a rhetorical question, asking whether any of our airshow stars could ever become true national celebrities as Tiger Woods was for professional golf.
This June, I was reminded of that question as I was watching German golfer Martin Kaymer totally obliterate the rest of the field in the U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst No. 2 here in North Carolina. Kaymer led from start to finish, was never seriously challenged, and won by eight strokes. Despite the fact that Kaymer is a former #1 ranked golfer in the world, won the 2010 PGA Championship, and had already won the prestigious The Players Championship earlier this spring, he is not well known outside of professional golf fans. As such, he has a lot in common with many of our stars in the airshow industry.
Who’s Our Steve?
In the seven years that have passed since I asked, “Who’s our Tiger?” a lot has changed in the airshow landscape. Sequestration and ongoing budget issues at the federal level have made military support for airshows no longer a sure thing, causing some to even question the long term viability of airshows. So perhaps I was asking the wrong question. Perhaps the real question should now be, “Who’s our Steve Jobs?” Steve Jobs didn’t invent the personal computer, but when Apple introduced the Macintosh in 1984, with its snazzy graphical user interface and easy-to-use mouse, the way people would interact with computers was forever changed. Steve Jobs didn’t invent the MP3 player, but in the fall of 2001 when the iPod was introduced to go along with Apple’s iTunes ecosystem, the music industry was turned on its head. Steve Jobs didn’t invent the smartphone, but when Apple launched the iPhone in the summer of 2007, the mobile industry was revolutionized as you could now carry a computer in your pocket. Soon, the concept of “there’s an app for that” became a ubiquitous part of our society. Steve Jobs also didn’t invent the tablet computer, but when the iPad was announced in the spring of 2010, it became the first tablet to achieve mass-market success and has continued to advance the mobile computing revolution. It can be argued that one of the greatest inventors of our era, a man who has been compared to Thomas Edison, never really invented anything. He just took products that someone else had already invented and made them so much better, cooler, easier to
10 World Airshow News
use, and desirable to own. He reinvented them, and in so doing, built a company that is now the most valuable company on the planet. Maybe we need someone to reinvent airshows and make them better, cooler, and more appealing to a 21st century audience. Think about it. How are airshows today really any different than shows ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or even fifty years ago? Yes, modern aerobatic aircraft design has allowed civilian pilots to do things guys like Art Scholl, Bill Barber, and Harold Krier could only dream of. As pilots and airshow fans, we all know that, but to the casual spectator that calls aerobatic maneuvers “flip flops” and “tricks”, they probably can’t tell much difference. Not long ago, I was looking at some old videos I took of the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels back in the late 1980s/early 1990s. You know what? Those shows were virtually indistinguishable from the shows those teams still do today. It was basically the same maneuvers in the same sequence. Very little has changed. Obviously, in fairness to the teams, there is a limit to what you can do in the airshow environment in an F-16 or an F/A-18. Lomcevaks are not in order. But virtually the same maneuvers in virtually the same order for over 25 years? Isn’t there some way to freshen it up? In the civilian ranks, innovation has been a bit more visible with the addition of pyrotechnics, jet trucks, and theme acts like The Masters of Disaster and The Immortals. The low speed and tumbling capabilities of modern aircraft like the MXS and Extra 330SC have also revolutionized the gasp-producing capabilities of solo aerobatics, and the addition of privately owned jet warbirds has expanded the scope of what a warbird show can be. But despite these updates, the basic airshow still looks a lot like it did when I was a kid. Very few entertainment options in our world today can say that. Music presentation and promotion is different. The way movies are produced with special effects and sound is radically different. Even sporting events are produced and marketed on an entirely different level than they were in the 1960s and 1970s. Compare the promotion and hype around the World Series or Super Bowl I in 1967 with that of Super Bowl XLVIII this past February. Maybe instead of a Tiger Woods-like celebrity, we need a visionary who can help reinvent airshows like Jobs reinvented computers, music, smartphones, and tablets. Maybe somewhere in our midst there is someone who, with a little encouragement, can push back at “the way it’s always been done;” someone who lives by the philosophy captured in one of Jobs’ most famous ad campaigns: THINK DIFFERENT
Here’s to the crazy ones. The rebels. The troublemakers. The ones who see things differently. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.
July/August 2014
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World Airshow News 11
Hugh Oldham, Airshow Evangelist
If It Is To Be, It’s Up To Me “Plane Crash at the Travis AFB Open House” read the AP news feed. The accompany picture made it easy to realize who. Our little family had lost another member, much beloved Eddie Andreini. All the “whys” have yet to be answered. That will take a while, but the immediate reaction from within our industry has been to blame the Airfield Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) crew. There will be enough blame and recrimination to go around, but let’s take a moment to consider the lessons learned. We have had many fatal accidents where spectators and participants blamed the slow response of the ARFF as a contributing factor in the resulting fatality. I’ve even heard a performer say, in reference to ARFF, “They don’t care!” Wrong. I have been involved in emergency services since my college days and have yet to find a first responder not totally committed to saving lives. Quite frankly, I find the finger pointing to be unfair and unproductive. Let’s step back, cool the emotion, and take an objective view of the capabilities and limitations of ARFF in an airshow accident scenario. Civilian ARFF crews are trained to the standards outlined in FAA Part 139.319, Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting: Operational Requirements, and National Fire Protection Association (NAFP) 403, Standard for Aircraft Rescue and Fire-Fighting Services at Airports. These standards were developed for airports with air carrier and Part 135 operations. A reviewer of these regulations will immediately note that these standards were developed for large transport type aircraft with large passenger loads. The response time requirements reflect the emphasis on large aircraft: FAA FAR 139.319 Aircraft rescue and firefighting: operational requirements. (2) The response required by paragraph (h)(1)(ii) of this section must achieve the following performance criteria: (i) Within 3 minutes from the time of the alarm, at least one required aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle must reach the midpoint of the farthest runway serving air carrier aircraft from its assigned post or reach any other specified point of comparable distance on the movement area that is available to air carriers, and begin application of extinguishing agent. (ii) Within 4 minutes from the time of alarm, all other required vehicles must reach the point specified in paragraph (h)(2)(i) of this section from their assigned posts and begin application of an extinguishing agent. At most airfields, these firefighting vehicles are huge behemoths capable of carrying a five person crew, weighing up to 100,000 pounds, carrying up to 4,500 gallons of extinguishing agent, and 12 World Airshow News
delivering that extinguishing agent at 1,200 gallons per minute. They can accelerate 0 to 50 MPH in 35 seconds and max out at 70. (Specifications for an Oshkosh Airport Products Striker 8X8) Simply stated, for an airshow performing aircraft, this firefighting capability is simply too much, too slow. The 1,200 gallons per minute of extinguishing agent would put out the fire and also obliterate the airframe and drown the pilot. Furthermore, the protocols under which the crews operate require extensive personal protective equipment – equipment necessary when dealing with thousands of gallons of flaming jet fuel, but that may not be necessary when dealing with a much smaller aircraft with corresponding minimal fuel loads. So, in an airshow accident scenario, the ARFF team is faced with dealing with a mosquito with a sledgehammer and hampered by protocols more appropriate for a 747 than a Pitts Special. Can this be changed? Yes! Remember every first responder is committed to saving lives – your life – but they need information, guidance, and a proactive approach by the airshow industry.
For the Performer
How many of you have installed a smoke oil “Amanda Switch?” How many of you have installed a “G” switch to kill all electrical power in the event of a crash? How many of you are as proactive as Patty Wagstaff, who has a fire suppression system installed in her airplane? How many of you wear a full protection Nomex fire suit, gloves, booties, and balaclava? How many of you take the time to meet and brief the ARFF crew and first responders who will responsible for saving you when (not if) things go south? The offer is extended at every airshow briefing and should be accepted every time. There is a high possibility that the crew today is not the crew from yesterday. How many of you have developed a formal, written emergency egress plan for your aircraft that you have provided to ICAS and that you can provide to the ARFF personnel upon your arrival at an airshow? How many of you wear a crash helmet? That’s a simple, proactive step that provides you a higher percentage of consciousness when the parts stop moving. How many of you are ready to declare an emergency at the slightest indication of trouble, thereby availing yourself of all resources possible to save you and/or your aircraft? Certainly you should fly the aircraft first, but informing those on the ground of any predicament increases your odds of help when you reach the ground. How many of you are mentally prepared to accept the possibility of a crash and to survive the time it takes for any first responder to extract you from your aircraft? Are you being proactive in your own survival or ignoring the possibility events may outrun your skills?
For the Airshow Producer
The three to four minute response time of airport ARFF is simply too long in an airshow situation. You must be mentally and (Continued on page 56) July/August 2014
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World Airshow News 13
Greg Koontz, From the A.C.E.
The Voice
I
like to think of myself as a full-time airshow pilot. But if I were to be totally truthful, I’d have to say a little more. I’m actually an airshow pilot who runs an aerobatic school most of the time and sells aerobatic planes as often as possible. So you might say I‘m diversified. It takes it all to make the whole business work. The school and sales support the airshow habit, and the airshow addiction promotes the school and sales. It’s a whole package.
It’s a package that demands a lot of my attention in a lot of different directions. So it was like that just before Sun ‘n Fun. A customer scooped up the Xtreme Decathlon I ordered for my main airshow ride long before it was completed for me (a good thing). It was slated to be finished just in time for Sun ‘n Fun, so my customer was a good sport and let me keep it a few days to use at the show before turning over the keys. Seems like a good plan, right? So there I was at the factory the Saturday before the start of Sun ‘n Fun watching the new Xtreme still being worked through test flights and final prep. By the time they signed it off as ready it was late in the day, so the ferry home got in after dark. Sunday, I worked all day getting some practice in. I was writing a brief and modified routine for my show. I wanted to fly something simple so I wouldn’t totally freak out the new buyer. I got three good practice sessions in before departing early Monday morning for the show. Of course, I was scheduled to fly in the first show of Sun ‘n Fun, which was the very next day. I’m not new to Decathlons by any means, and I have about a hundred hours in the new Xtreme model. When I lined up on runway 27 on Tuesday, I was prepared for a safe demonstration – that was never in doubt. Even though my routine was a modification of my tried and true routine, it contained proven combinations of maneuvers I have done for years. So flying the routine was not a problem, being a good entertainer ended up being the challenge. This customer’s plane was not equipped with my smoke system. I also eliminated my inverted ribbon cut so not to have my customer on the sidelines biting his nails. To me these are both integral elements of making my show entertaining. To make it even less so, I found myself needing to pay more attention to the new routine and not talking much to the announcer. Talking with the announcer is a big part of my act. The crowd seems to really enjoy my southern drawl and loud hee-haws over the PA. Those who know my act have come to expect it and so have the announcers that work with me.
14 World Airshow News
Before long, the announcer was sensing something was a bit off. I was just too quiet. My announcer that day was Rob Reider. Rob leads a team at Sun ‘n Fun that airboss Wayne Boggs rightly calls “the best of the best”. Rob, like all of his team, is a finely tuned professional. Right away he picked up the pace by feeding me easy to catch one-liner questions with some humor and wit. In mere seconds Rob has the situation under control and dead air has turned into great entertainment. As performers, we never forget the value of an aviationexperienced announcer. How could we? Over and over again they have made us look like heroes, even on our worst days. A good pilot wants to fly an aerobatic routine to perfection. A great pilot knows when to abort the routine if things aren’t looking right. Pair that up with a great announcer, and you’ll have a crowd who will never know the difference. Airshow acts usually run on a lean budget. As much as I would love to bring my own announcer to every show, it just isn’t financially practical. My Alabama Boys comedy act would look like a bad security breech without the help of a professional aviation-experienced announcer. They can make me, and they can break me. We depend on a good announcer like fish depend on water! Then there are the times you hope you don’t need them, but you’re in trouble if they’re not there. The calm, trained voice of a prepared announcer will save lives when the chips are down. My hat is off to so many announcers that have saved the day – like Danny Clisham magically keeping the panic controllable in the middle of the worst chaos imaginable at Reno in 2011. In those situations, the announcer becomes the communication center. What must be said in the first few moments of an incident can only be accomplished by the announcer. The timing is critical. It’s probably impossible to measure things that have not happened, but I know, if it weren’t for real airshow announcers heading off a panicked crowd, there would be more bad stories to tell. So I said all of that to say this: After years of telling you to use some discretion when choosing whom you want thrashing airplanes around in your airshow skies, I figured it was time to give some fair time to an equally important choice. Shaky surgeons, tattered old parachutes, and poor announcers have a lot in common. Do us all a favor and keep the standards high. You can’t afford not to. Greg Koontz is a full time airshow performer and teaches basic aerobatics at his Flight School/Bed & Breakfast called Sky Country Lodge. Greg is a former chairman of the ICAS ACE Committee, holds an unlimited aerobatic waiver, and is designated a Master Certified Flight Instructor-Aerobatics by the National Association of Flight Instructors. Please send your comments/questions to Greg@GKairshows.com
July/August 2014
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World Airshow News 15
AIRSHOW NEWS
Red Bull Air Race in Malaysia:
Hannes Arch of Austria (left), Nigel Lamb of Great Britain (center) and Matt Hall of Australia (right) celebrate at the award ceremony for the third stage of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship (Red Bull photo by Samo Vidic).
Nigel Lamb Scores Upset
B
ritain’s Nigel Lamb upset Austria’s Hannes Arch in the third contest of the 2014 Red Bull Air Race World Championship Putrajaya, Malaysia on May 18. The win was Lamb’s first-ever in the history of the Red Bull Air Races. Australia’s Matt Hall took the third spot on the podium.
Despite his loss, Arch nevertheless moved into the overall series lead with 30 points after the third round of the eight-race world championship that has stops in seven countries on three continents. Britain’s Paul Bonhomme saw his string of 15 straight podiums ended by his fifth place finish, but is still second overall with 25 points. Lamb moved into third with 17 points.
Lamb, who remains hugely popular in Malaysia after touring in the tropical nation as a display pilot for five years earlier in his career, stopped the clock in 1:15.023 – the fastest run of the day. Hall came close with 1:15.691 and Arch came even closer at 1:15.597. “I never thought I’d feel this emotion,” said Lamb, after getting six second-place finishes in 43 previous races in his seven-year career. “It’s a great feeling. After seven years, and all the ups and downs, this is the payoff.” American pilots Kirby Chambliss and Michael Goulian continued to struggle in the 2014 championship series, with Chambliss finishing in ninth and Goulian in twelfth. The series moves on to Gdynia, Poland, July 26-27.
New Air Racing Event:
Christian Guilie Wins Air Race F1
E
leven internationally known pilots battled it out at the first international Formula One class air racing series – Air Race F1 – in Lleida, near Barcelona, Spain. French pilot Christian Guilie won the overall title on June 1, besting ten other pilots from France, the U.S., Great Britain, and Sweden.
Nigel Lamb on the course at Putrajaya, Malaysia (Red Bull photo by Predrag Vuckovic.) 16 World Airshow News
Guilie was crowned the winner in the Gold Class Final when he crossed the line with an average speed of 238mph. Jay Jones of the United States finished second at 232 mph. Des Hart won the Silver Class Final at a speed of 182 mph. Air Race F1 is based in London and Spain and plans to launch a series of Formula One races in 2015. The Formula One airplanes, often based on the classic Cassutt, are a defined class that sets strict parameters regarding wing area, engine size, and other characteristics of the design. Eight airplanes race against each other on a closed course. July/August 2014
Dallas Executive Airport:
New CAF HQ Selected
T
he Commemorative Air Force (CAF) has announced that Dallas Executive Airport will be the location for their CAF National Airbase and corporate headquarters. The CAF will move a few initial staff in 2014, with the full operations of its headquarters arriving in Dallas by the end of 2015.
“After an intensive one-year nationwide search, which began with 23 cities and narrowed to six, then three finalists, we are proud to announce that the CAF Board of Directors has selected Dallas Executive Airport as the location to build our National
The USAF Thunderbirds (photo by Chris Parypa).
The CAF’s FIFI will be one of the airplanes based at the new National Airbase in Dallas (photo by Jim Froneberger).
Airbase,” said Stephan C. Brown, President and CEO. The CAF also plans to construct what Brown calls a “worldclass aviation visitor attraction, unlike any other in the United States.” The attraction will include interactive displays, flight simulators, and movie experiences. In addition, CAF plans to base a number of their flying aircraft at the National Airbase. Along with the planned year-round public attraction, the CAF also plans to hold up to three major events per year, including an annual World War II airshow. “Our goal is to make the Dallas airshow the preeminent warbird airshow in the nation,” said Brown. “We plan to bring in aircraft and reenactors from all over the country so the community can enjoy a family event unlike any other.” CAF’s National Airbase will become the permanent home to the world’s only flying B-29 Superfortress FIFI and the B-24 Liberator Diamond Lil, one of only two left flying. Other fighter, cargo, and transport aircraft will also make Dallas Executive their home.
USAF Thunderbirds Announce
New Officers for 2015
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eneral Mike Hostage, commander of Air Combat Command, has officially released the names of the officers who will be joining the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron – the Thunderbirds – later this year, to begin preparations for the 2015 air demonstration season.
LtCol Christopher Hammond, the director of operations for the 16th Weapons Squadron at the USAF Weapons School at www.airshowmag.com
Nellis AFB, will become Thunderbird #1, the squadron’s commander and lead pilot. He will command a force of more than 100 enlisted service members and 11 commissioned officers and will lead all demonstration flights. Hammond will replace LtCol Greg Moseley. Capt Alexander Goldfein, a F-15C pilot stationed at Kadena AB, Japan, will become Thunderbird #3, the squadron’s right wing pilot. Goldfein will replace Maj Caroline Jensen. Capt Nicholas Eberling, a F-15E pilot currently stationed at Seymour-Johnson AFB, North Carolina, will become Thunderbird #6, the squadron’s opposing solo pilot. Captain Jason Curtis, the current opposing solo pilot, will transition to the lead solo position in 2015, replacing Maj Blaine Jones. Maj Scott Petz, a F-16C pilot currently stationed at Nellis AFB, will become Thunderbird #8, the squadron’s advance pilot and narrator. His duties will include advancing to show sites ahead of the team, coordinating logistical details with the local show organizers, and narrating to the crowd during performances. Petz will replace Major Michael Fisher. Capt Christopher Scheibler, a flight surgeon stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy, will become Thunderbird #9, the team’s flight surgeon. He will manage the health needs of the entire squadron while advising the commander on aero-medical issues. The Thunderbirds retain 12 officer positions, with each serving a two-year tour of duty. By design, the position openings are staggered, so the squadron maintains continuity of experience and leadership.
GONE WEST:
Bill Cowden Airshow performer Bill Cowden died on June 1 as the result of an accident at the Stevens Point Air Show in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Cowden, 47, was performing in his Yak 55M when the accident occurred. Cowden was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota but had called Menomonie, Wisconsin home since 2007. He had flown F-16s in the North Dakota Air National Guard before retiring in 2006. While in the ANG, he was hired by Northwest Airlines and at the time of his death, was flying as a Boeing 757/767 first officer for Delta Air Lines. The NTSB and FAA are investigating the cause of the accident. World Airshow News sends our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Bill Cowden. World Airshow News 17
Eddie Andreini
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1937 - 2014
egend. Friend. Mentor. Role Model. Pilot. Showman. Patriarch. The embodiment of kindness, enthusiasm, energy, and wisdom. This was Eddie Andreini. On Sunday, May 4 Eddie Andreini was killed in an airshow accident at the Thunder Over Solano Air Show and Open House at Travis AFB in Fairfield, California. Andreini was in the process of performing the inverted ribbon cut in his Stearman when the accident happened. Eddie touched many lives and gave selflessly throughout his life. He was always available to lend a helping hand or his time and skill to anyone in need – whether in the aviation industry or helping
someone build a ditch or dredge a canal. As a seasoned aerobatic pilot, Eddie was at the top of his game, a talented showman known worldwide. His unique ability to entertain audiences earned him two of the highest awards presented by the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS): the Sword of Excellence in 2004 and an inductee into the ICAS Foundation Airshow Hall of Fame in 2013. Eddie’s passion for flying began during high school. He was determined to learn to fly and have his own plane. He worked on the family farm, doing odd jobs after school and on weekends, saving for the purchase of his first plane. He was just 16 and it was 1965. The plane was an L-2 Taylorcraft, and it came in pieces. Having been driving tractors, cars, and every kind of farm equipment, he believed that all machines worked on the same basic principles. So he built it and learned to fly in his plane. He also learned the basic aerobatic maneuvers. Always full of energy, he was willing to try the next challenging thing, increasing his repertoire, and thus became known for his outstanding skills as a performer. He was fearless. 18 World Airshow News
Eddie also liked to collect airplanes. He began flying a “stock” 225 HP Stearman, quickly extracting the maximum horsepower from this big biplane. He added his own aerobatic refinements, calling his plane the “Dream Machine.” Twenty-years later, he purchased another Stearman which turned out to be a sister ship. It was painstakingly transformed into a gleaming 3,000-pound, 550 HP Super Stearman with a multitude of modifications to improve its performance and aerobatic capability. Eddie also flew his Yak-9, Barbarossa in airshows for many years. He only recently added a P-51 Mustang, Primo Branco to his stable. He performed nearly 1,000 airshows over five decades and earned the respect and admiration of the entire aviation and airshow community, which prides itself to be more like a family. He believed that bringing people together would also be in service of the greater success of the aviation business. Ever the consummate professional, he was committed to the safety of flying. Willie Turner, an airboss who worked closely with Eddie, called him a “maestro and my hero.” Danny Clisham had the pleasure to be an announcer at many airshows where Eddie performed, and Danny called him “The Italian Stallion; the Rocky Balboa of Airshows, and everybody’s favorite Paesan.” Eddie’s passion and love for flying was surpassed only by his love for his family. He was proud of his heritage. His dad moved to the United States as a teenager from Lucca, Italy, a city the entire family still visits frequently. Eddie built a successful farming business, and later ventured with his whole family into construction and equipment rentals. Eddie made friends of everyone he got to know, work with, visit with, or help in any way he could. This was no more evident than on the day of his memorial May 13, when close to 2,000 people formed lines around the church. It seemed that all of Half Moon Bay had come. So did friends, family, and members of the aviation community, some from across the country. Eddie’s big heart would have been filled with happiness and tears of gratitude would have been rolling down his face. With very much sadness and compassion we at World Airshow News wish the family strength, knowing that we all knew Eddie Andreini as the embodiment of kindness, enthusiasm, energy and wisdom. Thanks to Wilhelmine and Evan Peers for the text and photo for this article. Left: Eddie Andreini (photo by Marc St. Pierre). Below: Eddie’s memorial service in Half Moon Bay (photo by Evan Peers).
July/August 2014
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World Airshow News 19
Down Mexico Way...
The Aero Show Cozumel 2014
Patty Wagstaff waving to her fans from her Extra 300.
By Gordon Bowman-Jones with photography by Dean Wingard
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elebrating the fifth year of their Aero Show en Paradiso, the Cozumel Air Show marked its presence with a remarkable event that thrilled an audience who came from all over the Caribbean, Mexico, the United States, Canada and many other guests from the far flung corners of the earth. They all had one thing in common – a love of all things that fly, and it showed in the applause and adulation rained on a diverse cross section of international performers. The event is staged at the Aerodrome Capt. Eduardo Toledo on the island of Cozumel, just 20 miles off the coast of Mexico, abeam La Playa del Carmen. The island is a mecca for scuba divers and water sports enthusiasts who make Cozumel their vacation destination. The diving on the reefs of the crystal clear waters is world class, and the island is served by a multitude of dive shops and dive boat operators who cater to the divers’ every need, from beginners to experts, at very modest prices.
A Diverse International Lineup
The Cozumel Air Show is the brainchild of Capt. Eduardo Toledo who worked tirelessly with his executive committee and capable crew to make the show a resounding success. The “go to guy” who solved every imaginable problem was Rafael “Rafa” Arnal, who seemed to be everywhere on site at the event and at the Cozumel Hotel and Resort, the destination for the airshow performers. The hotel features an all-inclusive service that extends from everything you can eat on a constantly changing menu, plus an endless well of premium brand beverages that 20 World Airshow News
challenges the senses in any of the resort bars or alongside the largest swimming pool in Cozumel.
Performers and aircraft began arriving on Tuesday, and the FBO and hangars began to fill with an eclectic group of flying machines piloted by an equally eclectic group of pilots. Pilots, planes, and parachutists arrived from eight different countries, making Aero Show Cozumel 2014 one of the most international airshows in the world. Practice and familiarization flights began on Wednesday, with many pilots ending their practice with some impromptu maneuvers over the water along the beachfront to the delight of hotel guests and local residents. There was no mistaking that the Aero Show Cozumel 2014 was in town.
The media was there in force from the major markets in South America including local Channel 10, Fox Sports, ESPN, and the Discovery Channel, who each added their own brand of coverage to the event. By Thursday, the whole airshow line up had arrived, forming one of the most formidable, and certainly one of the most talented group of performers that the airshow world has to offer. The spectacular lineup of international performers was comprised of: • • • •
Patty Wagstaff from St. Augustine, Florida in her Extra 300 Skip Stewart from Memphis, Tennessee in his one-of a-kind Prometheus biplane Gary Ward from Augusta, Georgia flying his state of the art MX2 The Canadian Skyhawks precision military parachute team from Trenton, Ontario July/August 2014
• • • •
Martin Keller from Guatemala, performing in a 450 HP Boeing PT17 Stearman biplane The Fuerza Aerea Mexicana participating with three of their Pilatus PC-7s Capt. Eduardo Toledo from Cozumel in his Super Decathlon Carlos Dardano from El Salvador flying the Christen Eagle
Carlos Dardano from El Salvador flying the Christen Eagle up the coast of Cozumel.
The jet set were very capably represented by Capt. Dondi Pesquera from Puerto Rico piloting his beautiful Jet Provost T-Mk5-A and Orestes Lorenzo, originally from Cuba, flying an immaculate L-39 Albatros.
Other performers included some of the largest RC aircraft I have ever seen, including a 75% scale and a 60% scale Piper Cub that looked capable of carrying their pilots. A Paramotor flight demonstration with Jose Fabul Herrera from Venezuela was also on the show bill, but unfortunately cancelled due to gusty winds. Good call Jose…
Friday was “recreation day” for the pilots and crew, which combined a swim with an amazing “foot push” by highly trained dolphins, and later, a trip to the jungle of central Cozumel for a four-hour horseback riding tour. Our hosts were displaying more of their famous hospitality, and the performers loved it.
On Friday evening we were treated to a night airshow over the beachfront by Martin Keller (who ferried his Stearman from Guatemala to Cozumel over water in complete darkness.) Martin had an impressive array of LED lights fitted to his aircraft that provided a stunning and brilliant specter in the sky. The Friday evening airshow dinner was another resounding success as we all ate fine Mexican cuisine in style, serenaded by local musical performers. Skip’s beautiful wife
Christina and his lovely daughter Skye have become fast friends over the past few years. I was invited to sing at the dinner and performed an impromptu version of “My Girl” that I renamed “Skye Girl” to the delight of Christina, Skye, and the audience.
A Weekend of Excitement
Saturday’s show got off to a soggy start with warm tropical rain falling on the airport and clouds obscuring the visibility. We managed to get a few aircraft into the
Dondi Pesquera flying his aerobatic MK-5 Provost Jet, and Orestes Lorenzo flying his L-39 over the Cozumel coastline.
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World Airshow News 21
Sharon Wingard with “Air Show Team” Rene and Rom Garay, and their huge radiocontolled model Piper Cub.
air, which was appreciated by the diehard airshow fans that stayed for the entire day. Everything was dampened but their spirits and enthusiasm. At the end of the day, Skip Stewart was invited to fly a 45% scale YAK-58. Skip got his start in aviation flying RC aircraft and gladly accepted the offer. A large group of spectators looked on in awe as Skip performed his amazing repertoire of aerobatic maneuvers, but the best was last. After two shaky approaches which Skip elected to abort, he returned a third time to execute a perfect three point landing, with his crew chief David Robinson looking on with arms folded, slowly shaking his head. Sunday also started with a gloomy sky and periodic rain, but airshow participants arrived at the airport early to memorialize one of their own – Freddy Cabanas. In addition to the terminal being renamed for him, a memorial has been erected at the edge of the runway. Freddy lost his life in a tragic crash here in January 2013. He was a guiding light and inspiration to hundreds of pilots throughout Latin America and a perennial performer at airshows in the region. Freddy called Key West, Florida his home. His sister Susan and son Raymond 22 World Airshow News
were present to hear Martin Keller deliver a eulogy in his name. As Keller spoke, the sun broke through the overcast and the sky rapidly began to clear. A long silence followed his words and the assembled audience reflected their own thoughts about Freddy’s
invaluable contributions to aviation. As we returned to the terminal, the low ceilings and gusty winds caused the Canadian Skyhawks to cancel their performance for the day as their travel schedule was based on a morning jump which did not seem possible at the time. But the ceiling finally lifted and the tropical sun broke through to rapidly dry the ground. The audience who had taken to finding any shelter from the rain, quickly dispersed to the prime viewing locations adjacent to the runway and people started arriving in droves. The runway is obscured from the main ramp by a scattered grove of trees crisscrossed with pleasant walkways. This makes for an unusual viewing scenario, but not enough to curb the enthusiasm of the audience. I was honored to share the microphone with local television host Jesus Nunez and his partner Jorge to share some airshow color and aviation stories to an appreciative audience. In my 45 years as an airshow announcer, I have never been asked for my autograph so many times at the same event. First into the sky were Mexico’s Fuerza Aerea Mexicana who performed a close formation precision demonstration in their PC-7 turboprops, highlighting the capabilities of the PT-6 powered Swissmade aircraft. The next act in the air was a dual sequence flown by Carlos Dardano and Martin Keller who culminated their performance with a daring ribbon cut. Capt. Eduardo Toledo showed that he had the “the right stuff ” in a sparkling performance in his Super Decathlon, followed by a classic round motor solo presentation by Martin Keller in his Pratt & Whitney R-985
Skip Stewart on a knife-edge pass as the Porsche pursues him down the runway.
July/August 2014
Left: Airshow participants arrived at the airport early to memorialize one of their own – Freddy Cabanas, who lost his life in a tragic crash in early 2013.
powered Stearman, finished in authentic USAAF colors. Three-time National Aerobatic Champion and AOPA Ambassador Patty Wagstaff blasted off in her Extra 300 to show the talent that has earned her places on the U.S. Aerobatic team six times in international competition. She dazzled the audience with many of her signature maneuvers including the inside/outside octagon loop and her snap rolling 360, turning left and snapping right. She ended her routine with her knife-edge wing wags, or what I like to call her “Patty Wag Pass”. Patty recently opened her own aerobatic school in St. Augustine, Florida. To find out more visit www.pattywagstaff.com or see the news article in the May/June issue of this magazine.
Gary Ward flying his famous green carbon-fiber MX2.
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Gary Ward had the unenviable task of flying after Patty, but he quickly demonstrated his mettle with a hard charging routine (that was anything but routine) in his custom built MX-2. Gary was the first pilot to demonstrate the mostly carbon fiber MX-2 at airshows. Skip Stewart took off next, performing his amazing down low and dirty knife edge on takeoff, jockeying the throttle to show that he had complete control throughout the maneuver. Pushing hard to the outside, he climbed to the high Tumble 8 followed by the double hammerhead. It was easy to see what has made Skip one of the most in-demand pilots in the world, as he executed move after move in his own powerful manner. Skip’s mighty mount “Prometheus” started life as a Pitts S2-S, but the only remaining original parts are the turtle deck and some of the struts. The wings have 13% more area and tail surfaces, landing gear and engine were all modified to Skips’ exacting requirements. He performed most of the work himself, saying that he could never have afforded the $300,000 to have someone else do it for him. Skip performed his unique triple ribbon pass, first flying under two vertically stacked ribbons, then returning to cut the top one inverted. The last ribbon he cut in super slow knife-edge flight, a roll to level, then a stall, adding power to a high alpha (angle of attack) rolling turn. But it wasn’t over yet. A Super Porsche appeared at the end of the runway taunting Skip with some high revving and tire smoking. Skip circled around behind him and settled toward the runway with his AEIO-540 bellowing smoke in knife-edge configuration. As he passed the Porsche, smoke poured from its tires as he pursued Skip down the runway. Photographer Dean Wingard caught all the action as the two mighty machines hurtled past. I called the first pass a draw as the Porsche drew even, but now Skip had his number and proceeded to whip him in the next two passes. Dondi Pesquera and Orestes Lorenzo were waiting at the approach end, and as Skip cleared the runway they took off in a beautiful formation of two, demonstrating their skills at the controls of their Jet Provost and Albatros L-39 aircraft. They exchanged lead and wing positions as they made multiple low level passes. We found out later that they made the whole Cozumel beachfront their “extended centerline” for the thousands of resort visitors and locals who were not already at the airshow. Dondi is a pilot for a major airline, flying from his native Puerto Rico, and Orestes defected from Cuba a number of years ago at the controls of one of their MiGs. Their Latin sizzle was a great audience favorite, as many of them had never seen jets down low and fast before. The final act was a classic Mano e Majero battle between Skip Stewart and Patty Wagstaff, each showing their best to the cheering audience. It was “Beauty vs. the Beast” or the “X chromosome vs. the Y chromosome” in thrilling style. The Aero Show Cozumel 2014 drew to a close with many thousands of airshow fans excited to have seen some of the best that the aviation world has to offer. It has already become one of my very favorite airshows, a thought shared by all of the participants. They are already talking about Aero Show Cozumel 2015, and what that event will display to México and Latin America. World Airshow News 23
2014 Bill Barber Award for Showmanship to be received by
Greg Koontz
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orld Airshow News has announced that Greg Koontz is the 2014 recipient of the Bill Barber Award for Showmanship. Koontz joins a growing list of honorees that reads like an airshow hall of fame. Greg Koontz is known throughout North America and parts of Latin America as a foremost authority on American Champion Super Decathlon aircraft. His aerobatic routines in both the Super Decathlon and the new Xtreme Decathlon have been featured at airshows from coast to coast and internationally, and culminate with an inverted ribbon cut in a stock aerobatic training airplane. His comedy act – The Alabama Boys – features Greg as “Clem Cleaver,” an Alabama Good Ol’ Boy who steals a 1946 Piper J-3 Cub. The act concludes with Greg landing the Cub on top of his pickup truck. Koontz learned to fly in 1969 while he was still in high school and got his start in the airshow business at the age of 20 with Ernie Moser’s Flying Circus based in St. Augustine, Florida. While with Moser’s flying circus, he began perfecting the comedy act, the truck top landing, and began performing low-level aerobatics in the Great Lakes and the Decathlon. Greg stayed with the flying circus until 1981 when he began pursuing a corporate flying career. Until 2002, Koontz flew jets for a corporation in Alabama while flying airshows part time. Today, he is a full time airshow performer and teaches basic aerobatics at the flight school/bed & breakfast called Sky Country Lodge that he runs with his wife Cora. Greg is a former chairman of the ICAS ACE Committee, holds an unlimited aerobatic waiver, and has been designated a Master Certified Flight InstructorAerobatics by the National Association of Flight Instructors. The Bill Barber Award for Showmanship began in 1986, and is awarded to airshow performers or teams that have demonstrated great skill and showmanship. World Airshow News and the friends and family of the late Bill Barber present the award annually. Plans are for the award to be presented on Tuesday, July 29 during EAA AirVenture at EAA’s Theater in the Woods. 24 World Airshow News
Past Bill Barber Award Winners 2013 Skip Stewart 2012 Matt Younkin 2011 Rich and Dee Gibson 2010 Steve Oliver and Suzanne Asbury-Oliver 2009 Michael Goulian 2008 Bud Granley 2007 Dacy Family Airshow Team 2006 Danny Clisham 2005 Pietsch Airshows 2004 Bobby Younkin 2003 Jim LeRoy 2002 AeroShell Aerobatic Team 2001 Northern Lights Aerobatic Team 2000 John Mohr
1999 Dan Buchanan 1998 Patty Wagstaff 1997 Gene Soucy & Teresa Stokes 1996 Wayne Handley 1995 Bob Hoover 1994 Bob & Annette Hosking 1993 Red Baron Stearman Squadron 1992 Sean D. Tucker 1991 Julie Clark 1990 Leo Loudenslager 1989 Jimmy Franklin 1988 No Award 1987 The French Connection 1986 Eagles Aerobatic Flight Team July/August 2014
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World Airshow News 25
30
YEARS OF SMOKE AND RUMBLE
26 World Airshow News
The AeroShell Team tail-chase loop fills the clear blue skies above Oshkosh with smoke.
July/August 2014
The AeroShell Aerobatic Team. From left to right – Jimmy Fordham, Bryan Regan, Mark Henley, Steve Gustafson, and Gene McNeely.
The AeroShell Aerobatic Team Celebrates Three Decades
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By Jim Froneberger
From Small Towns to the Big Time
Ever since he was a kid, Steve Gustafson lumes of white smoke fill had watched his father Merle perform a twothe sky and an unmistakship T-6 aerobatic act at airshows. So after his able rumble reverberdad passed away in 1984, Steve decided he ates across the tarmac. wanted to try a T-6 formation act himself, but Spectators crane their he knew he had to find the right person to fly necks to get a better with. look, as four red and That opportunity presented itself in white World War II-era July 1985 at an airshow in Lake Providence, T-6 Texans roll and loop Louisiana. Steve was flying on the same as one in the sky overprogram with another T-6 pilot, Alan Henley. head. They are watching the one-and-only After talking about it for a bit, Steve and Alan AeroShell Aerobatic Team. went out and practiced a few maneuvers and Now celebrating their 30th season, the performed their first two-ship routine the very AeroShell Team is the longest-running, next day. The show organizer was impressed most recognized civilian formation team on and asked them to come to another airshow he the North American airshow circuit. With was doing in Pine Bluff, Arkansas two weeks their roots in the small towns and farms of later. Louisiana and Alabama, the AeroShell Team By the time the Pine Bluff show rolled has exemplified the best qualities of teamaround, they had added a third T-6 flown by work and camaraderie, as they have thrilled Ben Cunningham. As fate would have it, John airshow audiences since 1985. D. Rockefeller III was at that show and asked With Mark Henley flying lead, Steve the team to come up to Petit Jean Mountain Gustafson and Bryan Regan on his wings, to perform at a bluegrass music festival. and Gene McNeely or Jimmy Fordham Things began to snowball from there, and they in the slot, the AeroShell Aerobatic Team soon became known as the North American is carrying on a tradition first started by Aerobatic Team, with Alan Henley flying lead Gustafson and Mark Henley’s twin brother, and Steve and Ben flying wing. Alan, almost three decades ago. “We found that we could do more www.airshowmag.com
Photos by the author unless otherwise indicated
airshows as a team than we could individually,” says Gustafson. “Also, once you get to a certain level in a T-6, that’s pretty much what you can do with that airplane. So with formation aerobatics, we could take it to a more challenging level.” After flying as a three-ship for about ten years, Steve’s other business commitments began to restrict his time on the road. He wanted to stay on the team, but needed someone to fill in for about half the shows. To fill those gaps, Gene McNeely came on board in 1995. With four pilots, the team could now offer either three ship or four ship performances, depending upon pilot availability. Ben Cunningham decided to retire from the team in 1997, so Alan’s twin brother Mark joined. The four-ship act soon became the most popular configuration, so Steve eventually found a way to come back to the team full time. “We owe Ben Cunningham a lot of credit, because he tried to keep us really professional and tried to dress us up – and that’s hard to do with a bunch of old rednecks,” laughs Gene McNeely. “But he was also the one that said, ‘Boys, we need a four ship,’ so he deserves his credit for this team.” While the team had begun to make a World Airshow News 27
Alan Henley surrounded by airshow friends (left to right) Debbie Gary, Lyn Mohr, and Sean D. Tucker . name for themselves, for most of the guys, it was still more of a fun hobby than it was a real business. Gene had a different vision. “I told them if I was going to dive at the ground, I wanted to get paid for it,” says McNeely. “I said I had enough flying time and had done enough airshows, but if they would come along, we could actually put this together as a business.” Everyone agreed, and the team started working to improve their performance and attract sponsors so they could be more affordable for airshow producers. Their big breakthrough came in 2001 when AeroShell signed on as their title sponsor and the AeroShell Aerobatic Team was born. “About that time, I had to make a decision to either spend more time devoted to my farming or to devote more time to the flying,” remembers Alan. “Because of AeroShell and our other sponsors, I was able to sell my cattle herd and start doing airshows full time.” The AeroShell sponsorship changed the team in many other ways beyond AeroShell’s red, white, and black livery replacing the white with red and blue trim of the North American Aerobatic Team. There were now sponsor commitments, and suddenly the team became more 28 World Airshow News
recognizable as a fixture at big shows like EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, Florida. “That first year with AeroShell at Sun ‘n Fun, we were signing autographs at their booth, and this guy comes up and says, ‘You guys looked good, but there’s another T-6 team out there that is better than you guys,’” Steve says with a wry smile. “I asked him who that was and he said, ‘The North American Aerobatic Team. They fly those white airplanes. Now those guys are really good.’ When I told him that was us, he was speechless and just walked off!”
A Change Up Front
Over the next seven and a half years, the AeroShell Team established themselves as one of the most recognized and in-demand acts on the airshow circuit. With Alan leading, Gene in the slot, and Mark and Steve on the wings, the smoke and rumble of the AeroShell Team became an airshow fan favorite. Their twilight/evening airshow – complete with lights – also helped the night airshow become one of the most popular new innovations in the industry. But in July of 2008, Alan Henley was seriously injured in a fall at his home in Birmingham, Alabama. A chin up bar gave
way while he was playing with his children, and the resulting fall caused serious injuries to his neck and head. After over three months of hospitalization, numerous surgeries, and a variety of complications, Henley was left paralyzed from the chest down. Alan’s accident happened only days before the start of EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, but the team knew the show must go on for their sponsors, their fans, and for Alan. Mark moved up to the lead position and they flew as a three ship at Oshkosh in Alan’s honor. But they also knew they would need a longer-term solution to remain as a four-ship team. “We needed someone to lead, but Alan had 24 years experience in that position,” says Mark. “How do you put somebody in the place of someone with 24 years experience and expect them to do the same job? That was the challenge.” “We had to find somebody with tailwheel experience. We had to find someone with airshow experience. We had to find someone with formation experience, and then we had to find someone that had the time, dedication, and skill to be able to do 20 shows a year,” adds Steve. “So that really narrowed things down.” July/August 2014
But in addition to the necessary flying skills, Alan, Steve, Mark, and Gene knew they had to find someone who could fit in and preserve the all-important intangible of team chemistry. “More teams have busted up over the years, not because of financial issues, not because they didn’t have the talent, but they just couldn’t get along,” says Mark. They found the pilot they were looking for in Bryan Regan, a veteran of the Red Baron Pizza Squadron who was looking for new opportunities after The Schwan Food Company disbanded the Red Barons at the end of the 2007 season. Bryan had flown all four positions – lead, slot, left wing, and right wing – in his sixteen-year stint with the Red Barons. “Gene called and asked me to come down, hang out, go to some shows, and fly with them a little bit,” recalls Bryan. “If it all worked out, they said maybe I could fly a show by the end of the season.” Mark picked Bryan up at the airport in Birmingham in late August, and they first paid a visit to Alan to make sure he was ready to let someone else fly his airplane. From there, they went to the farm and Mark checked Bryan out in the T-6. Bryan had less than an hour of T-6 time in his logbook (and that was almost a decade earlier), but the team knew he had a lot of “round motor time” and formation airshow experience
The AeroShell Team’s twilight show has become a favorite at night airshows everywhere (photo by Chris Parypa).
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with the Red Barons. “We figured we could train him in and get him right, but like we said, the first thing was to see how well we could get along with him,” says Steve. “So we got through that and the long and short of it was six days later we did the first show together in early September in Rome, Georgia,” recalls Bryan. “It just went that smoothly.” Bryan had spent the previous four or five years flying lead for the Red Baron Squadron, so they decided Bryan would take over Alan’s lead position, allowing Mark, Steve, and Gene to continue to fly their familiar positions. “I told them to let me sit up there in front and try to figure everything out, and they can just do what they had been doing for 25 years and fly off of me,” explains Bryan. “It worked out, but it wasn’t perfect – that was the luxury of me being out in lead – I didn’t have to be perfect. I just had to keep it in the box and fly the right lines. I had the time to really learn the airplane and the team without ruffling too many feathers.” Alan remains the president of the corporation and a part owner. While he is no longer able to fly with the team, he is still involved in the day-to-day management of the team and his T-6. A couple of years ago at an event, he was even able to fly in the back seat of Steve’s T-6.
“They put me up in Steve’s back seat and the team went out and we did a bunch of maneuvers,” recalls Alan. “Then Steve and I broke off and I did some loops and rolls myself. We had a big time.”
Flexibility and Growth
In 2010, life threw the team yet another curve ball. Gene McNeely was forced to take a hiatus for heart surgery, so once again the AeroShell Team had to fill a hole in their formation. This time they turned to Jimmy Fordham. Fordham had flown with Steve’s dad in the late 1970s, but had then backed away from airshows to pursue an airline career. By 2004 he had begun working his way back into airshows in a Yak, so when Gene went to the bench for a while, Steve called on Jimmy. Since Bryan had considerable experience flying slot for the Red Baron Squadron, he moved into Gene’s position, with Jimmy taking over lead. “It was quite a challenge to lead a team that had the expectations for precision that we demand,” admits Jimmy. “This stuff is not easy. But it all goes back to the fellowship and the friendships. That’s what is most important. We all get along and we all like each other.” Gene returned to the slot for the 2011 season, but instead of Bryan moving back to lead, the team decided they wanted to make yet another change. Mark moved to lead, Bryan moved into Mark’s old slot on right wing, and Steve stayed put on the left side. “The team needed to establish more of a foundation in lead, and with me moving around so much, and all the changes we went through, Mark went ahead and moved up there in 2011 when Gene came back,” explains Bryan. “So I moved over to right wing, and now we have a good solid foundation with people who are more current in all the different positions.” The preceding three years had also taught the team some important lessons on staying flexible and having a “Plan B.” They began to World Airshow News 29
The AeroShell Aerobatic Team With a colorful Florida sunset as a backdrop, the AeroShell Aerobatic Team turns on the lights in celebration of thirty spectacular years as America’s longest running civilian formation team (photo by Scott Slocum).
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World Airshow News 31
The AeroShell sponsorship is one of the most successful partnerships in the airshow business
see value in having a fifth pilot trained up and ready to fill in if one of the four primary position pilots was unable to fly for whatever reason. They asked Jimmy Fordham to stay on the team as a back-up pilot. “Bringing someone new into the formation takes a lot of practice time, sometimes 30 to 40 hours,” explains Mark. “With the cost of fuel and the cost of engines, when you have to start from scratch it costs a lot of money to get somebody up to speed. But with Jimmy, he’s able to do a little as we go along. Once you learn it, you don’t have to keep doing it at that same rate. You can slow the practice pace down a little and stay at that same proficiency.” Today, Jimmy backs up Gene in the slot and says he could also slide back to lead if he had to, with just a bit of practice first. Having two qualified slot pilots also allows Gene to fill in at a wing position, with Jimmy then flying slot. This flexibility allows the team to present a full four-ship show in many situations where in the past they would have had to drop down to a three-ship. Jimmy also flies the sponsor incentive rides the team does at Oshkosh and Sun ‘n Fun, and he says he will probably fly five or six airshows for the team this year to stay proficient. There’s also a lot of extra practice with the team when they are not on the road.
The Hardest Working Team With a major sponsor like AeroShell, a performer doesn’t just sign on the dotted line and collect a check. There are a variety of sponsor obligations, including personal appearances, autograph sessions, and at Sun ‘n Fun and Oshkosh, promotional rides for customers of their various sponsors. Because many of their sponsors are suppliers of general aviation products, the Sun ‘n Fun and Oshkosh shows are incredibly important for the team. As a result, it’s hard to imagine any performer at Oshkosh or Sun ‘n Fun who works much harder than the AeroShell Team. Their days typically begin with an alarm clock at 6:00am, followed by a quick breakfast at 6:30. It’s then on to the airport to uncover the airplanes, preflight, and meet their first group of promotional riders. A second group of riders typically follows the first, and that all usually happens before 10:00 a.m. The day continues with media interviews and autograph sessions at a variety of sponsor booths – AeroShell, Bose, Honda Generators, Champion, and others. Days on which they fly in the afternoon 32 World Airshow News
airshow typically include fewer personal appearances to allow for the mandatory airboss briefing and an hour of “chill out time” right before they fly. After the daily airshow, they will meet sponsors and friends at their on site motor coach for snacks, drinks, and conversation. After dark, it’s on to dinner – often as a group – then back to the hotel for bed so they can get up and do it all again the next day. The team says they couldn’t make it all happen without the help of Bruce Turner, their ground coordinator. Turner organizes their rides at Oshkosh and Sun ‘n Fun, coordinates their appearance schedule, and handles a myriad of other behind the scenes tasks that often go unnoticed – except by the team. “He’s as much a part of this team as any of the guys in the airplanes,” says Mark. While AeroShell is the title sponsor, they are just one of a variety of companies who together make the AeroShell Team possible. The team has well over 20 sponsors whose names are emblazoned on the side of the four T-6s. Whether it’s sponsors like Champion, Bose, or Strong Parachutes that date back to the North American Aerobatic Team days, or more recent additions like Honda Generators, the guys from the AeroShell Team work hard to professionally represent every one of them. “Most of our sponsors are not just sponsors, they are also our good friends,” says Mark. “They are so much more than just business relationships.” “Our sponsors are the underlying reason why we’ve been able to do this for thirty years,” says Alan. “Without the sponsors, the cost of operating four T-6s would price us out of the market.” “Alan is so right,” adds Gene. “Mark was telling me the other day that the first engine he bought was $20,000, but the last one was $40,000. So we really appreciate what they do for us.”
Friends and Teammates
Through all of the changes and challenges the AeroShell Team has faced over the last 30 years, the one thing that has remained constant is the camaraderie and genuine friendships the guys have built with one another. They are all close friends as well as teammates, something that has undoubtedly contributed to their longevity. “We all just get along,” says Alan. “We all come from similar backgrounds and we all like flying the T-6. So to be able to have fun and get paid for it is great.” “It’s really hard for me to believe that it’s already been 30 years,” concludes Steve. “I’m 54 years old, so I was 23-24 years old when we started this thing. Looking back on it all now, it’s been quite a ride. “Good Lord willing and keeping our health right, we’re looking forward to the future and keeping things going. But what a wild ride it’s already been!” July/August 2014
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Another Great Small-Town Airshow
A Home Run in Cape Girardeau Report and photography by Michael J. Gallagher
C
ape Girardeau, Missouri is a small city of nearly 40,000 that Bruce had his first exposure to airshows. Yakima had an annual people perched on the banks of the mid-Mississippi River airshow that regularly hosted jet teams and it was here that Bruce valley. For most travelers passing by on Interstate 55, Cape developed relationships with both the Blue Angels and the Canadian Girardeau is probably not much more than a food or fuel Snowbirds. A nonprofit group actually promoted that airshow, but stop, or maybe a motel room for the night. One thing that the airport operations staff was very closely involved in all the planthe casual observer will not see is that Cape Girardeau is home to ning meetings that led up to the day of the show. Bruce was able one of the finest small town airshows in the United States. to see everything from the logistics of support, to the hangar space Bruce Loy is the Cape Girardeau airport required for performer aircraft. Airport manager Bruce Loy speaks to the crowd. manager and has been in that job for over 17 Starting with the very humble beginnings of years. Starting with a simple airport open house an airport open house in 1997 and then a first all the way to airshows with screaming jet airshow in 1998, Cape Girardeau produced an anteams, Bruce and his team of volunteers have nual airshow until the economic aftermath of 9/11 managed to produce airshows that guarantee caused a temporary halt. Economic conditions every spectator a great view, a warm welcome, were just too difficult to provide enough commuand fun for the entire family. nity support to produce an airshow. During this Despite their airshow success over the difficult period, many airshows closed up shop years, neither Bruce nor his team could have permanently, but not Cape Girardeau. ever been prepared for the curve ball they were Annual airshows began once again in 2007 thrown in 2014. Within less than a month’s with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels headlining the time, circumstances forced two drastic changes show in 2010. The airshow management team in direction. But in the end, Bruce and his team made an intentional decision to stand down for simply hit that curve ball right out of the park. the 2011 and 2012 seasons, but this respite was followed by successful shows in 2013 and again From Humble Beginnings this year, when the Canadian Snowbirds headBruce started with a degree in aerospace lined the Cape Girardeau Regional Air Festival on administration from Middle Tennessee State the weekend of May 17-18. University, and has spent his entire career workWhile many airshows are produced and proing in airport operations and administration, moted by a nonprofit group, the Cape Girardeau in airports small and large – from Dallas-Fort airshow is produced and promoted by the airport Worth to Yakima, Washington. It was in Yakima itself and the airport advisory board. The board 34 World Airshow News
July/August 2014
The Canadian Snowbirds’ off-again-on-again participation created planning and logistical hurdles that the Cape Girardeau airshow successfully overcame.
Cape Girardeau Air Festival spectators enjoy the aerial action. www.airshowmag.com
World Airshow News 35
functions in an advisory capacity for regular airport operations while Loy reports to the assistant city manager. Detailed airshow planning is handled by a core group of volunteers. There are multiple volunteers who are designated as directors for specific functions in the preparation and operation of the airshow. The directors and core volunteers total nearly 50, with about 150 to 200 volunteers working the airshow itself.
Above: Paul Stender was on hand with his jet-powered Polaris Ranger RZR (inset) and jet-powered School Bus. Below: Susan Dacy flies her 450 horsepower Stearman fast and low.
Off Again; On Again
After the stand down for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, Loy and his team had tentatively planned to host shows every other year in oddnumbered years. In 2013, Cape Girardeau held a smaller airshow, but when Bruce thought he had snagged the Canadian Snowbirds as the headline act for an airshow date in mid-May of 2014, the team decided to go forward with a 2014 show despite it being an even-numbered year. But in late December 2013, American airshows that had the Snowbirds scheduled for the upcoming season received congratulatory e-mails that also contained a disturbing caveat. Due to budgetary issues, the Canadian Government would not be able to confirm the participation of the Snowbirds in the U.S. until February. Even at that early point, the airshow had some significant expenditures and contracts to sign long before the airshow date. With 36 World Airshow News
July/August 2014
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World WorldAirshow AirshowNews News 37 23
Matt Younkin was one of the headline acts in his big Twin Beech. the Snowbirds delaying a final confirmation, Bruce and the Cape Girardeau airshow team were faced with a significant challenge. Should they market the show with the Snowbirds, sign up additional airshow performers and support services, or even secure sponsors, when the Snowbirds may not even show up? On January 31, Bruce received the bad news. The Canadian government had canceled all U.S. airshows for the Snowbirds in 2014. Now the Cape Girardeau airshow was facing another quandary. All of their marketing materials, posters, and billboards had been crafted around the presence of the Canadian Snowbirds. In addition, the weekend selected for the airshow was also the commencement weekend for the local high schools and state university. Trying to garner support for an airshow without a jet team on a weekend with such competing commitments in the community left Bruce and the airport board with little choice but to conclude that total cancellation of the airshow would be the best choice for 2014. But then, about three weeks later, Bruce received a very unexpected phone call from the Snowbirds asking if Cape Girardeau was still interested and if the show could still host the team on the original weekend. Bruce told them that of course he was interested, but frankly didn’t know if he could still garner any community support following the cancellation just three weeks prior. To his credit, Bruce was able to “get the band back together,” with his volunteers, but he did lose some support money. According to Loy, “The biggest loss was that of momentum. It took at least a week to come to a decision to continue with the airshow, so in the end, we had lost almost a month of work and effort just a few short months before our airshow.” Despite a massive public relations campaign to promote the show, the airport was still getting confused calls as late as a week before the airshow asking if the airshow was back on because it has been so well-publicized that the show had been canceled. On top of that, many Americans outside of the dedicated airshow fan base don’t know much about the Canadian Snowbirds and what kind of show they can deliver. Loy quipped that some Cape Girardeau residents may have thought that the Snowbirds were a reference to the annual migration of Canadians driving their RVs in formation down I-55 heading to warmer climes for the winter. Many civilian performers were booked to perform prior to the cancellation of the Snowbirds, so once the show was originally cancelled, Loy had to inform the performers of the bad news. With 38 World Airshow News
memories of the 2013 sequestration-related airshow cancellations still fresh in their minds, many of the originally booked performers quickly began to look elsewhere for airshows to fill the now available date. One airshow that gained performers on that weekend was the Cozumel, Mexico airshow that is featured elsewhere in this issue. Once it was clear that the Snowbirds would actually be performing after all, Loy faced the daunting task of contacting the original performers to see if they could still make it to Cape Girardeau. Some were still available and others weren’t. Fortunately the Dave Dacy airshow team was still able to work the show with airboss, announcing, sound, and two performers.
Another Successful Show
Despite the challenges caused by the Canadian government’s indecision, Loy received many positive comments about the 2014 airshow, with numerous attendees saying they were amazed by the grace of the Snowbirds. Having hosted the Blue Angels in Cape Girardeau in the past, as well as many of the single ship U.S. military jet demo teams, the Snowbirds’ intricate performance and large formation offered a vivid contrast with the raw power and noise of American afterburning fighters. Given the size of Cape Girardeau and its surrounding communities, it’s been a pretty amazing record of success with 13 airshows in 17 years, crowned with two of the last four shows having hosted jet teams. Attendance at Cape Girardeau airshows is variable, with a high of 12,000 in a single day when the Blue Angels were the headliners, to a more normal attendance of 4,000 to 5,000 each day. This makes for a very comfortable and accommodating flight line, shorter lines for food, and a great view of the action in the sky and on the ground. Facing the same challenges as most every other airshow, Bruce Loy and his team have managed to produce excellent airshows for the local community. But the challenges of finding sponsors and securing performers are only amplified working within a small community and proportionately smaller budget. With their plans still focusing on every other year events, you probably don’t need to look for a Cape Girardeau airshow on the 2015 schedule. But in 2016, you can probably look forward to another warm welcome at one of the finest small airshows in the United States. July/August 2014
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fighter pilot in the summer of 2011 after completing the Fighter Pilot Course with 410 Squadron in Cold Lake, which led to his current post with the “Nighthawks”. “Manik” credits many of his accomplishments to his family and makes a point of thanking his wife, Ashleigh, and son, Paul, for their support ahead of the 2014 airshow season. WAN: How did a kid from Hanover, Ontario become the 2014 RCAF CF-18 Demo Pilot? AR: It’s been said many times that it takes a community to raise a child, and I had a lot of people cheering for me to succeed in my chosen path to become a pilot. The many educators and mentors that have been a part of my life deserve the credit for my success. WAN: When you were growing up did you have a mentor or a hero? In aviation, who would be your mentor and why? AR: My dad was a great inspiration when it came to work ethic and problem solving. I didn’t have any family involved in aviation, but I strongly believe it was this work ethic that helped me through my pilot training.
The 2014 Canadian Forces CF-18 Demo Pilot
Captain
Adam Runge An Interview by Kerry J. Newstead
THE CANADIAN FORCES CF-18 demonstration pilot for 2014 is Captain Adam “Manik”
Runge. The Hanover, Ontario, native has over 800 hours in high-performance military aircraft and has logged missions around North America and over the Pacific and Arctic Oceans. Currently a member of 409 “Nighthawks” Tactical Fighter Squadron at 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta, Capt Runge was introduced to aviation in the Air Cadet Program where he earned his glider license at age 16 and his private pilot license at 17. He joined the Canadian Forces in 2003 and 40 World Airshow News
attended the The 2013 CF-18 Demo Pilot Captain Adam “Manik” Runge (Canadian Forces Photo). Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) where he spent his summers as an instructor and tow pilot at the Central Region Gliding School in Trenton, Ontario. Capt Runge graduated from RMC in 2007 with a Bachelors of Mechanical Engineering degree. After earning his pilot wings in the summer of 2009 at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Capt Runge trained on the CT-155 Hawk – the Royal Canadian Air Force’s lead-in jet training aircraft. By early 2010, he was flying the Hawk with 419 Squadron in Cold Lake, Alberta. Capt Runge reached his goal of becoming a
WAN: Tell us how you became the 2014 demonstration pilot? AR: My chain of command got together for a nomination process where the supervisors looked at flying performance, personality, and leadership potential. Most of the process was transparent to me, but I was given the option to have the final word. I couldn’t pass up an opportunity like that. WAN: Flying the CF-18 must be an adrenalin rush. What do you think will be your favorite part of the show? AR: The Square Loop is a difficult maneuver to perfect and is a lot of fun to fly. July/August 2014
The 2014 Canadian Forces CF-18 paint scheme celebrates the 90th anniversary of the RCAF (Courtesy Ken Lin, Canadian Aviator Magazine).
WAN: What do you think will be the hardest part of this year? AR: Making sure the weatherman fulfills my request for great weather at each show site, so I can deliver the best show possible. WAN: What would you say is the best part of flying for the RCAF? AR: It never gets boring. There is always something to learn, a challenge to overcome. It’s a great team atmosphere where all people involved want to better each other’s capability. WAN: This is a special year for the RCAF. Can you tell us why it is special? AR: We are marking the 90th Anniversary of the RCAF. The Theme: To the Stars – Fueled by Legacy is a powerful reminder that the people of the RCAF are on a path to perfection guided by the steady hand of experience. We have a very rich history of aviation innovation when it comes to training new pilots and employing the pilots in new uncharted scenarios. WAN: From the ground, the show is spectacular. As a demo pilot how do you change up the show and make it your own? AR: I have the ability to request change to the sequence and to fly the repositions www.airshowmag.com
as close as possible. When repositions are tight, it makes the show more entertaining, a little more challenging to fly. WAN: You are currently a CF-18 pilot, if you could fly another airplane, what would it be? AR: I would love to fly a Spitfire. WAN: If a youth asked you for inspiration about flight, what would you tell them? AR: Get involved any way you can. Read about aviation, visit local airports, and hang out at the fence to watch aircraft. Approach some pilots and ask lots of questions and don’t forget about the Air Cadet Program. It’s one of Canada’s best youth programs available. WAN: What does your family think of your career? AR: My family is a big supporter of what I do and makes it easy to concentrate on the job at hand, even when that job sometimes takes me away for weeks on end. WAN: At the end of the day, when you take off the flight suit and go home, what do you like to do to relax? AR: Usually I don’t take off the
2014 CF-18 SCHEDULE May 17-18 May 31-June 1 June 4 June 14-15 June 18 June 21-22 June 24 June 28-29 July 1 July 12 July 13 July 19 July 26-27 August 8-10 August 16-17 August 20 August 23-24 Aug 26-Sept 9 September 10-15 September 27-28
Redlands, California, USA Fort McMurray, Alberta North Bay, Ontario Tillsonburg, Ontario La Baie, Quebec Stephenville, Newfoundland St. Georges de Beauce, Quebec Waterloo, Ontario Ottawa, Ontario Yellowknife, NW Territories Peace River, Alberta Cold Lake, Alberta Whitecourt, Alberta Abbotsford, British Columbia Bromont, Quebec Greenwood, Nova Scotia Moncton, New Brunswick Payerne, Switzerland Kleine Brogel, Belgium Redding, California, USA
flight suit until I get home! But in all seriousness, I go home and build my home. Building things is a great stress relief and is a challenging hobby that I truly enjoy. World Airshow News 41
Airshow
Grunts... Grady Lisk, Jr. and The Korean War Hero (photo by Denise Decker).
Story and photos by Denise Decker
THEY ARE THE unsung heroes of the airshow industry – the air-
show grunts. These men and women work tirelessly behind the scenes at every airshow for little or no recognition. We continue our regular series in which we profile many of these almost unknown and rarely recognized people. This month, we introduce you to two more of the people who make airshows fly – Grady Lisk, Jr. and Frank Atria.
Grady Lisk, Jr.
A love of aviation has been an integral part of Grady Lisk’s life. As a child, his parents fostered his passion as family vacations centered on airshows, visiting aviation museums, and touring Navy and Marine Corps bases across the country. The museums showcased aircraft from history, so Grady found warbirds fascinating then, and still does today. Most of the men in his family served in the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps. Grady’s dad was a Marine in Korea, and became a police officer after leaving the Corps. He worked security for the Palm Beach airshow for many years, which permitted young Grady some unique access. This is how he met members of his favorite team, the Blue Angels. He fondly remembers the time they invited him to sit in the cockpit of one of their A-4 Skyhawks. 42 World Airshow News
THE SERIES
Grady had planned on following his dad into the Marine Corps, but when he couldn’t get into the aviation field, he changed his plans and enlisted in the Navy. He spent four years as an Aviation Storekeeper (supply chain), most of it on the USS America during Operation Desert Storm. He was on leave in 1992, heading home from Norfolk, when he stopped in Titusville, Florida for the TICO Warbird Airshow. It was during this show he met Joe Tobul and his son Jim, who were debuting their newly restored F4U-4 Corsair, Korean War Hero. Jim and Grady have now been friends for more than twenty years. Sadly, in 2002 Joe Tobul lost his life while ferrying the F4U to an airshow. Grady still remembers him fondly saying, ”He was a people person. Everything he did was for the people.” When he left the Navy, Grady went to work for the State of Florida as an environmental cop, spent some time working on telecom security systems, and even worked construction, helping to restore a 1925 house in central Florida. He also kept up with his aviation passion, photographing the aircraft that he loved and writing about them. Grady was the official photographer for the 352nd FG Association for many years, and the NATA photographer/safety observer until just recently. His work has been seen in more than a dozen magazines around the world. “I do it for the love…and to pay the bills,” he says. Grady enlisted his girlfriend (now wife) to help with the business, and she’s published as well. After Joe’s accident, his son Jim was determined to honor his father and restore Korean War Hero to flying condition. After doing some of the work himself, he realized he would not be able to finish the job, so he crated the plane and shipped it to Westpac Restorations in Colorado Springs. Korean War Hero was once again debuted at the TICO airshow, but this time Jim was at the controls. Grady was there to document the event. As Crew Chief for Jim Tobul Airshows, the self-proclaimed “Hangar Guru” is responsible for taking care of Korean War Hero, as well as an MU-2 and an SNJ. Grady drives the support truck to airshows, assuring all the necessary supplies and tools are on hand when needed. Then he spends his time preparing the aircraft for flight, fueling, checking fluid levels, inspecting, and cleaning…always cleaning. He’s also taken on some of the public relations role, helping with the team’s appearance bookings. Grady hopes to have team merchandise available in the near future. Grady has spent a good part of his life at airshows. He knows he was fortunate to have been mentored by the Blue Angels as a July/August 2014
kid. As he’s moved from the crowd side of the fence to the performer side, Grady feels he’s just “grown his family.” He says he has met some amazing and interesting people, but he has also lost some great friends. Grady compares airshows and aviation to the Olympic rings: “People, airplanes, and parts come full circle, yet they’re all intertwined.” Note: Since this interview, Jim and Korean War Hero were involved in a mishap that resulted in the airplane flipping over upon landing at Atlanta’s DeKalb-Peachtree airport. Jim was able to get out with only minor injury. The airplane is headed back to Colorado Springs for some repair work before taking to the skies once again.
sites in their “hauler”, a special tractor/trailer rig that includes a briefing room for the pilots and a workshop for the mechanics. It also transports their four-wheeler that they use to tow the aircraft. The only part they don’t travel with is an engine. If the need arises, Frank can have one shipped to him fairly quickly. Everything else necessary to do an engine change on the road is in the hauler. Frank likes to fly to show sites in the backseat of one of the SNJs. Upon arrival he’ll hop out and marshal the aircraft to parkFrank Atria (photo by Denise Decker)
Frank Atria
“You’re never too old to go back and do what you want to do,” according to Frank Atria. Though he had loved aviation since childhood, his family convinced him that he needed a practical career, and they said business would be a good choice for him. It wasn’t. He left college and signed up for A&P mechanic school. “As soon as I walked in the door I knew it was where I was supposed to be,” says Frank. His great uncle was a B-17 mechanic during World War II, and planted the aviation bug. This was (probably) the reason the B-17 was Frank’s favorite airplane while growing up. His palette later expanded to warbirds in general, and he knew that these were the aircraft he wanted to work on. One day, during a break from his classes, he took a walk around the airport and discovered several T-6 Texans parked on the ramp at the airport. The planes (Frank now knows they are SNJs) belonged to the GEICO Skytypers. Soon he was working part-time with the team while he continued to pursue his A&P license. When studying radial engines and fabric, his instructors would preface each lesson with, “Unless you’re Frank, you probably won’t be seeing much of this.” After graduation, Frank was offered a full-time position with the Skytypers. That was seven years ago. He’s now the Chief of Line Ops, but Lead Mechanic is fine with him. He hasn’t started working on his IA yet, but it’s on his list to do. Frank has six SNJs under his care, and since there are no spares for the six-ship demo team, keeping all of them in tip-top shape is a priority. “Got to keep ‘em all going,” he says with a smile. The airshow community has been good to Frank. He says he enjoys the travel and his great group of friends. “It’s a big family,” he says. Frank has also benefitted from his friends’ experience, which has been a great learning tool. He loves what he does and says, “It’s the fun part of being a mechanic.” During the winter months, Frank and his team perform annuals on each of the airplanes, getting them ready for the upcoming airshow season. Once the team is on the road, they hope they don’t suffer any major mechanical issues. But they’re prepared if something does break. Tools and spare parts are carried to show www.airshowmag.com
ing. He then calls for fuel, engine oil, and smoke. Once the planes are fueled, he helps unload the hauler, debriefs with the pilots for any maintenance issues, and then the team completes their preflight checklist. As long as there are no open items, the planes are ready for their next flight, usually a media or incentive ride. When the aircraft return, the procedures are repeated, the planes are tied down, the covers are put on, and they’re ready for the next day. During the airshow Frank will work with his team to launch aircraft, video the demonstration, and marshal the planes back to their parking spots. Being behind the scenes is where Frank prefers to be, saying, ”Let the airplanes be the stars.” That provides him the time to work on his SNJs, and to walk around and see all the different aircraft at the show, something he thoroughly enjoys. It’s always a good show when the F-22 Raptor is there, as it’s Frank’s favorite military airplane, even if it isn’t a vintage warbird. At one point Frank thought he wanted to be a pilot. He still wants to, but it’s not critical. These days he gets to fly with the team quite a bit, so he’s content…for now. He has plenty on his plate. When he’s not traveling to an airshow, or doing maintenance at the hangar, Frank enjoys spending time at home with his family. World Airshow News 43
Airshow Highlights
BUSINESS IS BOOMING Part of the big crowd at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Open House and Airshow (photo by Chris Parypa).
A
irshows from coast-to-coast reported strong attendance as the 2014 season began in earnest in April and May. The International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) said that shows big and small, civilian and military, and with or without a jet team have all seen strong numbers. ICAS attributes the increased attendance to pent-up demand generated by the cancellation of so many events in 2013. ICAS also says shows a bit later in the season are already seeing unusually strong advance ticket sales. According to ICAS, after covering the cancellations and reduced attendance of last year, many media outlets are “closing the loop” by reporting on the return of airshows and the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels. ICAS believes the increased media coverage – both the largely negative sequestration-related coverage in 2013 and the more positive return-of-airshows coverage so far in 2014 – is generating interest in events throughout the country. The month of May also marked the debut of the newest act on the circuit, the Jack Links Screamin’ Sasquatch jet-powered Waco biplane flown by John Klatt and Jeff Boerboon. The Screamin’ Sasquatch made its long-awaited debut May 17-18 at the Rhode Island Air National Guard Open House and Air Show in North Kingston, Rhode Island, followed by the New York Air Show at Jones Beach the very next weekend. Our contributing photographers were out in force as always and have produced some outstanding images from early season shows from California, to New England, to Florida. More great photographs from these dedicated contributors can be found in our online gallery at www.airshowmag.com. 44 World Airshow News
John Klatt debuted the Jack Links “Screamin’ Sasquatch” jet-powered Waco at the Rhode Island Air National Guard Open House and Air Show and the New York Air Show at Jones Beach (photo by Scott Snorteland). July/August 2014
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Airshow Highlights
...BUSINESS IS BOOMING
Precision is a trademark of Team AeroDynamix whether they are in the air over Augusta, Georgia (right, photo by Dean Wingard) or on the ground in Atlanta (bottom, photo by Clifford Martin).
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Now available on DVD • theaviators.tv
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World Airshow News 47
Airshow Highlights
...BUSINESS IS BOOMING
Above: The B-17 “Fuddy Duddy” is escorted by her “Little Friend”, a P-51 Mustang, at the Planes of Fame Air Show in Chino, California (photo by Rich Kolasa).
Below: The POET Vanguard Squadron opens their show with a beautiful photo pass at the Deke Slayton AirFest in LaCrosse, Wisconsin (photo by Nate Burrows).
48 World Airshow News
July/August 2014
Booked individually, or as an Event Package... ...from one act to an entire airshow! Dacy-Kazian - Super StearmanWingwalking Team VladoLenoch - P-51 Mustang Aerobatics/Heritage Flight Susan Dacy - “Big Red” Super Stearman Doug Dodge - “Machaira” Muscle Biplane Michael Vaknin - Extra 300 Erik Edgren - Comedy Taylorcraft Paul Stender - Jet Vehicles
Phil Dacy – Airshow Announcing Claude Spears – Airshow Sound Scott Duck - Airboss/Air Ops Julia Dacy – Military Coordination/Special Projects Phil Dacy
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Dave Dacy Airshows, Inc.
P.O. Box 225, Harvard, IL 60033 Call Toll Free, 888-848-DACY (3229) • 815-943-5170 www.dacyairshows.com
Julia Dacy
Cell: 815-482-3920 Email: jdacy@charter.net
World Airshow News 49
Airshow Highlights
...BUSINESS IS BOOMING
Thanks to the following contributors for providing coverage here and at www.airshowmag.com: Date
Airshow
City
April 12 Thunder Over Louisville Louisville, Kentucky April 12-13 Thunder & Lightning Over Arizona Davis Monthan AFB, Arizona April 26-27 Pacific Coast Dream Machines Half Moon Bay, California April 26-27 Boshears Skyfest & Fly-In Augusta, Georgia April 26-27 Defenders of Liberty Barksdale AFB, Louisiana April 26-27 Ft Worth Air Power Expo NAS JRB Ft Worth, Texas May 2-4 Central Texas Airshow Temple, Texas May 3-4 Planes of Fame Airshow Chino, California May 3-4 Travis AFB Open House Travis AFB, California May 3-4 Spirit of St Louis Air Show St Louis, Missouri May 10-11 Vero Beach Airshow Vero Beach, Florida May 10-11 JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Open House Lakehurst, New Jersey May 13 Snowbirds Acceptance Show Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan May 16-18 MCAS Cherry Point Air Show MCAS Cherry Point, NC May 16-18 Warbirds Over the Beach Virginia Beach, Virginia May 17 Hondo Air Show Hondo, Texas May 17 DeKalb-Peachtree Good Neighbors Day Atlanta, Georgia May 17-18 The Cozumel Air Show Cozumel, Mexico May 17-18 Cape Girardeau Regional Air Festival Cape Girardeau, Missouri May 17-18 Rhode Island ANG Open House Airshow North Kingston, Rhode Island May 24-25 Salute to Veterans Columbia, Missouri May 24-25 Cannon AFB Open House Cannon AFB, New Mexico May 24-25 New York Air Show at Jones Beach Wantagh, New York May 31 – June 1 Deke Slayton Airfest LaCrosse, Wisconsin
50 World Airshow News
World Airshow News Contributors Nate Burrows, Craig Scaling Norman Graf Mark Loper Dean Wingard, Rod Reilly, Chris Buff Andrew Cline Lynn Cromer, Eric Renth Eric Renth Norman Graf, Rich Kolasa Mark Loper, Norman Graf Nate Burrows Tom Ausburne Rich Kolasa, Scott Snorteland, Chris Parypa, Steve Serdikoff Colin Kunkel Greg Meland, Jon Houghtaling Rich Kolasa, Greg Meland Eric Renth Chris Buff, Clifford Martin Gordon Bowman-Jones, Dean Wingard Michael J. Gallagher Manny Gonzalez, Steve Serdikoff, Scott Snorteland Don Thun Norman Graf Scott Snorteland, Manny Gonzalez Ken Cheung, Nate Burrows
Above: Members of the US Army Golden Knights Black Demonstration Team keep a watchful eye on the winds over the drop zone before their jump at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Open House and Air Show in New Jersey (photo by Steve Serdikoff). Below: A lucky couple
at the Pacific Coast Dream Machines event at Half Moon Bay, California gets a ride back in time in the New Standard D-25 (photo by Mark Loper).
July/August 2014
www.airshowmag.com or search for us at iTunes
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Quality, cost effective sound for small to medium sized venues. Customized sound and narration combo packages available.
World Airshow News 51
AIRSHOW SNAPSHOTS
Above: Hugh Oldham, Jacquie Warda, and Michael Stewart at the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport Good Neighbors Day Air Show in Atlanta (photo by Clifford Martin). Left: First time flyer Lizz Taylor of Augusta, Georgia departs on her first ever flight experience at the Boshears Air Show (photo by Rod Reilly). Bottom left: Julie Vessigault was working hard as usual at Atlanta’s DeKalb-Peachtree Airport Good Neighbors Day Air Show, making sure one of Tiger Airshows’ Yak 55s is clean and ready to fly (photo by Chris Buff). Below: Sean Gallagher enjoying the Cape Girardeau Air Festivall in his flight suit (photo by Michael J. Gallagher).
52 World Airshow News
July/August 2014
www.airshowmag.com
World Airshow News 23
Bob Carlton 505-239-5967 VertigoAirshows.com No tow plane required Surface level jet aerobatics on the 500’ show line Taxi on/taxi off
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World Airshow News 53
AIRSHOW SNAPSHOTS
Right: Thunderbird #3, Maj Caroline Jensen, signs autographs and meets the crowd after the Saturday performance at the Travis AFB Air Expo (photo by Mark Loper). Bottom left: The Raiders Demo Team gives a thumbs up before their show at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Open House and Air Show. The Raiders are, from left to right: Marty “Raider” Sheehan, Jeff “Duster” Daniel, Tom “Cuda” Reynolds, and Morton “Viking” Stoverud (photo by Steve Serdikoff). Bottom right: Contributing Editor Denise Decker found a new friend at the Rhode Island Air National Guard Open House – the Jack Links Sasquatch (photo by Chris Porter).
54 World Airshow News
July/August 2014
Left: Nose art at the Planes of Fame Air Show in Chino, California (photo by Norman Graf). Right: Tail art at the Boshears Air Show in Augusta, Georgia (photo by Rod Reilly).
Upcoming U.S. AIRSHOWS
Compiled by Kerry J. Newstead (see www.airshowmag.com for full-season and international listings)
BA=Blue Angels, TB = Thunderbirds, SB = Snowbirds, BD = Black Diamond, PA = Patriots 7/19-7/20: AirExpo 2014, Eden Prairie, MN, (952) 746-6100, info@airexpo-mn.org, airexpo-mn.org 7/19-7/20: Defenders of Freedom Open House, Offutt AFB, NE, Jet:BA, (402) 2948800, offuttairshow.com 7/19-7/20: USAM Air Show - The Gathering of Eagles, Willoughby, OH, (216) 2563729, AIMB29@roadrunner.com, usam.us 7/23-7/23: Frontier Days Airshow, Cheyenne, WY, Jet:TB, (307) 778-7200, cfdrodeo.com 7/25-7/27: Thunder Over Utah Air Show, St. George, UT, Jet:BA, thunderoverutah. com 7/26-7/27: Thunder Over Delta County, Escanaba, MI, info@upairshow.com, upairshow.com 7/26-7/27: Arctic Thunder 2014, JB Elmendorf-Richardson AFB, AK, Jet:TB, (907) 552-7477, jber.af.mil 7/26-7/27: Tri-City Water Follies, Kennewick, WA, (509) 783-4675, info@ waterfollies.com, waterfollies.com 7/26-7/27: Reading Airshow, Reading, PA, (610) 288-2496 8/1-8/3: Seafair Boeing Airshow & Albert Lee Hydroplane Race, Seattle, WA, Jet:BA, (206) 728-0123, info@seafair.com, seafair.com 8/2-8/2: Wings & Wheels Bath County, Hot Springs, VA, (540) 839-5326, ingallsfield@tds.net, wingsandwheelsbathcountyva.com 8/8-8/9: Wings Over Wiscasset, Wiscasset, ME, info@wingsoverwiscasset.org, wingsoverwiscasset.org 8/9-8/10: Pikes Peak Regional Air Show, Colorado Springs, CO, pprairshow.org 8/9-8/10: Quad City Air Show, Davenport, IA, quadcityairshow.com 8/9-8/10: Thunder Over Michigan, Ypsilanti, MI, Jet:TB, (734) 637-8880, airshows@msn.com, yankeeairmuseum.org 8/13-8/13: Thunder Over the Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ, Jet:TB, (609) 345-4524, acchamber.com 8/15-8/16: Greenwood Lake Air Show & WWII Showcase, West Milford, NJ, (973) 728-7721, greenwoodlakeairshow@gmail.com, greenwoodlakeairshow.com 8/16-8/17: City of Chicago Air & Water Show, Chicago, IL, Jet:BA, (312) 744-7431, cityofchicago.org www.airshowmag.com
8/16-8/17: Rochester International Airshow 2014, Rochester, NY, Jet:TB, (585) 869-4025, rochesterairshow.com 8/22-8/23: The Airshow of the Cascades, Madras, OR, (541) 815-5079, cascadeairshow.com 8/22-8/24: Thunder Over the Valley, Santa Maria, CA, (805) 922-8758, smmof@ msn.com, smmof.org 8/23-8/24: Wings Over Camarillo, Camarillo, CA, (805) 551-0983, WingsOverCMA@ gmail.com, wingsovercamarillo.com 8/23-8/24: Duluth Air & Aviation Expo, Duluth, MN, Jet:BA, (218) 628-9996, info@ duluthairshow.com/, duluthairshow.com 8/23-8/24: New Garden Festival of Flight, New Garden, PA 8/23-8/24: Thunder in the Valley II, Waterloo, IA, Jet:TB, (319) 239-1308, waterlookiwanis.org 8/23-8/24: Wings Over Waukesha Air Show, Waukesha, WI, (262) 424-6747, airshow@wingsoverwaukesha.com, wingsoverwaukesha.com 8/24-8/24: Oakland County International Airport Open House, Waterford, MI, (248) 666-3900, president@ociaopenhouse.org, ociaopenhouse.org 8/25-8/26: Fort Worth Alliance Air Show, Fort Worth, TX, Jet:TB, (817) 890-1000, allianceairshow.com 8/30-8/31: Mountain Madness Airshow, Kalispell, MT, Jet:TB, (406) 758-2804, kalispellchamber.com 8/30-9/1: Cleveland National Air Show, Cleveland, OH, Jet:BA, (216) 781-0747, info@clevelandairshow.com, clevelandairshow.com 9/5-9/6: Osceola Wheels & Wings, Osceola, WI, (715) 294-2050, myosceola.com 9/5-9/7: SkyRaid over South Jersey AirShow, Medford, NJ, skyraidoversouthjersey. com 9/5-9/7: The Great Reno Balloon Race, Reno, NV, pirwin@health.nv.gov, renoballoon.com 9/6-9/6: Wings Over Waukegan, Waukegan, IL, (847) 244-0055, waukeganairshow. com 9/6-9/7: Red Bull Air Race, Fort Worth, TX, office@redbullairrace.com, redbullairrace.com 9/6-9/7: California Capital Airshow, Sacramento, CA, (916) 876-7568, californiacapitalairshow.com 9/6-9/7: Selfridge ANGB Air Show/Open House, Selfridge ANGB, MI, Jet:BA, (586) 404-8487, info@selfridgeopenhouse.com, selfridgeopenhouse.com World Airshow News 55
9/10-9/14: Reno National Championship Air Races, Reno, NV, airrace.org 9/12-9/13: Waco Fly-In, Troy, OH, (937) 335-9226, admin@wacoairmuseum.org, wacoairmuseum.org 9/13-9/13: Lycoming County Balloonfest & Air Show, Hughesville, PA, (570) 2796192, slspencer@windstream.net, lcrotary.com 9/13-9/14: Altus AFB Airshow, Altus AFB, OK, Jet:TB, (580) 481-6545, altus.af.mil 9/13-9/14: Star-Spangled Air Show, Baltimore, MD, Jet:BA, starspangled200.org 9/13-9/14: Winston-Salem Air Show, Winston-Salem, NC, (336) 767-2382, wsairshow@smithreynolds.org, wsairshow.com 9/14-9/14: American Heroes Air Show, Canton, GA, (404) 451-2212, mgrier@ heroes-airshow.com, heroes-airshow.com 9/20-9/20: Lake of the Ozarks Air Show 2014, Camdenton, MO, (573) 346-2227, lakeoftheozarksairshow.com 9/20-9/20: Owensboro Air Show, Owensboro, KY, owensboroairshow.com 9/20-9/20: Sedona Airport’s Family Fun Day, Sedona, AZ, (928) 282-4487, airport@ SedonaAirport.org, sedonaairport.org 9/20-9/21: Oregon International Air Show, Hillsboro, OR, Jet:SB, (503) 629-0706, info@oregonairshow.com, oregonairshow.com 9/20-9/21: Gunfighter Skies 2014, Mountain Home AFB, ID, Jet:TB, (208) 8281752, silverwingsofidaho.org 9/20-9/21: NAS Oceana Air Show, NAS Oceana, VA, Jet:BA, oceanaairshow.com 9/20-9/21: Wings over Wine Country Air Show, Santa Rosa, CA, wingsoverwinecountry.org 9/26-9/28: World War I Dawn Patrol Rendezvous, AFB Wright-Patterson, OH, nationalmuseum.af.mil 9/26-9/28: The Ruby Mountain Balloon Festival, Spring Creek, NV, pirwin@health. nv.gov 9/27-9/28: Redding Air Show, Redding, CA, (530) 941-0680, reddingairshow.org 9/27-9/27: The Heart of Texas Airshow, Waco, TX, info@heartoftexasairshow.com, heartoftexasairshow.com 9/27-9/28: JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam Air Show, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI, Jet:BA, 15wg.pa@us.af.mil, 15wing.af.mil 9/27-9/28: California International Airshow, Salinas, CA, Jet:TB, (888) 845-7469, info@salinasairshow.com, salinasairshow.com 10/4-10/4: Wings & Wheels - A Georgetown Fall Festival, Georgetown, DE, wingswheels.com 10/4-10/5: Catalina Air Show and Festival, Avalon, CA, (888) 798-1118, info@ catalinaairshow.com, catalinaairshow.com 10/4-10/5: Salute America Air Show, Dallas, GA, (770) 505-8877, pauldingairport. com 10/4-10/5: Chennault International Airshow, Lake Charles, LA, info@ chennaultairshow.com, chennaultairshow.com 10/4-10/5: MCAS Miramar Air Show, MCAS Miramar, CA, Jet:BA, (858) 577-4258, miramarairshow.com 10/4-10/5: Air and Space Show, Melbourne, FL, Jet:TB, airandspaceshow.com 10/4-10/5: Wings Over Tyler Air Show, Tyler, TX, wingsovertylerairshow.com 10/4-10/12: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, NM, balloonfiesta.com 10/10-10/12: The Great Georgia Airshow, Peachtree City, GA, info@ thegreatgeorgiaairshow.com, thegreatgeorgiaairshow.com 10/10-10/12: Rotorfest 2014 - All Helicopter Airshow, West Chester, PA, rotorfest. schultzairshows.com 10/11-10/11: Culpeper Air Fest 2014, Brandy Station, VA, culpeperairfest.com 10/11-10/12: Wings and Waves Air Show, Daytona Beach, FL, Jet:TB, (386) 2560451, info@wingsandwaves.com, wingsandwaves.com 10/11-10/12: Red Bull Air Race, Las Vegas, NV, office@redbullairrace.com, redbullairrace.com 10/11-10/12: AIRSHO 2014, Midland, TX, (432) 563-1000, glinebarger@cafhq.org, airsho.org 10/11-10/12: San Francisco Fleet Week, San Francisco, CA, Jet:BA, (805) 684-0155, info@fleetweek.us, fleetweek.us 10/17-10/18: Southern Heritage Air Foundation Airshow, Mound, LA, (601) 4151902, info@southernheritageair.org, southernheritageair.org 56 World Airshow News
Hugh Oldham (continued from page 12) physically prepared for a life threatening crash at your show and take proactive action to better protect your performers, staff, and spectators. Do you have a quick response capability? A golf cart, or preferably, a four-wheel-drive “brush truck” (or just a four-wheel drive pickup) with fire extinguishers, extraction tools, and staffed with appropriate personnel stationed to quickly respond to a crash. One unit at show center could cover many show lines. If you are on a field with ARFF, have those personnel on duty show day been briefed about the differences between “normal” aircraft and your show’s planes? The ARFF crews do NOT train every day for the type of accident possible at your show. An airshow is NOT normal operations. If necessary, are you prepared to go toe-to-toe (politely and diplomatically, of course) with ARFF crews who insist that they are trained to respond in three or four minutes, when you know, and tragic examples have demonstrated, that three or four minutes is too long in the airshow environment? Has the show day ARFF response been pre-authorized by air traffic control for immediate access to all airport operational areas without delays? A truck waiting clearance to cross a runway may mean the difference between life and death. Again, an airshow is NOT normal airport operations. How many of you have fire bottles strategically placed in/around the performer pit area? Do you have a pit crew to help clear the prop and observe for fire during engine start-up?
For All of Us
Our industry association, ICAS, is aggressively addressing the issues of ARFF response on several fronts. This effort deserves our full support. As an industry, we pay lip service to safety as being the most important thing at an airshow. The reality is that we will never eliminate all airshow accidents. As long as we fly, bad things will happen and the best pilots stand the chance of only being a passenger to the point of impact. Walt Pierce told this writer of a meeting in Milwaukee, some 40 years ago, where industry heavy hitters addressed these very subjects. Yet, here we are, 40 years later, discussing the same issues. Will we again lose the momentum for positive change generated by the most recent accident, or will anger subside and complacency return? The title of this essay is If It Is To Be, It’s Up To Me. That title is not original with this writer. It’s a common phrase in industrial safety programs used to remind all personnel of their own responsibility for the entire safety program. It will only “be” when we all take the personal proactive approach, take individual responsibility for all factors in flying/producing an airshow, and accept that the consequences of the inevitable accident must be mitigated.
The author wishes to thank George Cline, John Cudahy, Walt Pierce, Mike Stewart, Spencer Suderman, Patty Wagstaff, and the members of the Airshow Performers’ Association for their input. Cant’ get enough of Hugh? Go to www.proairshow.com. There’s lots more.
July/August 2014
PATRICK G. O’GRADY President
Airshow Merchandise & Food Service
“We Deliver”
Sixth Sense Marketing 2790 Gundry Avenue Signal Hill, CA 90755
562•490•0808 Office 562•426•9892 Fax 310•971•3121 Cell
www.continentalairshows.com
Index to Advertisers Absolute Aerobatics (Craig “Brute”Teft) . . 3 AeroShell Aerobatic Team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Air National Guard John Klatt. . . . . . . . . . 25 Air Pac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Air Show Vendors (Patrick O’Grady) . . . . 57 Alabama Boys (Greg Koontz). . . . . . . . . . 53 American Aerobatics (Julie Clark). . . . . . . 2 Batcopter & Batmobile (Nock Air). . . . . . 51 Bill Leff Airshows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Classic Fighters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Continental Air Show Productions. . . . . . 57 Dacy Airshows (Dave Dacy). . . . . . . . . . . 49 Firecat (Rich Perkins). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Gary Ward Airshows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Greg Connell Airshows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Hugh Oldham Airshow Announcing. . . . 51 Insurance Technologies & Programs. . . . . 7 www.airshowmag.com
Jim Tobul Airshows (Korean War Hero). . 15 Kent Pietsch Airshows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Larry Rutt Airshow Announcing . . . . . . . 57 National Concession (Timothy Axelrod). 57 National Event Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Otto the Airshow Helicopter. . . . . . . . . . . 19 Parachute Shop (The). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Shannon & Luchs Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . 51 Skip Stewart Airshows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Team AeroDynamix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Texas T-Cart Airshows (Randy Henderson). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Vertigo Airshows (Bob Carlton). . . . . . . . 53 Vintage Thunderbird (Fowler Cary). . . . . 33 W.S. Dodge Smoke Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Winston-Salem Air Show. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Younkin Airshows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 World Airshow News 57
Stick Time with... Jive (left) and Jeff. Separated at birth?
D
Jerry ‘Jive’ Kerby
By Jeff Parnau uring Sun ‘n Fun this recent April, I was approached three separate times over a two day period by volunteers, each politely asking me whether I needed fuel, or smoke oil, or help with moving my aircraft. After the third time, I asked the young man, “Who do you think I am?” He responded, “You fly that white and blue airplane, don’t you?” He was referring to Wild Blue, the Van’s RV-8A which was being flown by Jerry “Jive” Kerby during the airshow. (The “A” is an abbreviation for tricycle gear.) I thought the remarks were funny enough to pass on to Ms. LM “Lunar” Sawyer, the owner and manager of Fly Jive Fly, LLC, and also the narrator for Jive’s act. I don’t believe she saw the resemblance (possibly because I wasn’t wearing a FlyJiveFly hat), but it was a great opportunity for me to beg for a stick-time piece with Jive, to which she graciously agreed. Other than a blimp, an RV-8 is the last aircraft I’d expect Jive to fly at an airshow. Since he retired from the United States Air Force as LtCol in 2006, he’s flown the T-33, MS760, L-39, T-28, F-4, and MiG-17 at airshows throughout North America. Those are, of course, all warbirds, and most are jet powered. The RV-8 that Jive started flying in 2013 is powered by a 180-horsepower piston engine turning a two-bladed prop. It uses less fuel flying to an airshow than a T-33 burns taxiing to the runway. But then, you can’t take a jet to just any airport. Short runways or limited accommodations can prevent a small show from acquiring a jet act, and Jive recognized that as a good reason to create a solo act. He wanted something fast enough to get to a show, and agile enough to fly an act. He found the homebuilt 2006 RV a few miles from his Florida home, and began flying airshows with it in 2013, including AirVenture. He’ll be back in Oshkosh in late July, with some additional equipment: a smoke system (five gallons), and inverted fuel and oil systems. So what’s it like to fly in a low-powered aerobatic machine which can barely consume nine gallons an hour? Smooth, very smooth – at 58 World Airshow News
least, at the hands of a 13,000 hour combat pilot. We flew most of the maneuvers Jive flies in his show: immelmans, loops, hammerheads, aileron and barrel rolls, wingovers. Nothing dramatic. But oh, so smooth and effortless. We never stopped chatting in a normal tone of voice throughout the flight. Jive let me try a few basic maneuvers, and although I lacked his fine touch, I felt this was an airplane I could learn to love. It’s got the cruise speed of the Cirrus I have been flying for ten years, it has two fewer seats (that I don’t use), and it eats half the fuel – all that, plus it flies upside down. And of course, Jive’s contagious enthusiasm is the stuff of the true airshow performer. He is there to inspire, enthuse, and entertain. I, for one am inspired. I want a Van’s RV in my hangar, and I want to introduce people to aerobatics without spending a dime on those little white paper bags. Lunar and Jive.
July/August 2014
www.airshowmag.com
World Airshow News 59
Recipient of the 2013 Bill Barber Award for Showmanship
60 World Airshow News
July/August 2014